Silver and gold are both precious metals that are attractive to most investors. Many investors are keen to strike a balance between the two precious metals in their portfolio. To do that, one must understand the differences in the way these precious metals behave.

Setting your objectives

The initial step in deciding whether to buy silver or gold depends upon your investment objectives. Gold has always been perceived as a repository of value. Gold investments can offset the investment risks that your portfolio is exposed to. So, if your investment objectives are to build wealth and remove risk, gold can be the right choice for you. However, silver investments are more volatile, but the profit potential is great. So, if your objective is to make significant profits in the long run, silver is an excellent choice for you as an investor.

Profit potential

Over the last year, as the global pandemic engulfed the world, investors rapidly moved their money to gold. This was an expected development since gold is generally perceived as a safe haven for most investors. As a result of the large demand for gold, the price of the precious metal shot up to its highest levels. Currently, the spot price of gold is US$1,736 per ounce. However, in August 2020, gold prices breached the US$2,000 mark to reach its highest ever level of US$2,067 on 7^th August 2020. Investors who had invested their money in gold with a five-year horizon had the opportunity to make great returns when selling.

A year in turmoil

2020 was an interesting year for other precious metals as well. Due to the high demand for gold, the gold-silver price ratio widened to an all-time high above 150:1 in March 2020, when gold reached its peak. However, the ratio has now fallen to 66:1. The current spot price of silver is US$26 per ounce. This is a significant rise from March 2019, when silver was trading at USD $15 per ounce. However, the industrial demand for silver continues to rise, in the face of dwindling supplies. This has led to speculation amongst investors that eventually the price of silver is likely to skyrocket, providing an excellent opportunity for profits.

Divisibility

Silver has in recent times between around 75 times cheaper than gold so is ideal for those with modest investment funds. Silver Britannia coins cost around £20 each so a silver portfolio can comprise of many coins offering increased divisibility over gold where you may only have one item. Due to its low price and vast uses in technology, there are numerous advantages of silver when compared to gold.

Affordability

Silver offers investors the opportunity to enter the precious metals market at a low price point. However, the production costs of silver bars and coins are proportionally higher when compared to gold. If you consider the value of a gold bar, its production price becomes negligible. This is not the case with a silver bar. But, due to lower prices, silver offers investors a great chance to lock in prices and reap profits in the long run.

Tax efficiency

All investment-grade gold is VAT free and Capital Gains Tax exempt in the UK. Therefore, gold can be a better investment from a tax standpoint. Buying physical silver will add 20% to the overall price of the purchase due to VAT. Despite this, many investors find Silver attractive, due to the lower capital investment.

Discuss your silver and gold investments with the experts at Physical Gold

Our precious metal experts offer you free advice on investing your money into gold or silver. Our in-depth research of the precious metal markets enables us to offer you the right advice when it comes to making investments. Call us today on (020) 7060 9992 or reach out to us online through our website.

 

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Gold and silver are often referred to as the ‘go-to’ precious metals for any investor. The yellow metal is revered around the world for its value and has many different uses. Gold has historically been one of the precious metals of choice for minting coins. Of course, it has numerous other industrial uses. Have you ever wondered why gold is used widely? Gold has certain properties that ensure its usefulness across industries. In this article, we will briefly overview some of these properties, and also focus on gold density.

Useful properties of gold

Gold is a highly malleable and ductile metal. The yellow metal is so malleable that 1 ounce can be pressed and spread over an area of 300 square feet. As a ductile metal, it can also be pulled out into wires. Gold has another property that makes it ideal for several industrial uses. It is a very good conductor of heat, as well, as electricity. This combination of ductility and conductivity make it invaluable in the electronics industry. Another great property of gold is that it does not corrode easily. Gold remains unaffected when exposed to air, or most other reagents.

