How to Invest in Gold and Silver

Learn how to buy and sell gold, silver and rare coins with Atlanta’s best dealer

Decide whether gold and silver are the best option for you

Are you looking to put money away for retirement? Is this something you plan to hold for 5 plus years? These are questions you must answer yourself in order to decide if gold and silver are the best options for you. Historically gold has been an excellent hedge against inflation and silver has a wide array of industrial uses, making both of these metals great options. Putting your money into precious metals is typically not considered a short-term option. This is just one of many things that you must consider before buying gold and silver.

There are numerous resources available across the Internet that can provide you with excellent information on investing in precious metals. Hopefully some of the information below will answer some of the questions you might have and make you a more informed gold and silver buyer!

Choose which product suits you best

Whether you are buying gold, silver, or platinum there are many different products available to you. Once you have decided on the exact form of the product that you prefer you must then consider what increment you are looking to purchase it in. Here are a few things that you should consider based on which metal you are looking to purchase.

Gold

Decide whether you prefer bars or coins. We recommend coins because they tend to be more frequently traded in the U.S. The only real difference between any of the commonly traded bullion coins is whether or not you specifically want pure gold or something more durable with an alloy.

Pre-1933 gold is a very popular option that we offer because many buyers see it as a double-edged sword. You are getting a coin that is over 80 years old for a small premium over the gold value. These premiums fluctuate as do those for the modern bullion coinage, but the shear rarity of these coins and their close proximity to the gold price make them great options when it comes to purchasing gold.

Most gold coins come in 1oz., ½oz., ¼oz., and 1/10oz. sizes. You will get the most gold for your money buying the 1oz. size, and the smaller you go the higher the premium you will pay over the spot gold price.

Silver

Storage is one of the biggest things to consider when purchasing silver. If you are limited on storage space then the 10oz. and 100oz. bars would probably be your best bet.

Whether to buy pure silver bars and coins, or pre-1964 90% junk silver dimes, quarters, and halves. Many people like having the 90% coins because it is the only way to buy coins that are less than 1oz. of silver. Both options have their benefits so it comes down to what suits you best.

Platinum

There are just a few options to consider when buying platinum. First choose whether you want bars or coins. If you prefer the coins you must then decide if you want the 1oz. or the fractional pieces.

Which product you choose is totally up to you. We are happy to make recommendations for you based on your needs, but ultimately it comes down to what you prefer. Click here to see a listing of the different products that we offer.

Finding the best price

When buying gold, silver, and platinum you are always going to pay a premium over the spot price for a finished product. That premium depends upon numerous factors including which product you are looking at, the current market demand, and the dealer’s supply. If you shop around you will find that reputable dealers pricing will be quite similar. With pricing so similar across the board we recommend focusing more on who you feel is the most reputable so you know that what you are buying is what it is supposed to be. Some dealers may offer products that have slight issues or problems at a discount, and we strongly advise against this.

Know who you are buying from

Whether you decide to purchase your gold and silver from us or from another dealer always do your research and know as much as possible about who you are dealing with. Longevity in the precious metals business is one of the best ways to tell whether or not a dealer is legitimate. I always recommend dealing with a true coin shop or bullion dealer as opposed to a scrap buyer. Click here to learn more about us and see why you should choose us.

Protect your personal information

A large benefit of dealing locally as opposed to over the Internet when buying gold and silver is privacy. The ability to deal face to face and actually know who you are working with means more to our customers than anything else. You may find that Internet wholesalers may save you a few dollars in some cases, but there is a lot to be said for dealing locally and the peace of mind that it brings.

How to value your rare coins and currency on the Internet

There are quite a few sites out there that claim to provide current coin values free of charge. These sites can often times be quite confusing and in many cases they post inflated values. The biggest key to valuing your coins is knowing how to properly rate their condition. Knowing how to properly grade coins is something that can take many years to master, and that is what we are here for.

We always encourage our customers to do their research prior to coming to see us, but looking at inflated information on the Internet and inaccurate grading will do you no good. The best resource for valuing coins is a book called “The Red Book”. A new edition comes out each year and is readily available at most local bookstores. Keep in mind that it is a retail-pricing guide but the numbers are typically within reality. The quickest and easiest way to value your coins is to come in a see us for a free verbal appraisal. It is quick and easy and we will let you know whether or not you have something rare.