2018 has been an interesting year for gold. Many are misled by the current economic boom, and feel the Federal Reserve will continue pushing up interest rates. However, the boom is mostly in the stock market, which benefits Wall Street more than Main Street. However, gold’s price has remained quite low, which has discouraged uninformed investors but is seen as a bargain for those in the know.

Gold has been used in jewelry, coins and bars for centuries, and while most people know it comes out of the Earth, few know exactly where. Below is a list of the world’s top 5 most profitable gold mines, with fascinating insights into their history and development.

If you invest in and collect gold, chances are you have heard of the term “gold standard.” There are several ways to interpret gold standard. It can refer to a freely competitive monetary system in which gold acts as the primary medium of exchange; a fixed monetary regime under which a government’s currency may be freely converted into gold; and more. As you can see, there are more than one iteration of the gold standard since day one, and they are on a good-to-know basis. Don’t worry. This post will explain each type of gold standard in detail.

The Trump Administration has recently chosen to put tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, leading many to believe a trade war is imminent. Below are some ways in which trade conflicts influence the price of gold and precious metals, and what jewelry dealers and consumers can likely expect going forward.

There are three ways in which investors can use gold for long term strategic allocation. The first of these is to boost the diversification of their investment portfolios. The second is to use gold as a hedge for tail risk and the third is to utilize it as a hedge against inflation. Below is a deeper analysis of these three methods and how to use them most effectively.

Over the last few weeks all eyes have been on Italy as it endures economic and political turmoil. In particular, investors have been watching the price of gold, which has risen in response. The Italian president prepared the country for elections, recruiting an interim or temporary prime minister that was formerly a member of the International Monetary Fund.