The Silver and Gold Investor

Economic downturn is a nightmare for everyone and especially for a small business company. Gold investment is like an insurance policy which will give fruitful benefits later on in the future. Investing in gold bullion is a sure shot way of having a secure future for you and your organization.

Gold investment is an absolute antithesis to the contemporary financial world. Unlike stocks and shares, the prices rarely fluctuate downwards and you are always aware of the value that you have. Hence investing in gold bullion with Atlantagold.com is a guaranteed asset for which you would get good return in the future.

A small business firm cant afford to take huge risks since it can lead to losses or even worst – bankruptcy. Therefore more than stock, shares and bonds, investment in gold bullion seems like a wiser and risk free investment.

Internet has its wings spread out all across the globe which makes it easier to buy gold or sell gold for even a small business company. Some online gold trading sites help you trade gold in real time. All you need to do is register online with an authentic and reliable online gold trading company, get an account and start making your investment today.

www.atlantgold.com is one such secure site that would help you buy gold as well as sell gold irrespective of your location or time. Atlantagold.com, a 24 hour running website, was launched after painstaking efforts to enable people to trade gold online with minimum risks and maximum gain.

Atlantgold Corporation helps to meet the ever growing demand to store gold as well as buy gold or sell gold. Atlantagold.com helps to trade gold and secure investments in this unstable world of finance. This site was created by private investors to ease the complexities of trading gold especially for small companies.

Atlantgold Corp. offers services like online trading of gold in real time, storage of gold in insured and secure vaults and ability to withdraw gold online to individual prepaid credit cards. www.atlantgold.com. has met all standard set by the London Bullion Market Association or LBMA and NYMEX. All the gold bullions of Atlantgold Corporation have proper certified hallmarks to guarantee its authenticity and quality.

It is essential for a small company to understand the procedure and amount that is required to be invested in gold. Gold investment is a stable asset since the value of gold bullion wouldnt ever decrease with time.

It’s unfortunate that today’s beginning coin collectors missed out on the experiences I had when I first began collecting coins. It was around 1970 and you could still find silver coins in change every now and then even though it had been six years since the US Mint started minting clad coins.

I would go to the local bank after school with ten bucks and get a couple rolls of dimes and go outside and look through them for silver coins for my meager collection. After doing this a few times I got to where I could tell a silver coin just by looking at the edges and I could go through a roll pretty quickly this way.

Many times it turned out to be a 1964-D which was almost a junk coin because they were so plentiful but every so often I would hit the jackpot and find a Mercury dime in pretty good shape. I would always replace the coins I took out with the same number of clad dimes since I was an honest person and would head back inside to exchange my rolls for two more.

In the beginning the tellers asked me why I was doing this and I think they might have thought that I was trying to make some money by short changing them but after telling them that I collected coins and that I made sure to replace any coins I took out they were very happy to help me and never bothered to count the rolls I turned in.

It always struck me as odd that someone would turn a Mercury dime into the bank because of how much they were worth but I guess it’s the same as the time I bought 10 silver dollars for ten dollars from a girl in my class. She didn’t care because she was just going to spend them anyway so I was very happy to buy them from her. Sadly, not being as smart as I am today I sold them to another collector a couple of days later for $11 thinking that a one dollar profit was good.

My dad also assisted me in my new hobby by having a bartender he knew save out any silver coins he got during the week. I would be able to buy these for face value but there were so many coins some weeks that I couldn’t buy them all. Oh, to have that problem now!

I can’t remember the last time I got a silver coin in change and even though I realize it’s been over 40 years since silver coins were minted it’s kind of sad that someone that is just beginning to collect coins has to buy many of the coins I used to get at face value.

Perhaps the state quarters that are so popular give the newcomer to coin collecting the same excitement I got when I was just beginning but in all honesty I have to tell you that I never really liked clad coins. In my opinion they do not come close to the beauty of the silver coins of the past that I fell in love with.