The density of gold

Although gold is a malleable metal, the density is fairly high. Gold density is 19.3 g/cm³. When we refer to a metal density chart, we realise that the density of gold is much higher than most base metals. For example, lead has a density of only 11.3 g/cm³. Similarly, this number stands at 7.87 for iron, 8.90 for nickel and 7.7 for bronze. When compared to other precious metals, the density of gold is still higher than metals like rhodium or ruthenium, which are 12.4 and 12.1, respectively. However, platinum is higher than gold density and stands at 21.5. Similarly, the density of iridium is also higher than the density of gold at 22.5. Silver, on the other hand, is nearly half the density of gold at only 10.5.

So, we can see from the above comparisons that gold density is generally higher than most other metals. Despite this, it enjoys the properties of malleability and ductility, which is unique.

How can we calculate the density of gold?

Well, the classical definition of the density of an object. Is the ratio of its mass to its volume. This is the reason why density is represented by grams per cubic centimetre – unit mass per unit volume. Now, mass is pretty much the same concept as weight. So, all we have to do is to weigh a bar of gold and divide this number by its volume. Therefore, one cubic centimetre of gold will weigh 19.3 g. Similarly, a cubic centimetre of silver will weigh 10.5 g

If the density of gold is higher than other metals, why is it softer?

The softness of a metal is its ability to easily change shape when pressure or stress is applied. The key to our answer lies deep in physics, where we analyse the structure of gold. Like all other metals, gold has a crystalline structure. This structure is essentially an arrangement of different planes of crystals. Metals which have a higher density like gold are more likely to have defects within these planes. These are called slip planes, and they allow the metal to bend easily. Gold and silver have more of these planes, making them extremely malleable. On the other hand, base metals like iron are more rigid and cannot be bent easily.

Find out more about gold from our experts at Physical Gold

When you call Physical Gold, your queries need not necessarily be about investments. We pride ourselves on being recognised as one of the most reputed precious metal dealers in the country. Our experts are extremely knowledgeable about gold and can answer all your questions related to the yellow metal. Call us on (020) 7060 9992. You can also visit our website and get in touch with us online and a member of our team will revert to you at the earliest regarding your queries.

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Most valuable precious metals

Investors are always keen to build a portfolio of precious metals. Throughout history, this is typically meant the acquisition of gold and silver. Traditionally accepted as precious metals all over the world, these metals enjoy great liquidity – irrespective of whether they are available in bars or coins.

Gold and silver also enjoy vibrant global markets, due to the internationally regulated exchanges that they are traded in. This creates transparency and dependability for investors, making these precious metals a popular choice for commodity investments.

Of course, gold and silver are also used in the making of jewellery and are greatly valued as ornaments across different cultures. Many countries in Asia have the tradition of gifting gold at the time of a child’s christening ceremony or marriage. In many countries around the world, the purchase of gold is also considered to be auspicious and gold is often bought during times of religious events in the year. However, are we restricted to only gold and silver when it comes to precious metals investing? Which is the most expensive metal? How do we know which is the most valuable metal?

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Thinking of buying gold or silver? Find out the most important buying factors here.

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We ask and answer the question – “What are 8 of the World’s Most Expensive Metals?”

1)    Platinum

Close on the heels of gold and silver comes Platinum, a popular precious metal, partially due to its durability and versatility. Platinum enjoys demand from consumers and several companies manufacture jewellery and ornaments using the precious metal. Platinum is unique in the fact that its weight is close to double that of a gold carat.

This means that in terms of its density and weight, it is the heaviest in the list of precious metals. Apart from the jewellery industry, Platinum is in great demand in many other industrial fields such as aeronautics and dental implements. The metals name is derived from Platino, a word in the Spanish-language, meaning ‘little silver’.

2)    Rhodium

Interestingly, Rhodium is as rare as it is expensive. In fact, it is considered to be the most expensive metal in the world. Deposits of rhodium are scarce, adding to its rarity. The metal has a very high melting point and does not corrode easily. This is why it is greatly in demand across several industries. Of late, a popular precious metal is known as white gold. This is an alloy that uses rhodium, the most expensive metal as a plating medium to achieve the white colour and create a non-corrosive, scratch-resistant, reflective surface. Rhodium is scarce in supply however, countries like South Africa, Canada and Russia are well-known for its manufacture.

