The thrill of this way of diversified investing is that you are actually investing using one of the oldest ways in the world-gold and silver coins. The thing is that gold for certain is one of the stablest mediums in the world. Imagine that you and Croesus the king of Lydia who lived from 595 BC and died 546 BC actually share something, a desire to store wealth through acquiring gold coins. Actually I will be talking more about coins then bullion but it is equally as financially stable to collect but doesn't have the numismatic value of coins. So what we are looking at is an investment in a product that you can hold in your hand, has stable value and can be a hedge against severe market or especially economic downturns. Cool huh? Can you imagine getting the same thrill from a beautiful and expensive gold piece and then hold a notice of the purchase of stock. Although ones value may at that moment be more valuable than the other-for sheer awe nothing beats the feel of a gold coin. Speaking of awe at the sight of a gold coin,, my wife and I visited Charlestown, SC last month and were privileged to visit the restoration of the CSS Hunley. For those who don't know, the CSS Hunley was the first recorded combat submarine that actually sunk a wooden hulled ship off Charleston Harbor during the war between the states. One of the recovered artifacts was a gold $20.00 piece that the owner had had at the battle of Shiloh. He had been shot in the hip the bullet hitting the coin in his pocket. The coin saved his life but was bent. The owner had a jeweler write on the coin the date and circumstances of the battle that stated that the coin saved his life.. We saw this coin 143 years later just as shiny as new but with the marks from the bullet. What do you think that a coin like that was worth? Priceless? It certainly was then to its owner . Or could you even place a price on it?
Now for anyone to find the idea of gold coin collecting as a means of diversified investing , archaic and very old fashioned let me further relate events that occurred in the 1980s, not so long ago. During the four years of President Carter one of the favorite hedges to inflation and the general instability of the economy at that time was gold coins. The coins most easily available in large lots was the Krugerrand from South Africa. I am sure that you are aware that during the height of the inflation that occurred in the Carter years, the severe rationing of gas from OPEC during that time and the economic downturn, the choice of the Smart Money Crowd was Krugerrands. They were easily available of high quality (.917 purity) and the government permitted their purchase.All though the American Government did not allow private ownership of what was termed "bullion" but did allow ownership of foreign coins this soon became an all-time favorite of many professional men and women.. The Krugerrand was first minted in about 1967 and soon fulfilled the need for a stable and easily portable one ounce coin with a purity factor of .917. Its sort of amusing to me that Paul Kruger's likeness was on a coin which was probably made from the gold discovered at Witwatersrand in South Africa and for which he once said that the discovery " will cause our land to be soaked in blood." How right he was. But gold has always had that reputation. A careful check of the spot market for gold on the day this article was written shows that the bid was $662.83 and the ask was $665.63. To give you some thoughts about the stability and usefulness as a hedge against economic fears-this comment came from a precious metal trader in Europe, "if we can get above the resistance to an increase in gold prices from 667.00 it should easily run up to the $700.00s in price." And a comment from a bank in Europe suggested that recently precious metals fell somewhat due to the quarter-end squaring by funds (that invest heavily in metals) after the metals failed to break above the resistance levels. Further the situation surrounding the incident of the seizures of the British Navy personnel by Iran continued to fuel safe-haven interests and supply concerns for crude oil should the situation escalate." For what it is worth most analysts are bullish on the near-term effects of the bid and ask prices of gold and take the longer view that gold remains the place for the safe-haven of money during troubled times. And I might add a worthy asset to your diversified investment portfolio.
Check back if you will to this website because I am going to continue to read and write about gold, silver, platinum and palladium as havens for safe money during troubled times. A final thought or two. Ask any family in Europe whose grandparents had to flee from invading armies what is the one thing that always has worth and I suspect they would say, gold. Paper money is easily de-valuated and debased by printing without pause but gold?
by Jim Cone
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Can You Really Become A Trader?
Yes you definitely can! Anyone can. How To Easily Trade Your Way To An Income For Life will show you how until you've GOT IT!
