Tanzania – a land rich in gold

Recent research suggests that Tanzania could well be one of the largest producers of gold in the world. As a country, Tanzania has always been blessed as a land rich in minerals. Tanzania is a young nation, having gained its independence in 1961 after many years of colonial rule. Political parties were allowed only post-1992 after which the country held its first democratic elections in 1995. The current president, John Magafuli was elected in 2015. Mining accounts for 3.3% of the country’s GDP as per figures from 2013. Interestingly, 89% of the country’s exports come from gold mining. It is one of the biggest businesses in Tanzania. Apart from gold, the country’s diamond mining industry is also significant.

A spurt in gold mining

Tanzania’s gold production has increased by 700% in the last 25 years and Tanzania is the world’s 4^th largest gold producer. One of the largest gold companies in the country is Acacia Mining. The company mines its gold largely from the Bulyanhulu and Buzwagi gold mines. Acacia mines and exports around 4,000 containers every year at a rate of 333 containers each month. Tanzania’s high yield mining sites, Buzwagi and Bulyanhulu are located in a town called Kahama, in the Lake Victoria region of the country, which is well known as part of the country’s lucrative gold belt.

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The nature of the underground rock structures at these mines ensures that 50% of the gold is recovered at the site itself. The balance is usually recovered from other mines which produce a gold-copper concentrate ore. However, this means that the gold still needs to be extracted from the ore. Acacia produces around 1,500,000 ounces of gold per year, which is valued at $1.89bn is the international market. Clearly, these statistics position Tanzania as the leader in gold mining in Africa. South Africa is the only other African nation that comes close in terms of gold production with annual production volumes of 140 metric tonnes.

In a recent controversy, Tanzania imposed a ban on gold exports as well as exports of other precious minerals from the country in March 2017. The ban has affected several multi-national companies involved in mining operations in the country. The Tanzanian government has stated that the ban is designed to prevent minerals from being taken out of the country for processing. However, many believe that the ban is a pressure tactic by the current government against Acacia Mining, due to an unresolved tax dispute with the company. The company’s output accounts for almost 2% of the country’s GDP.

Reasons for Tanzania’s gold mining boom

The history of Tanzania’s gold mining boom

dates back to the early 90s when the country’s political structure opened up for greater democracy. The liberalisation of the mining industry at the time meant that by the late 80s, the monopoly exercised by the country’s state mining company, a public sector company was brought to an end. This allowed any citizen to get into mining and sell minerals. The second act of liberalisation was the country’s government allowing multi-national corporations to enter the gold exports business in the country and grow their presence in the country. The country benefited hugely through these moves, as the foreign exchange earnings multiplied and could be used to import consumer goods, invest in infrastructure, etc. These economic moves led to a virtual cycle, which in turn kicked off the artisanal gold mining boom in Tanzania.

Call us to find out more about gold investments

Of course, in order to be a savvy gold investor, you needn’t worry about Tanzanian gold. Our investment team at Physical gold can advise you on the best buys when it comes to investing in gold and building a great portfolio. All it takes is a phone call. Call us now on 020 7060 9992 or get in touch through our website to speak to a member of our team.

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In London today, buying gold is relatively easy, as this can be easily done through an online broker. Firstly, as a gold buyer, you need to be aware of the dos and don’ts of buying gold. There are certain advantages to buying gold online. Generally, online brokers build supply chains with large suppliers who are able to provide a wider variety of gold coins and bars that they source at competitive prices. This is vastly different from a high street broker who may only have a limited inventory to offer you, due to constraints of storage space.

When you buy gold from a high street shop, the onus is on you to make the right decision when buying, and you need to be able to tell whether or not the gold you are being sold is proper. A reputable online broker will have a team of experts, along with modern testing methods to ensure that anything you buy from them is already pre-checked and good to go. Of course, online brokers are also able to give you a better price as they do not need to incur the extra costs associated with running a regular high street store. They can offer a range of delivery and storage options, including secured storage at an approved vault, as well as secured, insured delivery to your door.

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What to look for when dealing with an online broker

As long as the broker is a reliable one, you can rest assured that the product you’re buying is genuine and a good investment. Usually, the broker needs to be registered with an appropriate body like the British Numismatists Trade Association (BNTA). It’s important to remember that a single bad transaction could prove dear, as buying gold usually involve large sums of money.

While it’s true that you may get a good deal from an online broker, equally there are criminals who use the internet to hide. So, it’s up to you to do the proper background check on the dealer before entering into a transaction. In general, a good online broker will have a customer service line through which they can be contacted. A genuine broker will be transparent at all times and be willing to answer all your questions. If the broker in question isn’t doing that, you should be concerned and be careful of dealing with the company.