1)    Gold

Of course, gold is a time-tested precious metal, well-known as a repository of value. It is considered to be the classic precious metal across all countries in the world. Throughout history, gold has considered to be the most expensive metal. It is commonly used for a variety of uses, of which the most popular ones that we know of are jewellery making, coinage and investment. However, gold is also considered the most valuable metal across several industries as well, due to its unique properties of malleability and conductivity. For example, the audio industry uses gold frequently in the manufacture of cables and audio contact terminals.

2)    Ruthenium

The precious metal enjoys high demand from the industry, particularly in the manufacture of electronic goods. This is primarily due to its property of extreme hardness and it is often used to reinforce other metals. It is well-known across the world as one of the most valuable metals within the Platinum category. It is possible to use the metal for the manufacture of jewellery, however, the incidence of this use is rare.

3)    Silver

The white metal has always been a close runner-up to gold. However, like gold, silver is also in great demand across the world for a variety of uses. Historically, it has been used for coinage, manufacture of utensils and jewellery. Due to its high industrial demand, silver is much sought after today. Therefore, silver investments have risen substantially, and investors often invest in silver bars and coins.

4)    Iridium

It is a rare metal to find, which makes it feature on the list of most expensive metals. Like Rhodium, it also has an extremely high melting point and does not corrode easily. Its use is primarily industrial, ranging from the electronics industry to its use in the automobile industry, particularly electric cars. Iridium has also been used widely as one of the most valuable metals for the manufacture of watches and South Africa remains the largest producer of this metal.

5)    Osmium

It is a bluish, silver metal that also has a super high melting point. However, it does not enjoy the other properties, found in most precious metals. Unlike gold and silver, which are extremely malleable, Osmium is hard and brittle. It is primarily used in the industry for the manufacture of electrical components and electric bulb filaments.

6)    Palladium

This precious metal is greyish white and also enjoys the properties of malleability and stability. It is rare, one of the most valuable metals, and has the unique property of being able to absorb large amounts of hydrogen, even at room temperature. The jewellery industry also uses this metal to create their alloys of white gold, while it is popular in the automobile industry as an emission reduction agent. Recently, there has been a fall in both supply and demand for this precious metal.

Call us for advice on your precious metal purchases

Physical Gold is one of the country’s most reputable precious metal dealers. Our team can advise you on the purchase of the most valuable metal products. Call us today on (020) 7060 9992 or get in touch with us by email.

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Investing in silver coins

Silver coins are a great investment choice if you’re seeking potential capital growth and also want a hedge against falling stock markets and banks. The value of coins tends to rise over time, especially when there’s political and economic instability. Silver coins are also exempt from Capital Gains tax. The modest price of the coins enable accessibility to the market for many compared to gold coins (such as Sovereigns and Britannias), and divisibility to sell part of your holding. The silver price can also rise when demand for industrial silver rises, with its predominant use in electronics.

The industrial demand for silver is rising

The white metal is used extensively in the electronics industry, IT, solar panel manufacturing and a host of other industrial processes. On the other hand, the production of silver from mines has greatly reduced over the years. Rising demand and dwindling supplies have fuelled speculations that there may be a huge price in the spot price of silver in the years to come. Many investors have started buying up silver early with an expectation of making profits, once the prices go up.

Silver to gold price ratio looks enticing

Today, silver is almost a hundred times cheaper than gold. Therefore, it provides investors with easy access to the precious metals market. If you are planning to invest in silver, there could be no better time than the present to take a calculated risk and purchase the white metal. Silver bars and coins can provide you with good investment options if you plan to get in early and wait for the long term to generate good returns. While silver bars allow you to acquire more silver at a cheaper price per gram, silver coins have several distinct advantages.