Mike Taylor

http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/coin-collecting-was-easier-when-i-was-younger-75284.html

What Coins Should I Collect?

By Robert L Taylor, JD

You should collect what you like and enjoy. This is Your Dream. Design it any way you want.
Never-the-less, . . . decide on Foreign coins or US Coins; and Proof or Mint State. If US, then decide upon a Denomination: penny, nickel, dime, quarter, half dollar, dollar or other.

Or, decide upon a particular Period in History, e.g.: Morgan Dollars (Lady Liberty, Following Civil War), Peace Dollars (Following WWI), War Time Cents (Steel and Shell Casing – WWII), War Time Nickels (Silver – WWII), Silver quarters and dimes pre 1965; Statehood Quarters; 20th Century; 19th Century.

Or decide upon an Historical Figure; Kennedy Half Dollars (Following his death), Lincoln Cents; Washington Quarters; Franklin Half Dollars; Eisenhower Dollars, Susan B Anthony Dollars, Roosevelt Dimes; Sacagawea Dollars. You can also choose Type Sets, Year Sets, Mint Sets, Proof Sets and Decades.

The Next Step is to decide upon the Quality of coin you want to collect. Your choices are: a) pocket change; b) bank rolls; c) US mint and proof rolls and sets (new and used); d) Buy from Coin Shows and Clubs; e) Buy on the Internet; f) Buy from coin dealer; g) Buy from coin magazine or ad. Each has their benefits and advantages. Pocket Change and Bank Rolls provide Circulated coins. The US Mint provides Uncirculated “Mint State” and “Proof” coins.
The Internet provides the Greatest Selection from private Web Sites, e.g.: www.ThePerfect-Coin.Com to the big Auctions like eBay, Yahoo, Heritage and TeleTrade. And With the advent of PayPal.com (free) it becomes very quick and easy to pay for purchases over the Internet and by Phone.

The one thing that is important in all of the above choices is the Grade of the Coin, which is closely related to Value (a topic for another article). But which leads to the next choice: Buy Slabbed or Raw? Raw coins are what you find in pocket change. Slabbed coins are those that are Professionally Certified and Graded by an Independent Third Party. The coin is then placed in a “slab”, made of plastic, identified, labeled and sealed. It actually takes 3 Professionals to decide upon the Grade of a Coin. If Buying Raw Coins, You need to Know How to Grade a Coin. Even then, there will be Disputes about the Grade. When Buying a Slabbed coin, You Know the Grade. The Grade Becomes Virtually Undisputable! All references to Price in any resource are Based on Grading, which follows the Guidelines set by the ANA American Numismatic Association. Currently, there are only Four Companies that are Recognized for Strictly following these Guidelines: PCGS, NGC, ICG and ANACS. It is from these Professionals that one should buy slabbed coins. Buying Slabbed Coins is the First Rule of Serious Coin Collecting.

Obviously, one will be very limited in the years, mints, and varieties available from pocket change and bank rolls – both being local in nature. Even if starting with these means of collecting, always keep an open mind about other resources. So, a little future insight helps to decide that better resources will yield better coin collections. Most collections will span a greater range of years, than either pocket change or bank rolls can possibly produce. It is therefore imperative to investigate other resources.

Your Budget will usually determine the Grade of coin that you can afford to collect. MS63-MS65 is an Ideal range for collecting, not only because of the excellent condition and detail of the coins, greater availability, lower costs, and because coins in this range tend to Appreciate faster than other Grades. There item is very simple, and it has to do with the quality of the coin or how much you want to Spend per Coin – for an average coin, for an exceptional coin, or a perfect coin. Your budget will usually determine this factor, or, how much per month you can spend (per month?) for your new Investment. Never doubt that Coin Collecting is an Investment. Although it is easy to overlook the amount of time spent on this Endeavor because two of the main ingredients are Pleasure and Enjoyment. Confucius Say:

“If you enjoy what you are doing, you will never work another day in your life.”