Buying gold online from Physical Gold

Physical Gold is a leading online broker that does all of the above and more. You can register for a free account on the website. It doesn’t matter whether you’re buying gold or not. You will still benefit from market commentary, expert opinion, industry news and buying guides, all of which are available in our ‘insights’ section.

We offer certain categories in gold. These are our Tax-Free Gold products, Pension Gold and our Monthly Saver Packages. When buying online, simply register and select the type of gold you want. Next just add your purchases to your shopping cart. Payment is easy and convenient through a bank transfer or just about any debit or credit card. You may be pleased to know that we also use a 3D secure payment system that ensures that criminals can’t hack your bank details while you’re online.

After paying, all you need to do next is select the delivery and storage option that you prefer. We offer secure, insured delivery on most products. Alternatively, we can store your gold for you at our LBMA approved storage facility. In this case, you will receive documentation from us guaranteeing your purchase and confirming that it’s in storage, that you are the legal owner of your asset and that you can access it whenever you like. Our products are shipped with a certificate of authenticity  upon request and we also give you a buyback guarantee on our products.

Call our team to find out more

Our team of experts are always willing to assist customers. You can call them on 020 7060 9992 and speak to them about buying gold online from us. You can also message us through our website and a member of our team will call you right back. We hope that the products you purchase will give you years of joy and appreciate greatly in value over the years to come.

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Spot prices of gold

The spot prices of gold change each day on the international commodities markets. These prices of gold are set by the COMEX exchange in New York. These prices remain prevalent through that day. Indeed, like all other commodities, these prices vary due to a number of factors. Of course, one of them is supply and demand. In 2017, the total amount of gold produced was 3.15 thousand metric tonnes. In contrast, this figure was 2,470 metric tonnes in 2005.

The fluctuating demand for gold

The demand for gold, however, is not dependent merely on supply and demand. Like all precious metals, gold is a lucrative asset class that investors turn to in times of turmoil in the international capital markets. For example, the current imminent trade war between China and the US has already seen several risk-averse investors move their money to gold.

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Gold prices, therefore, are dependent on macro-economic factors such as economic stability around the world, geo-political triggers such as terrorist action and wars, as well as seismic shifts in the international capital markets. If we study gold prices over the last ten years, we can see that the spot price skyrocketed to $1900 levels in August 2011. This was a huge surge from 2008, only three years back, when gold was $869.75.

 

Volatility in gold prices

This meteoric rise of gold in just 3 years was largely due to the bubbling global financial crisis, which eventually saw the stock markets implode on August 8, 2011, commonly known as Black Monday 2011. But, again the fall of the stock markets at the time was not an isolated event in itself. It was a knee jerk reaction by paranoid investors pulling their money out of the beleaguered US economy, as a result of the US debt ceiling crisis. The American national debt basically spiralled out of control, with Standard and Poor downgrading the AAA rating for the US economy.

During every crisis over the last 20 years – the dotcom bubble, the 2008 US sub-prime debt crisis and the 2011 crisis, investors turned to gold to hedge their risks. So, we can see that the prices of gold react heavily to the economic environment at large. Even inflation is a driving factor, as is the weakening of the US dollar or the pound. However, in the middle of all the ups and downs, gold has steadily become dearer over the decades. The word ‘decades’ is an important thing to note here. As a savvy gold investor, you have to be able to take a long-term view. If you want to extract value from the precious metal, you need to remain invested over a ten or twenty-year period. It’s not the kind of game, where you can make a fast buck, get in or out. Investors who have a speculative approach to investing aren’t going to extract value out of gold.

So, how much is a kilo of gold?

So, to answer our initial question – how much is a kilo of gold worth? Well, the straight answer is that it depends on purity and price. The purity, or fineness of gold is denoted in numbers. Gold, which is only 75% pure will be called 750. 999.5 means that the gold is almost 100% pure and investors would buy it as such. We can, therefore, calculate how much a kilo of pure 999.9% gold, at today’s prices of £1,459.00 would be. But again, this is the price for 1 troy ounce of gold. What is a troy ounce?  A troy ounce is equal to 31.103 grams. Therefore, the price of 31.103 grams of pure gold at today’s price is £1,459.00. So, when we do the math, a kilo of gold at today’s prices is worth approximately £46,908.66. However in the real world, a kilo gold bar cannot be bought at the spot rate but is available at a small premium above that rate. This includes costs such as production and shipping. As of 19 Oct 2022, we’re currently selling a brand new Metalor kilo of gold at £47,769.00.

