Monday, September 2, 2013

Reasons Behind Gold Collecting And Investing

There are various reasons to purchase gold coins. For one, each one holds a unique story. The style, mint marks, condition, and make up of each coin can provide you a glimpse on what was going on in its country of origin when it was created, and can thus provide you with a better understanding of the past. Collecting coins, also known as numismatics, is considered one of the oldest hobbies. It became extremely popular in the last century when commemorative coins became widely accessible. Clubs have been created by coin enthusiasts, which enable them to meet and trade with other enthusiasts. There are various kinds of coin collectors. Some complete a collectable series. Others buy one example of each of the major design for a specific denomination. In addition there are those that collect coins produced in one particular year. Others collect coins that show a specific theme.
Some also collect foreign and old coins. There are individuals who buy gold whose primary reason for doing so is not to collect, but as an investment vehicle. These individuals purchase coins expecting that these will grow in value with time. There are coins that hold an intrinsic bullion value and you can also get those that are valuable due to their rarity. Bullion coins carry market values that are based on the value of their fine gold content, along with a premium which varies from dealer to dealer. They aren't similar to commemorative or numismatic coins, whose value depends on design, rarity, and finish, instead of just the amount of gold they contain. One advantage of owning physical gold, like coins, is that there is no counterparty risk. Therefore, your investment doesn't count on someone else keeping their promises or staying in business. Furthermore, in contrast to paper currencies, gold coins have preserved their value across the ages, and are hence viewed as a good instrument to pass on wealth from one generation to another. Another advantage about gold is that it is an excellent vehicle to secure one's wealth. Gold is proven to be an excellent hedge against inflation, because its price will usually rise if the cost of living goes up. In periods of deflation, gold prices tend to soar while other prices decrease greatly. As such, many individuals buy gold not to trade it, but for portfolio diversification or to work as a hedge against the risk of investment losses like in real estate, equities and bonds.

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