Variety and purity

Firstly, they are available in a wide variety of sizes. 1-ounce coins are quite common, but now there are larger silver coins of 10 ounces and even up to 1KG. These large coins also offer you the same advantages as buying a silver bar. Secondly, purity is an important consideration. Silver coins with a purity of 95.8% are easily available. However, better options can be found like the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf, which is a coin with 99.9% purity.

A vibrant secondary market

Liquidity is also an important consideration when building a precious metals portfolio. Always buy silver coins that are popular and enjoy a strong secondary market. Obscure and rare coins can be difficult to sell later on. Well-known coins with a vibrant resale market include 1-ounce silver coins like the Krugerrand and the silver Britannia.

Tax efficiency

Any investment portfolio needs to be tax-friendly. While coins like the Canadian Maple Leaf are a great buy, the profits you make from their sale are taxable. UK silver coins like the silver Britannia, on the other hand, are CGT free, due to their status as legal tender in the country. The silver Britannia, in particular, is a bullion coin and is available in plenty. Therefore, premiums are low, they are CGT exempt and available with good discounts on bulk orders from reputed silver dealers.

Get in touch with Physical Gold to plan your silver portfolio

Physical Gold is one of the most reputed gold and silver dealers in the UK. Our investment experts can help you identify the right silver coins to buy. Give us a call on (020) 7060 9992 or drop us an email and a member of our team will get in touch with you right away.

 

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Buying Gold and Silver Bullion

Gold and silver bullion commonly refer to bars rather than bullion finish coins. Precious metals merchants generally buy and sell both metals so it’s possible to buy gold and silver from the same place. There are certain distinct advantages to buying bullion. The most important advantage is the elimination of counterparty risk and taking control of one’s wealth. Counterparty risk refers to the risk associated with the promise of delivery from a third party. If you invest in gold company stocks, paper gold or other gold instruments, you open yourself up to these risks. Therefore, buying gold and silver bullion can be an excellent strategy to minimise risks and maximise returns.

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Click here to download the FREE Insider’s Guide to Buying Gold and Silver Bullion

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Knowing the spot price of gold and silver

The first step in purchasing gold and silver bullion is to know the spot price and how it works. Nowadays, it’s very easy to find out the prevailing spot prices of these precious metals. Most reputed online dealers and regulatory bodies like the LBMA display the spot price on their website. Since the spot price is a dynamically changing number, it will be displayed as a ticker. It’s important to understand that you will never buy gold or silver bullion at the exact spot price. When buying, you would likely pay a small premium, over and above the spot price. Similarly, when selling, the price you achieve will be slightly below the spot price. Researching the spot prices and knowing about the market is an essential first step to buy gold and silver bullion.

Getting to know a reputed dealer

Another important step in making the right investments in gold and silver is to go through a reputed dealer. Firstly, a high-street gold seller will not have a wide choice of products available to purchase. Secondly, making high-value purchases on the high street is usually a risky business. Check out the company’s track record and reviews before placing an order online. It may be worth calling them first to check their customer service. Larger bullion will be better value, but divisibility should also be a consideration.

At Physical Gold, every product we sell comes with a buyback guarantee. This assures customers that the gold bullion they buy from us is certified and genuine. This also makes a difference to buyers, as they can sell off their investments easily through the same dealer. It’s important to do your own research when selecting a dealer so that you can pick the right one.

Dangers of buying from Mints

Another way to buy gold and silver coins is to buy it directly from the Royal Mint. If you choose to buy non-UK bullion, there are other reputed mints in the world, like the Perth Mint in Australia, from where you may be able to purchase your bullion online through their websites. However, you may end up paying more for packaging and processing costs. Many reputed mints will also try to sell you proof coins. These are more polished and better looking and attract higher prices due to their finish. However, you must bear in mind that the gold and silver content remains the same. So, you are unlikely to receive a higher price at the time of selling, simply because they are proof coins. If your objective is to maximise your gains, you may be better off picking the right bargains from the secondary market through a dealer.

