Buying Gold

[Nick-Zack]

I would like to start buying some gold coins/bars. I have read a few things after searching google and it looks to me like I am going to have to buy coins. The problem there is that the grading of the coin is much more part of the price than the price of gold itself. I had more in mind just buying coins for the price of the gold though. Does anyone have any insight on gold purchases?

[Ed Miller]

You want gold bullion. Bullion often comes in coin form, current mints, with little to no numismatic ("coin value" versus "gold value") value.

[SmileyEH]

Why do you want to buy gold?

-SmileyEH

[jakethebake]

Look into the new streetTRACKS gold ETF. It trades just like a stock on the Amex under sumbol GLD and is backed by actual gold.

[Nathan183]

Was anyone else expecting this post to be about World of Warcraft?

[Nick-Zack]

[ QUOTE ]
Why do you want to buy gold?


[/ QUOTE ]

No reason other than I just want to. Here is an interesting statistic that I found though that might change my mind:

Here's what a dollar invested in various things would have grown to, from 1802 to 2001 (Yes, just about 200 years!):

not adj. adj.
for inflation for infl.
Stocks $8.8 million $599,605.00
Bonds 13,975.00 952.00
Bills 4,455.00 304.00
Gold 14.38 0.98

[Wintermute]

[ QUOTE ]
Here is an interesting statistic that I found though that might change my mind:

Here's what a dollar invested in various things would have grown to, from 1802 to 2001 (Yes, just about 200 years!):

not adj. adj.
for inflation for infl.
Stocks $8.8 million $599,605.00
Bonds 13,975.00 952.00
Bills 4,455.00 304.00
Gold 14.38 0.98

[/ QUOTE ]

What's your source for this? Not challenging, just curious where you dug these numbers up.

TIA

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
No reason other than I just want to.

[/ QUOTE ]
Good to know you've got a thoroughly-analyzed financial strategy in place.

[ QUOTE ]
Here is an interesting statistic that I found though that might change my mind:

Gold 14.38 0.98

[/ QUOTE ]

Gold is a tactical investment. It does very well during times of fear or high inflation. But long-term it's a dog. Not only is the number you quote correct, but iirc it has never beaten inflation over any 10-year period. (Don't quote me on that. It may have been never beaten stocks.)

[sfer]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Why do you want to buy gold?


[/ QUOTE ]

No reason other than I just want to. Here is an interesting statistic that I found though that might change my mind:

Here's what a dollar invested in various things would have grown to, from 1802 to 2001 (Yes, just about 200 years!):

not adj. adj.
for inflation for infl.
Stocks $8.8 million $599,605.00
Bonds 13,975.00 952.00
Bills 4,455.00 304.00
Gold 14.38 0.98

[/ QUOTE ]

Given the accuracy of even GDP numbers from the 19th century...

[Claunchy]

[ QUOTE ]
Was anyone else expecting this post to be about World of Warcraft?

[/ QUOTE ]
LOL. I was thinking that or EQ2, seriously.

[Nick-Zack]

[ QUOTE ]

What's your source for this? Not challenging, just curious where you dug these numbers up.

[/ QUOTE ]

http://www.fool.com/News/mft/2004/mft04042122.htm