Think of it as a Fund. You are trading Money for . . . Money that Grows and Gives Pleasure! Properly attended, this Fund can quite possibly put someone through college.

Lastly, decide whether to collect all of the coins in your Group including varieties and errors or just the Regular Issue Coins. Errors and Varieties can become extremely expensive and difficult to find. Most people will avoid them.

This Concept of “Trading Money for Money” is critically important because most people shy away from spending a little more, just to get the best. And I am talking about the best in quality of coin, no matter what the Grade or Price. In other words, get a Coin with the Grade it is Supposed to Have. This is the Only way to be sure of the Value of the Coin. Spend your Money Wisely. Get what you pay for. Until you become a Professional at Grading, rely on the Professional Graders. Whether you choose to collect Kennedy Proof Half Dollars, or Jefferson Nickels from pocket change, thanks to the Internet, you will find a huge selection available, on many different web sites, to give your Coin Collecting efforts a boost. Internet Web Sites will Forever Change Coin Collecting! Why? Because Top Quality Coins can be easily Bought and Sold by any body – since they are Slabbed!

Always Know Your Grade!

Robert L Taylor, JD
Copyright 2006, Robert L Taylor, JD

Robert L Taylor, Jd
http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/what-coins-should-i-collect-62524.html

Buying gold bars is a good way to invest in gold. With gold bars you get more gold for your money compared to coins of the same size. The reason for this is when you buy gold coins you are usually paying a higher mark up for the manufacture of the coin. Gold bars are usually cheaper to manufacture than coins; that is one of the main reasons why bars are usually cheaper than coins. When buying bars it is important to know what bars are popular with the investors in your area. The reason for this is the more popular a bar is with investors the easier it will be to liquidate when the time comes.

When buying gold bars it is important to know that the larger the bars you buy the closer to spot price you should get the bars for; compared to there weight in gold. It is also important to know the larger the bars you buy the harder they will be to sell. It is recommended that if you do buy gold bars larger than one troy ounce, that you know a number of good places that you can liquidate the bar or bars when the time comes.

It is recommended before buying gold bars that you research and know which bars and companies have the best reputation. This will not only help you to know what kind of gold bars to buy but, where some of the best places to buy them are. One other thing that is recommended when it is possible is to check the weight of every bar before purchasing. Gold bars are one of the best and safest ways to invest in gold. If you follow some of the information you read here, investing in gold will become an even safer investment.

A good web site where you can see more information on topics like this is Buying Gold Bars which is highly recommended, You can also see the video for Buying Gold Bars. Thank you and enjoy.

Kevin Cox
http://www.articlesbase.com/investing-articles/buying-gold-bars-things-that-you-should-know-680410.html

In ancient times gold was known as a sign of wealth, strength and power. It was also considered as the metal of gods. Craftsmen love to work with gold because it is a soft metal and can be easily molded to make new and creative designs. If you are going to buy it then following few facts may help you to choose an appropriate piece.

Pure gold is a soft metal. It is durable for every day wearing. Lots of people select a piece of jewellery according to the percentage of pure gold. If you choose a piece which is tagged, and 10kt is written on that tag, then you must understand, this piece contains 10 parts of gold and 14 parts of any other metal. And if the piece is of 14kt then 14 parts of gold are mixed with 10 parts of other metal. If the karats in gold jewellery are measured in percentage then you must know the 10kt is made up with 41.7 percent of gold, 12kt with 50 percent, and 14kt with 58.3 percent, 18kt with 75 percent and 24kt is the 100 percent pure form of gold.

As other metals lost their worth and importance after being famous but gold is that metal which is rising on the ramp from the day it was found. Nowadays the fashion is the most popular activity. By judging the way of fashion one can easily know everything about others. Only the gold is that metal which can be used with all kinds of gems and show its uniqueness. It is the characteristic of gold that all kind of gems can be easily placed in it and It is the advantage of gold that it can be melt down to form a whole new thing.