Get in touch with us to plan your gold and silver bullion investments

The economic crisis of the post-pandemic era has already started unfolding through the first half of 2020. Many investors are moving to precious metals in order to hedge their risks. If you are thinking of buying bullion, call us directly on (020) 7060 9992, to discuss your investments. We are certain you can benefit from the right advice. You may also reach our investment team through our website.

 

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Proof silver coins as an investment

 

Investing in silver coins

Silver coins are a popular choice for collectors and investors alike. As many silver coins are legal tender in the UK, they provide an opportunity to invest, without having to carry the burden of Capital Gains Tax (CGT). However, when investing in silver coins, one needs to make the right choice. Silver coins are available as proof sets, bullion coins and rare/ collectable coins.

What are silver proof coins?

Proof coins were originally produced before the actual issue of a coin. They were used for securing approvals from the Ministry of Finance and the administration of the mint. Checking the proof coins is also a method used for verification of the dies used during the production process. Finally, they were retained for archival. Proof coins are usually produced by polishing the dies. This results in a high-quality finish, with a polished look and feel and sharp edges and design. The polished areas of the coin take on an almost mirror-like finish, especially in silver coins. Additionally, the dies used for production are often chemically treated to create a frosty appearance in some areas of the coin.

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FREE Guide. Click here to download The Insiders Guide to Gold & Silver Investment

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The rising popularity of proof coins

Due to their high-quality finish and attractiveness, silver proof coins have become extremely popular over the years and enjoys healthy demand from the general public. As a result of this, the Royal Mint has been issuing limited edition sets of proof coins. Of course, these coins can be bought at hefty premiums and are usually purchased by numismatists.

Silver proof coins as an investment

If an investment is a primary focus, then buying bullion coins is a better bet. Bullion coins finished to brilliant uncirculated finish are cheaper per gram than a silver proof coin. Most silver dealers will not pay you the same premium when you come to sell the proof silver coin. Proof coins are better suited to collectors or as presents.

The premiums you would pay for buying a proof coin set is more or less the same as that of a commemorative issue. One needs to bear in mind that the higher price being charged for a proof coin is simply on account of production costs and limited availability. This does not change the price of the silver contained within the coin. Bullion coins, on the other hand, are freely available with low premiums. As an investor, you can secure great deals from dealers on bulk purchases of bullion coins. So, if you are buying silver coins as an investment, steer clear of buying silver proof coin sets. Buy current issues of silver bullion coins like the silver Britannia and you can land yourself a much better deal.

 

Call our silver investment team to discuss your silver coin purchases

Our investment experts offer you free and impartial advice on buying silver coins and bars (such as this 1KG bar). By connecting with the Physical Gold team, you can stay abreast of the latest deals and find out everything you need to know about buying silver coins. Call us today on (020) 7060 9992 or contact us online to speak to a member of the team.

 

 

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**Update 21 May 2020

The supply chain is improving each week as we see the gradual return of products into stock.

Mints are still operating on a reduced capacity basis so stock levels won’t return to normal in the immediate future.We’ll do our best to keep the availability up to date on the website.

Delivery times are longer than usual on many products, although some are available for immediate shipping. We’ve tried to indicate time estimates on the most popular products to provide a guideline. Please bear with us. Our reduced team are shipping large numbers of orders daily and expected deliveries aren’t set in stone.

Smaller gold bars (5-20g) are being delayed as Mints are prioritizing production of larger size bars due to the more intricate production requirements of the small wafers. Please be assured that you still lock your price in at the point of placing your order, regardless of delivery times.

**Update 28 Apr 2020 Deliveries Resumed

I’m writing to provide you with an update on deliveries for both outstanding orders and new ones.

We began the process of resuming deliveries on 27th April after careful restructuring to comply with Covid-19 distancing rules and to protect our staff.

We’d like to thank our customers for their incredible patience, support and understanding during this period.  We’re glad to say that if you’ve place an order, your coin or bar order will be on its way to you soon.

