It's simply a good idea to hold some gold and silver investments. Gold and silver prices are high right now, and all evidence points to the probability that they have yet to peak.
The gold and silver investors who chose to begin investing in the metals a few years ago, before the recession was made "official" are experiencing quite a nice profit on their investments, but even those who were a little late to catch the gold rush are patting themselves on the back all the same.
Of course, these boosts in gold and silver prices come as no surprise to anyone who knows a little bit about economics. Ever since we were taken off the gold standard, the value of a dollar has been in a constant state of up and down, while the value of gold and silver remains essentially the same in a basic sense.
Of course, the dollar value, the actual gold and silver prices go up and down at the same rate as the dollar, only inverted, so to justify the above statement... there's only so much precious metal in the world. Therefore, the actual, literal value of an ounce of gold is always going to be an ounce of gold. Just as a loaf of bread is only ever worth as much as a loaf of bread is worth, an ounce of metal is only ever worth an ounce of metal.
The dollar, on the other hand, who knows what it's really worth? The actual value of a dollar is, well, the paper it's printed on, and that's it. The only practical purpose a dollar can ever have is that you could bleach it and use it to take notes on. That sounds crazy, but think about it: A penny contains more than a penny's worth of copper.
Now... ten years ago, you could buy a hundred page notebook for fifty cents. Now, it's a couple dollars. At this rate, in ten more years, a notebook will be in the area of eight dollars. If the rate of inflation keeps quadrupling the price of a notebook every ten years, then eventually, it'll be cheaper to just write on money!
So with that in mind, here's something to remember about gold and silver prices: They have almost nothing to do with actual gold and silver value.
Gold and silver prices may be a rough approximation of their actual value, but the actual value of an ounce of silver is, again, an ounce of silver.
As such, it would be wrong to look at the gold and silver prices and say "gold is up". Gold isn't up, gold never becomes somehow significantly more or less rare than it currently is. So when gold and silver prices go up, their actual value is not going up at all, but rather, the value of a dollar is going down.
In other words, the dollar, initially intended to be nothing more than a certificate used as a placeholder and tied to the value of gold, has become an entity all its own. Since we took it off the gold standard, it simply has not been reliable.
Unfortunately, the dollar is what makes the world go 'round. You can say "I don't like cash, since it's unreliable", but how are you going to pay bills? We don't really have a choice but to go along with the same crazy notion that everyone else has to buy into; that paper money actually has any value whatsoever.
It's almost an existential question of doubt. We hand someone a dollar believing that it's worth something, and hoping that they believe that it's worth something, when in fact, we're all entertaining a fiction and we know in our hearts... it's just paper.
So... that's where gold and silver investing comes in. You can rely on the paper dollar to hold some abstract "value" when you buy a bottle of Coca Cola or put some gas in your car, but you can't rely on that value to be the same ten years from now.
So... silver isn't worth about fourteen dollars an ounce right now. Silver is worth its weight in silver, and it always will be. That's how you measure real money.
By: Arthur McGuire
Article Source: Ezine Articles
Investing in Gold - 21 Unique Facts About the Chinese Panda Gold Coin
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
The Chinese Panda Gold Coin, which features an adorable image of a Panda bear, has become one of the most popular premium-bullion coins. Here are twenty-one facts about this unique gold bullion coin.
1. The Chinese Panda coin was first issued in 1982, as a limited-edition gold bullion coin.
2. Each coin features a cute Panda bear on the head side of the coin.
3. The 2008 Panda coin is the 26th different design in the series, featuring an adult Panda and a cub munching on some bamboo stalks.
4. The gold Panda design was changed every year through 2000.
5. The Chinese government invoked a freeze on the design in 2001.
6. Only the 2001 and 2002 issues feature the same design, however.
7. The freeze was lifted in 1983 in response to demand by collectors of the coin.
8. Four different sizes of coins were issued the first year - 1/10 ounce, ¼ ounce, ½ ounce and 1 full troy ounce size.
9. In 1983, the Chinese mint added a 1/20th ounce size coin.
10. In 1986, the larger sized 5 troy ounce and 10 troy ounce coins were added.
11. The Chinese gold panda coin is only one of few gold coins issued worldwide in this size.
12. The coins have a purity of .999 gold.
13. The coins are not technically proof but a 'proof-like' brilliant uncirculated condition.
14. Proof sets were issued in 1986 through 1995. These sets command a higher premium due to their scarcity and limited issue.
15. The Panda coins have a much smaller mintage, compared to other gold bullion coins such as the American Eagle, and Canadian Maple Leaf.
16. The earlier dated Pandas, in particular, have a very small mintage. The mintage of the 1982 one troy ounce Panda coin had a mintage of under 14,000.
17. 289,000 is largest mintage of any one troy ounce Panda coin.
18. In 1987, China issued the gold Pandas with two different mint marks - Y and S. A third mint mark was issued for the boxed proof set.
19. Additional commemorative issues of Panda gold coins were issued and distributed at coin conventions.
20. Ownership of the gold Panda coin was prohibited in China until 2004.
21. Panda coin jewelry is very popular. The one troy ounce coins are commonly used for necklace mountings. The smaller sized Pandas are used to create earrings, bracelets and pendants.
The Chinese Panda Gold Coin is truly an exquisite, rare, fine bullion coin that every gold collector would be proud to own. You'll find great prices and selection on gold Pandas at: http://bullionbargains.com
By: Christina Goldman
Article Source: Ezine Articles
1. The Chinese Panda coin was first issued in 1982, as a limited-edition gold bullion coin.
2. Each coin features a cute Panda bear on the head side of the coin.
3. The 2008 Panda coin is the 26th different design in the series, featuring an adult Panda and a cub munching on some bamboo stalks.
4. The gold Panda design was changed every year through 2000.
5. The Chinese government invoked a freeze on the design in 2001.
6. Only the 2001 and 2002 issues feature the same design, however.
7. The freeze was lifted in 1983 in response to demand by collectors of the coin.
8. Four different sizes of coins were issued the first year - 1/10 ounce, ¼ ounce, ½ ounce and 1 full troy ounce size.
9. In 1983, the Chinese mint added a 1/20th ounce size coin.
10. In 1986, the larger sized 5 troy ounce and 10 troy ounce coins were added.
11. The Chinese gold panda coin is only one of few gold coins issued worldwide in this size.
12. The coins have a purity of .999 gold.
13. The coins are not technically proof but a 'proof-like' brilliant uncirculated condition.
14. Proof sets were issued in 1986 through 1995. These sets command a higher premium due to their scarcity and limited issue.
15. The Panda coins have a much smaller mintage, compared to other gold bullion coins such as the American Eagle, and Canadian Maple Leaf.
16. The earlier dated Pandas, in particular, have a very small mintage. The mintage of the 1982 one troy ounce Panda coin had a mintage of under 14,000.
17. 289,000 is largest mintage of any one troy ounce Panda coin.
18. In 1987, China issued the gold Pandas with two different mint marks - Y and S. A third mint mark was issued for the boxed proof set.
19. Additional commemorative issues of Panda gold coins were issued and distributed at coin conventions.
20. Ownership of the gold Panda coin was prohibited in China until 2004.
21. Panda coin jewelry is very popular. The one troy ounce coins are commonly used for necklace mountings. The smaller sized Pandas are used to create earrings, bracelets and pendants.
The Chinese Panda Gold Coin is truly an exquisite, rare, fine bullion coin that every gold collector would be proud to own. You'll find great prices and selection on gold Pandas at: http://bullionbargains.com
By: Christina Goldman
Article Source: Ezine Articles
