Gold is a staple of savvy investors. Wouldn’t you like to know more about investing in gold so that you can make sure you have a strong hold on your investments? You must consider many different things when you are deciding whether to buy raw gold or purchase shares. Continue reading to learn more about gold as a financial investment.

When selling gold, it is a good idea to get an estimated value from more than one source. Gold buyers and jewelry stores are out to make a profit, so they’ll all pay less than the actual value of the gold you’re selling. By getting multiple estimates, you can be assured that you will get a fair price when you sell.

Never deal with a gold buyer or seller who does not have a favorable reputation. Use both Internet reviews and BBB complaints and information to discern someone’s reputation. A good buyer is going to give you a good price, and will provide you with superior customer service too. Doing this protects your investment.

Gold Broker

Make sure you research any gold broker you do business with. You want to work with a reputable gold broker. The BBB can be a great research, as can online customer reviews. If you get quotes from multiple buyers, you will get the most for your gold.

When you purchase gold, it’s important to set a fairly stringent schedule for delivery of your metal. It you don’t have it delivered immediately, find out when you will receive your gold. The expected delivery date should be noted somewhere. Proceed with the order only if you get this confirmation.

Gold prices may be so high that you may feel that it is best to choose jewelry that is gold-filled or gold-plated instead. However, it’s still possible to buy gold jewelry and not need to spend a fortune at the jewelry store. Pawn shops provide great discounts.

If you are buying gold as a form of a retirement fund, make sure to buy the right kind. Gold needs to be IRS-approved. They have to be 24 karat coins or bullion bars. Gold bars tend to hold their value better than gold coins.

If you are purchasing gold jewelry for another person, you must be certain about the return policy. You do not know if the gift receiver will like it or if the piece fits. It’s always a good idea to be able to get your money back on a jewelry purchase if it doesn’t work out for you.

Get an appraisal if you do not know the value of your gold jewelry. This adds an up-front cost, but it could save you a lot of money later. You will want to find someone who is accredited in gold appraisal to get the proper value of the piece. Even if you still choose to sell, do know that you aren’t going to get the appraised value.

Comparison shop when selling old gold jewelry. Even the market “spot” price of gold is a national standard at any given moment, not all stores pay it. You might get a better deal at a store not in a major shopping mall, since their overhead and rent is lower.

Check gold prices on the day your are buying or selling gold. This price changes every day. You can locate it on several different websites. Don’t buy anything marked up over 8% of this. Knowing the value of your gold will keep you from getting ripped off.

Look around before deciding on purchasing from a gold buyer. You may be surprised at the differences in the offers that you’ll get! Going with the very first buyer who comes along might prove a bad deal. Get the most money for your gold by spending time to comparison shop.

Always do your own research into the gold market before you make any investments. Some people will claim to be experts in the field. However, you need to be very careful when it comes to promises about making you rich. You will certainly avoid the getting rich quick way of thinking if you have realistic expectations.

Before you sell a piece of jewelry for scrap, have the piece appraised first. This is an absolute must-do if you are selling unique, handcrafted pieces of jewelry. You might have to pay a fee to get this appraisal, but it might bring you profit eventually. They may even give you a reference to a buyer.

There are many options available to individuals looking to purchase gold as an investment. Buy shares in traded or mutual gold funds or invest in some gold mining stocks. Purchasing gold bars and coins means you must have a secure place to store them.

Gold should be separated by karat weight before sale. A vendor may scam you by weighing what you have together by the lowest weight in karat. You’ll lose out on a lot of potential profit this way. Separating the gold before you go prevents this from happening.

Don’t sell your gold just because you feel it would get a good price. You want to get the best price you can. If you try to sell quickly you may leave profits on the table. Keep your gold as long as possible for the greatest earning potential.

In order to become a great trader, you need to learn how gold is tested. Gold’s purity is identified in karats. The purer the gold, the higher the karats and the more valuable it is by the ounce. The karat stamp alone is not an indicator of the true purity of gold. Knowing how to test the purity of gold will ensure that you will not overpay for poor quality.

You probably are amazed how much goes into buying and selling gold now that you’ve read the last few paragraphs. Now your decisions can be solid. Use this advice to turn your portfolio into a money maker.