I fully understand that you may still have doubts about trading the markets. That’s perfectly understandable as this tremendous money-making method has always been a closely guarded secret, dressed up in language designed to keep it within a small group of people, and believe me, they would like it to stay that way. Find out
How To Easily Trade Your Way To An Income For Life
A few authors have sold courses, books and seminars at crazy prices; they instruct but don’t really show you how to make money. “How To Easily Trade Your Way To An Income For Life” blows the lid off the mystery and now you can grab as big a slice of the money pie as you want. ANYONE, and I mean YOU, CAN DO THIS. In fact, everything possible will be done to make sure you do. So put your doubts away right now, and in a week or two you’ll be glad you did. Visit
How To Easily Trade Your Way To An Income For Life
I fully understand that you may still have doubts about trading the markets. That’s perfectly understandable as this tremendous money-making method has always been a closely guarded secret, dressed up in language designed to keep it within a small group of people, and believe me, they would like it to stay that way. Find out
How To Easily Trade Your Way To An Income For Life
A few authors have sold courses, books and seminars at crazy prices; they instruct but don’t really show you how to make money. “How To Easily Trade Your Way To An Income For Life” blows the lid off the mystery and now you can grab as big a slice of the money pie as you want. ANYONE, and I mean YOU, CAN DO THIS. In fact, everything possible will be done to make sure you do. So put your doubts away right now, and in a week or two you’ll be glad you did. Visit
How To Easily Trade Your Way To An Income For Life
Monday, April 2, 2007
Is the Coin Dealer or Coin source a Reputable One?
If you're going it alone then there's one burning question you should ask first before you proceed too much further. And that's if the coin dealer or trader is a reputable one who is trustworthy. This will play a big part in whether you want to get the coin or not.
To do this, you can ask around and do some research to find out what other collectors think of the coin dealer. Also each country has their own particular coin collecting or numismatic associations which will have the good coin dealer within its registers.
If the coin dealer who is selling the coin isn't on any of these registries, you might want to think twice about going through and buying the coin. Also another thing you'll want to find out is whether the coin is actually part of the coin dealer collection or whether it's part of another collector's.
If the coins don't belong to the coin dealer then the price you're paying for the coin also includes the dealer's markup as well. By going straight to the source as it were, you can avoid this additional cost and deal with the owner yourself, unless of course you've been with this particular coin dealer for a while now.
Unbelievable bargains are just that: unbelievable. If you see something that's an unbelievable bargain from a coin dealer, don't stop and look at it twice. This might just cause you to part with your money on something you don't need and really shouldn't have, in the first place.
Walk away from this unbelievable bargain as fast as you can and don't look back. The Latin "Caveat emptor" isn't there for nothing. "Buyer beware" is something that you should always consider when you're buying anything of value, not only coins.
In this case, although you might think you're getting a rare coin, or a coin of greater value, you might in actual fact only be getting something that's face-value or maybe even considerably less.
by Muna wa Wanjiru
To do this, you can ask around and do some research to find out what other collectors think of the coin dealer. Also each country has their own particular coin collecting or numismatic associations which will have the good coin dealer within its registers.
If the coin dealer who is selling the coin isn't on any of these registries, you might want to think twice about going through and buying the coin. Also another thing you'll want to find out is whether the coin is actually part of the coin dealer collection or whether it's part of another collector's.
If the coins don't belong to the coin dealer then the price you're paying for the coin also includes the dealer's markup as well. By going straight to the source as it were, you can avoid this additional cost and deal with the owner yourself, unless of course you've been with this particular coin dealer for a while now.
Unbelievable bargains are just that: unbelievable. If you see something that's an unbelievable bargain from a coin dealer, don't stop and look at it twice. This might just cause you to part with your money on something you don't need and really shouldn't have, in the first place.
Walk away from this unbelievable bargain as fast as you can and don't look back. The Latin "Caveat emptor" isn't there for nothing. "Buyer beware" is something that you should always consider when you're buying anything of value, not only coins.
In this case, although you might think you're getting a rare coin, or a coin of greater value, you might in actual fact only be getting something that's face-value or maybe even considerably less.
by Muna wa Wanjiru
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Coin Purity: Is it a Known Fake or Forgery?
