The Key to Building a Valuable Coin Portfolio

Coin collecting is by no means a modern-day trend, but building a coin portfolio for investment purposes is vastly different from collecting as a hobby. There's a lot of important information you need to know about rare and gold coins before you can begin to diversify your portfolio with these alternative assets.

For starters, you should:

1. Know the coin's market history/cycle: How much has it sold for in the past? What is its average annual ROI? With rare coin investments, you need to think medium to long-term (3-5 years), but you also need to be realistic about your coin. If it doesn't have a good track record in terms of 'popularity' or trading, then it's unlikely to change in the future. This means you may be stuck with a coin that doesn't appreciate in value as much as you'd expect it to.

2. Know what influences a coin's price and grade: The official grading of a coin is determined by a number of factors, which also influences a coin's price. These include:

• The metal content that it's manufactured from

• Rarity/scarcity

• Preservation (condition)

• Supply and demand

• Historical significance

• Age

• Popularity

• Availability

• Investment potential

• Investors

• Mintage (when, where, how many?)

• Design

• Tax benefits

• Liquidity/portability

The market value of a coin is based largely on its official grade, which in turn makes it easier to track the performance. So ideally, you should aim to purchase only graded coins, or at the very least have your rare coins graded and appraised as soon as you are able to.

3. Know the story behind the coin you're buying: A coin with a unique and interesting history almost always has a higher market value. Is yours from a time period that is favourable for coin production? Is it from the era of an important leader? Does it have a very low mintage? Was it minted under exceptional circumstances, or manufactured with an unusual metal content? These are all factors which can add significant value to your rare coin investment.

4. Know about coin grading vs. investment potential: This depends largely on your budget and what you can comfortably afford, as well as what your investment requirements and expectations are. Unless you have enough numismatic knowledge to make your own decision, it's best to speak to a certified coin dealer who will be able to advise you on what graded coins are best suited to your investment profile and budget. They'll also be able to advise you on the market performance and potential of any coins you're interested in.

5. Stick to the '50 Year Rule': Although this is by no means set in stone, it's an approach used by many serious collectors and investors. What it means is that you shouldn't invest in a rare coin that isn't at least 50 years old. This is because it won't yet have an established track record and it would be difficult to predict future market performance.

While these tips will go a long way towards helping you make an informed decision about the type of rare coin you want to invest in, you might still be uncertain about how you're going to find the coins you want. South Cape Coins can help you source the rare coins you're looking for, and can help you build a valuable coin portfolio that suits your requirements.

When the Funds Are Low And The Debt Is High   How to Ensure You Purchase Authentic Antique Silverware   Precious Metals Price Discovery - At and Despite the Margins   Gold Bullions - An Investment Option   Purchase of Gold And Silver - Find The Best Deals   

How to Sell Gold Online

Gold has always been valuable and this is not about to change anytime soon. This is a commodity which gains value with the passing of years and becomes more and more scarce adding more value to it. It can come in different forms such as jewelry or even gold bars and coins. Most people would rather hold onto the gold all their lives but there are those who have the need to sell their gold for cash when the situation calls.

When faced with the need to sell gold, the market is wide and therefore not as hard to get your gold out there and have your cash. With the internet, it has become even easier for everybody to sell their gold within no time. It is however important to look for sites and dealers that are genuine to ensure that your precious gold does not end up in smoke. The online selling involves simple steps hence many would rather go for this option.

The selling sites come with a calculator where one gets the chance to enter details of the gold items to get the estimated worth.

After you have seen the worth and you are happy with what you see, you can then apply to sell and you will hereby need to fill a simple form and submit.

After you have requested to sell gold, a dispatch bag will be sent to the specified address so that you can send the gold to the dealers. The services are offered and trusted with very reputable names in the industry hence you do not have to worry about the bag getting lost since it is easy for them to be traced. The dispatch bags are also insured thereby eliminating all worries.

On receiving the gold, the dealers will begin by weighing and testing your items and then will be in touch with you either by phone or email so that the payment methods can be discussed. You will have all the payment options relayed before you can choose on the best.

After the procedure, it does not take long before the money can be sent to you.

Before making any sales, there is an importance of checking the current value of gold in the market. This will help in ensuring that you do not just settle for any deal that comes your way thereby ensuring that you get the best value for your precious items.

When the Funds Are Low And The Debt Is High   How to Ensure You Purchase Authentic Antique Silverware   Precious Metals Price Discovery - At and Despite the Margins   Gold Bullions - An Investment Option   Counterfeit Coin Detection - 4 Ways to Initially Spot a Counterfeit Coin (and Avoid Being Taken)   

The Intrinsic Value of a Gold Coin

Gold coins and bullion do not react to market conditions, are not subject to volatility, to not act like stocks and bonds, and most importantly help to diversify and optimize long-term investment. For thousands of years, gold bullion has been the main form of currency across the world, it is an economic law. It has a lot of historic value. Gold is a stable currency, because gold bullion is a commodity in the world that can not change or grow, it's always constant. Central banks hold gold has the official form of reserve, making it very important for the International Monetary Funds. As a general rule of thumb, it's said that interest rates are directly related to the price of gold. For this reason, gold bullion coins should be very important to the investor, because any economic downturn would result in gold bullion coins are being accepted as the official monetary standard.

