Business Week recently reported that gold climbed, once again, in both the US and international markets while the interest from investors remains steady around the world. Even amidst a shaky global economy it seems the interest in gold remains high and will only continue to rise as it becomes more publicized in the mainstream media.

Many investors are beginning to realize that a gold investment equals a smart investment. So why are there still so many who have not added gold to their investment portfolio?

Gold Is Only For the Wealthy

Until recently, gold seemed out of reach to smaller investors who believed it was more an investment for the wealthy. Many individuals did not understand the process of obtaining the metal or were led to believe they could only invest in large quantities.

Today, however, gold is becoming more of a mainstream investment – providing even the novice investor an opportunity to possess this precious metal. Gold Bullion is no longer the most commonly recognized form of gold investing. Gold coins have become more widespread and provide a reasonable investment option to the beginner.

Not Enough Information

Prior to the internet age an investor would have had to deal with a local broker or investment manager in order to learn more about gold and their investment options. They may have relied on a friendly referral or simply utilized someone local since it was convenient. Having only limited options and information available to them, coupled with brokers who may have been less than reputable, it made the process of investing in gold extremely intimidating to many.

This is no longer the case for today’s investors. The web now allows them easy access to an abundance of information on the subject. More and more websites are offering potential investors step by step tutorials on the process of investing while outlining the gold investment options. This lifts the veil and allows them to understand the investment strategies so they can become a more educated buyer or seller, bringing knowledge and the power to make better investing decisions.

I Prefer Paper Assets

There was once a time when a diverse investment strategy involved investment in Stocks, Bonds, and various other forms of paper assets in order to distribute the risk an investor would face. However, as we have been painfully taught, paper assets are extremely volatile in today’s market and investors need to diversify their portfolios in order to secure the future of their investments. Gold investments give the investor more options and allows for further diversification.

An investment in gold does not have to be an intimidating undertaking nor is it inaccessible to even the household investor. By conducting ones own research and speaking with qualified and reputable firms this metal can become a lasting investment for you and generations to come just as it has been a solid standing investment to the generations before. If you are looking to diversify your current portfolio or just start one, a gold investment is an option any investor should seriously consider.

Zachary A. Pew

How did your IRA fare against the inflation of 2008? If your answer is “my IRA fared well,” you must be among the few who had wisely taken advantage of the benefits offered by the Taxpayer Relief Act (TRA) passed in 1997. The TRA allows you to put certain types of gold bullions and other precious metals in your IRA with tax deferred protection.

If your answer is “my IRA fared badly,” your IRA must be among the many that relied too much on paper assets like stocks and bonds as placements for IRA funds. These assets are among the first to suffer and suffer the most during times of inflation. Stock market returns plummeted to a negative 37 percent. IRA investments lost an average of 25 percent in 2008 and another 35 percent in 2009. These losses were computed to be $2.5 trillion in 2008 alone. Another $4.5 trillion IRA fund losses are purportedly in the making for the early part of 2010. In contrast, the price of gold soared to $865 an ounce and $1104 in 2009, many times more than the 1997 price of $324.

Inflation is still very much in the air but it is not yet too late to make your IRA fare well against inflation.

As a first step, check with your IRA custodian if your IRA is allowed to put gold into your IRA. Next step, call Certified Gold Exchange 1-800-300-0715 for assistance. An expert will stay with you on the line and help you complete this simple procedure: Fax all the appropriate IRA forms that give your retirement custodian permission to transfer the desired portion of your account equity to GoldStar Trust or Sterling Trust. Either may be your chosen IRA gold custodian.

Once the funds had been transferred, the Certified Gold Exchange expert who has been assisting you will contact you directly and present to you a selection of gold products for your IRA. The CGE expert will help your IRA fare better against any inflation.

Zachary A. Pew

Gold provides not just safety to an investor from such economic monsters as inflation. Gold is also an investment and as an investment it provides an investor not only with safety against inflation but also with opportunities for profit – opportunities perhaps unequalled by other types of investments.

It is an intelligent move to seek refuge in gold whenever a crisis threatens an economy. Those in the know are quick to transfer their investments to gold when the economy is threatened by an economic ailment. They rely on gold is an antidote against inflation. Traditional mediums of investment like stocks and bonds and other paper investments are among the first to suffer losses. Gold is invulnerable to inflation. In fact, gold behaves differently from other mediums of investments whenever there is economic uncertainty. It thrives instead of getting depleted.

During economic difficulties, people move their funds to safer assets for safety. Gold provides not just safety but also profit. The increased number of investors increases the demand for gold and when the demand is high the price of gold naturally increases. Thus, historically gold prices rise during hard times. Many investors still recall their experience during the 1970s. Gold started at a low price of only $37 an ounce. When the decade was over, gold prices came close to $600 an ounce, an increase of 1,500%. The so-called Nixon Shock was the major factor that triggered this vigorous performance by gold. It was in 1971, during the Nixon administration, that the US suspended the direct convertibility of the US dollar to gold.