Call us to find out more about buying gold

At Physical Gold, we pride ourselves on being a reputed online broker and giving investors a fair deal. We have many types of gold that we sell. Please call us on 020 7060 9992 or contact us via email to get in touch with a member of our investments team. We are always happy to discuss your investment goals and advise you on the best gold products to buy.

Image credits: Wikimedia Commons and Wikimedia Commons

For many, their wedding day is a very special day indeed, one that could be considered the happiest day in the life of a young couple. The exchange of marriage vows, adorned in special wedding attire makes the event a celebration, the memories of which would hopefully be cherished by friends and family in the years to come. Irrespective of religion, class or nationality, weddings all over the world are carried out with pomp and gaiety and in a similar spirit. The only things that are different are the customs, in keeping with diversity across the world.

The wedding gift

Of course, gifting is a major part of the wedding festivities and often gifts of value are showered upon the joyous couple. The most valuable gifts usually come from close friends and family. Brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents and close friends will all pull out their wallets and spend lavishly on getting the happy couple a memorable gift. There are certain emotions that people generally follow when making the decision to purchase a gift. People generally try to align the gift with the personal tastes of the receiver of the gift. For many, they intend the gift to be something more than just a gift. They intend the gift to have emotional impact, so the couple would remember the person who gave them the gift.

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However, far too many people end up buying kitchen accessories and home décor when it comes to buying a wedding gift. Simply typing in ‘popular wedding gifts’ into Google, brings up a laundry list of items such as cupcake carriers, mixing bowls, glass bowl sets and baking utensils. Items of greater value perhaps, include luxury watches and even holidays for two to Dubai. But, none of these gifts will stand the test of time. Holidays will be enjoyed and a few memories preserved in the minds of the holidaymakers and pictures. Other luxury items like watches, google glasses, too will eventually reach the end of their product lives and be eventually forgotten. In order to select a wedding gift that is timeless, has lifetime value that grows and has a huge impact, one needs to turn to silver or gold.

Gold as a wedding gift

The timeless value of gold can never be disputed and the precious metal makes a great wedding gift. For a high-value gift that is both impactful and unique, one can consider buying a gold bar. Gold bars are available in different sizes, from 1oz bars to 500gms and even 1 kilo.

A popular gold bar of choice is the 100g gold bar which offers great value for money. However, if buying a gold bar is not your thing, it’s worth considering gold coins instead. Gold is, of course, a wedding gift that is an asset for the young couple and for many, could be a first investment in building a wealth portfolio. They will always thank you for helping them take a step in that direction. Physical gold has many options for buying gold coins. Popular choices include the Gold Sovereign, the Gold Britannia, the 1oz Gold Lunar Dog and the Gold Krugerrand. For a great wedding gift, consider buying a case of gold coins. Cases that can hold up to 10 coins are available.

Silver as a wedding gift

In terms of budget, silver is a great deal cheaper than buying gold. In fact, the price of silver is approximately 75 times cheaper than gold. However, just because silver is cheaper than gold, doesn’t mean that it makes any less of a gift than gold. The fact that silver is cheaper, means that you can invest in more of it as a gift. Like any precious metal, it shares the properties of timelessness, uniqueness and ascending value. Physical gold has some excellent choices in silver bars, as well as collectable silver coins. An amazing purchase is the 1 kilo silver bar. Other great options in silver include the 1oz Silver Maple Leaf Coin, 2oz Silver Queens Beast Bull and the Silver Lunar Rooster.

Call our precious metals experts before you buy a wedding gift

Talk to our team of experts at Physical Gold, before you dash off and buy a wedding gift. Our precious metals experts can help guide you on the best purchase to make, so the wedding gift you buy has great style, depth and appreciates in value in the years to come. Call us on 020 7060 9992 or contact us via our website. The couple you’re buying the gift for will be happy you did.

Image credits: Bullion Vault and Pixabay

 

A popular theme that songwriters across the world write about is none other than ‘gold’. It seems that mankind’s fascination with the precious metal has been immortalised in song, through the lyrics itself or in the song title. To study an apt example of the theme used in the body of the song itself takes us back to 1969 with the release of the Hollywood blockbuster, Mackenna’s Gold.

The theme song of the movie, Old Turkey Buzzard, is sung by the blind Puerto Rican singer, Jose´ Feliciano, with lyrics by Freddie Douglas. The song itself was produced by Quincy Jones, who later produced the superstar, Michael Jackson. The lyrics of the haunting tune tell the story of the desperation of men and how they dream about gold and would steal and die for gold on the rocks below, as they’ve just got to have that gold and are prepared to do anything for it. In this article, we’ll explore songs that talk about ‘gold’ in its title or the body of the song.

