Why Invest in Physical Gold and Silver in a Self Directed IRA?

Investment in physical gold and silver has always been a hot and controversial topic of discussion in many trading and investment circles. You will always find proponents and opponents of investing in physical precious metals, this I can guarantee. Each side has their foundational beliefs rooted in their ideas of the pros and cons, which adds fuel to their staunch positions. This is a healthy debate, as an investor needs both viewpoints to determine what is right for their personal investment needs.

My viewpoint? I weigh in on the side of allocating a percentage of your portfolio to owning physical precious metals simply for sound diversification purposes. If history has taught us anything, it has taught us that economic crisis rears its ugly head in the most unsuspecting of times. Total diversification is paramount in those times... this I have learned the hard way.

A handful of benefits for investing in physical gold and silver:

· You can protect your purchasing power as inflation rises.

· Helps protect you against the Government's free flowing money printing press. Our country manages our debt by printing more money to pay off the debt on the money it has already printed. Trying to solve a debt crisis by creating more debt is surely not the answer... is it? Who is going to eventually pay that price? If you own physical gold and silver, most likely not you.

· It can help protect you against a major banking crisis, if that were to happen.

· Protect your savings against currency (U.S Dollar) devaluations.

· Gold isn't just for preserving money; it is a wealth builder as well. Historically, since 1971, gold has outperformed the S&P 500, real estate and currencies.

· Despite what some may say, gold and silver are very liquid compared to a lot of other types of investments.

· Physical gold and silver are tangible investments. If you wealth is tied up in what you can't see, is it really safe?

· Gold and Silver will NEVER be worth Zero.

· Supply is decreasing, there is an increasing worldwide demand

· When bought in an IRA, appreciation value grows tax-free.

· Gold investing is the secret of the ultra-rich. The world's wealthiest families are currently hoarding gold. Why aren't you? An IRA makes it possible.

These are just a few reasons I invest in physical gold and silver and the way I do it is through a self directed IRA. Why a self directed IRA? Simple, it's so easy to do and your investment is protected under the governing laws just like a regular IRA.

You can rollover an existing IRA into a self directed IRA with ease. Most investors that are seeking to diversify a portion of their existing IRA portfolio will fund a self directed IRA by rolling over a 401k from a previous employer or transferring a dormant IRA from another firm.

This article is just a taste of what can be done with a self directed IRA. To learn about my step-by-step process on how to build real wealth with gold, download my free copy of:

"Building Mega Wealth With Gold IRA's"

It can be downloaded here.

[http://www.GoldandSilverSpotlight.com]

Good Investing,

Chris Halpin

Download your free copy of my eBook, " Build Mega Wealth with Gold IRA's" at my website, [http://www.GoldandSilverSpotlight.com] to learn more about the benefits of owning Gold and Silver in a Self Directed IRA.

Where To Get Cash For Gold

With so many television advertisements on places to sell gold for cash, people facing a tough financial time have several options to choose from. It is advisable to beware of scam artists out to take off with your cash after measuring the gold. Various gold buying websites are the most common scams. Although, the internet may be the number one source of finding a gold buying company, you must ensure they are legit through some research and solid recommendations.

Another avenue for selling gold is jewelers who measure the gold and give the value upfront. However, before visiting a jeweler, it is best to research how much the gold may be worth. This is just so there is no chance of getting ripped off. Jewelers are available in towns and cities so finding one with good recommendations will not be very difficult.

Additionally, there are several legit local gold buying companies that come with good recommendations. One Australian report from 1999 shows how people can handle selling gold. It would be advisable to read through it before visiting any of these gold buying avenues.

Why Sell Gold?

There are a number of reasons why people sell their gold for cash;

The ability to get through a tough economic time. Easing the financial pressures through selling gold can help people meet their bills and even remain with some money to go on a vacation.

The high price for gold that skyrocketed during the recession period. This allowed people to get lots of cash for gold ornaments and products they were not using.

It is important to learn a few tips from legit informational sources such as the Australian Global Market Research on the handling and selling procedures of turning gold into cash.

What Is The Procedure For Selling Gold?