Our team are working tirelessly to get through the huge backlog from the past 2 months. Please bear in mind that we’re working at a reduced capacity so this process will take some time.

New supply is now starting to filter through, but at a reduced rate, so products should gradually start to come back into stock over the coming weeks. If you’re keen to buy products currently out of stock, please click into the product, click ‘Notify me when back in stock’ and enter your email. This provides the best chance of purchasing highly sought after items like silver bars.

Due to staffing levels and volume, we’re unable to confirm individually when orders will be shipped, but rest assured, you’ll receive email notification once your order has been despatched. We’ll work through orders by date received.

Please try to refrain from contacting us for despatch information as this will slow the mammoth task ahead.

– Orders placed from 20th Mar during deferred delivery period

These orders have already begun to be despatched and we expect all orders to be cleared within 4 weeks.

– New orders

We aim to despatch any new orders within 2-4 weeks. As usual, your price will be locked in at the point of ordering and honoured.

 

We’ll do our utmost to meet these time estimates, but as with all things Covid, we’re not entirely sure what the near future holds, so we’ll continue to monitor the situation.

Thank you again for your patience and support.

 

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**Update 23 Mar 2020

Any orders now placed on the site will not be despatched until we resume our regular shipping service. We cannot provide a timeframe for when this will be. Your price will be locked in and we guarantee delievry of products, but only when the system is able to restart.

As normal there is no statutory right to cancel an order once placed under the Financial Services (Distance Marketing) Regulations 2004. This is because the goods we supply are dependent on fluctuations in financial markets.

In stock items

You will be able to place an order for items classed as ‘In stock’ during this period. This will lock in your price and secure your allocation. You can select either storage or delivery, however, delivery will be on a deferred basis, once we’re able to resume normal activity.

*Certain items including gold bars will only show as in stock Mon-Fri between 8am and 5pm due to severe market volatility*

Out of stock items

Click on the button ‘Notify me when back in stock’ to receive an immediate automated email notification once stock come back in to be the first to secure your order.

16 Mar 2020

Business & Delivery Update

At this unprecedented time, we’re currently experiencing record demand for gold and silver products at Physical Gold.

Record numbers of orders are impacting our ususal business service and speed at which orders can be despatched.

Our team are working hard to manage incoming calls, orders and stocks, so we applologise for any delays in answering your queries or deliveries.

Supply

The Covid-19 virus is causing disruption and delays to our supply chain, impacting our ability to replenish stocks in a timely manner. All major mints and producers are also suffering disruption, which when combined with record demand, is leading to many products being temporarily out of stock.

We are doing everything we can to replenish stock quickly, but some items may not be supplied for an extended period.

Deliveries

Silver deliveries are currently experiencing a delay of approximately 3 weeks. Rest assured, once an order is placed, your price and supply is locked in and metals secured.

Gold deliveries are shorter, with an estime of 3-7 days.

 

We appreciate your support and custom during these testing times.

Buying gold and silver

Gold and silver are the go-to precious metals for investors building their portfolios. The two metals have different attributes and prices in the market. If you’re an investor making your initial foray into the precious metals market, silver could be an excellent choice. This is because the white metal is currently more than 85 times cheaper than gold. So, affordability becomes a key factor.

Silver – a great opportunity

It’s also important to note that silver prices have a degree of volatility. But there are speculations that silver is destined to rise over the next few years. According to the experts, this is likely to happen simply because of the growing demand for silver in numerous industries and dwindling supplies. This can eventually cause a great spike in silver prices.

Gold delivers stability and value

Gold has historically been a precious metal that has stoically delivered good returns. Of course, it is considered to be a safe haven for investors in times of economic crisis. As international capital markets implode, the price of gold has already crossed $1600 per ounce. Even at these high prices, several investors are choosing to pull their money out of capital markets and invest in gold. But, how can one buy these precious metals safely?

