Investing Futures and Commodities: 2009

Trading the Natural Gas ETF - What Are Your Goals?

When it comes to learning about a new investment, say in this example the Natural Gas ETF, you want to run out and buy it and jump in because your afraid of missing the biggest greatest move of all time, right? Slow down there. A little bit of information can kill your portfolio. What you need to do is a little more homework before investing your hard earned money.

Before you go head first into an investment you must ask yourself several questions. What is your time frame for this? Are you saving for college, a house, and retirement? Is this a short-term investment? Will this be part of your more speculative of your total investment portfolio? Knowing your goals and risk is important to be a successful trader.

You might have heard a huge move in natural gas prices and decide to throw money at it. The are several ways to trade gas. I find the best was to trade it (in my humble opinion) is by using this ETF.

There are several different Gas ETFs to choose from. Some reflect the natural gas futures traded on NYMEX. Other will reflect Oil and gas Exploration companies while others invest in the distribution of gas.

You will need to sit down and check out these various ETFs. Find the one that matches your goals and time frame. To often you hear of someone who got rich overnight betting on how the weather will affect natural gas platforms in the Gulf. Those make great stories. Those are also stories of people who get lucky. Most successful investors realize that investing is like growing a tree. Plant it, take care of it and over time it will grow to be strong. You should invest the same way.

Natural Gas ETFs can help your long-term investment portfolio, but take the time first to see which one you belong in.

Want to know more? Learn more at http://www.NaturalGasETFGuide.com, and learn how to trade the Natural Gas ETF.

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Gold Price

Gold is one of the best investments you can make when it involves the gold price. When it comes to the economic crises or any social and political crises, investors will usually buy gold as a safe haven. Investors like to gain financially during a bull market. This is another reason why they like buying gold.

Gold has once been used as a monetary item and did not have a fixed price. A gold standard was made after the war of World War II, making the the gold price fixed at $35 per troy ounce. This was no longer the system when the US stopped converting the US dollar into gold, which was in 1971.

The gold price reach above $1000 in March 2008 which the actual value was below $599 peak in 1981. Gold price fell after the March 2008 rise, decreasing to $712.30 per ounce in US dollars in the month of November. In February of 2009, it then rose again breaking the $1000 mark but once again fell in the late Quarter. The current gold price peaks for 2009 are due to inflation acceleration.

Supply and demand are two of the things that drive the price of gold. The gold mining still exists in which plays an important roll when it comes to the pricing. At the end of 2006, it was estimated that all the gold ever mined totaled 158,000 tonnes.

The price of gold is determined by changes in sentiment instead of annual production. About 2,000 tonnes goes into the production of jewelry and/or dental production, and around 500 tonnes goes to investors of retail and exchange traded gold funds. This makes the annual demand for gold to be around 1000 tonnes in excess over mine production.

Another factor that plays a role in the gold price is central banks and the International Monetary Fund. Central banks and organizations held 19% of all above ground ground gold in the end of 2004. The key sellers of gold have been European central banks, that include the Bank of England and the Swiss National Bank. In 2005, Russia had expressed interest in growing their gold reserves, where most banks don't express this.

Many people were more interested in carrying paper notes or dollars when dollars were fully convertible into gold. During the Great Depression of the 1930's, people were afraid of bank failure, hence a bank run may have occurred. This is when President Roosevelt outlawed the ownership of gold by any US citizen.

Many people sought gold as a solid asset in purchasing food or transportation when there were crisis in the economy and fear in losing their assets. This is when gold price rose in demand.

You can learn about gold and its worth and how it can benefit you by going to this link:
Gold Price. A wealth of information can be found here that will help aid you in the right decision on buying and selling gold.

If you need a jumpstart to your long term investments and want to secure financial freedom then this is your Call To Action. Leave the rest behind and never look back.

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Gold Dealers

You can find a dependable gold dealer you can trust by studying the market carefully and avoid being a victim of a sales tactics that are pressured upon you. Greg Abbott, the Texas State Attorney, found that US consumers had been tricked into buying gold coins that were three times their fair market value. Most of these consumers were citizen citizens which were reported in Abbot's 2007 investigation report.

If you are looking into investing in gold, Gold bullion would be your best way to buy due to its intrinsic metallic value. This should prevent you from being cheated by a dealer that you are not familiar with. Mark ups of an 8% affect even some gold bullion and therefore buyers are turning to a gold dealer to avoid this markup. You can go to my "friendly writers" link below to ensure you are getting a fair deal. This link will provide you with all the information that is needed to get you started in finding the right way and the safest way to buy and invest in gold.

It's common sense to say that if you are safe in investing, you will have chosen the safest option. Being well informed is a must when dealing with gold and gold dealers. You will want to establish a relationship and trust with a trusted firm that has years of experience and operations in the gold field. You will find new firms popping up once gold continues its bull market and is proven by the new gold companies on the web today.

Some of these companies are based at home that have no experience what so ever but people do not know this when trying to find a gold dealer. Some of these firms can prove to be reliable sources and some will not. There are firms that have had their ups and downs during the years they've been dealing, but these firms that have been around for years and years are dedicated to the gold market and are owned by people who truly believe in their work. It would be best to deal with these type of firms.

Dealing with gold dealers can be tricky and sometimes risky, but if you know where to look and do some research, you can be successful in finding one that will work with you and not take you or your gold for granted. You can also visit friendly writers to assist you in finding what is best for your gold investments and will tell you what you need to look for when buying or selling gold.

You don't need an untrustworthy gold dealer taking your gold and giving you less than what it's worth. Don't fall prey to these firms or dealers. Check out more on gold dealers to guide you in the right direction. If you need a kickstart to your gold investments then take action and leave the rest behind.

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Investing in Gold

When investing in gold, the value of the gold is steadily rising due to the stock market. Some of the financial institutions are putting a part of their equity investments into gold. Before you start investing, you need to understand what influences the gold price. Some important factors to take into consideration are:

The US Dollar can be debased when creating more; gold cannot be debased on creating more due to the limited supplies of gold. Gold becomes more expensive to buy when the value of money goes down. This makes the value of the gold go up. Since the US trade deficit has gotten worse and the markets for housing has slow downed, the US dollar has suffered, thus the more expensive gold becomes.

Investors consider gold as a sound and safe investment due to the poor economy system.
Riskier stocks are being sold by many investors due to the US sub-prime mortgage crisis, which impacted the bond and equity markets. Since cash does not provide much growth, the capital gain of gold has become more appealing.

The increase in the price of gold has to do with the rapid development of China and India. Demands for iron and steel have driven spot prices higher. This is causing other metals to do the same.

Where can you get gold? There are many places to look and these are some of the few.
Gold Coins can be rare in that they are newly minted or antique. These coins can be worth thousands of dollars if not more in certain circumstances. You can find these coins either online or by the individual dealers and are best when purchased when first issued.

Then you have the Gold Bars and Bullion in which the London Bullion Market Association trades in 400 ounce bars at $330,000 each. The London Bullion Market is located in London and is the world's professional gold market.

You also have the Gold Funds in which you shouldn't worry about the storage and security of actual gold. These are gold backed securities that are easier to handle and keep up with. Gold Bullion Securities, which is an exchange traded fund of the World Gold Council, trades on the London Stock Exchange. A small fee for management is charged each year.

Last, you have what they call the Gold Futures. It is not advisable to invest your money in this due to the fact that 90% of newcomers lose their money this way. This is a big risk and although there have been just a few have become millionaires, there is a legal contract that binds the investor to buying a fixed amount of gold at a pre-determined price in the future

If you want to buy or invest in gold and make money, follow this link:
Investing In Gold. Tons of info will be given to you on how to invest.

If you need a jumpstart to your long term investments and want to secure financial freedom then this is your Call To Action.
Leave the rest behind and never look back.

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Buy Gold

People buy gold as an investment. The first question that comes into your mind is why gold and not properties, stocks, bonds or any other investment? The reason is that gold has proven itself to be a solid investment even when the economy is unstable. Gold can protect you in times of crisis whether social, political or economic. There are no hard and fast rules in buying gold but it would help if you have knowledge on what you are buying.

Generally you buy gold because you expect the gold price to keep on rising. Now, what have you got to gain from the continuous rise of the gold price? Financially, of course! You can buy gold in many forms. But what is the best one to buy? The gold bullion is the best form of gold to own. Why buy gold in bullions you ask? Let me explain to you the reason why. Gold bullions are the most secure and easy to market form of gold. You are making a wise investment in buying gold bullions. Why? Because when the prices go up, you can sell it in any place all over the world.