1)    Spandau Ballet – Gold

The 1983 single by UK band, Spandau Ballet, is the fourth song from their album ‘True’. The song was written by Gary Kemp and reached No. 2 on the UK singles chart and No. 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song is meant to be a love song, although the lyrics also talk about belief in oneself and how everyone should believe in themselves, as each individual is like ‘gold’. The interesting allusion to people investing in themselves to build their own strength is surprisingly similar to the philosophy of gold investors, who build their portfolios in steady and regular investments, with a vision of eventually building a strong and robust foundation that helps their wealth-building objectives ‘stand tall’, like the lyrics of the song.

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2)    Fields of Gold – Sting

A 1993 release from world-renowned UK artist Sting, the song ‘Fields of Gold’, climbed to No. 16 on the UK singles charts. The song talks about the view from Sting’s 16^th century Wiltshire manor house. In the song’s lyrics, there is a promise to his lady love – in the days still left, we’ll walk in fields of gold. Of course, the reference to gold is symbolic, brought about by the golden colours of the fields, shining in the sun.  However, there appears to be a deeper meaning, an allusion to harvesting the rewards of a life’s work. Investments in gold and other precious metals take on a similar sentiment, with investors building a nest egg to fall back on in the autumn of their lives. In fact, many investors steadily invest in gold as a part of their pension funds. These investors can gain a 45% income tax relief by investing regularly through SIPP pension schemes.

3)    Goldfinger – Shirley Bassey

Of course, another all-time classic is the song ‘Goldfinger’ by Dame Shirley Bassey, which is the title track of the James Bond movie of the same name. The tune was composed by John Barry and the song was a top 10 hit, selling more than a million copies in the United States alone. The song talks ‘the man with the Midas’ touch,’ something that investors can relate to. Indeed, there are many investors who always pick the right investments at the right time and everything they do always turns to gold.

4)    24 karat magic – Bruno Mars

American artist Bruno Mars released the song 24 karat magic in 2016. The song is an interesting blend of hip-hop, contemporary rhythm and blues and disco. Upon release, the song came in at number 5 on the US charts and sold in excess of 1.7mn copies in the US alone within a year. The lyrics of the song talks about the 24 karat magic that’s in the air as all the girls put their pinkie rings up to the moon. The song is a tribute to the pomp and grandeur that’s brought into the world of pop music by the fashion divas. Of course, the ’24 karat magic’ resembles all the gold that’s worn by the stars of the pop world.

5)    Fools’ gold – the Stone Roses

From 1989 comes the song ‘fool’s gold’,

written and composed by the UK band, Stone Roses. The song did not climb the charts, however, it entered later in playlists for the greatest indie anthems and the Triple J Hottest 100 of all time. The song was also used in various remixes and mash ups created by artists like Aaliyah and Run DMC. The song tells the story of a gold hunter who is making his way to find gold and how he risks his life for that gold, which ultimately may not be worth it.

Find out more about gold investments

There have been many songs written about gold, but a common theme that rings out in almost all of them is the human desire to possess gold. The precious metal has been a sound investment through centuries. If you’re keen on investing in gold, check out our guide on how to buy gold. Call our investment advisory team on 020 7060 9992 or get in touch with us online and they’ll be happy to give you information on the best gold investments that you can make, which you can’t find out from the songs about gold that are out there.

 

Image credits: Daniel Kruczynski and Wikimedia Commons

Saving for your retirement is a top priority

If you’re currently saving for your retirement, then it’s possible that you’re using a Self Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) as one of your main methods of saving.

Your SIPP will probably carry a range of bonds, funds, shares and other elements, known as asset classes, depending on how it was set up. If you manage your SIPP yourself, then you may have added certain shares to it over time. If a company manage it on your behalf, then they will likely assign your SIPP to various funds.

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SIPP Gold

However, did you know that you can also add gold to your SIPP?

Gold is a separate asset class on its own and can be a very valuable part of your SIPP. But why is this? How do you add gold to your SIPP and how does it benefit your pension savings?

Firstly, the reason many people have gold in their SIPP is to provide a ‘hedge’ against the other elements of their pension. Gold isn’t linked to the price of traded shares, so for example, if the markets go down, it doesn’t necessarily mean the price of gold will also fall. In fact, historically, gold has tended to rise when traded shares have fallen.