The process is very easy. Visit a gold buying company or jeweler, weigh the gold and get cash according to the weight. The beauty in the process is receiving the cash up front. No waiting for several business days for a bank to clear a cheque or someone to mail the cheque.

The process is a bit different when dealing with a legit website. People need to send a sample of their gold to the company for verification purposes. Once the buyers verify the gold is real, they will ask how much rest weigh and give an amount according to the weight. People can weigh their gold at home and send an appropriate figure. They can send the rest of the gold and a cash amount will be sent to their address.

Selling gold to a website may be risky due to some buyers giving a percentage of the sum they had initially promised. Therefore, extreme caution must be used. Use a website that a friend or family member had used earlier. That way, the legitimacy of the website can be verified.

Note that the price of gold goes up and down every time. Therefore, the price fluctuations should not cause worry when selling. Just research on the gold's worth before selling.

Abraham Barakat inherited some gold earrings, necklaces and bracelets from her grandmother. Since he had delayed making his mortgage payment, he sought to selling the gold ornaments. Gold Dealers Company made him a great offer that not only helped meet his mortgage payments but also go on a vacation with his family.

Rare American Coins and U.S. Pattern Dollars

Pattern coins were made as test coins during their developmental stages. They represent where our coinage might have gone and where our circulation issue coins come from. They might also represent the birth of a new issue, or an experiment with a new alloy.

You might also say some pattern coins are the evidence of seamier practices of mint officials, who produced coins for their own benefit. Mostly however, they are misfits. They usually are the coins never produced for use in commerce.

Pattern coins can be categorized as:

True Patterns: are used to test a design with the intention of using the coin for circulation.

Experimental Pieces: are usually variations of a coin, i.e. planchet thickness or diameter, shape or composition, etc.

Regular Die Trial Pieces: are regular issue coins struck in a metal other than used in their circulating variety. They are used for press setup or trying a new way to strike the coin. They are also used as inexpensive samples for study.

There have been many metals used in pattern coins. Some of them are: copper, copper-nickel, aluminum, brass, bronze, gold, nickel, lead, pewter, tin, steel, zinc and silver. The trial pattern can be struck on both sides of the coin, or on just one side. If it is struck on just one side, it is known as a "splasher".

Pattern coins are beautiful, rare and historically significant. They are real bargains when you consider their actual rarity. Pattern coins are an important part of the coin development process, and are rarer than any regular issue coin.

There were no pattern dollars for many of the years between 1794 and 1885. But some years such as 1873, there are many pattern examples following the demonetization of silver and putting the US on a gold-only standard.

1873 was a rich year for patterns, because the Coinage Act of 1873 provided for a revamping of US coinage. The Trade Dollar was authorized by Congress and the half dime, 3 cent piece and 2 cent piece were eliminated.

Very few people are either aware of, or interested in these specimens. Because sales are so infrequent, there are no reliable price guides for them.

Pattern dollars prices fluctuate with the coin market, but generally with less volatility. Pattern silver dollars cost from $2000 for lower grade "common" coins, to well over half a million for MS-65, 1794 Flowing Hair dollars.

There are very few experts in this field. Probably the first was J. Hewitt Judd. J. Hewitt Judd has established the rarity for each pattern coin from 1794 until 1885. Then he assigned a number to every pattern silver dollar the US Mint explored during that time. This was the era for pattern coins, as the US Mint became the nation's largest coin dealer.

Owning Gold ETFs Vs Owning Physical Gold - Which Choice Is Better for You?

It's only a matter of time.

Maybe you saw it on a TV commercial or a banner ad on the internet but the message was clear: The time is nigh for a coming financial Apocalypse. If the marketers got their way this message would've stirred up a small tornado of panic in your gut. You remember the great recession of 2008. You can't forget how it devastated your hard-earned savings.

All of the fever-pitched hyperbole aside, can we at least agree that predicting the future is a fallible at best? But one thing the investment gurus and the rest of us can agree on: The value of a diversified portfolio.

What does that mean?

Many experts will suggest holding a percentage of your assets in a hard, tangible asset.

While it is possible that financial Apocalypse may be in our future, making hair-trigger decisions based on irrational fear is never a good idea.