Safety considerations

There are 2 main safety considerations when buying gold and silver. Firstly, it’s a risk to ensure the gold and silver are authentic, of high quality and priced correctly. Buying gold and silver from a reputable precious metals dealer will safeguard against this. Next, there’s a risk that you could be targeted for robbery if you take possession of the gold or silver. Either opting for insured delivery to your home or professional vaulting services will protect from this.

Authenticity can be ascertained in many ways. If you are investing in gold bars, there are a few steps that you can take to ensure that the gold is genuine. Gold bars will always carry a stamp from the refinery, which can be found engraved on the face of the bar. All genuine bars will also carry a number that denotes its purity. For example, if the bar has been manufactured with 24-carat gold that has 99.9% purity, the bar will display the purity number as 999.9. But, many of these features can also be duplicated by criminals. So, it’s important to purchase your gold from a reputed dealer who offers documentation to prove that gold is genuine and also has a buyback scheme.

Safe storage

If you choose to accept delivery of your gold at home and intend to store it on the premises, make sure you get a purpose-built home safe. These can be installed in your home and concealed in a way that makes it difficult for robbers to find it. On the other hand, if you choose to store your gold with your dealer, always ensure that your gold is being held securely in an LBMA approved vault. The dealer should provide you certificates that name you as the owner. Additionally, your gold should be segregated and stored.

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Download the FREE Insider’s Guide to Tax Free Gold & Silver Investment. Click Here

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More steps to ensure safe buying

There are a few more steps that you can take to protect yourself. Avoid buying from online auction sites like eBay. There is no way to confirm whether the precious metals being sold are genuine. Never buy your silver or gold from individuals or dealers, without checking their reputation first. A list of registered precious metal traders can be found on the BNTA website.

Call Physical Gold to buy precious metals safely

A hassle-free way to ensure that the gold and silver you’re buying is genuine is to call the Physical Gold team of investment experts. You can reach them on (020) 7060 9992 or contact us online. You can rest assured that you’re buying genuine products at all times.

 

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Investors have always turned to gold and silver when it comes to precious metal investments, particularly in times of geo-political tension. Of course, gold has historically been the go-to asset class for precious metal investors. However, silver has become incredibly popular in recent years, in anticipation of expected price rises. But, what are the considerations that one needs to take when buying gold or silver?

Setting investment objectives

Depending on your objectives and investment amount, you’re usually best buying physical gold and silver coins as opposed to bars. These can be bought online from specialist precious metals dealers. Check out www.bnta.net for reliable brokers. Buying more coins at once will provide quantity discounts while maintaining divisibility. Infact, divisibility is one of the most important considerations when making investments in precious metals. Gold and silver bars can be great value for money, simply due to lower manufacturing costs.

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Click here to download the FREE 7 step Buying Guide cheatsheet.

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However, when selling, a large bar can prove detrimental to your investment objectives. A bar can be sold only once, at a single price point. However, coins offer the possibility of spreading your investments. So, it is important to think ahead when actually making your investments.

Identifying a reliable broker

As stated earlier, the best way to purchase gold and silver is to go through a reliable broker. An online broker would be able to give you a wider variety of choices when it comes to both bars and coins. Of course, the first step is to check whether the broker is registered with a regulatory body like the BNTA. However, there are a few more things to consider before doing business with the broker. Ideally, you should be able to get a guaranteed buyback scheme from most reliable brokers. They should also be open to discussing your investment plans and offering free advice.

Discussing your investment objectives

Once the broker has been identified, make it a point to build your investment plan, using advice from the broker. If you are keen on purchasing particular gold coins and silver coins, you should let your broker know. That way, you would have a better chance of getting to know in advance when purchasing opportunities appear in the market. Ensure that your broker adds you on their mailing list. Doing this is an essential step to becoming a smart buyer as you would benefit from advanced notification of any good investment opportunities.