This can help your SIPP maintain its value due to this balance. Having a diversified SIPP like this can mean that, overall, your SIPP retains its value, or at least is protected because of this diversification, if the markets were to fall.

In this way, gold can provide security and protection to your SIPP, where otherwise it might be viewed as being exposed to market crashes, regardless of which shares or funds it’s invested in.

Hedging against inflation

The other big reason to add gold to your SIPP is to hedge against inflation. Although the consumer price index (CPI) data shows that inflation has fallen significantly in the last four years, the current forecast for 2018 shows inflation hovering around the 2.4% mark. Infact, UK inflation fell from 4.5% in 2011 to 0% in 2015 – a huge drop. But then, in the last two years, it rose by 2.7%, a big jump. This kind of volatility in inflation rates is ample cause for worry when it comes to protecting your investments. Inflation is one of the important market forces that simply erode your investments, as the value of your nest egg diminishes as the buying power of the pound crumbles. However, investing in gold protects your investments from both these factors. As the prices of goods and services in the economy go up, so does gold, hedging you against the risk of inflation. In addition, market trends show that investors always turn to gold, when their faith in global currencies like the dollar or pound is shaken. This creates additional market demand, further driving up the prices of gold. Since you invested wisely years ago, you are able to reap your harvest now and cash in on the higher prices.

Hedging against global crisis

Yet another important consideration is to hedge against global uncertainty. If there is a constant in our world today, this is it. Now, let’s say you’re currently in your 50s. You have another 15 odd years to retire. There’s no telling whether the current global situation is going to get better or worse. The US-China trade wars are probably going to become more intensive, as India and China become economically stronger each year. The rifts and uncertainty in Europe that started with Brexit could get worse. Already, the Russian government is seriously hedging by increasing its gold reserves as are India and China. This needs to be an important consideration when saving for your retirement and you could be better off diversifying that retirement portfolio that you’re working on, by adding gold to your SIPP, by simply downloading our investment instruction form.

Get in touch to know more about adding gold to your SIPP

Adding gold to your SIPP is also easy. If you already have a SIPP, then Physical Gold can organise the addition of gold as part of your existing investment. If you don’t already have a SIPP, then we can help you set one up, and start your investment with some gold savings.

Pension gold is a great way to save for your retirement and a great way to ‘hedge’ your existing investments for a more secure future. You can find out more about how Physical Gold can help you do this here.

Call us on 020 7060 9992 or contact us online to find out more.

Daniel Fisher formed Physical Gold in 2008, after working in the financial industry for 20 years. He spent much of that time working within the new issue fixed income business at a top tier US bank. In this role, he traded a large book of fixed income securities, raised capital for some of the largest government, financial, and corporate institutions in the world and advised the leading global institutional investors. Daniel is CeFA registered and is a member of the Institute of Financial Planning.

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Much has been written and said about the subject of precious metals and its pursuit by humans. Many have spoken about the joy and splendour of acquiring precious metals like silver and gold. Still, others have spoken about the futility of material pursuits and its lifelong obsession by its pursuers. In this section, we explore 15 quotes about gold that could possibly tickle our intellect.

1)

“Don’t gain the world and lose your soul; wisdom is better than silver and gold” – Bob Marley

In this quote, famous reggae singer-songwriter Bob Marley reminds us about the futility of chasing material things and alludes to the fact that knowledge and wisdom is far more precious an asset than man’s love for silver and gold. Source: Brainyquote.com.

2)

“It’s health that is real wealth, not pieces of gold and silver” – Mahatma Gandhi

Freedom fighter and champion of peace and non-violence, Mahatma Gandhi was an international personality, famous for his philosophy and frugal living. Indeed, this thought process is quite apt. People who ignore their health and focus only on building wealth, may not be able to enjoy the fruits of their labour, once their health breaks down. Source: Sparkpeople.com

 

 

3)

“Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination and a hard to find alloy called guts.”

– Dan Gable
Former American freestyle wrestler and coach Dan Gable talks about the real ingredients required inside a human being to win a gold medal. With greater introspection, we realise that it isn’t just the gold medals won in a tournament that he is referring to. It’s every achievement in life, and nothing good comes easy. Source: Goodreads.com

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4)

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost.”

– J. R. Tolkien
This is an old saying, which simply reiterates the old maxim that everything isn’t always what it appears to be. It is taken from a poem written by Tolkien for the book – The Lord of the rings. Source: Wikipedia.

5)

“Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.”

