Many people these days see gold as a more stable form of currency. But not everyone is privy to the special knowledge it takes to successfully invest in gold. Read on and get educated on everything important about the gold market to help you buy and sell.
When you sell gold, get multiple estimates of its value. There are many places to get this done, and some will pay you more than others. Getting multiple offers allows you to understand what you can get for your gold.
Have an understanding of gold prices. The values of precious metals fluctuate daily, so be certain you know the spot price before any transaction. You must be prepared to pay higher percentages over the melt values for fractional gold pieces like 1/10, 1/4th, and 1/2 ounces versus one-ounce pieces.
Check spot prices before you buy. This price changes every day. You can locate it on several different websites. When you do buy, avoid more than an 8% markup. Knowing the value of your gold will keep you from getting ripped off.
Never sell to an unlicensed gold dealer. A buyer who is licensed is likelier to be legitimate. There is a lot of competition out there, so you can sell to someone else if you’re not happy with the first offer.
If you’re not looking to own gold, you’ll still be able to invest in it. You can put your money in a gold exchange traded fund. You also buy stock in a gold mining company. There are also mutual funds that focus on gold. Before you buy bars and coins, you must also consider how much it will cost to store your gold.
Before selling gold, separate everything by karat. If you keep them together, an unscrupulous dealer may try to weigh all the pieces in one batch, then pay you the lowest karat price for all of them. You will lose money that way. Separating the gold before you go prevents this from happening.
You can actually sell your gold through the mail! Lots of sellers prefer this process, as it is easy. Simply receive your prepaid envelope, place the gold inside of it, ship it and wait for your check. However, you have to remember that you’re not going to get the most from your gold this way. You might receive up to 30 percent less concerning an item you sell, so be aware of this.
Gold is a very volatile investment. If you can’t handle the fluctuations, avoid this market. Even if you are willing to take on some degree of risk, you must take steps to minimize that risk. Only invest a small amount into gold. Start with investing 5% of your portfolio in gold so you can get a better idea of how this precious metal fluctuates.
Before you buy gold, find out something about the dealer. To ensure you’re dealing with someone legitimate, do some research with the BBB. You can check out complaints and see if they were resolved. If there have been complaints filed, consider using a different dealer.
You can invest in gold by purchasing beautiful gold jewelry. You can wear it, too! High-end jewelry is typically made with a great deal of craftsmanship, which adds value in addition to the gold itself.
If you have gems in your gold, tell the dealer you would like to keep the gems once the gold has been melted. Some may be more difficult to remove than others. Small gemstones usually have no value for dealers’s who melt down jewelry to reclaim the gold.
Gold Coins
A good way to start collecting gold is buying United States gold coins minted prior to 1933. Gold coins were used every day until that year when President Roosevelt recalled them. Not everyone just returned their gold, however. Gold coins from that era are still for sale now.
Understand that you’re more than likely not going to receive true value for the gold. A gold dealer must make a profit just as any other business must. They need to make money, and they can’t pay you full price and do that too. Depending on the buyer’s particular needs and situation, he or she may only be able to offer you half to three-quarters of your gold’s current market value.
Investing in gold has a rich tapestry of history attached to it with many fortunes being enhanced because of this valuable metal. To truly be a wise participant in gold markets, though, a good amount of education is vital. Hopefully, the information listed above was a good starting place for you.