Before you buy gold, you must do your research. Do not just go out there and buy gold from the first seller that comes your way. Here is what you should do: you must look around for the best price in the market. If you have found a price to your liking, don't go and buy just yet. If the price is too low think twice before you commit. How do you know if it is a scam? Find out as much information as you can about the seller. Make sure you are buying from a reputable seller. Remember not to jump into any transaction without verifying the seller's credibility first. You are buying gold which is very expensive. It is wise to make sure you are not being tricked out of your money.

When you buy gold, you must know that its price varies depending on the amount of gold you want to buy. It means that the smaller the amount of gold you buy, the higher it will cost you. The bigger it gets, the lower its price will be. Have you decided to buy gold? If you are still unconvinced, then let me enumerate to you the benefits of buying gold.

* Gold has remained stable in value in spite of economic instability.
* Gold has retained its high value even way back in the ancient times.
* The value of money and properties may decline but the value of gold still remains steadfast.

Before you buy gold, give it careful consideration. Stop and think first! Do not go into any deals without all the necessary information that you need. Do a thorough research on the subject and educate yourself to avoid being tricked out of your money. Always remember that if something is too good to be true then it is probably not. There may be no hard and fast rules in buying gold but it would be wise to remember two things: buy gold at the cheapest price you can get and buy from a genuine seller.

Click the link to learn more - Invest In Gold

If you need a kickstart to your gold investments then take action and leave the rest behind.

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Gold Ingot

Gold Ingots are manufactured by the freezing of a molten liquid in a mould. To manufacture gold ingots there are several steps. First, the mould makes the melt solid completely. Next, the shape and size of the mould is made to make it easier to handle the ingot and the processing. Lastly, the mould is created to help cut down on melt wastage and help in the removal of the gold ingot.

There are many designs which helps with the physical properties of the liquid melt and the solidification process. There may be molds that allow top, horizontal or bottom-up pouring and may have walls that are fluted or flat. The fluted design increases heat transfer owing to a larger contact area. Ingot moulds are desgined to be tapered so that it will not allow the formation of cracks due to uneven cooling. If gold ingots have crack defects, they will be of no use and will have to be re melted, recycled or thrown away.

To determine the crystalline material, the way the ingot is cooled and the precipitation of the metal determines the the physical structure of the ingot. When the metal comes into contact with the ingot walls in the pouring process, the metal is cooled quickly and forms into either a columnar structure, or what is called a "chill zone" of equiaxed dendrites. This depends on how the liquid is cooled and the cooling time of the mould.

The top poured ingot has a different volume effect when it cools, which causes the top of the liquid to have a curved surface at the mould top. This curve may have to be removed by a machine. The mould has several zones that may effect the cooling rate of the metal. Near the wall is a solid zone that takes the heat away from the melt that is beind solidify. There is also something called the "mushy zone" for alloys and this is the result of solid-liquid equilibrium regions in the alloy's phase diagram and a liquid region. The rate of the front advancement determines and controls how long it will take for the dendrites or nuclei form into a solid withing the region. By turning the properties of the heat transfer of the mold, the width can controlled while the metal is in the mushy zone. Also, the liquid melt alloy compositions can be adjusted to get the desired effect.

There are continuous casting methods for gold ingot processing that allows a stationary front of solidification to form by the continual take-off of cooled solid material, in turn adds an additional molten liquid to the to the process of the casting method.

As you can see, there are many different methods in creating the gold ingot and many steps that are taken to ensure the perfect gold ingot. To find out more about ingot gold and how you can buy, sell or make a profit from it, click on the link below. Gold Ingot
When you are ready GO PRO and never look back.

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Where to Buy Gold

Where to buy gold is an interesting question to answer because of the variety of answers to give. There is no one solid and best answer because it all depends on what you are looking for. You have a choice of buying gold stock, bullion bars, bullion coins, scrap gold and other sorts so of course there will be some difference in the places that sell these items, and sometimes there is only one place to buy them.

When considering where to buy gold the first question you really want to ask is what form of gold you are looking for. If you aren't sure about what kind of gold you want to invest in and then it is time to research your options and see what is available to you and what will suit your purpose the best. Remember that certain forms of gold such as coins are generally used as collector items but the bullion bars and other items similar to these are used more for heavier investments.

Where to buy gold can be complicated but when you discover exactly what type of gold that you want to invest in, you can start searching for dealers or even brokers to match what you need. The professional deals or brokers will guide you in placing the right amount of money in the right place. This is what their livelihood consists of and they are generally honest in their dealings with you; however, this being said find out all that you can about the professional that you are dealing with.

How to find where to buy gold if you are not going through an actual local dealer lends to the idea of looking on the internet - this will give you hundreds of options. These sites will also give you advice on how to choose your investment and price while offering you their best deals. You will need to spend a lot of time going through all of the companies and prices because with so many out there you want to make sure that you are getting yourself the best deal possible.

Where to buy gold doesn't only depend on what you want to buy but also on the reputation of the company, their sales policy, security details and many other factors. Go through every detail of the companies that you are considering and read all of the small details as that is where you may make the mistake of misunderstanding a fee or extra cost, thus making your transaction more difficult and complicated.

When thinking about where to buy gold, remember to always ask others who have dealt with the dealer or even search for the dealer online. There may be reviews posted of them and this is always a good sign of what to expect. The more advice you can get then the better, whether it is through advice columns or e-books - you can never be too informed.

Click the link to learn more - Invest In Gold

If you need a kickstart to your gold investments then take action and leave the rest behind.

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Pure Gold

What is Pure Gold? Pure gold is a dense, soft, shiny and the most moldable and ductile pure metal that is known. Gold has a very attractive look to it and is bright yellow in color. Pure Gold is the basis for the standard in gold.

Dentistry and electronics are two of the industries that uses pure gold due to the quality of the resistance in corrosion and the quality you get as a conductor of electricity. Pure gold is more chemically unreactive than most metals but can be attacked by a mixture of acids that form what is called chlorauric acid and by cyanide that has an alkaline solution.

Gold does react with amalgam alloys, which is the dissolving of gold into mercury. Nitric acid dissolves silver and base metals, therefore gold does not dissolve in nitric acid. The gold standard test is used to determine the real value and since Nitric acid has been used to confirm the presence of gold in certain items, this is where they get the acid test or gold standard test from.

Did you know that a single gram can be made into a sheet of 1 square meter? It can also be made into an ounce of 300 sq. feet. You can get a translucent thin sheet when constructed down, which is where they get the Gold leaf. Melting point can be controlled by alloys being produced to change the hardness and metallurgical properties. Gold readily creates alloys with many other metals. These alloys can be produced to modify is also an excellent choice in the conductor of heat and electricity and reflects infra red radiation. Gold is not affected by the air and moisture as well as corrosive reagents. This makes it ideal for the making of coins and gold jewelry as well as giving a protective coat of protection. Gold does however dissolve in alkaline solutions of potassium cyanide and in mercury, forming a gold-mercury amalgam.

When you add any other metal as the reducing agent, the gold ions in solutions are reduced and precipitated. The added metal is oxidized and dissolves allowing the gold to be displaced from solution and be recovered as a solid precipitate.

You can not taste the pure gold that is high in quality. It is tasteless which makes it resistant to corrosion.

In closing, pure gold is very dense which weighs in at 19300 kg in cubic meter reading and to give you comparison to lead, lead has a density of 11340 kg.

To learn more about gold and how you can obtain it or sell pure gold, you can follow the link provided. Here, you will get multitudes of information on what to look for when purchasing gold or selling it. You want to get the best when investing in the gold you buy, so click on the link to learn more: Pure Gold.

Whenever you are all set, get ahead or at least just do it.

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Gold Bullion Price

Depending on who you deal with, this may affect the price you end up paying for your gold bars or coins. This is why it's important to know who you are dealing with. You want to find someone who will give you what your gold is worth and who will work with you on giving you the best price they can. These are the things you need to know and look for that can affect the price you pay when dealing with an exchange or dealer:

SPOT PRICE: Daily fluctuation depending on the supply and demand.

BID AND ASK PRICE: payment by the company for the gold and the selling at any time.