– Leo Tolstoy
Tolstoy applies the principle used by gold diggers during the gold rush, where gold was sifted from river beds and dirt and gravel washed away. In the same way, the truth emerges once all other possibilities are considered and ruled out. Source: Supanet.com

6)

“Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men”

– Martha Graham
Martha Graham was an American dancer and choreographer. The quote refers to the laboratory practice of removing impurities and base metals from gold by heating it up to 1100 degrees to extract 24k gold for conversion into gold bars and gold coins. Graham uses the comparison to say that winners come out stronger during tough times. Source: Quotefancy.com

7)

“But in truth, should I meet with gold or spices in great quantity, I shall remain till I collect as much as possible, and for this purpose, I am proceeding solely in quest of them”

– Christopher Columbus
Indeed, Christopher Columbus, the great Spanish conquistador echoes the sentiment of the explorers – to amass untold wealth and carry it back to their country. Source: izquotes.com

8)

“Everything has its limit – iron ore cannot be educated into gold”

– Mark Twain
Mark Twain, the great American novelist reminds us that people can be educated and empowered, but everyone’s own innate ability has limitations. Beyond that limit, no amount of empowerment is beneficial, in the same way, that alchemists failed to turn base metals into gold, although they tried for centuries. Source: Setquotes.com

Watch our video now – Gold & silver investment jargon explained

 

9)

“Praise, like gold and diamonds, owes its value only to its scarcity”

– Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson was an English writer and a poet. The writer compares praise to precious metals and concludes that praise when showered frequently, loses its value. It is valuable only when scarce, just like gold and silver. Source: quodid.com

10)

“The most pitiful among men is he who turns his dreams into silver and gold”

– Kahlil Gibran
Gibran, the award-winning Lebanese-American author speaks about the futility of chasing riches for a lifetime, instead of enriching themselves. Source: wishafriend.com

11)

“Brass shines as fair to the ignorant as gold to the goldsmiths”

– Elizabeth I
The Tudor queen, Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII ruled England from 1558 – 1603. This period was known as the Elizabethan era and the country prospered greatly. She was a visionary and successful ruler and is quoted frequently. Here she implies that things that have no value seem otherwise to ignorant people, in the same way, that a seasoned goldsmith recognises gold instantly. Source: quotes.yourdictionary.com

12)

“Commodities such as gold and silver have a world market that transcends national borders, politics, religions, and race. A person may not like someone else’s religion, but he’ll accept his gold”

– Robert Kiyosaki
Robert Kiyosaki is an American businessman and author. He has authored 26 books, including a personal finance bestseller called ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’. In this great quote, Kiyosaki establishes the timelessness of gold and its appeal across the world. The universal value of gold and other precious metals are recognised by people who come from different cultures and every walk of life. Gold is of course insulated from political uncertainty as savvy investors move their investments to gold in order to escape market volatility caused by geo-political forces. Source: Goldsilver.com

13)

“The desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means of freedom and benefit”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Emerson was an American lecturer, philosopher and poet who lived in the 19th century. In this visionary quote, he equates the acquisition of wealth to personal freedom and the means to pursue whatever is desired. Indeed, most gold investors invest in precious metal with this end in mind. Source: Novascotiagold.ca

14)

“The desire for gold is the most universal and deeply rooted commercial instinct of the human race”

– Gerald M. Loeb
Gerald M. Loeb was an American stockbroker and investment guru who founded E. F. Hutton & Co., a well-known Wall Street brokerage company. Forbes magazine called him ‘the most quoted man on Wall Street.’ In this quote, Loeb alludes to the human instinct of wealth accumulation, which motivates and energises everyone. Investors take every opportunity to amass wealth whenever the opportunity presents itself. Source: Marketslant.com

15)

“Gold is a treasure, and he who possesses it does all he wishes to in this world and succeeds in helping souls into paradise”

– Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus, the explorer believes that gold can be a solution to all desires and can empower humans to do anything in the world, including saving their souls. Gold, he believes has the power of the heavens. Of course, we must remember that Columbus had been given a task by the Spanish king – to amass wealth and return. Source: azquotes.com

Call us to find out everything you need to know about gold

At Physical Gold, we love hearing from customers just like you. We have a great team of experts who are ever willing to help you out by finding out more about your investment goals and imparting advice on how to build your investment portfolio with gold. Call us on 020 7060 9992 or contact us through our website to find out more.

Image credits: Pixnio, Pixabay and Bullion Vault

Numismatists and their passion for collectables

The practice of collecting coins, paper notes, tokens, etc. is called numismatics. Numismatists can be found all over the world, from every walk of life, and they are passionate about finding and collecting. There is an inherent thrill about digging up remnants of the past and finding a piece of history and holding it in your hand.