For you, we hope that you're more of a considering type. You're willing to take the time to do some research and have discovered many of the advantages of owning precious metals in your retirement portfolio. Maybe you're come to the decision that gold

Hopefully, you're more of a considering type. You've taken the time to do some research and have discovered many of the advantages of owning precious metals in your retirement portfolio. You've come to the conclusion that gold might be the ideal investment choice as you're looking for something longer term - the kind of investment that will not only diversify your portfolio, but grow it over time.

Should You Invest in an ETF or Is Physical Gold the Way to Go?

First the question: What Is an ETF?

An ETF (Exchange-traded Fund) is basically similar to a mutual or index fund in that it performs based on gold market value and is traded like a stock on an exchange. A gold ETF may hold various gold assets including stocks in mining companies as well as gold reserves. Unlike precious metals, though, an ETF is not a tangible, hard asset. With an ETF, instead of holding possession of the actual metal, you hold only paper. As some experts will say, if you don't hold it, you don't own it. ETFs don't provide investors with the most direct exposure to gold not in the way that owning physical metal.

As there are many ETFs from which to choose, deciding which is for you should be a decision based on performance, expense ratios, fees, etc. You can also purchase ETFs on margin. This means that investors only front a percentage of the investment's value. Investors with experience in margin buys know that when prices go up, you can magnify your returns handsomely. But it's also a double-edged sword: When you're on the downside, you lose money twice as fast.

Are You the Right Kind of Investor for ETFs?

Are you risk averse? Do you have an iron gut? Can you cover your loses? Then, maybe margin buying is for you.

If you're a steely-nerved high-frequency trader looking for something that'll allow you to quickly move in and out of positions multiple times a day, then ETFs may be your game. ETFs are best suited for the short term. ETFs also give investors the opportunity to participate in gold and silver without having to take physical ownership of any asset. But if you want to own physical gold or silver you'll need to be more patient. Precious metals are a longer term investment better suited to actual investors, not "traders."

Currently, gold is experiencing a selloff that is making prices low. Prices this low provide investors an excellent opening for accumulating a long-term position in physical holdings of gold.

ETFs vs Physical Gold

While an ETF allows the investor to benefit from the price moves of gold or silver, there are also several risks and other detrimental qualities that you don't encounter with owning physical metals.

The benefits of physical gold:

• It is a tangible asset with inherent value

• It's a time honored hedge against paper stock volatility

• It's balances the performance of your portfolio

• Protects against bank failures

• Great liquidity

What Don't You Get with an ETF:

• As a paper stock it holds no inherent value

• It offers little protection against stock market volatility

• Little accountability - custodianship of gold holdings are not audited

• High reporting requirements

Where to Get More Information

With the stock market and the U.S. Dollar at a five year high, and the spot price of gold at a five year low, there may be no better time to invest in gold.

But don't go into it blindly.

You can begin by downloading a FREE mini-course that can help answer many of your questions about gold and silver investing and Self-directed IRAs. (See link below.) This course is full of important money-saving investment tips and expert advice. This course was designed to help investors save precious time and possibly thousands of dollars.

John Roz is a Managing Director at a boutique precious metals wholesaler in Los Angeles. He has worked in the industry for over 15 years. He writes about precious metals investing and retirement accounts.

How To Sell Gold: 3 Things You Must Know

If you want to sell gold, you must be fully equipped with as much information as possible. This knowledge will help you get the best possible price.

What Is Involved In The Selling Process?

People who have broken or unwanted pieces of gold jewelry can easily sell them off to gold dealers and jewelers. These gold-buying companies purchase such jewelry and extract the gold from it. Therefore, your broken pieces of jewelry are still valuable, as long as they contain the precious metal.

When planning to sell your jewelry, it's always wise to check different offers from a number of jewelers. You're likely to find a better price from the second or third jeweler that you visit. Alternatively, you can check for different offers from gold dealers, many of whom offer online quotes.

How Much Money Can You Get From It?

Having a prior estimate of the price you might get for your jewelry is important. An assessment carried out by Money Saving Expert on April 2014, revealed some of the prices you would get for a sample of gold items:

- An 18 carat wedding ring would give approximately $103.

- A 9 carat gold ring had a price of approximately $47.

- A pair of 9 carat stud earrings would give you approximately $8.