It's very easy to mistake a coin purity if the coin has been debased in some way. This can have been done in a number of ways, but one of the most common factor in coin purity is by substituting lower base metals for a coin which is supposed to have silver, gold or platinum.
There are ways to detect coin purity but you really do need to know what you're looking for here. If a substitute has indeed been made the coin purity will be subtly altered in some way or other. Generally you'll find that the dimensions of the coin have changed and although the diameter will be constant - that would be too easy to detect - the height of the coin might be either slightly thicker or thinner depending on the density of the metal.
Since it's not easy to get the same thickness as the gold, platinum or silver with a different metal, and since other factors also count towards the overall coin purity, there will be problems and the thickness is one of them.
If the substitute metal is of a greater density then it will be heavier than the originally intended one and therefore the coin thickness will have to be reduced to accommodate the heavier substitute. And although quite a lot of people forget to check for these coin purity factors, depending instead almost solely upon the thickness value of the coin¸ there are a few other methods that should be looked into when testing coin purity.
One which is greatly overlooked in checking for coin purity is the sense of touch. The different thickness of the coin will certainly transmit itself, as will a certain different quality of the metal. I can't tell you exactly what it is since I personally can't do this, but a good friend I know, can.
Only a person with a very keen sense of touch will get this properly, or a person who's used to dealing with the real thing, in which case they can tell straight off the coin purity just when they hold it. Here more than anywhere, experience counts in checking for coin purity and it goes a long way towards finding out whether indeed you have a counterfeit or a forgery in your hands. As I said earlier though, don't fret about it just yet.
And even later when you gather more experience, unless you're specifically handling a large number of the same coins on a daily basis you can't tell the coin purity just by glancing at the coin that something's not right. The number of collectors and dealers who can do that, are limited to a precious handful.
The other way you can tell coin purity is by sound. Each metal will have a different sound property to it. This method of detection is actually easier to learn than the other one. You just need a good ear and practice.
Of course the best way to tell if the coin is a counterfeit is to see if there's a big mark somewhere on it which says "Copy". I'm not kidding. If someone is going to manufacture coins, like tokens for instance or coins which look remarkably like legal tender, they are required by law to make it very obvious to the consumer that these are copies and not the real thing.
Just in case your coin doesn't have a big sign on it announcing that it's a fake, and you don't have the experience or the necessary know-how to determine coin purity for yourself, you could always hand it over to an experienced dealer or send it over for grading. There is also a market for known forgeries, and you might just want to get your hands on one. Just as long as you know that it is a forgery and there's no misunderstanding that it's the real thing.
by Muna wa Wanjiru
There are ways to detect coin purity but you really do need to know what you're looking for here. If a substitute has indeed been made the coin purity will be subtly altered in some way or other. Generally you'll find that the dimensions of the coin have changed and although the diameter will be constant - that would be too easy to detect - the height of the coin might be either slightly thicker or thinner depending on the density of the metal.
Since it's not easy to get the same thickness as the gold, platinum or silver with a different metal, and since other factors also count towards the overall coin purity, there will be problems and the thickness is one of them.
If the substitute metal is of a greater density then it will be heavier than the originally intended one and therefore the coin thickness will have to be reduced to accommodate the heavier substitute. And although quite a lot of people forget to check for these coin purity factors, depending instead almost solely upon the thickness value of the coin¸ there are a few other methods that should be looked into when testing coin purity.
One which is greatly overlooked in checking for coin purity is the sense of touch. The different thickness of the coin will certainly transmit itself, as will a certain different quality of the metal. I can't tell you exactly what it is since I personally can't do this, but a good friend I know, can.
Only a person with a very keen sense of touch will get this properly, or a person who's used to dealing with the real thing, in which case they can tell straight off the coin purity just when they hold it. Here more than anywhere, experience counts in checking for coin purity and it goes a long way towards finding out whether indeed you have a counterfeit or a forgery in your hands. As I said earlier though, don't fret about it just yet.
And even later when you gather more experience, unless you're specifically handling a large number of the same coins on a daily basis you can't tell the coin purity just by glancing at the coin that something's not right. The number of collectors and dealers who can do that, are limited to a precious handful.
The other way you can tell coin purity is by sound. Each metal will have a different sound property to it. This method of detection is actually easier to learn than the other one. You just need a good ear and practice.