Owning a piece of history

Of course, many such collectors also get involved in the history of the coins they find and conduct their own research. That can be an absorbing experience in itself.  For many, it’s also about the value that the particular coins command. So, just for clarity, numismatists do not necessarily collect only gold and silver coins. For example, this coin from one Mughal emperor in India dates back to 1538 and is highly collectable, but made of the base metal, copper and not silver or gold.

Again, many numismatists as well as people who aren’t numismatists also collect gold and silver coins for their value. Some collect coins as bullion, as an investment in precious metals. Others purchase historic or collectable coins that are greater in value than their just their price in gold or silver, This is due to the fact that these collectable coins enjoy great demand from collectors and their market value is decided by the price that collectors are willing to pay for them. In this article, we’ll look at 20 highly collectable coins that are not just collectable, but also a great investment.

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1)     The flowing hair dollar, USA, 1794

This was the first dollar ever issued by the US federal government as a coin, post the war of independence. The coins were originally minted in 1794 and 1795 and made of silver. The silver dollar from 1794 is one of the rarest and most valued. The coin fetched $10.01mn at an auction in 2013.

2)     The gold double eagle, USA, 1933

The double eagle is a 20 dollar coin, which is otherwise known as the St. Gauden’s Double Eagle. These were minted in 1933, just before World War II. However, they were never released and ordered to be melted down. Interestingly, 20 survived and were eventually picked up by collectors, however, the US government spared no effort in recovering them and nine were taken back and melted. Most of the remaining ones are held by the US government and only one is privately held, which was purchased in 2002 for $7.59mn.

3)     Brasher doubloon, USA, 1787

The Brasher Doubloon is a 22 karat gold coin minted by Ephraim Brasher in 1787. It was a coin he minted privately along with other gold coins and copper ones when he petitioned the State of New York to mint copper coins and was denied. The doubloon that survived weighs 26.6g and was sold at an auction in 2018 for $5mn.

4)     $10 proof eagle, USA, 1804

The $10 eagle was issued by the US mint up to 1933. The Mint issued the first eagle in 1792. It was the largest of all the coin denominations, the others being the cent, the dime and the dollar. In October 2007, a $10 gold eagle sold for $5mn.

5)     Liberty head nickel, USA, 1913

The liberty head nickel, a 5 cent coin, was produced in very small quantities, which was unauthorized by the US mint at the time. This makes it one of the most coveted coins for numismatists. Only 5 of these exist now and in 2010, one of them fetched $3.7mn at an auction.

6)     The bust dollar, USA, 1804

Another name for this dollar dated 1804, which was struck post-1830 is the Bowed Liberty Dollar. There are only 15 in existence, and it is a very sought after coin. One of these coins sold for $4.1mn in 1999.

7)     The birch cent, USA, 1792

The 1792 cent is an important part of US history. In 2015, this coin sold for $2.5mn at an auction. An engraving of liberty is visible on the front of the coin.

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8)     The quarter eagle, USA, 1808

The quarter eagle was born during the coinage act of 1792 in the US. Its value was 250 cents or two and a half dollars. Few were struck and the ones from the early 1800s are quite rare. In 2015 a quarter eagle sold for $2.35mn.

9)     The rolled edge eagle, USA, 1907

The rolled edge 10 dollar American eagle weighs 16.70 grams and is made of pure gold. Only 42 were minted and in 2011, one was auctioned at $2.1mn.

10)     Polish 100 ducats, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, 1621

The 100 ducat coins were minted by the then ruler of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to commemorate his victory over the Turkish Ottoman invasion at the battle of Chocim. On the obverse is the head of the king in full regalia. It is the most expensive Polish coin ever minted and recently in 2018, it fetched a price of $2.1mn.

11)     Barber dime, USA, 1894

The Barber Dime gets its name from the Barber coinage where it was produced. Only 24 were made and 9 have survived till date. It is one of the rarest US coins for numismatists and in 2016, one sold for $1.9mn.

12)     Ummayad Dinar, Ummayad Caliphate, 723 A.D.

The Ummayad Dinar is a coin issued by the Ummayad Caliphate, to commemorate the occasion of the Caliph leading a pilgrimage to Mecca. It is a very rare Islamic coin and in April 2011 one was sold at $6.02mn.

13)     Edward III Florin, Great Britain, 1343

The English king, Edward III attempted to establish

a coinage for Europe in the 1300s and coined a gold coin. The continental florin weighed only 3.5g of pure gold and was rejected by merchants and subsequently withdrawn. In 2006, a buyer paid $680,000 for one of the three surviving coins.

