Let’s Get Physical: Owning Physical Gold & Silver
When owning physical gold & silver there are a few general concepts to understand:
- Don’t tell the world! (2 or 3 is enough)
- You aren’t planning on using them in regular retail businesses in normal times.
- The best thing that can happen to them is you leave them to your heirs (you never needed them).
- They preserve wealth over time (they are not intended to “make money”).
- They are low cost insurance for emergency money in unusual times and against inflation.
- You don’t have to buy them all at once (add to them as funds are available & needs change).
- You should also store cash (5’s; 10’s & 20’s) for use as needed for emergencies or the unexpected. Goal should be 3 months expenses or @ $2,000.
- Start with small denominations (change not needed & more transactions).
- Having a reasonable supply of things you normally use is a great addition to this plan.
What to own:
- Pre 1965 US dimes, quarters & half dollars (they are 90% silver & usually the lowest premium over spot silver price). Ultimate goal is $500 to $1,000 face value.
- One ounce silver coins (issued by a government) and one ounce silver rounds or bars (issued by private mints & companies (usually less premium than coins). Watch the premium as it varies from time to time (I personally won’t pay very much extra for American Eagles over other governments coins). Ultimate goal is 1,000 to 2,000 ounces.
- Gold coins (government minted as the premium is less than for silver & less likely to be counterfeit than lesser known brands). Start with 1/10th and ¼ ounce coins for the first 5 to 10 ounces and then add the half & one ounce coins. Ultimate goal is 10 to 20 ounces.
- Ten ounce and larger bars are good for major holdings, but are harder to store & use in daily transactions. Items of this size normally should not be stored at home (theft & insurance problems).
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