A more recent experience was the decade 2000-2009. Here gold put up another stellar performance stoked by inflation. Prices teed off at about $270 in 1970. By end-2009 the price of gold breached the $1000 mark to settle at a decade-ending price of $1,104, an increase of over 400%. Again, a $100,000 investment fund transferred to gold in 1970 by an investor to protect him from the prevailing economic difficulties would have, in addition, brought him tremendous profit.

Gold provides both safety and profit opportunities. Keep your investment safe and profitable with gold.

Zachary A. Pew

While doing some research for today’s blog post, I received a surprise visit from non -other than my 10 year-old son. Something was awry; he was dawning his Sundays best, including tie. Taking a seat across from my desk, he sat up straight, looked me in the eye and said, “Sir, I would to make a Gold Investment.” Then placed his Passport saving book on my desk, and confidently awaited my reaction.

Ok, I’ll bite. “How have you come to this decision, Sir?”

He delivered his rehearsed presentation, “In 1970 you could buy gold for $37 dollars an ounce, now it is over $1000 an ounce. I don’t know how much profit that is, but it is a lot! More importantly to you and me is; in 2000 I could have made a gold investment of $273 dollars an ounce, that means four every $1 dollar I invested in Gold then I would get $4 back today. So if we buy now you can stop saving your money for my college, I can pay for it myself. “

“Gold Prices are down today, and what if they keep going down?” I said.

Obviously prepared he responded, “It doesn’t matter what the price is today. It doesn’t even matter what the price is tomorrow or next month. I have ten years for it to go up. That’s what you say, “put your money in quality and let time do the rest.”

Despite his passion he was missing a couple of key fundamental elements in his Gold investment strategy. There is one thing, however; we could all stand to be reminded of. The value of time. In the emotional surge of today’s gold rush, accompanied by up to the minute charts, we sometimes forget the impact time plays on our investments. Perhaps we would all be better served to stop worrying about the day to day spot price, and just be satisfied that we made a wise decision when we chose our Gold investment.

Zachary A. Pew

With Gold prices trading around a spot price of $1120 per ounce, up about $60 in the last month. Many naysayers have been saying that the demand for Gold cannot be sustained. Frank Holmes, CEO and CIO of US Global Investors, a long time gold bull sees no reason for the bull trend to end.

In a recent interview with Tech Ticker Frank Holmes says, “There are many compelling factors both from a supply side and then from the demand side that looks like gold will trade higher.”

Holmes, however, does have a few words of caution for those looking to get rich on gold. He recommends a 10% allocation in gold that would be divided evenly between bullion and stocks.

Holmes’ reasons to bullish on gold:

– Massive federal deficits and low interest rates in the United States and elsewhere will raise inflation risks and keep downward pressure on currencies.

– Rising incomes in Asia, where affinity for gold runs deep, will have a sizable positive impact on demand; China is now the largest producer of gold in the world but that won’t drive down prices because the government is “using it as a reserve currency for themselves.” However, bulls should note China’s chief for exchange official has said that China will limit their purchases.

– Peak Gold? Gold production from mines is not adequate to meet demand. Production is dropping around the world. Holmes notes worldwide production fell 10% in 2008 and is especially dramatic in South Africa – the world’s largest producer.

If you would like to know more about allocating a portion of your portfolio to Gold, contact one of our experience Gold experts for more information.

There exist multiple gold options for investors in today’s growingly bullish market, but derivative gold ventures like ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds), or mining stocks are different from physical gold investments in bullion, and certified rare gold coin. Investors who wish to take complete control over their finances, are eliminating unessential middlemen like self-serving brokers and bankers, and are acquiring certified rare gold coins for long-term financial safety, and diversifying those holdings with bullion, for any short-term liquidations that may be needed.

Physical gold ownership is irreplaceable in the event of an unforeseen financial emergency, which is why it is wise to keep an adequate supply of one-ounce, and/or ten-ounce bullion bars within physical reach. Electronic bullion shares may look impressive in a thoroughly diversified portfolio, but they aren’t pragmatic gold options for investors who would rather remain self-sufficient throughout these uncertain times of relentless economic upheaval.

Physical gold investments among household investors are gaining popularity, as the gold spot price continues to move oppositely to fledgling dollar values. No struggling nation seems to be willing to make a decisive move toward generating its’ own economic recovery, as they would evidently rather wait around for a formidable IMF gold bullion buyer, or another government-generated stimulus package.

Those who are considering a physical gold purchase are encouraged to contact one of our friendly specialists, who offer various gold options for investors, as well as institutional discounts on bullion, and certified rare gold coin.

Zachary A. Pew

Prospective precious metals buyers needn’t worry that investing in gold will compromise their liquidity, because the opposite is actually true. Any experienced precious metal holder will agree that a bit of forethought, and a workable plan of action is all that is needed for complete financial independence, and genuine liquidity.

Growing numbers of household investors are converting a large portion of their wealth into rare gold coins, which tend to appreciate over long time frames. Since items like these aren’t intended for short-term liquidation in the first place, rare gold coins like $20 Lady Liberty, and $20 Saint Gaudens can be stored in personal vaults, or in safety deposit boxes. If an investor should require a gold liquidation for any type of cash flow emergency, bullion bars and coins are an invaluable resource of liquid independence, and a relatively discrete, affordable item to keep within, or near one’s own, physical reach.