The other metals that are used in your jewellery affect its design, color and durability. When gold is mixed with other metals it produces an alloy. This process is applied to alter the colors of gold jewellery. For instance, the gold is mixed with copper to create rose tint. Other metals are used to make it strong and generate soft yellow, blue and green shades.

Pure gold does not irritate the skin itself. Yes, when it is mixed with other metals it may cause problems. That is why most of the jewelers suggests to have 18kt gold for sensitive skins. There are alternatives of solid gold. Gold plated jewellery is cheaper than all gold items. It contains the lowest quantity of gold and gives same beautiful gold look. It has only one disadvantage that it can fade or tarnish if worn on daily basis. You can choose numerous gold plated items with different costumes but that is not for routine wear. It must be worn on special occasions that will last it long. The daily use of gold plated jewellery definitely damages its appearance. For routine wearing the pure gold would be the best choice because of its purity and it cannot tarnish and is not skin irritating.

Imran ali
http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/gold-jewellery-the-concepts-of-10k-14k-18k-and-24k-gold-jewellery-684144.html

We humans have been in possession of gold, since the dawn of human civilization. It was then used as currencies in most of the nations.

A precious metal, such as gold has always given an impression to be the most advantageous for investment and is money-making too. Gold bullions, gold coins and gold jewelry are widely used these days for investment. This cannot only increase the investing portfolio, but can as well diversify your investment. Gold provides value and it maneuvers separately as stocks and bonds. Gold jeweler can also be liquidated very easily, thereby making your gold trade convenient.

Due to the volatility of stock markets as well as the financial markets these days, investors are in a predicament about their investment plans pertaining to retirement. This has resulted in their dependence on the tangible goods, leaving aside the usual vehicles for investment. Gold bullions are now of great value and provide best liquidity that further facilitates investment.

Gold coins are now included in stock portfolios. Nevertheless, the market often fluctuates and the serious gold investors often conclude that gold jewelry does have profitable opportunities. They also conceive that gold investment is feasible.

Before investing in gold for retirement, you must thoroughly obtain proper knowledge pertaining to the investment vehicles used. For instance gold jewellery is popular since ages now and will never lose its prosperity with the fashion and trend. It neither dates nor fades and so does its value. Even in times of crisis, the value of gold is depreciated, which makes it the ideal investment for retirement plans.

Also, you need to learn about the purity of gold and hallmarks as well. Hallmark is the symbol that denotes the purity of gold. If you buy gold of 18 karat, it means your gold is 75% pure. When gold is of 14 karat it equates to 58.5% pure gold and when you buy 1 karat gold, it equates to 24th part of the 100% pure gold.

Dealing with reliable and well established gold dealers should be one of your primary concerns when you are going to invest in a precious metal like gold, especially if you would like to sell gold in times of troubles. You would not want to sacrifice on its quality and purity.

Precious metals like gold are the sole investment option in this fluctuating market, which is very unstable these days. The value of gold is at its peak, thus proving to be the only profitable venture at the current time. Gold is definitely the best long-term investment portfolio and ideal for your retirement plan.

The history of gold is long and even from the beginning when gold was first discovered it has symbolized wealth and guaranteed power to whoever owned it. People have been obsessed with gold and it has destroyed some cultures and gave power to others.

It is believed that the use of gold began in the Middle East; where the first known civilizations began. Some of the oldest pieces of gold jewelry that were ever found were Egyptian jewelry found in the tomb of Queens Zer and are believed to be from the third millennium BC.

Unfortunately, over the centuries most of the Egyptian tombs were raided. However, the tomb of Tutankhamen was discovered undisturbed by archaeologists. What they found inside was amazing, it was the largest collection of gold and jewelry in the world and included a gold coffin which showed the intricate craftsmanship and gold working of that time period.