Of course the best way to tell if the coin is a counterfeit is to see if there's a big mark somewhere on it which says "Copy". I'm not kidding. If someone is going to manufacture coins, like tokens for instance or coins which look remarkably like legal tender, they are required by law to make it very obvious to the consumer that these are copies and not the real thing.
Just in case your coin doesn't have a big sign on it announcing that it's a fake, and you don't have the experience or the necessary know-how to determine coin purity for yourself, you could always hand it over to an experienced dealer or send it over for grading. There is also a market for known forgeries, and you might just want to get your hands on one. Just as long as you know that it is a forgery and there's no misunderstanding that it's the real thing.
by Muna wa Wanjiru
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Coin Collecting Auctions: Are They Really Worth It?
Coin auction or bidding comes in handy if you are a coin collector intending to buy or sell coins. You can obtain coins of remarkable worth in the best possible manner through coin auctions. The primary source for procuring rare coins is a coin auction. This is because majority of the rare coin collectors sell off their treasure to the highest bidder. Both the bidder and the seller, in a coin auction, need to adhere to a number of rules and regulations, which is quite unlike the typical way of selling and buying coins. Coin collecting auctions are basically of 3 types, which are as follows:
1. Auctioning with the help of mail bidding:
The seller advertises and publishes coin auctions by using the mail, in this type of auction. Those who wish to participate in the auction but cannot personally attend the event will find it to be extremely advantageous. In most cases the seller uses his mailing list to send catalogs containing the pictures and descriptions of the item(s) on sale. Sometimes the starting bid amount and other relevant information are included in it. The brochures or catalogs and the seller s mailing list are dispatched to potential bidders and previous customers.
2. Auctions through phone:
As the name suggests, phones are used to conduct this type of auction. Rules and regulations must be adhered to, as is the case with mail bidding. The item goes to the highest bidder/winner once he is identified. There are instances when prospective customers request the seller to disclose an approximate selling price. But as a rule, previous bids are again not disclosed.
3. Coin auctions online:
Online auction owes its popularity to the fact that bidders are able to check out the coins visually while bidding for a particular coin. Since the seller can contact the bidder instantly for important information, there is greater interaction between the buyer and the seller. However internet auction has its shortcoming as well. A coin collector can be deceived into believing that he is bidding for exactly the same item that he gets to see on the screen.
If you follow these, you can easily obtain the best coins available in the market. To conclude with a precaution, don t go overboard on your biddin
By: Mohammed Shomam -
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Mohammed Shomam is involved with an online coin collecting project that informs and educates the coin collecting enthusiast through well-written articles. Discover how to make the most out of your valuable coin collecting hobby!
1. Auctioning with the help of mail bidding:
The seller advertises and publishes coin auctions by using the mail, in this type of auction. Those who wish to participate in the auction but cannot personally attend the event will find it to be extremely advantageous. In most cases the seller uses his mailing list to send catalogs containing the pictures and descriptions of the item(s) on sale. Sometimes the starting bid amount and other relevant information are included in it. The brochures or catalogs and the seller s mailing list are dispatched to potential bidders and previous customers.
2. Auctions through phone:
As the name suggests, phones are used to conduct this type of auction. Rules and regulations must be adhered to, as is the case with mail bidding. The item goes to the highest bidder/winner once he is identified. There are instances when prospective customers request the seller to disclose an approximate selling price. But as a rule, previous bids are again not disclosed.
3. Coin auctions online:
Online auction owes its popularity to the fact that bidders are able to check out the coins visually while bidding for a particular coin. Since the seller can contact the bidder instantly for important information, there is greater interaction between the buyer and the seller. However internet auction has its shortcoming as well. A coin collector can be deceived into believing that he is bidding for exactly the same item that he gets to see on the screen.
If you follow these, you can easily obtain the best coins available in the market. To conclude with a precaution, don t go overboard on your biddin
By: Mohammed Shomam -
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Mohammed Shomam is involved with an online coin collecting project that informs and educates the coin collecting enthusiast through well-written articles. Discover how to make the most out of your valuable coin collecting hobby!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