Bullion holders should also have two or three reliable gold dealers, or traders that he or she can use for possible emergency bullion liquidation, as bullion prices fluctuate along with the current gold spot price, and having more than one liquidation avenue is another recommended course of action, should unforeseen complications arise.

Rare gold coins should be numismatically certified by either the PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service), or the NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation), to assure the best liquidation prices when the time comes. Individuals with questions about physically investing in bullion, or rare gold coin are encouraged to contact one of our friendly specialists, who offer large-volume discounts on these, and other items to household investors like you.

Zachary A. Pew

Derivative gold investments are those, which do not involve taking physical possession of actual bullion bars and coins. Rather, investors conduct electronic, and paper transactions via banks, or various gold investment entities. It’s true that bullion bars can be purchased at major banks, but such a transaction obviously isn’t considered to be a derivative gold investment. Rather, transactions like ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) are one of today’s popular derivative investments, but these Internet-exchanged bullion shares are more costly than actual bullion, and generally aren’t considered to be wise long term investments.

Gold futures are one of the riskier types of derivative gold investments, as they require the buyer to purchase his or her bullion at a pre-designated date, based the buyer’s calculation that the gold spot price will yield him or her a profit by that time.

Pool accounts are where groups of investors “pool” their money into ETF, or other types of derivative gold ventures, and share the profit or loss of the investment, with no pool participant ever holding the actual metal.

Gold leverage programs involve borrowing a sumof funding based on a designated quantity of gold, whose price is frozen on the day of the transaction. The borrower is expected to repay the debt within a designated time frame (known as a margin call), regardless as to whether the gold spot price has increased or fallen within said time frame.

Investors who would rather own physical metal can avoid paying felonious retail prices for their gold bars and coins by contacting one of our friendly specialists, who offer institutional discounts on bullion, as well as rare gold coin to household investors like you.

Zachary A. Pew

The current gold spot price is around $1112.08 per troy-ounce, so physical gold investments are capable of holding substantial amounts of wealth in a very small space. Physical gold is rather weighty, but the nature of physical gold investment is to safely store the gold, not to transport it from place to place. A substantial physical gold purchase could conceivably be a bit cumbersome, but once properly stored, it is far less cumbersome than the weighty pressure of an impending margin call from a risky gold leverage program, or some other type of derivative gold investment. Our economy is still far from out of the woods, and until palpable advances are made toward true recovery, investors will continue to gravitate to liquid, safe haven assets, like physical gold investments.

Entire nations rely on their respective gold supplies to maintain financial leverage in the global economy, so individual investors are adapting the same wealth preservation philosophy to assure their own monetary stability. Much greater forces are presently at work disrupting global economic harmony, like our own Federal Reserve’s refusal to take an active role in either aiding the U.S. economy, much less owning up to it’s past irresponsible monetary policies. What’s more, the Fed will have to raise interest rates at some point, which inflicts more pains on our already anemic economy, like rising consumer prices, and a depreciating U.S. dollar.

Those who have completed their research can avoid paying mind-bending retail prices for their bullion, and certified rare gold coin by contacting one of our friendly specialists, who offer institutional discounts on these items to household investors like you.

Zachary A. Pew

The gold spot price dropped below $1100 per troy-ounce levels today, sinking as low as $1089, but hovering at $1097.60, as of 10:30, EST. There are a great many prospective gold investors who were waiting for spot prices to recede below $1100, and the following is a list of rare, US Mint gold coins to consider for long-term financial protection and safety.

• Gold Dollar (1849-1889)
• Draped Bust $2.5 (1796-1807)
• Capped Bust $2.5 (1808-1834)
• Classic Head $2.5 (1834-1839)
• Liberty Head $2.5 (1840-1907)
• Indian $2.5 (1908-1929)
• Three Dollar (1854-1889)
• $4 Stella (1879-1880)
• Draped Bust $5 (1795-1807)
• Capped Bust $5 (1808-1834)
• Classic Head $5 (1834-1838)
• Liberty Head $5 (1839-1908)
• Indian $5 (1908-1929)
• Draped Bust $10 (1795-1804)
• Liberty Head $10 (1838-1907)
• Indian $10 (1907-1933)
• Liberty Head $20 (1850-1907)

• St. Gaudens $20 (1907-1933)

The numismatic value that these rare US Mint gold coins possess generally tends to appreciate over time, which is why they are ideal for storing wealth during unstable economic cycles. Experienced investors recommend diversifying with bullion for possible short-term liquidations, so investors can hedge their rare coin holdings with bullion US Mint gold coins, which include 22-karat American Eagles and Eagle proof coins, 24-karat American Buffalos, and 24-karat, ultra-high proof American Eagles.

Prospective buyers can avoid paying over marked retail prices for their US Mint gold coins by contacting one of our friendly specialists, who offer institutional discounts on these, and many other precious metal items to household investors like you.

Zachary A. Pew