Almost a century ago, precious metals like gold and silver were the standard on which the entire US currency was based on. The gold standard meant that any amount of paper money could be redeemed by the government for its value in gold. While the system worked well for a while, it all went down the drain with the finding and exploitation of new gold deposits. At the same time, as the economy flourished, the consumers preferred to do their transaction in dollars due to the enhanced convenience.

Valued as a currency and a commodity, gold represents one of the best ways to defend yourself against monetary devaluation, inflation and the prospect of economic instability. Because it is accepted all across the globe and cannot be printed by governments, gold is even perceived as the ultimate or purest form of money. Moreover, gold is universal and does not constitute the monopoly of a particular country; that and its scarcity are two of the main reasons why gold tends to increase in value over time against all types of paper money.

With numerous international banks in distress and government bonds devaluating little by little every day, it’s no wonder that so many people are considering the gold bullion as a solid investment. Unless you’re planning to start your own business and trade actively, bullions represent your best bet of owning physical gold, diversifying your portfolio and knitting your safety net. In addition, the gold bullion can produce a generous rate of returns, provided you know how to purchase it. Let’s elaborate.

Because silver is more affordable compared to other precious metals, it comes as no surprise that the market is filled with speculators who place short term bets, hoping to get rich overnight. While paper players like this are able to control the price of silver for a few months, it is necessary to mention that they erroneously base their decisions on perception rather than reality. It is these perceptions – often followed by poor investment decisions – that have strongly contributed to the misconceptions regarding the silver market these days we are going to discuss in this guide.

Regardless of whether you prefer collecting antique jewelry, watches, stones, coins or even rare instruments, once you start spending big and withdrawing extensive sums of cash from of your bank account, it is perfectly clear that you intend to make a profit. Following are some tips on how to manage your valuable collection and maximize the return of your collectibles.

If you have developed a passion for collecting coins and decided it’s high time to start investing seriously in your hobby, then one of the first lessons to learn is how to differentiate between the real thing and a fake. While appraising is the only 100% foolproof method, here are some other tricks to help you out.