The most basic benefit of gold bullion is that it is very simple to obtain. There are many types of gold coin: KRUGERRANDS, SOVEREIGNS, US EAGLES, CANADIAN MAPLES. GOLD BARS, SILVER COINS, BARS AND BULLION. The thing about gold is that it's always hedged against inflation, just like the stock market crashing in 2007, and the price of gold rising, leaving gold investors very happy with their investments of gold-coin portfolios. Bullion is also very liquid, which means that gold coin is very easy to buy and resell on the market. Whenever you need money for something, gold will always be ready to be sold off for some form of currency in the country the gold coin is sold in. Most gold-bullion distributors and sells will buy gold coins back from you, because they know the power that gold has.

It's no coincidence that "Cash For Gold" have been popping up in every country recently. The general population has caught on to the fact that bullion helps to make a diversified portfolio. The gold coin balances the risky investments and helps to create more certainty in most financial situations. As a guideline, most well-positions portfolios keep gold investments between 10-25% of their total stock. Another great aspect to gold coins is that the currency is very easy to carry in your pocket, hand, or store at your house. It's probably best to keep thieves away from your house by storing your gold in bank's vault, but should the time come necessary, there will be nothing to fear about holding on to a precious medal that cannot be so easily extinguished or burned such as paper.

Gold coin is the ultimate bartering currency, because god forbid a natural disaster occurs, and one is left with precious medals such as gold, which has withstood the test of time to be a desired currency. Without major banks, paper money, and stocks and bonds, gold would most certainly become the popular choice once again, so best keep it around.

For your Free Investing Guide please visit http://www.BullionUK.com.

When the Funds Are Low And The Debt Is High   How to Ensure You Purchase Authentic Antique Silverware   Precious Metals Price Discovery - At and Despite the Margins   Gold Bullions - An Investment Option   Purchase of Gold And Silver - Find The Best Deals   

I'll Have Another Ounce of Gold

Few things excite people as much as a horse race or gold!

Gold briefly took a backseat behind a horse named "I'll Have Another." This horse was never expected to be a champion. After dramatic victories in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, however, he was poised to become the first horse in 34 years to win the incredibly rare and coveted "Triple Crown."

Unfortunately, due to an injury, the opportunity is gone. His trainer had to pull him from the race.

"I'll Have Another" had an opportunity to become one of only 12 horses in history to win all 3 "jewels" of horse racing - the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. He could have become the 12th "Triple Crown" winner in history! Instead, he is the 12th horse since 1978 to miss the opportunity, after winning the first two races.

So what does this horse have to do with gold? "I'll Have Another" has lost the opportunity to achieve an extraordinary accomplishment. Gold, however, still has a chance to solve the world's debt crisis.

Just as the sports enthusiasts of the world were focused upon a horse named "I'll Have Another," the economists, finance ministers, and central bankers of the world are now focused upon gold.

Without delving into the details surrounding fiat currencies and inflation, I'll simply point out the obvious: prices are not rising; the value of your dollar is falling.

Historically, bankrupt governments have always turned to the same bailout mechanism that we see them using today. They devalue their currencies!

You see, the word "inflation" is simply a clever euphemism that masks the reality of currency devaluation. The public's attention is directed to "rising prices" and away from the falling value of the dollar.

So, how does gold fit into this situation? Governments cannot create more gold.

An ounce of gold is an ounce of gold. It is a commodity. It pays no dividend. Its value, essentially, does not change. Its price fluctuates up and down reflecting the fluctuation in value of government currencies and other assets.

When the current US President was inaugurated, it took only 900 of your dollars to purchase one ounce of gold. Today, it takes over 1,500 of your dollars to purchase the same ounce of gold. The gold hasn't risen in value. The value of your dollar has fallen. Your dollars are being devalued.

The dollar is presently strong among other currencies, but only because the dollar is the proverbial "nicest looking house in an ugly neighborhood."

Gold is a safe place to store the value of your wealth. Currency is not a safe place! That's why central banks throughout the world are trading their US dollar reserves for gold.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported that global central bank purchases in 2011 exceeded 400 tons. In March of 2012, the Philippines purchased another 32 tons. In April, Turkey purchased another 29 tons; Mexico purchased an additional 3 tons; Kazakhstan purchased another 2 tons; Ukraine purchased over one ton and tiny Sri Lanka has accumulated over 2 tons.

This is merely a short list of recent purchases. Many other countries do not report their gold purchases. With the central banks of the world trading away their own currencies as well as the US dollar, one has to wonder what they see on the financial horizon.

One thing is certain. The central bankers who are increasing the money supply to pay for deficit spending by their governments, are the same decision-makers who are stocking up on gold and trading away their own currencies and US dollars.

I suppose that it's possible for our politicians to stop the spending and help turn the economy around. Then, perhaps, we could produce the profits necessary to pay off our debts. Realistically, however, no matter who wins the upcoming elections, there are few options other than currency devaluation available to our decision-makers.