Stick to your key considerations when buying

It is important to remain guided at all times by the key fundamentals of building a portfolio, such as balance, liquidity and divisibility. Tax efficiency may also be an important consideration for you. UK coins are free from Capital Gains Tax. This is because they are legal tender in the UK. When buying coins, always ensure that you buy gold and silver coins with low premiums. Most dealers will offer you good discounts when you buy in bulk. Never buy obscure coins as they are hard to sell off later on. The Britannia and the Sovereign are possibly two of your best options when it comes to buying coins. If you are interested in coins with numismatic value, you can combine collectability with profits.

Call Physical Gold to find out about the best options in buying gold and silver

Physical Gold is one of the most reputed online precious metal brokers in the UK. It would be beneficial for you to call our advisory team on (020) 7060 9992, before purchasing gold and silver. We can also be contacted online via our website. Call us today.

 

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The festive gifts of the magi

The Bible contains the famous story of the three gifts of the Magi – gold, frankincense and myrrh (a kind of herbal medicinal extract). These three gifts were bestowed upon the baby Jesus – gold being the symbol of kingship on Earth. Precious metals like gold and silver have always been an integral part of the festive spirit. So, what does Christmas 2019 look like for those who wish to invest in these precious commodities?

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Silver coins for Christmas

With spot prices of silver expected to perform well in 2020, there’s no better time to invest in this precious metal than Christmas. Whether you’re in the market to buy a gift for a loved one, or simply an investment for the future, you cannot miss the 2020 Silver Britannia. The coin boasts an exquisite design and weighs 31.1g (the minimum order quantity is 5 coins). Another great purchase for Christmas is the 2oz Queen’s Beasts White Lion Silver Coin (2020). There are many great silver coin options for Christmas and many silver coin purchases are Capital Gains Tax free.

Gold coins for Christmas

An even better investment for Christmas if you want to splurge a bit more are gold coins. With gold trading at $1457 per ounce (at the time of writing), it’s an excellent investment opportunity, particularly if you want to hedge against the uncertainty of the current economy, including Brexit. The 2019 Gold Sovereign is an excellent purchase as a gift for someone special. The original sovereign was crafted during the reign of King Henry VII in 1489. This makes it one of the most important coins in British history. The 2019 version features a design by Benedetto Pistrucci on the reverse, which displays the George and Dragon. The obverse features the Queen’s portrait by Jody Clark, as Queen Elizabeth II is now officially Britain’s longest ever reigning monarch. However, the sovereign is by no means the only gold coin available for purchase this Christmas.

Another great gold coin option is the 2020 gold Britannia. This is as per its silver equivalent is a 1oz coin and is highly investable. Another interesting option are the Royal Mint’s Lunar gold coin series, in particular we recommend the recent 2019 Lunar Pig gold coin. Also, weighing in at 1oz, this is the sixth in a series of Chinese New Year coins.

Any of the Queens Beast Series make great investments, with options including the White lion of Mortimer, Yale of Beaufort, Falcon, Dragon, Unicorn and Black Bull.

Take a look at our director’s pick, which is a veritable treasure trove of some of the best gold coins around.

 

Other gold purchases for this Christmas

If you’re not a numismatist and coins are just not your thing, there are many other gold and silver options that you can look at, to bring in that festive cheer. The 100g gold bar, made by Swiss refiners Metalor could be just what you’re looking for. Gold investments are VAT free in the UK and that’s yet another reason to put your money in gold this Christmas. Apart from the 100g Metalor, there are some excellent VAT free gold bars to consider when making that all-important Christmas investment this year. All gold bars come with guaranteed purity and certification. This ensures that your investment is well protected over the years to come.

Call us before you buy your gold or silver for Christmas

We recommend that you get in touch before you make that all-important Christmas purchase this year. Our experts are well placed to guide you in making the right investment decision this Christmas. We are keen to bring festive joy to your home in 2019, as well as help you protect your investment for long, thereafter. Call us on 020 7060 9992 and one of our advisors would be happy to help you. Have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Image Credit: Pixabay