GOVERNMENT PREMIUM: A premium that is carried on all bullion products issued by the government for mining and refining costs.

ENDORSEMENTS: Promotion of products by companies through television and radio. This usually has a higher pricing due to the fees associated with advertisement.

Gold bullion coins are usually traded at a small premium above the current spot price and are considered good investments. The South African Krugerrand and American Gold Buffalo are two of the most popular coins.

The market never closes for the Gold Bullion due to it is traded each day around the world. Gold Bullion is the best liquid assets and attracts people who are willing to buy them. If you are looking for something that is easy to trade, silver and gold are two options. Because bullion costs are so tasty, they can be a crucial part of your investment portfolio. If you are looking into expanding your portfolio, gold, silver and other valuable metals are the way to go. Gold will be your best bet because if any market collapses happen, gold bullion will never fall to zero.

Of course the price relies on demand and supply and reflects how many ounces of bullion the US dollar will buy. Precious valuable metals increases in times that are not certain or promising and represent a good hedge against the declining cost of the buck. Bullion costs are tracked by many newswires, bullion exchanges and brokerage firms.

Investors are kept informed on the market information and costs, which allow them to get a hold of the variations in the commodity market and keep updated on their bullion investment worth. Bullion costs vary daily and hourly. It's up to the market to decide what the price will be on gold, silver or any other metal that is valuable. Some of the finest bullion costs attracted Gold bullion coins that were minted by the states.

For more information and how you can invest, click on this link: Gold Bullion Price

If you need a jumpstart to your long term investments and want to secure financial freedom then this is your Call To Action. Leave the rest behind and never look back.

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Gold Coin Investing

Gold coin investing may seem like an easy task, but the truth of the matter is that you need to know a lot about the gold market and what the elements are that make up a good investment. Before anyone places a lot of their money in this type of investment they do a lot of ground research first. They find out the advantages and disadvantages of each coin, and if they should be investing in gold coins at all.

Gold coin investing is not for everyone because it depends on what they would like to gain from purchasing them. If they are looking for a sound investment then they will get it, but gold coins are not considered to be part of the serious investment line, but to be a collectable instead. There are many of them and if you buy one of several types then the value adds up immensely, but it still is a small investment compared to what more serious tenders would involve.

Gold coin investing as mentioned includes a number of different coins and they come from various countries. Such coins include the American gold buffalo, American gold eagle, Canadian Maple Leaf, Vienna philharmonic, and more. All of these have different weights and values to be considered before making a choice, and there may be more than one right choice for you to consider, for example how many coins of what different weights.

If gold coin investing, first take the time to decide how much you wish to invest in them and then take a look at each of them and what they are most widely used for. It is also a good idea to see where exactly you can get them from because certain coins are available from dealerships and others from the Mint. It is even possible that after searching through all of the finer details that you decide to buy a coin for the sake of a collector's item, but choose to invest a larger sum of money into gold bullion bars or something else along those lines.

When gold coin investing keep watch for those dealers who may decide to be a little less than honest with you. This is one incredibly good reason why you should always be informed about your topic and know what you want before approaching to purchase. There are consultants locally or even online that will assist you in deciding what method is correct for you, but you still need to have some idea in your head to start off with which can be obtained through the reading various websites.

Gold coin investing is a serious task and requires immense thought and care when making an investment. Take the time to gather every fact to make that right decision for you. This can save you a lot of stress in the end.

If you need a jumpstart to your long term investments and want to secure financial freedom then this is your Call To Action.
Leave the rest behind and never look back.

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Gold Price Today

The gold price today in all likelihood will not be the same tomorrow or the day after that. It is always fluctuating even by just a little bit and that is what some of the reason is for the stock markets being so thrilling to observe and to invest in. You never know if perhaps the next day you can buy the gold for a rare low price, or even sell it for an even less expected high price, and make a slight fortune.

The gold price today is something that people are often searching for either in the newspaper or online because it is so important to their investment regime. This stock could be the lifeline of their financial security and it is a good sound money source. For those who have not dabbled in the stock market, this is the perfect place to start.

Since the gold price today even changes from minute to minute, you will need to watch it carefully and see when the best time is for investing, depending on what form of gold you are thinking of investing in. Investing in gold coins may be a little more stable than other forms because they are guaranteed by the government and there easier ways to sell them; with gold stocks and other forms it may be more difficult to sell but you can stand to gain more financially.

The gold price today not only varies according to time of day but the stocks also calculate prices according to ounce, gram, and kilogram. Then there are also the history charts of the stocks markets that you can analyze to see the trends that have transpired and compare them to more recent market prices. This should give you a good picture of how the stock markets work if you are not already familiar with them; and for those who are more familiar, how the gold prices have been recently so you can decide whether or not now is the right time to make an investment.

Seeing the gold price today if it has risen should not discourage those who want to invest in the market as on the other side of the story those who have already invested are reacting in just the opposite way. Due to the volatile nature of the stock market, this could be down to new levels tomorrow and it may be the perfect time for you to invest. If you are not sure about the stock market and its prices and if seeing the gold price today makes you think twice, you should read more about it or consult an expert in the field for some help.

Whether the gold price today has changed for the better or the worse for new investors, this is a long-term investment and it does reap many benefits. All you need is to have the right information to put you on the right path.

If you need a jumpstart to your long term investments and want to secure financial freedom then this is your Call To Action.
Leave the rest behind and never look back.

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Gold's Manic Move - 6 Signs to Watch Out For

Are we in the third stage of the gold bull market - the stage when the increase in the gold price accelerates and provides serious profit opportunities?

Based on the previous high in Jan 1980 when the price of gold doubled in 2 months (and silver tripled) we need to be constantly vigilant for the signals. Why should we be so careful? Just look what happened after both metals peaked. They both plummeted in the space of a month. We could see the same scenario re-enacted. And if that happens, many excited investors will miss the peak!

Here are some of the signs to watch out for that could signal the next manic move.

1. The fall of the dollar, which is expected to accelerate over the next few months

2. Banking and financial institutions getting onto the band-wagon. For example, Barcleys is already recommending gold as an investment with upside potential going into 2010

3. Frenzied selling of second-hand gold jewelry. Remember the silver selling mania of 1980. Sellers of second-hand gold are increasing again, and so are purchasers. An asset that most people would not have considered is becoming a much talked about investment.

4. Currently gold buyers and investors outnumber sellers, apparently by a factor of 10 to one. But as the media become more focused on the rise in the gold price, then the buying activity will start to get hyped up and frenzied. Then when you notice its becoming a topic of party chat, you know we are on a roll. And when paper-boy, or the local shop assistant tell you to buy gold, you can be fairly certain gold is getting close to topping out.

5. Hedge Funds are shifting away from ETFs and into physical gold. This enables them to be 100% sure of holding a tangible asset with no counter-party risk. This poses another question about the safety of investing in gold and silver ETFs - the subject of my next article.

6. The Chinese are reputed to be great gamblers and great investors. China is encouraging its population to buy gold and silver. If you think about a population of over 1.3 billion being encouraged through media and advertising to save their money and buy precious metals, you can imagine the effect this could have on the gold price once the manic phase sets in. The reputed gambling and investment skills of the Chinese could be the driving force that sends gold into the stratosphere.

Gold is now far simpler to own and trade. Compared to the last gold bull market there could be many thousands of private investors in ETFs and similar investment vehicles. This could even prolong and further increase the gold price rise.

In my next article I will examine the possible dangers posed by the precious metal ETF's and consider more secure methods of investing in gold and silver.

Anna P. Best was based in Singapore for many years where she developed her interest in precious metals. Until recently Gold has not been an area the average investor would consider, but that is changing fast and suddenly there are so many opportunities out there to profit from gold and silver. Anna has prepared a complimentary report packed with facts which you can download at Link to Gold Report

She first invested in gold in 1993 - before it became fashionable - and since then has drip fed her gold portfolio which a mix of shares, bullion and ETFs.

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Credit Suisse Gold Bar

These Credit Suisse gold bars are very popular for so many reasons. First is that they are 24 karat pure gold. They are refined to the highest gold standard of 99.99%. Each bar is stamped with its exact weight and purity. The Credit Suisse stamp is recognized all over the world as a symbol of quality and trust. Each bar is also assigned and stamped with its own unique serial number. They are then sealed in a protective case for your safety and security. You can be sure you really are getting the real thing with these gold bars.

