Gold has been valued by people since the beginning of time. It has been used as money, given as gifts and turned into jewelry to show affection. Gold is a good investment because it is universally treasured. If you are looking to invest in some gold, here are some tips to help you invest wisely.
Know the meaning of different karat weights when buying or selling gold. Twenty four karat gold is worth more than fourteen, which is worth more than ten. If you understand the differences, you can make sure that you buy or sell for a fair price based on the true value of the piece.
Avoid buying gold coins for their historical value, unless the investment can stand on its own without the gold factoring in. Although coins with historical value can be very profitable investments, most often it is that alone and not the composite material that makes you money. Don’t confuse the two markets.
When mailing your gold away for sale, make sure to read all the fine print before sending it in. Some buyers have less than stellar reputations, and you will not see this until you read the fine print. Make sure you are comfortable with all the terms you are agreeing to, or look to another location to sell your gold.
Take precautions if you mail your items. There are a lot of mail-in services these days, and while they can be convenient, you need to protect yourself. Send the pieces through insured mail, take photographs and know the company’s policies in case they lose your gold pieces and you want a settlement.
You may shy away due to gold’s price, which may make you go for gold-filled or gold-plated jewelry instead. However, don’t feel that to buy gold of real value you need to pay a high price in a fine jewelry store. Online auctions, estate sales and pawn shops are only some of your options.
When purchasing gold jewelry, ask the jeweler for a certificate of authenticity. This certificate is proof that you are purchasing a good piece of jewelry made of solid cold. Be sure the certificate indicates the price of the jewelry. Should you ever decide to sell your jewelry, this will be of help.
If you decide to invest in gold, find out which type of gold is the best investment for you. Most investors buy gold bullion bars or gold coins. This type of gold requires a sizable investment. Gold bars are available in a wide variety of sizes from half an ounce to 400 ounces.
If you are thinking about becoming a buyer or seller of gold, make sure you are legal! In the United States, you must have a license to purchase, sell or trade gold in any quantities on a regular basis. Check with your city or town about how to become licensed, and then enjoy your new entitlement to dealing in gold.
Understand how gold much gold is in each ounce. For example, 18 carat gold contains more gold than 14 carat. This is because in 18 carat gold there is 18 parts gold and 10 parts other alloys. In 14 carat gold, there is 14 parts gold and 10 parts other alloys. For this reason, 18 carat gold sells for more than 14 carat gold.
One valuable piece of information about gold is that while its dollar value may fluctuate, its purchasing power does not. In other words, if 10 ounces of gold could purchase a car 50 years ago, 10 ounces of gold can still purchase a car today. This is because although the dollar value of the car has increased, so did the dollar value of an ounce of gold.
Be realistic about the price you want for your gold pieces. Remember that any buyer will want to earn a profit, so they will never pay you one hundred percent value for the gold you are selling. If they offer you seventy five or eighty percent of the value, they are usually giving you a fair deal.
When looking to buy gold as an investment, it is important that you invest in solid gold. There are many phrases you should look out for such as “gold clad,” “gold enveloped” because these are just fancy words for gold plated. This means under the gold is a different metal, which drastically drives down the value.
If you are looking to find a great deal on gold and other precious metals, try going to flea markets and estate sales. If you really take your time to look around thoroughly and do some hard core digging, you can end up finding pieces that others have overlooked.
Hopefully these tips have given you a better idea of how to go about buying gold. Whether you are looking to invest in it to make money or just to collect beautiful pieces of jewelry, gold has lasting value. It usually goes up in value. Keep these tips in mind and start your own collection of gold today.