Gold does not dominate my trading strategy. Gold simply ranks first (at the moment) among the choices for financial safety. And, gold holds the greatest potential for massive gains. Gold therefore - as a store of value - has a chance to solve the world's debt crisis.

If the central banks continue to devalue the currencies, the price of gold will go higher. If so, the current price of gold represents a true opportunity.

Before the opportunity is gone, have yourself another ounce of gold.

When the Funds Are Low And The Debt Is High   How to Ensure You Purchase Authentic Antique Silverware   Precious Metals Price Discovery - At and Despite the Margins   Gold Bullions - An Investment Option   Purchase of Gold And Silver - Find The Best Deals   Counterfeit Coin Detection - 4 Ways to Initially Spot a Counterfeit Coin (and Avoid Being Taken)   

Is Silver a Good Investment In Our Economy?

Is silver a good investment? That is one question many investors are asking before a decision is made to invest their money in silver bullion. Historically, it has been 16 to 1 ratio with gold. That means 1 ounce of gold is equal in price to 16 ounces of silver. At this time in history, that ratio is incorrect. Prominent analysts believe that the price will go up to reach the historical ratio of gold to silver.

The economy of the United States and many countries is declining. We have high unemployment and jobs are not being created to meet the demand. Our housing market is in a slump, and repossessions of homes are at an all time high. Our country is printing more and more paper money with inflation on the rise. As the economic turmoil continues to escalate throughout the world, silver is a relative stable investment. People diversify their portfolios with this metal as a hedge investment which remains relatively stable even if the market fluctuates.

The laws of supply and demand continue to support the increasing price of silver. It is used in technology, medicine, and many other consumable applications. Additionally, there is a strong demand for investor bullion coins throughout the world. The supply of this metal has a limit. Although it is relatively easy to mine, the demand is so great now that production for silver has increased tremendously throughout the world. Eventually it will be scarce.

There are a number of ways to invest in silver. As a small investor, I am more comfortable with coins or bars because I believe they are the safest form of investment. There are many denominations to choose from and the weights of the coins and bars are standardized. Possession of the physical silver gives the owner many advantages such as the ability to store it in a fire-proof box or a safe deposit box at the bank. Your coins are then easily available when it is time to sell.

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and Certificates is another option for silver ownership. Investors then do not have to hold the physical silver. For many, this is an attractive option.

Whatever method of silver ownership that best suits your needs, investing in silver bullion is a must in our turbulent times of mounting inflation and the weakening dollar. Analysts continue to believe that investor demand for silver will remain strong.

When the Funds Are Low And The Debt Is High   How to Ensure You Purchase Authentic Antique Silverware   Precious Metals Price Discovery - At and Despite the Margins   Gold Bullions - An Investment Option   Purchase of Gold And Silver - Find The Best Deals   Counterfeit Coin Detection - 4 Ways to Initially Spot a Counterfeit Coin (and Avoid Being Taken)   

There's Gold in Them There Hills! Metal Detecting for Gold

Gold prices continue to rise all over the world. Gold tends to remain constant and strong in hard economic times.

Metal detecting for gold is increasing in popularity. With the right metal detector and detecting coil you can find Gold in Them There Hills.

Go to your library and research gold producing areas where you live. The internet should have a vast amount of information on that subject as well. Hopefully you will be able to find areas that will be productive in your search. Map out your plan of attack and get started.

For gold nuggets use a metal detector that is programed to find very small nuggets, as well as a bit larger nuggets. Of course the larger the nugget, the deeper your detector will be able to read it, however, you also want to be able to detect the very small nuggets. Some as small as a match head. Some even smaller than that. The more nuggets you find whether they are small as dirt or as large as a baby tooth, the larger your ounce weight will be and the more money in your pocket.

Now what about search coils? Larger search coils will read deeper and produce a larger, better ground coverage. The smaller coils are good for smaller nuggets and more targeted reading in the more undesirable soil.

Metal detectors have advanced a great deal in the past 20-25 years. Two very important advances have been the advent of the VLF (very low frequency) detector and the PI (pulse induction) detector.

VLF metal detectors on the higher frequency end are able to find gold as well as other minerals in the soil. You need to tune your detector to filter out the interference of the other minerals. The PI detectors ignore the interfering minerals and find larger gold nuggets and deeper depths.

Most gold detectors have a feature to manually adjust the ground balance. By doing this you can adjust the detector to filter out most of the iron content in the ground. This is not hard to do and you can become adept at it after just a few times out. You want to produce a minimum of false ground signals.

You can buy the finest gold detector in the world, but if you don't do your research on where the gold could be, you can go out with your metal detector 'til the cows come home and you will probably come up short. Go to proven gold producing grounds. Do your research. As I said earlier, you can find information at your local library or on the internet.

As always, when you do find places to look for gold, get permission from the land owner, and be courteous when detecting and digging.

Find Your Treasure Now!

When the Funds Are Low And The Debt Is High   How to Ensure You Purchase Authentic Antique Silverware   Precious Metals Price Discovery - At and Despite the Margins   Gold Bullions - An Investment Option