Credit Suisse gold bars are also known for their one ounce bars. These one ounce bars are a practical option for you because they are easy to carry around. You can buy them in bulk, store and then sell later at a higher price. No need to worry where to store them. You can store them right in your own home. Exactly how small are there one ounce gold bars? Each one ounce bar measures 1 5/8 inches long and 15/16 inches wide.

Credit Suisse gold bars have gained popularity because it is from the world renowned Credit Suisse Bank of Switzerland. So what difference does it make if you buy gold issued by other banks instead? The answer is simple: when you acquire gold from an internationally recognized institution like Credit Suisse you are secure that it is of pure quality and has the correct weight. It is a brand to be trusted when it comes to gold and it is probably the best there is in the market. So what more can you ask for when it comes to these bars? This bar has everything you look for in a gold bar.

Credit Suisse gold bars are a good choice if you plan to collect gold from different parts of the world. When you collect something, you should only collect the best and Credit Suisse gold is definitely the best. They are also a good choice if you plan to purchase gold for investment. These bars are internationally recognized which makes them easy to sell or trade in any market all over the world. Whether you are an investor or collector of gold, there are a lot of resources out there for you to know more about gold bars.

If you need a jumpstart to your long term investments and want to secure financial freedom then this is your Call To Action.
Leave the rest behind and never look back.

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Accentuate the Negative, Ignore the Positive

With almost every decision in life, people tend to focus on the positive, and minimize the negative. Think about buying a house - what entices you first? Usually, it is curb appeal, and if your first impression is favorable, you'll tend to minimize negatives, like maybe the amount of rehab the house needs on the inside.

It is the same thing with trading systems or strategies. Most people tend to focus on the rate of return, or maybe even the winning percentage, and if that looks good, they'll downplay the negatives, like the drawdown. For those of you who do not know, "drawdown" is the amount of money lost from the highest equity point. It might be a temporary loss, but you'll have to endure it if you trade the system. Low drawdowns are best, but they are usually tied to low returns (think of interest on a bank account).

When looking at a trading system, signals, or service, your focus should be on downside risk - drawdown is a great way to measure it.

Drawdowns are extremely difficult for people, especially those among us who follow an advisor or trading signal recommendations in a web service or a newsletter. Since the subscriber did not develop the system (assuming there even is a "system," not just random selection of trades under the guise of an established method), they do not know what to expect. The only thing they can see is what is shown in the trading record, which is usually only a small snippet of time in the system's history (if the developer did the right thing, and used at least a few years of history to test out his idea).

And, if that record is not independently verified and auditable, then even that history should be regarded with suspicion. There are plenty of services out there that independently verify trading records, and they are definitely worth using.

So, what is a good way to evaluate a trading system, newsletter or service? Here is what I'd recommend to potential subscribers of ANY system:

1. Make sure the trading history you see is actually representative of what is being traded today by the developer. There are a lot of knucklehead developers who will significantly change a system midstream, yet keep the same system! So, when you look at an equity curve, you'll be seeing the combined results of 2 or more systems. That is ridiculous at best, misleading and unethical at worst.

2. Before you subscribe to any service or system, find out what the historical maximum drawdown was. As a rule of thumb, multiply that by 1.5. Could you handle that amount of drawdown right off the bat? If not, then you shouldn't subscribe.

3. If you have the ability, put all the trades in a Monte Carlo Simulation and see what shakes out. Monte Carlo simulation is a technique that introduces randomness into future trading results - since the past is never repeated exactly, it is a good way to simulate possible future results. You will be able to see drawdowns in terms of probabilities. So, for example, you might find out that trading system X has a 50% chance of having a drawdown greater than 30% in the first year. It may have this severe of a drawdown, it may not, but the point is at least you'll have some better data to go off of.

4. BEFORE you subscribe, determine your walk way point, and stick to it. Your thinking might be like this:

"I checked with the developer, and he has not changed his system since introduction. A check of his trades confirms that he is trading the same way he always has. His independently verified records show he had a 20% drawdown. Developer's hypothetical history shows a 25% drawdown, and Monte Carlo sim shows a 50% chance of a max drawdown of 30% in the first year. So, I'll take the worst case of them all, and multiply by 1.5. That gives me 1.5*30 = 45% drawdown I should be ready for.

That is too much drawdown for me, so I either need to add capital to the account, or not trade this system. Looking at the results, if I double my initial capital, I still get a very good rate of return, and I can withstand a 22.5% drawdown. If that drawdown gets hit, I am out - NO QUESTIONS ASKED. Otherwise, I stick to the system!"

The major point is: don't be sucked in by the fancy curb appeal of net profits or rate of return. Dig deeper, and look at the potential risk, especially drawdown. It takes more effort, but in trading there is no easy way out. Those who try the easy way usually end up losing all their money.

Note: A free Monte Carlo spreadsheet is available at http://www.kjtradingsystems.com, under "Freebies."

Kevin Davey is an award winning private futures, forex and commodities trader. He has been trading for over 18 years. In each of the years 2005-2007, Kevin achieved over 100% annual returns in a real time, real money, year long trading contest, finishing in first or second place each of those years.

Kevin maintains a website, http://www.kjtradingsystems.com, where you can find useful free information on trading. Also, visit his site and learn how you can follow Kevin's trades as they happen.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Davey

Fractional Coins Make Owning Bullion Possible

Often the price of bullion is given as the cost per Troy ounce. Gold often sells for over a thousand dollars per Troy ounce. This makes buying an ounce of gold prohibitive for many people.

Some mints produce gold bullion coins in fractional sizes, or coins weighing less than one Troy ounce. The United States produces fractional gold bullion coins, as does the Royal Canadian Mint and the Perth Mint. There are others, but these mints are located in countries where English is the language spoken, making conversing with them easier. And these mints have coins that are easily obtainable in the United States

While these mints do not release bullion directly to customers, one can contact them to determine the sizes of gold and silver coins made by them.

The common sizes for gold coins are one, one half, one fourth, one tenth, one twentieth, and one twenty-fifth of a Troy ounce. Not every mint makes all of these size coins, but these are the more common sizes for fractional gold coins. There are, of course, exceptions. There is a rare one fifteenth Troy ounce gold coin that is the product of the Royal Canadian Mint, and the New Zealand Mint makes one thirtieth Troy ounce gold coins, although not as bullion.

Silver is less expensive, so fewer fractional size silver bullion coins are minted. The Perth Mint does mint one half Troy ounce silver lunar coins, and in 2006 the Royal Canadian Mint released the one half Troy silver wolf coin, but other fractional silver bullion coins are rare. There are fractional Mexican libredads, but these are not often found outside of collectible coin sets.

As a rule, the less expensive a coin, the greater percentage over the price of the precious metal one would expect to pay for a coin. The mint must recover the cost of production of the coin, which is about the same regardless of the coin's weight. Yet, if one wants to own bullion, one can buy bullion inexpensively. Fractional coins make owning bullion coins possible for more people than would otherwise be able to afford to own bullion coins.

Henry M. Smith provides information and sells coins and other collectibles through Black Spaniel Gallery. The website http://blackspanielgallery.8m.com can provide additional information on these items. Please visit the site for more information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Henry_M._Smith

Gold Refiners

Refineries can give you cash for your unwanted jewelery. A lot of people have old scraps lying around or stored that they never use and instead of it sitting around going to no use, people can get cash for this unwanted and unused jewelry. Everything is assessed and priced by the refineries in which a complex process is made in determining the price one receives. Many factors determine the price.

Gold refiners are in the business that accepts used or any other form of gold jewelry which is then refined and reused or sold to jewelers to make new jewelry. Refiners are actually recycling your old scraps. They melt the old scrap pieces down and reuse. Depending on the weight of the piece and the worth of the gold determines the price you get from the refinery. Refineries may accept all types of precious metals as long there is gold in them. You may only get the worth of the gold in the material, but you may want to ask before sending the materials off.

Gold is melted in a very hot furnace and additives such as soda ash and borax is added to separate the materials to determine what actual gold is. The process of assaying is then done to see the exact value of the gold. One of the processes they may do or use is the Fire Assay and Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry equipment to determine the quality and quantity of the gold and may also rely on the X-Ray Fluorescence machine.

You may wonder what types of gold can be refined. There are many types, such as; old coins, scrap gold, gold bars, materials that have gold in them, old gold jewelry, old dental fillings, rings, bracelets, gold bullion and so forth. Some of the things not accepted are; gold plated items, silver products and computer parts. There are limitations of what a refiner will accept.

