Where’s Your Gold?
By Jocelynn Smith
When I was in London in December, I got the chance to speak with an expert in rare and ancient coins. He showed me a rare Roman coin, with the face of a long-dead emperor still clearly stamped in the metal. He also spread Viking coins and others from an array of different periods in Europe across the table between us.
After years of staring at computer screens, watching stock prices inch their way up or down a chart, it was almost a surreal moment to hold those coins in the palm of my hand, to feel their weight.
There was no mistaking, in a world of fleeting paper profits, what I was holding in my hand was true wealth.
And I’m not the only one who believes it’s time to get a little more physical with our wealth…
Gold in Your Pocket
Demand for physical gold is on the rise. The World Gold Council revealed that while overall gold demand for the first quarter dropped 18% from the same period a year ago (where the 2016 first quarter was the strongest first quarter ever for gold demand), gold bar and coin demand increased by a healthy 9% at 290 tons.
What’s more, Bloomberg recently reported that two firms have plans to open new vaults in Europe capable of holding more than $112 million in gold.
BullionVault revealed that it added three tons in gold in the past 12 months, lifting its total holdings up to nearly 38 tons.
The Bank of England – which stores gold for the U.K. Treasury, other central banks and private firms – has added 6% to its holdings since the beginning of 2016, bringing its total holdings to 5,067 tons in February.
As you can see, more investors are adding physical gold to their portfolios – gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) just aren’t going to cut it when you consider the fees associated with the ETFs.
And which would you prefer in times of turmoil: paper gains or the weight of a gold coin in your hand?
Many investors around the globe are adding physical gold to their assets for three big reasons:
Rising inflation. We are starting to see signs of inflation in the U.S. and across Europe. In the past, we’ve seen the price of gold climb in tandem with inflation, allowing investors to stay ahead of its bite.
Negative interest rates. While not a problem in the U.S., part of the world is still struggling with negative interest rates. And rather than giving over more of their wealth to banks, investors are opting to invest their cash in physical gold. (And considering that U.S. interest rates are still low, gold potentially offers a better return.)
Geopolitical uncertainty. Questions about the health of the economy, the length of the bull market’s run, fighting in Washington, terrorist attacks, elections and more have left investors on edge, waiting for the next black swan event to swoop in and send the market crashing. In moments of chaos and destruction, gold is the safety net you want to have in place. Stocks plummet and bonds implode. Gold holds its value and even climbs.
As the Senior Managing Editor for The Sovereign Investor Daily and Winning Investor Daily, Jocelynn handles the day-to-day operations for bringing you the Banyan Hill team’s daily insight. She has spent over a decade working as an editor for financial publications. A former trader, Jocelynn has spent 15 years in the financial industry.
Article Source: Where’s Your Gold?
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 | 1880 S Sydney Mint Gold Full Sovereign — Victoria Young Head Shield Back £ 900.00 |
 | 1887 UK Royal Mint Victoria Jubilee Gold Half Sovereign Coin - NGC MS62 £ 588.10 |
 | King Charles 2026 Gold Full Sovereign Coin £ 787.00 |
 | 1980 Gold Half Sovereign Coin, Queen Elizabeth II £ 455.50 |
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 | 1900 Victorian Half sovereign 22ct Gold Coin. Old Head - 1900 - Good condition £ 455.50 |
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On eBay USA:
| 1880 S Sydney Mint Gold Full Sovereign — Victoria Young Head Shield Back £ 900.00 |
| 1887 UK Royal Mint Victoria Jubilee Gold Half Sovereign Coin - NGC MS62 £ 588.10 |
| King Charles 2026 Gold Full Sovereign Coin £ 787.00 |
| 1980 Gold Half Sovereign Coin, Queen Elizabeth II £ 455.50 |
| 1967 Solid 22ct Carat Gold Full Sovereign Coin £ 800.00 |
| Queen Victoria 1894 Gold Full Sovereign Coin £ 792.10 |
| 1900 Victorian Half sovereign 22ct Gold Coin. Old Head - 1900 - Good condition £ 455.50 |
| 22ct gold sovereign coins £ 208.70 |