- An old gold tooth crown (14 carat) had a price of approximately $55.

- A 9 carat butterfly back earring would give you approximately $1.92.

Such prices reflect the expected returns from selling old and broken items. You can expect higher returns from top carat items.

Taxes on Gold

When calculating your net profit from selling gold items, you must first consider the expected cost. Obviously, any taxes you pay will affect this calculations.

Two forms of taxation must be considered. These include GST (Goods and Services Tax) and CGT (Capital Gains Tax).

In the first instance, GST wouldn't apply to jewelry and numismatic coins, since they aren't considered investment grade gold. For a metal to be considered taxable under the GST Act, it must possess the character of that particular metal and not a different character, such as jewelry. This means that such precious metal must possess a specified fineness, apart from being in an investment form.

Some of the precious metals considered taxable under the GST Act include:

(I) Gold (in an investment form) bearing at least 99.5% fineness.

(ii) Platinum of at least 99% fineness and in an investment form.

(iii) Silver (in an investment form) bearing at least 99.9% fineness.

(iv) Any other substance that is in an investment form and possesses a particular fineness specified in the regulations.

According to the Australian Taxation Office, instances when GST is applicable include transactions when bullion dealers sell such products as 22k gold coins or 92.5% sterling silver coins.

On the other hand Capital Gains Tax would apply when you sell your gold jewelry. Capital gain is simply the difference between the cost of acquiring an asset and income received after selling it. The Australian Taxation Office states that CGT is actually part of your income tax.

The insights offered by Abraham can help you benefit from investing in gold. You too can achieve great financial results similar to his successful investment in gold. You can easily apply these practical ideas with positive results.

Cash For Gold: How To Avoid Getting Duped

With world gold prices soaring in the midst of another global financial wave of turmoil, experts are warning people that seek to cash in their jewelry to be cautious concerning those they transact with. Similarly, the festive season is fast approaching and many will be at the pawn or jeweler's shop to dispose some gold item for the needed cash. Before you head that direction, take a look at these steps and word of caution.

Check Your Gold For Hallmarks

Hallmarking is generally any distinguishing trait or characteristic on precious metals. Before you dispose your gold articles, make sure you have verified its hallmarking. This way, you will be having an estimate of its value. You can verify if your potential buyer is party to the international standards on hallmarking laid down by the Vienna Convention 1972 through their website. Alternatively, you could visit the World Gold Council (WGC) for more insights on this.

Hallmarking generally guarantees that jewelry has been tested and that it meets certain set quality standards. The hallmarking ought to contain jeweler's mark, year of marking, fineness, code letter and hallmarking center mark.

Melted Gold May Diminish In Value

If you are selling cash for gold, be aware that the dealers will only pay you for the actual gold content and not for other artistic or ornamental attributes contained therein. The other precious stones may be of no value to them. Make sure that you discuss everything with the buyer prior to agreeing to sell your gold items or have the precious stones removed first.

Confirm The Karat Content

Gold is a soft metal and has to be hardened by the addition of other metals like zinc and silver before it makes jewelry. The karat content informs you about the purity level of your gold. A higher karat count means the more pure is the gold and hence more valuable when selling. Therefore don't sell your gold unless you know the karat content. Pure gold stands at 24 Karats or 99.9% purity and 999 fineness.

Verify The Reputation Of Dealers

Generally, regulations internationally require that you identify yourself when selling gold. Similarly insist on them also identifying themselves by showing you their certifications and trading licenses. This ensures that you are not abetting money laundering. Insist on getting an official receipt for any gold sold.

Don't Sell When Under Pressure

While selling make sure that there is no pressure coming from the buyer or salesperson. G. Jeffrey MacDonald writing for the Christian Science Monitor in December 2010 in an article headed "Want to sell your gold, silver jewelry? Research first", warns that to get the best prices for gold, find out its weight and purity, then take your time and compare the offers.

Stick to these steps and words of caution and odds being duped get reduced dramatically. Gold is basically a costly item and its prices have in the last one decade almost tripled in terms of value. It pays to be careful and not live to regret later after the deal has gone sour. The trick is doing your homework comprehensively before you engage the buyers and online resources are plenty for this.