You can find many online Gold Refineries on the internet which will tell you what types of gold they accept and the services they provide as well as how they go about processing your gold. It is in your best interest to do some research and ask questions before sending in your old scrap gold to be refined. Get some details on pricing and other possible materials they may accept before mailing in your used jewelry.

You can get more details on gold and what to look for when in the market of selling your gold, whether it is old jewelry or actual gold bars. The link that is provided here will aid you in knowing what to look for and how to avoid being cheated. Go to a great network to learn more about investing your gold. It will be worth your time and may prevent you from jumping in without knowing what to look for.

If you need a kickstart to your gold investments then take action and leave the rest behind.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Saunders_II

Buy Scrap Gold

The idea to buy scraps is brilliant though you may still be unaware of that. Well, let me explain to you why it is such a good idea to buy scrap gold (hereon named scrap). First and foremost, let me tell you what scraps are. Scrap is anything that is made out of gold or has gold in its components. To give you a clearer picture, let me give you a few examples:

- old broken jewelry
- gold dental crowns and bridgework
- old gold watches
- gold dust and sweeps
- gold pins and brooches
- gold screen and mesh
- old gold coins
- gold nuggets
- and practically anything that has gold in it

If you buy scrap, you should only buy ones that are made of pure gold if you do not have the facilities to extract gold. So how do you know if the scarp you are buying is pure or not? Most jewelry are made of gold mixed with other metals such as silver, copper, platinum, etc. 24 carat gold is pure gold with nothing else added, it is absolutely pure. Now if you have the facilities to extract then you can buy gold in any form. You must know that there are different types of gold, depending on its purity. Here are the different levels of purity:

• 24 karat is 999.99 fine
• 22 karat is 916.6 fine
• 18 karat is 750 fine
• 14 karat is 585 fine
• 9 karat is 375 fine

When you buy scrap you must know that the lower the karat the lower the value is. But that should not discourage you from buying scrap of lower karats. You may find other precious metals in pieces of jewelry that might add to your profit. Always remember to check each piece for any indication of its purity so that you will know how much to pay for it.

Before you go and buy scrap, it is important to know the current going price of gold in the market. Update yourself of its price everyday because it changes everyday. As a rule, the price of scrap is less than the value of gold in the market. If you do not know where to look for the price of scrap, do not worry because it is really very easy to find it. All you have to do is look it up online. There are plenty of websites that give daily updated price listings of gold and gold scrap.

Finally, the reason to buy scrap gold is because it is an investment. You sell it after you have extracted the gold and other precious metals. After the gold has been extracted, you can sell it at the regular market value of gold. If you have a good grasp of the concept of buying scrap, you are sure to earn big profits. So go and do your homework, find out more about the subject of buying scrap gold.

Click the link below to learn more.
Invest In Gold.

If you need a kickstart to your gold investments then take action and leave the rest behind.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Saunders_II

Investing in Gold Bullion

If you have ever been interested in investing in gold bullion, there are many ways in doing so. You do not have to save your coins and bars and worry about someone stealing them, you can invest your gold through what is called "pooled" accounts and invest without ever needing to store it yourself.

This is the most real option which gives many the feeling of security. You do not have to worry about your coins safekeeping when stored at home if the bank's system fails. The only thing about keeping your gold or gold bullion at home is the risk of theft and its liquidity. This is one of the things you will have to think about when investing your gold bullion. Do you want to take that risk of storing your gold at home or do you want to store it in a vault at a gold dealers store and know that it is in safe keeping?

Gold bullions performance has often been compared to stocks, although they come from different classes. Gold or gold bullion is considered by some to be store value as stocks are considered return on value.
You can buy gold through a gold dealer in which many reputable ones can now be found online and own your allotted amount. What this means is that the amount of gold that lays in the dealer's facility and the gold you own is a promise to pay you back once the gold is sold by you. There is an option to take delivery of gold and this will make you a physical buyer.

You can buy gold bullion through a gold dealer in which some does not use pooled accounts but they have a gold bar there that is for you and what they say has "your name" on it. When you buy a certain amount, they will add the same amount to their vaults; such as if you remove 1 ounce, they then in turn add 1 ounce to their vaults. The gold dealer who holds your gold in their vaults pays for the storage and insurance, BUT there is a monthly fee for holding your gold which in turn gets deducted from your total gold grams balance.

So, it is plain to see why you would have the advantage of storing your gold yourself, at the same time there are issues with security and the liquidity and the paying of the fees to insure your gold investment. It is very feasible to invest in bullion and coins and when the commodities go up, so does the market value of your gold bullion.

You can go online and find many gold dealers who are interested in storing and insuring your gold bullion, but it is going to take some research and knowledge on these companies to make sure you are making the right choice on your storage options.

To learn more about this great opportunity and how you can invest in gold bullion, go to Investing In Gold Bullion.

If you need a jumpstart to your long term investments and want to secure financial freedom then this is your Call To Action. Leave the rest behind and never look back.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sitaram_Poudyal

Tips For Getting the Best Deal When Selling Gold

Ask those with a nose for the market, and most will tell you the same thing: that now is one of the best times ever to sell your gold. With the stocks and bonds experiencing more volatility that they've seen in years, gold has become the standard for those seeking to enjoy a decent return on something...anything!

People all over the country are selling their gold possessions as a way to raise extra cash during these challenging times. But before you head to closet, jewelry drawer or safe deposit box, there a few things you should know about how to get the absolutely best deal when you sell your gold online.

Tips for Getting a Good Deal When you Sell Your Gold

Tip #1: Stick with 24-Karat Gold

A company that buys your gold is going to melt it down into scrap and is therefore only interested in the precious metal portion of the substance. If you have jewelry or other items that are gold-plated or less than 24-karat, chances are you won't get that much in return for it.

Tip #2: Find an Appraiser

If you want to make sure that you are getting a good deal and a fair price on the gold you are selling, you might want to contact a neutral appraiser who can let you know exactly what your gold is worth. You probably won't get paid the appraised amount, but it does provide a good starting point when you set out to sell your gold.

Tip #3: Sell Broken Jewelry

Broken or damaged jewelry are the best items to sell for scrap because they hold no value on the open market as-is. Selling these items to a gold dealer is a great way to make some extra money on something that you would not have worn again anyway. The only exception to this rule would be treasured family heirlooms that hold some intrinsic value and therefore should be repaired and cherished for years to come.

Tip #4: Do your Homework

Fortune favors the prepared mind, and nowhere is that more true than with gold sales. Those who take the time to comparison shop different gold buying programs, and also know the real value of those items they wish to sell (as well as what the market will bear) are most likely to come out with the great return for their items.

Tip #5: Beware Predatory Businesses

Unless you've been living under a rock lately, you are probably aware that there are a number of businesses out there trying to take advantage of the recently popularity of selling gold. There are no words strong enough to truly denounce these business that take the precious possessions of trusting individuals and pay well below market value for them. The best to avoid working with one of these companies is to perform some online research and smoke out the "bad eggs" in the industry. This can be accomplished by reading customer reviews online or by checking with the Better Business Bureau.

To sell gold online to a company you can trust, visit http://www.jewelryscrappers.com. The gold experts at Jewelry Scrappers are fair, experienced and always help you get the best deal on your sale. Visit JewelryScrappers.com today for more information about New York gold sales at its finest.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Etinger

The Coming Double Dip

This morning's (10/29/09) GDP headline on MSNBC reads, "GDP Grows at Best Pace in Two Years." Bloomberg says, "Economy Expands for First Time in a Year." Lastly, CNN said, "Economy Finally back in gear.

Statistically, speaking, this morning's GDP numbers showed growth of 3.5% for the third quarter. This breaks a four quarter string of steadily shrinking numbers. By definition, this uptick brings us out of, "recession." This morning's report looks great in the headlines, sounds good on the evening news and provides warm fuzzy water cooler conversation. However, I believe this is exactly the setup for the Double Dip Recession we've been talking about for quite some time.

Let me paraphrase the economic definition of "recession. " A recession occurs when an economy has two consecutive quarters of declining GDP. We had experienced four straight quarters of declining GDP prior to this morning's report. In a free market economy, I would join the water cooler conversation and breathe a collective sigh of relief. However, our economy over the last year, can hardly be called a, "free market economy," and therefore, I will continue to hold my breath and face the realities of what I believe will be a SIGNIFICANT downturn in our country's economic stability.