The Persian Empire use gold frequently in their artwork and as part of their religion. Persian gold work is most famous for its animal art and dates back to the 7th century A.D. When Rome began to flourish it became known as a city where talented gold artisans could be found and they created a wide variety of gold jewelry. Later on in Rome, gold was used in household items and furniture of the upper class. By the 3rd century A.D. most citizens of Rome wore necklaces that contained gold coins with the image of the Emperor on them.

Once Christianity started to spread throughout the European continent, the Europeans quit burying their dead with their jewelry. Because of this very few gold items survived from the Middle Ages except for those of royalty and from church hordes. In the Americas the skill of the Pre-Colombian cultures was highly advanced in their use of gold and this was long before the arrival of the Spanish. The Inca Indians were adept at many different types of metal work, including, filigree, granulation, pressing and hammering and inlay methods.

During this time the Spanish conquerors melted down most of the gold that they took from people and most of the remaining examples of gold from this time have come from modern excavations of gravesites. The greatest deposits of gold were in the Andes and in Colombia.

During the frontier days in the US, news of discovery of gold in a region would result in thousands of new settlers, many risking their lives to find gold. Gold rushes occurred in many Western states and the most famous occurring in California at Sutter’s Mill in 1848.

The gold standard came into effect and was meant to stabilize the global economy. The gold standard meant that a nation must limit its issued currency to the amount of gold it held in reserve. In 1821, Great Britain was the first to adopt the gold standard and in the 1870s the rest of Europe followed suit.

The gold standard system remained in effect until the end of World War I. After World War I the US was the only country still honoring the gold standard. When the Great Depression came it marked the end of the US using the standard. By the mid-20th century the US dollar had replaced gold in international trade.

Gold has had a colorful history and is still considered very valuable today. Most of the jewelry found today has some sort of gold in it. Gold jewelry seems to be a favorite of all people no matter what century they live in.

Sterling silver jewelry is very much in style and is a great seller at retail stores, online gift sites, festivals, craft fairs, and trade shows. There are more than a few wholesale sterling silver sites online that sell everything you may need, from .925 sterling silver jewelry, to sterling silver jewelry making supplies like French wires, fasteners, and findings. A state issued sales tax identification number is necessary to make wholesale purchases, plus registration of your business for account set up. All this can be done online in a matter of a few minutes relatively easily. If you wish, you may also ask for to be placed on a mailing list for catalogues as well as the email special promotions. There are some wholesale sterling silver vendors who only sell to distributors and other wholesalers, while others only sell to resellers and retailers. Whichever you are, you should have no problem finding a wholesale sterling silver dealer to meet your specific needs.

One of the most popular metals, sterling silver has a wide range of uses, jewelry being one of the most popular. Besides silver is also used for silverware, silver dining services, and at one time was used in the making of coins. Artisans bought wholesale sterling silver to use in their original jewelry creations, or to make other fine pieces of art. Wholesale sterling silver can be used to make earrings, rings, pendants, body jewelry, bracelets, necklaces, chains, and watches. Semi-precious and precious stones are often utilized in the making of sterling silver jewelry as well, and truly complement the finished piece.

The making of sterling silver jewelry goes back several centuries, and is an art that has been passed on to others by teaching to successive family members, and through jewelry making apprenticeships.

As there are quite a few wholesale sterling silver vendors, be sure to shop comparatively before you settle on making a buy. There are diverse grades of wholesale sterling silver available, and purity may differ, or may be combined with other metals, such as nickel. Always remember, shop around, and teach yourself so that you understand exactly what you are getting. Sterling silver jewelry is a top seller, and you want to select the best quality that there is to keep your customers coming back for more. Irrespective if you are a wholesaler, distributor, or retailer looking to buy wholesale sterling silver jewelry, jewelry making supplies, or other pieces made from sterling silver, the internet is your best bet to find exactly what you are looking for!

Nick P. Bentley
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/all-you-need-to-know-about-wholesale-sterling-silver-and-more-83685.html

As the economic crises rages on, people are looking for more and more ways to make some extra money. One way, as seen on TV and in the windows of your local jewelers, is to sell your unwanted gold.

