Given its historical place of honor among valuable commodities, it is easy to understand why gold continues to be of immense interest to investors of all levels. Unfortunately, not everyone who wishes to get involved in gold markets has sufficient know-how to do so successfully. The article that follows is meant to remedy that situation for interested readers.
Try to only buy and sell your gold to certain dealers that are recognized through official gold and money associations. These dealers must follow strict guidelines under these organizations to ensure that you get fair compensation or quality pieces. One such well-known organization is the ANA or American Numismatic Association.
Think about selling your gold on the Internet. Gold dealing is no longer something that takes a brick and mortar store. Just visit a reliable website that will buy your gold. Contact the site, and they’ll send out a shipping kit so you can send them your gold. They will pay you once you send the gold in.
Avoid gold coins that are being sold at flea markets and local pawn shops. They may seem like a great deal, but all that glitters is not gold. The coins may be counterfeit and/or they may have been cleaned to make them appear far more valuable than they actually are.
Only jewelry that is at least 10 karats can be sold to gold dealers. The more karats your piece is, the higher amount it will command on the market. Therefore, a necklace that is 14 karats should get you a better price than something that is only 10 karats. Prior to taking in your jewelry, look at each piece to determine how many karats it is. This may help you decide whether you want to sell it or not.
If you wish to enter the gold market but don’t have tons of capital, try buying scrap. Invest small amounts of money in scrap gold. After a few months, you will have accrued a significant store of gold. Keep your stash in a safe place until you have enough of it to cash in.
Understanding how gold alloy works is important when both buying and selling your gold. Since gold is too soft to be used by itself, it is combined with other metals to form an alloy. The karat system will tell you how much gold is in the alloy. In the United States, jewelry must be at least 10 karats for it be legally allowed to be called “gold jewelry”.
Before taking your gold to sell, research the buyer. Most reputable dealers will be members of the American Numismatic Association. These dealers are held to a higher standard of ethics and must follow certain criteria when purchasing gold from individuals. To ensure you get the most money for your gold, make sure to use a dealer who is part of this association.
Watch out for “pop-up” buyers. These individuals travel from place to place, putting out advertisements that lure in sellers with the promise of a big payout. In many cases, these buyers then leave town without paying the sellers what they are owed. Always do your research on anyone you are planning to sell to.
Do not sell your gold at a gold party. Although these parties are fun, sellers usually net less than 80 percent of the value of their gold at these parties. To get the most bang for your buck, find a reputable dealer that specializes in buying and selling gold.
It is necessary to find a reputable dealer you can trust if you wish to purchase gold coins or bullion. Caution is required to avoid purchasing low quality gold from a scam artist. It can be extremely difficult to sell this gold at a later date and you will probably lose money.
When shopping around for the best deal on your gold jewelry, get any offers in writing. Most companies will give you something in writing, and that offer will usually be valid for a very short period of time. You can use the written offer to negotiate a better deal at your next stop.
When purchasing gold for investment purposes, make sure you know the actual price per ounce of gold at the time of purchase. Hammer out the details about physical delivery before conducting any transactions. Although precious metal prices have been rising in the past few years, understand that all investments come with a certain amount of risk.
When buying gold coins, the best deals can be found by sticking to one ounce amounts. The common and popular American Eagle gold coin comes in one-tenth, one-quarter, one-half and full ounce weights. Buying the coins issued in fractional denominations can carry a premium over the gold’s actual spot price.
Selling your unwanted gold rings, bracelets and chains is an easy way to put some extra money in your pocket. It is also a great way to be kind to our planet. Used gold can be melted down, refined and then reused in beautiful new pieces without the need for mining new gold.
It is important to understand that gold is a contrarian investment vehicle. Gold tends to perform better in rougher economic times than other investments. If you believe the economic conditions in the future will be poor, gold is something to consider. It is a hedge against high inflation and outperforms stocks during bouncy economic years.
Gold has a long and storied history when it comes to preserving and building personal wealth. The best way to get involved in gold markets in prudent fashion is to study several fundamental concepts and methods. It is our hope that the facts presented above have given readers a great resource for doing just that.