Over the last quarter, the economic effect of the government's cash for clunkers and housing stimulus packages has been substantial. Unfortunately, the temporary stimulus has done nothing to fix the underpinnings of our country's global ability to compete into the future. These programs were far more akin to giving a man a fish, rather than teaching a man to fish.

Had we allowed the markets to work themselves out, we would have saved billions of taxpayer money that went to bail out worthless financial corporations. Had some of this money been spent on our country's infrastructure instead, we would have created new jobs by updating the electrical grid and allowing new green energy to be transferred from where it's created to where it's needed. The highway system, bridges and railways haven't been significantly updated since their creation in the 1950's and are in dire need of repair. As I write this, I see that the Golden Gate Bridge is closed because a cable snapped! Finally, high speed internet needs to be rolled out to everyone, just like the phone companies did so many years ago. These INVESTMENTS in our country's future would do far more to ensure long term growth than the corporate BAILOUTS we are paying for to make us feel good now.

Due to the programs that have been implemented, we have ended the recession. Hurray for us - NOT. What we have done is placed whip cream and cherries on a pile of cow dung. Let me blow the froth off and show you how much it smells underneath the rhetoric. Deflation is still our major economic concern. Deflationary economies have no chance of sustaining growth. Many of you will argue that because of the falling Dollar and our government's position of Quantitative Easing, that inflation should be our primary concern. I don't think that's the case.

First of all, we still have rising unemployment. According to the last unemployment report, we are at 9.8% unemployed. There are also another 7% underemployed and another 3-4% who've simply quit looking for work. According to John Mauldin, "A few years ago, 1 in 16 Americans were unemployed or underemployed. Today, that number is 1 in 5." Obviously, this means no wage inflation. This is also why I think national infrastructure retooling would've been more beneficial. Secondly, between the housing collapse and the bear market in equities, we have seen significant wealth destruction. People are increasing their rate of savings as their net worth declines. Haven't we all tightened our collective belts a bit? Again, lack of spending equals deflation not, inflation. Finally, the Federal Reserve Board has dropped interest rates to near 0%. Typically, this would be extremely stimulative and very inflationary. However, the money the Fed is printing is not making it to out to home buyers, entrepreneurs or, small businesses. The money is being used to shore up the balance sheets of the many troubled lending institutions at the corporate and private levels. Therefore, the velocity of money is still very low in spite of the amount of money the Fed has been printing and money velocity is positively correlated with inflation. Low velocity means low inflation.

This morning's GDP numbers need to be taken in context. The dip was halted but, it's just a breather before the next section of the slide.

Andy Waldock
http://www.commodityandderivativeadv.com
866-990-0777

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Waldock

The US Commemorative Coin Program - Why is it So Special?

The 50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act was signed into law December 1, 1997. The program was designed to serve three purposes. First, it was to honor the states that make up the United States. Second, it was to promote knowledge about the states, their history and culture, and the national heritage among the youth. Finally, it was designed to encourage a new generation of numismatists, or coin collectors.

The first thirteen states which formed the United States were minted in the order they ratified the United States Constitution. The remaining thirty-seven states were minted in the order they were admitted to the Union. Coins were minted approximately ten weeks before the next state quarter's minting began.

The quarters feature each state's individual design on the reverse, or tails side of the coin. In order to accommodate the designs, the quarter had to be modified. The words "United States of America" and "Quarter Dollar" were moved to the obverse side. The year minted, formerly on the obverse, was moved to the reverse.

Each state played a role in deciding the design for their coin. Many state governors called upon the citizens of their state to submit design ideas. Once the time for submission of design ideas was complete, the suggestions were sent to a governor-mandated commemorative coin committee for review. The committee narrowed down the choice to a handful and the governor usually made the final choice, subject to approval by the Secretary of Treasury.

The first state quarter, Delaware, was released January 4, 1999. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia and Connecticut followed later that year. The year 2000 brought quarters for Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire and Virginia. In 2001, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont and Kentucky were minted. Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana and Mississippi quarters were released in 2002.

In 2003, the mint released quarters for the states of Illinois, Alabama, Maine, Missouri and Arkansas. 2004 releases included Michigan, Florida, Texas, Iowa and Wisconsin. California, Minnesota, Oregon, Kansas and West Virginia followed in 2005. January 2006 brought Nevada. Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota and South Dakota were also released that year.

2007 brought Montana, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah. 2008 was the final year for the 50 State Quarters Program. Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii were the final quarters of the program.

Due to the overwhelming success of the 50 State Quarters, Congress signed two other commemorative coin programs into law in 2007 and 2008 respectively. While commonly believed to be part of the 50 State Quarters Program, the quarters for the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, US Virgin Islands and Northern Mariana Islands are not. These six quarters, released in 2009, make up the District of Columbia and United States Territories Quarter Program.

The America the Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Program will begin issuing quarters in 2010. Fifty six coins, released at a rate of five quarters per year, will be issued in the program. The final quarter will be released in 2021. The quarters will be released in the order each was established as a national site.

State collection quarters are both a great investment and a great place to start a coin collection for beginners. Learn more about investing in state quarter sets.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Curry

Gold, the Reasons Way Gold is a Great Asset

Physical gold is a sound investment; a reason for this is it was used by numerous cultures and civilizations as a medium of exchange and a way to store wealth. Some of the reasons why gold was and is utilized in these ways are its physical characteristics. Some of these physical attributes that gold possesses is its ability to store, divide and combine wealth. A next property gold has is its uniformity. Pure gold is always the same quality; no matter what place or year it was mined. Its malleability is a next characteristic that it possesses. It is easy to shape and can also be combined with a number of other metallic elements.

Gold because of its density is one of the most difficult elements to counterfeit. One final of its many properties is gold's resistance to corrosion. This is one of the main reasons why gold is applied in the industrial and the jewelry industry. Its resistance to corrosion is one of the reasons why it's chosen for instruments intended to go through tough environments like deep space. Its ability to resist corrosion also is why gold is used for jewelry that's design to last the test of time. As an investment it also has properties that make it one of the best investments out there. One of these qualities is the low to no maintenance cost of gold.

This means if an investor has possession of physical gold and has a safe; it will cost little to nothing to keep the gold. A next attribute that makes it one of the greatest investments out there is its ease to liquidate. Commonly a majority of businesses that sell gold will also buy it; this is why gold is one of the easiest assets to sell. A couple of final characteristics that makes it one of the greatest investments are gold's intrinsic value and its lack of counterparty risk. With assets like stocks it is not out of the question for it to become worthless overnight if the business is mismanaged or if the products or services the company creates becomes obsolete; but gold because of its intrinsic value and lack of counterparty risk; is impossible for it to become worthless overnight; barring an act of God.

Some more information to discover more about gold is Gold Bars Coins Bullion. One others that is likewise highly recommended is Is Gold A Good Investment. Thank you and enjoy the information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Cox

Gold Investors Warned Against Frauds

Gold has been the most popular and the most ancient investment commodity. Even before currency was introduced in history, gold was stored and was considered as the greatest repaying investment. The truth has been the opposite of this myth, though. If one studies the history of gold investment, it would become quite clear that gold appears to be profitable, but it is not so.

In these times, when there are fewer buyers as compared to the sellers, and so, bullion does not offer so much hope. Moreover, it is a non-profit investment commodity in the sense that it does not provide a regular inflow of cash, even when its price is rising. One has to sell it in order to reap the profit.

It is common for people to be beguiled by fraudulent persons or companies, who devise new ways to steal money from them. Owing to the declining value of dollar, gold prices have increased sharply. There has been a record increase in the demand of physical gold in the past few years. Many gold mining companies, brokers, and investors having huge savings in gold are converting it into cash now due to the economic crisis taking its toll on everyone.

Typical scams involved in gold investment are the discount prices offered by persons/companies/shops selling rare or collectible coins online or in live auctions, over pricing of bullion by advertising shortage of gold coins in the global market, and offering unallocated gold storage accounts by private individuals or companies.

Simple people are befooled by selling inferior quality of bullion by those involved in the scam business. First time gold investors are an easy target of such scams where ordinary gold coins are sold at high prices by declaring them 'rare' or 'collectible'. It is imperative for all gold investors to check out the spot gold price online or in newspapers before buying anything in gold.