Like any money-making endeavor, there are risks involved. With all the options out there, what is the best and most profitable way to sell your gold items? Is an online gold buyer the way to go, or is it better to go to a local pawnshop? Obviously there are pros and cons to both. Ultimately it depends on what is most important to you.

For instance, if it is important to you to shop around for the best offer, an online buyer might not be the way to go. You can only send your goods to one company at a time, and the process of sending your gold to one, waiting on an offer, rejecting that offer and waiting on your gold to come back so you can send it to another buyer would be extremely time-consuming. However, it could be very time consuming and frustrating to drive around to area pawnshops to get offers for your gold and precious metals.

Most online buyers will offer a price based on the current gold (or other precious metal) price. Sometimes that price is below of the current gold value, but other times it is not. Your local pawnshop might offer full value for your jewelry, or they might not. If you live in an area that does not have a lot of pawnshops, it might be easier for you to send your gold to an online buyer. Since each buyer can set their own price for what they will pay, there is no guarantee that an in-person buyer will pay more than an online buyer, or vice-versa. There are many people who stick with the online service, because it is infinitely more convenient.

If you have one or two pieces to sell, you might be better off sticking with a local pawnshop. Online buyers buy precious metals based on the weight of the precious metal in question, so if you’ve got a simple chain or something similar in size you might not have enough gold to register on their scale.

If you have a whole mess of gold or precious metal pieces, your best option might be to sell to an online buyer. That way you don’t have to sort through the mess yourself. You save time, and that is a very valuable indeed.

If environmental issues are a concern, you might want to consider an online buyer who is committed to an environmentally-friendly process. Selling to a jeweler who buys new gold pieces means selling to a business who profits from gold (and other precious metal) mining. Once gold is mined it can be recycled over and over, which is better for the environment that digging out new gold. Working with an online buyer who resells gold and precious metals to the jewelry industry means that you are contributing to a process that, in theory, reduces the need for environmentally-unfriendly mining activity.

Whichever option you choose, it is important that you find a buyer who has an industry reputation for integrity, and that you feel comfortable with the process. And, with the price of gold rising, now is the time to decide.

Do you want to retire comfortably? If you do, now is the time to buy gold so that you can cash it in at retirement. Because gold gains value, you want to buy one gram of gold on a monthly bases and then sell gold later when you need the money. The question, however, is how you buy the gold you need.

Luckily, the American Gold Eagle coins are an easy way to buy gold. These coins make for a simple investment since they are easy to find. They are also 22 karat gold and the gold is mined n the U.S. to make for a 100% U.S. gold coin. Furthermore, you have four size options available:

- 1/10 of an ounce

- 1/4 of an ounce

- 1/4 of an ounce

- 1/10 of an ounce

It is ideal when buying gold for your future that you buy at least one gram per month if you can afford to. When doing this there are two other options. These options are gold bullion and proof. It is bullion that most individuals find to be an easy purchase.

But what you may not know about these gold coins is that the world recognizes them because they are quite valuable. Although they are American coins, it is important to remember that gold has value everywhere. This is why the buying, selling, and trading of American gold coins is so easy.

When using gold coins for investing, you really dont want to lean toward the proof coins because it is the proof coins that collectors tend to move toward. These coins have a different look to them, although their gold content and their sizes are all the same. Yes, you can invest in these coins if you wish. It is entirely up to you.

And to acquire these coins, you can go to the US Mint website and purchase them there or you can check into auctions. You may find that you can find amazing deals at auctions. Since it is recommended that you buy a gram of gold per month, you may want to try this before going to the mint. Just make sure you are buying from reputable sources, whether online or offline.

And speaking of dealers, check with the dealers in your local area so that you can buy gold from them for good prices. You may even look in antique stores to buy gold because they get coins once in a while. Although you may not see it now, youll see the advantages of investing in gold later.