Gold mining companies and other individuals who want to sell their bullion now when the gold price is sky-high are using electronic, and print media to advertise their scams. They constantly propagate the issue of the declining solid reserves of gold in the global market, and urge everyone to buy now, because the prices will increase with every passing day. They have rather made an artificial demand-market in order to reap maximum profit.

Some individuals and persons are offering unallocated gold accounts or lockers to bullion investors, which are neither supported by any financial or government institution.

Gold investors fall prey to such scams either on phone, emails, websites, advertisement etc. the State has warned gold investors against such scams, which have already deprived thousands of people in the USA alone. People are advised to check the authenticity of the individuals/companies from whom they are buying gold. It takes years to save money and invest in gold or any other kind of profitable commodity. One should keep a vigilant eye on the latest scams, and try to stay away from them.

Jack Wagon is a gold investment consultant. You can take his help to buy gold bullion. For more information about buying gold you can visit his recommended site at http://www.goldmadesimple.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Wogan

Gold Weights Explained

Gold is one of the most popular precious metals in the world. It is used for many purposes such as gold jewellery, in medicine and electronics. Gold is also an essential part of the world over economy, and has an established global market.

Gold has been used as a currency in many countries in history. In the past, many countries had adopted the Gold Standard, which meant their official currency was gold. Although that standard was abolished, gold has retained its importance in the global economy. It is seen as a good investment that should be a part of every portfolio.

The value of gold depends on its weight, and there are many types of gold weights that are used for trading, or investment. The most common type is a gold bar. A Gold Bar is a gold ingot available in many sizes, and weights. They can be specified into tow major categories. One category includes gold bars made through casting. This is a procedure in which, gold is melted, and is poured into different moulds to give them a specified shape.

The next category is that of minted bars. Minting is the process of hand cutting gold blanks according to exact measurements. When the bars are minted or casted, their weight is engraved on the top, so that it is known exactly what its value is. When weighed in grams, sixteen weights are available internationally, which range from five hundred gram to point third of a gram. In ounces, eight weights are available, from twenty ounces to below one ounce.

There are many different weights of these gold bars. Central banks usually hold gold in the form of four hundred oz bars. These bars are allowed to vary between three fifty, and four thirty oz, and are of around 99.5 percent purity. The most widely traded gold weights in the world are the kilo bars. It is the most popular kind to be used by traders, and investors, as it does not sell at a high premium, and thus can be cheaper than other alternatives. Apart from these, there are gold weights of a tone, 1 tola, or 10 tolas.

In London, the market deals in the London Good Delivery gold bullion bar. This gold bar is the most important gold bullion in the world, and it weighs four hundred oz. Loco London is the de-facto standard for bullion spot trading all around the world. This means that the physical bars will be passed from buyer to seller in a transaction.

Gold bars can be denominated in different weights around the world. Internationally, they are weighed in grams while in many English speaking countries including the UK; they are mostly weighed in ounces. In the Asian and Middle Eastern region, they are mostly weighed in tolas.

Nowadays, gold has become an increasingly attractive investment as gold prices are rising, and have reached their all time high this year. When prices rise, this brings profits to gold investors and sellers.

Jack Wagon is a gold investment expert. You can buy pure gold bars and get complete information about buying gold bars at his recommended site at http://www.goldmadesimple.com/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Wogan

Understanding Stock Futures Trading

Stock futures trading are a way to hedge yourself in stock trading. Put simply, this type of a transaction is defined as the one where you agree to pay a seller a specific price for a specific amount of stock that you buy from him on a particular date in the future.

On the other hand, stock futures trading is an investment option and these can be traded on the markets in a manner similar to ordinary stocks. This type of trading is usually conducted on a margin basis, that is, you only pay a small part of the price of the stock when you enter into a contract.

What Are The Benefits?

This is an important investment avenue, open to investors for hedging their risky stock purchases. They can go short on such future contracts, implying that they sell the stock before they actually own it. They can also go long on such future contracts.

Being margin based, this form of trading allows an investor to buy a large portfolio of stocks with a comparatively smaller down payment as compared to traditional stocks.

Options available to the investor are much more than if you invest in traditional stocks. You can go long and short on the same stock. You can work on a calendar spread, wherein, you enter into a contract to sell the stock futures you have bought a month from now, and again enter into another contract to buy the same stock three months from now.

Disadvantages

Any high return investment avenue, by its very nature, will also be highly risky. The same is true for stock futures trading. Let us compare the scenario of an investment in traditional stocks versus investment in stock futures.

When you buy stocks of a particular company, you will need to pay the current price of that specific stock. If the price of that stock declines, at which point you sell the stock, you will make a loss to the extent of the difference in your purchase and selling price.

In the case of stock futures trading, you undertake margin trading and therefore, buy a much larger portfolio or a larger number of stocks than in the case illustrated earlier. If the price of the stock then declines, you are faced with a situation where you would lose most of your initial investment and will also owe money to your broker. In this case, you are required to make good the loss, and this can put a severe strain on your financial position.

Additionally, in contrast to the situation where you own physical stocks of a company, in stock futures trading, you do not have any rights of stock holders. You are therefore not entitled to any dividend or bonuses, which the company might announce, nor will you have any voting rights.

Stock futures trading are an exciting investment avenue; however, you can easily burn your fingers, so does your research well before you step into this arena.

Mr. Albertina Belmont is a financial advisor and professional of finance area. He designed a website to avoid financial crisis and his website offers a huge free collection of stock trading information, stock trading tips and tricks. Visit us http://www.financeenquiry.com/category_view.php?catid=16 today for more stock trading feature and help.

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Silver Will Out-Perform Gold!

Let's take a look at the fundamentals for gold and silver. Both are great investments during times of inflation and deflation, and both act as a store of wealth.Gold and silver act as a hedge against inflation. In other words, while our government is busy printing excessive amounts of paper money, your dollars are falling in value sharply and your money needs to be transferred to hard assets.

Gold has just hit an all time high, but silver is warming up to way outperform gold in the near term and long term. Since silver plays an additional role as not only money, but also as an industrial metal, there is much more demand placed on silver than gold.

About 95% of all the gold ever mined is still in coin, bullion bar, jewelry, or some other form. The same cannot be said about silver. Silver's above ground supplies have dramatically dropped from 12 billion ounces in 1900 to 1 billion ounces today. The price of silver is going to have to go dramatically higher to keep up with demand.

In fact, the demand for silver is so high that the USGS stated that silver would be the first element to go extinct by 2020. Not only is this extremely bullish for the metal, the COMEX has been manipulating the price down for years, and when this finally busts the movement in silver will be astronomical.

You should prepare for the dollar collapse that is happening right now. Why do you think China, Russia, Arab states, and many other countries are getting out of dollars and into precious metals.

The mainstream media is not going to preach to you to get into gold and silver. They will not do this because it is bad business for the dollar. Either way, people are not stupid to the fact that our government is causing massive inflation right now.

For six thousand years people have turned to gold and silver during times of economic turmoil and inflation.

Educate yourself on precious metals and learn why you should diversify some of your assets into gold, and especially silver.

To learn more visit

http://www.goldandsilverbull.com

My name is Garrett Strong and I am a teacher and part time article writer. I run a website called goldandsilverbull.com, and that is where I spend a lot of my spare time.

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Gold Coins - The Kind of Gold Coins That You Should Invest In

If you are thinking about collecting gold coins for investing purposes or for collecting it, then it is important for you to remember that there are certain things that you need to know about coin collecting.

First of all, you need to know the value of the gold coins that you are going to collect. Basically, the value of the gold coins will normally depend on two factors. When determining the value of gold coins, you have to consider the intrinsic value and the so-called collector's premium. These two are very different and it can really affect the value of the coin.

Intrinsic value is directly related to the selling price of gold bullions. You need to remember that when you are talking about the intrinsic value of the gold, it usually means that you are actually referring to the value of the gold itself. To make it easier for you to understand, you are actually selling the gold for the price that is placed on gold in the market. Today, you will usually find modern bullion coins and the intrinsic value is usually equal to the value of the coin.

Modern bullion coins are available online and can be purchased at any coin dealers. However, before you purchase the coin, you need to determine the dealer's commission as well as the shipping for the coin. You should also know the spot price of gold as this is where you will base the price for the coin. If you see that the coins are priced just below the spot price for gold, then you may be dealing with fakes. And, like with any other fakes, you should avoid buying it.

Collector's premium is another factor that can directly affect the overall value of the coin. When you talk about the collector's premium, there are several factors that can affect the price of the coin. These are the rarity, grade or condition, quality, and popularity which are often linked to historical significance. If a coin is rare and has a very good historical significance, it can sell for more than the value of the actual gold in the coin itself. An example would be a rare 20 dollar gold piece from 1861 in mint condition can be sold for more than 2 million dollars.

Collector's gold coins are considered to be much better investments than gold bullion coins. The problem is that they are very expensive and you have to do a lot of research before you buy. You have to know the exact value of a particular numismatic or rare coin before you actually buy it in order for you to avoid getting duped.

These are the factors that you need to keep in mind in order for you to start your coin collection. Always remember that certain gold coins have collector's premium and can get very expensive. However, if want simplicity when it comes to investing in gold coin then the modern gold bullion coins would be your choice. And, if you are a serious collector who is willing to spend lots of money on a rare gold coin, then you may want to purchase gold coins that have collector's premium.

Remember these tips and you will be able to have a clear path on what type of gold coins that you should start collecting and also what gold coins you should start investing in.

Tom has been writing articles about many topics for a long time. Not only does this author specialize in personal finance, you can check out his latest website on Ikea Bedroom Furniture with great Baby Bedroom Furniture ideas and information.

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Preparing For Inflation With Pre-1965 Silver Coins

Many investors are always searching for the "next big thing." The surefire stock that will explode in value. Recent stock market events have shown us just how few and far between these "surefire" stocks are.

But there is something that you can invest in that has been a solid performer for the past 4000 years. With a consistent history of value on its side, silver is as solid an investment as is possible. The price of everything is rising, while the value of the dollar is falling.

Silver helps fight inflation by allowing you to retain the value and worth of your savings. A hundred years ago, $1000 was a very handsome sum; today it wouldn't cover the rent for most people. It will be the same with $100,000 or even $1,000,000 in a hundred years.

What will not change is the value of tangible assets like silver and gold. They have always had value, and because silver is necessary for a variety of industrial applications, that is not even remotely likely to change during our lifetimes.

Invest in Your Future

The best way to begin investing in silver is to seek out junk silver coins. Doesn't sound that promising does it? Don't be misled by the name: these coins can net extremely generous profits for investors.

Silver coins minted in or before 1964 are known as junk coins. These dollars, half dollars, quarters, and dimes do not have value for the collector, but their 90 percent silver content makes the more than worthwhile for investors. Look for Mercury and Roosevelt dimes, Washington quarters, and Franklin and Kennedy half dollars, which are all worth much more than their face values.

Why is silver such a good investment? First, it is still inexpensive to purchase. Prices have not yet moved to reflect the diminished supply and increasing demand. When they do, prices will soar.

That is why it is so important to invest now. As investors flock to the tangible benefits of precious metals, gold becomes much scarcer. They turn to silver, which rises in value exponentially.

As inflation rises, the price of silver is also going to rise. All of this means that it is the ideal time to invest in silver, and junk coins are a great way to start. Ten pre-1965 silver coins will net you one ounce of refined silver, and this was worth $13.00 at the beginning of 2009.

Only a few months later, that value has increased to $16.65. What if you had invested in a whole bag of silver coins, which nets 715 to 720 ounces of refined silver? You are looking at substantial profits, which are only going to increase over time.

Invest Now

It is certain that silver prices will rise, what is open to debate is how much. Will they reach $100 per ounce, or more? It is certainly possible, and when it does, you want to have a stock of junk silver coins so you can watch your assets grow.

Start by looking on eBay, Lynn Coin, CC Gold and Silver, CMI Gold and Silver, and Monex Deposit Company for inexpensive junk silver. There are a variety of ways to find these coins, but the key is to start looking now.

To help you get started, download our Free Guide. For a great way to get started now investing in silver coins, download our Free Guide.

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Do Your Research When Selling Gold

By doing just a little research you can find out the best way to sell your gold. Being a precious metal, gold fluctuates in pricing day by day. In order to sell gold for the correct daily price you can visit numerous websites that provide the daily rate. By knowing the daily rate you will know what you can sell your gold for.

By visiting many websites you can get more information to selling your jewelry. You can learn about the gold industry and the many different types of gold. The purest form of gold is 24 karat, followed by 18k, 14k and 10k. Before you go to sell jewelry, know what karat your gold is. This will give you an estimate of what kinds of quotes you will get.

You can use an online yellow pages or search engine to find many different types of gold buyers. If you are looking for a fast turn around and the most money, you can sell gold to an online gold buyer. They typically provide you with a free mailing kit to send in your gold. They will then provide you with a quote and a fast cash turnaround.

Another option to sell your items is a physical store. However this can take a large amount of time to drive from store to store and compare quotes. Typically a physical store will not provide the best price for you to sell gold. They have high overhead costs to cover and will not offer as much as an online buyer with little overhead.

The Better Business Bureau is a quick way to check out the buyer you choose to sell your jewelry to. You can check the better Business Bureau site for complaints that will ensure you have chosen the best buyer to sell gold to.

By taking just a little time you can be more informed to selling gold. This will help you make the decision that is right for you.

If you'd like to sell gold jewelry safely visit YGoldParties. If you would like to sell gold and make money learn more about hosting your own Gold Party.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melanie_Doty

Where Can You Sell Gold?

The best place to sell gold is to a reputable and trusted buyer that has the experience and authority to handle gold. This will ensure that you are getting a fair deal on your jewelry.

A gold company who owns their own refinery is the best place to sell your gold. The refinery is where the gold is melted down into its purest form. By owning the refinery they cut out the middle man and ensure that you get the best price for your items.

Gold prices change daily and will want to make sure you get the current price when you sell gold. You may want to check a couple of websites to make sure you get the current price to sell gold. Gold price fluctuate daily and the price from a week or month ago may be significantly lower than the value to sell your gold today.

Dealing with a buyer that has a satisfaction guarantee on all gold buys is a plus. An option to have all of your gold returned to you within a certain time frame. You can also read many studies and reviews by third parties. These are helpful in determining that company provides the service they are claiming to.

When being an informed consumer you will know exactly what the best place to sell your gold for you is. Please do your research and make sure that you are fully confident when selling your precious items. The more informed you are the better chance you will have of getting the correct value for you jewelry.

If you'd like to sell gold jewelry safely visit YGoldParties. If you would like to sell gold and make money learn more about hosting your own Gold Party.

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Oil Profits in the Near and Long Term Future

Investing in oil will provide tremendous profits over the next several years, and here's the main reasons why:

Once the global economic problems start to wind down, demand for oil will surge and go beyond even regular demand levels, and we'll see a consistent increase in oil and gas usage and prices. Those investing in the oil industry and oil and gas companies will profit in a big way, as it starts to be understood that oil resources aren't "peaking" at all, but are available in huge quantities. As oil engineers solve problems related to costs connected to extracting oil embedded in shale, along with doing it more efficiently, we'll see this amazing story unfold in the years ahead, as the media, politicians and radical environmentals won't be able to conceal it any longer.

Just in the rock shale of the United States by itself, it is estimated there are far more available proven oil reserves than now exist in Saudi Arabia. This is trying to be hidden through under reporting and the generation of fear so Americans don't call the government and radical environmentalists to account for their crimes against humanity by not only lying, but covering up the fact that there is that much oil available for use in the United States alone. This doesn't even take into account the oil off our shorelines or in Alaska.

Now with the new methods that can see hidden oil underneath the salt of the oceans, and where Brazil's Petrobras has uncovered billions more barrels of oil in oil fields beneath the ocean floor, and they're just getting started. Add to that the amount of oil in the Canadian oil sands and you get the idea. The assertion of peak oil is a joke at this time, and will be for many decades into the future.

Those who are opponents of oil and gas companies have been hiding the fact of how much oil is available so they can create a panic in order to get access to taxpayers' dollar for their pet projects in relationship to alternative energy. A growing number of those in the energy business are doing the same as tax credits and other incentives "blind" their eyes to the huge source of existing energy we still have.

Dismiss the fading mainstream media and its reports, and take you blinders off and research and study the facts. Investing in oil is a great way to encourage access to our natural resources, and there are billions of barrels of oil under American soil or off its coastlines waiting to be accessed for the good of the American people, and people in other nations as well.

Investing in Oil

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