14)     Pattern Disme, USA, 1792

The 1792 Half Disme pattern coin is thought to be the first coin struck by the US Mint. Around 200 of these survive to date. In 2014, one of the coins commanded a price of $528,750.

15)     Gold 2000 Yuan, China, 1992

The China mint struck pairs of 1 kg pure gold coins, one with a seismograph design and the other a compass. The coins have been certified by NGC. Only 10 were minted and in 2011 one was sold at a record $1.29mn.

16)     Confederate half dollar, USA, 1861

There are only four Confederate Half Dollars struck at the New Orleans Mint during the civil war. An NGC certified half dollar recently realised a price of $960,000 at an auction in 2017.

17)     Five dollars small eagle, USA, 1795

The small eagle five dollar coin was the first gold coin introduced in 1795. The coin weighs 8.75 grams in pure gold and fetched a price of $586,500 in 2008.

18)     Eagle on globe quarter dollar, USA, 1792

The eagle on globe quarter dollar was struck in copper by the US mint, and not with precious metals. However, the coin, which dates back to 1792, is an important part of American coinage history. In 2015, a job lot of a dozen coins sold for $2.2mn.

19)     Lavriller pattern penny, Great Britain, 1933

By far the most expensive copper coin in the world, only four of these George V pennies were coined in 1933. In 2016, one of these coins sold for £72,000 at an auction by A.H. Baldwin and Sons.

20)   Edward VIII gold proof sovereign, Great Britain, 1937

The Edward VIII gold sovereign is the most expensive coin to be coined by the Royal Mint. Due to the abdication of the King in under a year, the coin was never introduced for circulation. In 2014, the sovereign sold for a record £516,000.

Call us to know more about the best coin investments

At Physical Gold, our numismatics experts can impart valuable advice on investing in coins that are worth more than their weight in gold or silver. Call us on 020 7060 9992 or contact us via email to get in touch and find out more.

Image credits: Wikimedia commons, Wikimedia Commons and Wikimedia Commons

Why invest in gold?

We find “why invest in gold?” is one of the most frequently asked questions we receive. Apart from the fact that investments in gold make perfect sense during financial crises, it’s also a much sought-after asset class for creating a wealth-building portfolio. But how much gold should an investor’s portfolio have? In a report published by the World Gold Council, $7.5 trillion is the total value of all the gold mined on the planet so far.

This is approximately 4% of the total valuation of the international markets, spanning equity, bonds, stocks and precious metals. So, a great starting point is to have 4% gold in your overall portfolio to begin with. Of course, investors tend to step up their gold investments as time goes by if they believe that gold is likely to outperform over a certain length of time. For example, August 2011 was one such time when gold peaked at over $1990 per troy ounce.  At the time, many investors pulled out of the global capital markets and moved their investments into gold.

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5 ways you can benefit from long term gold investments

Apart from the steady rise in gold prices over the years, there are several more reasons why you should build a gold legacy that can benefit your descendants, to whom you can bequeath your estate.

1. Firstly, gold is a hard tangible asset that does not tarnish, diminish and or devalue over the years. Given that gold has continually appreciated in value, buying now can mean that your investments bear fruit in the later years of your life.
2. Many investors do not prefer to hold physical gold and instead invest in gold futures, or gold ETFs. However, we must remember that these investment vehicles carry counterparty risk. Counterparty risk is the risk posed by a counterparty. For example, if you buy gold backed paper ETFs, the company issuing the paper purchases certain amounts of gold to back your paper certificate. However, the company also sells similar investment vehicles to other investors. What is there isn’t enough gold to back the paper in the event of a market crash? Then you run the risk of losing your money. On the other hand, if you hold gold in its physical state, you avoid this risk altogether.
3. Gold is an excellent choice of asset class that can serve as ballast to form a strong and unshakable base for your diversified portfolio. What’s more, they are tax-free.
4. Fiat money, stocks and bonds are all subject to the forces of inflation, while gold is not in the short term. Over the longer term, gold is also subject to inflationary forces. However, we must remember that gold delivers value in the long-term. This is why it’s such a great long term investment.
5. Building a gold portfolio is easy. Why not register for a free account on Physical Gold, select the gold you need and add it to your online shopping cart. You will find three types of gold that are available on the website. You can get a monthly saver account and invest into this through a SIPP. There is a Pension Gold option that you can explore or simply buy gold coins and bars and opt for our secure delivery and storage option.

Buying gold coins as part of your legacy portfolio

Gold coins also make a great investment and they are stylish, sleek and can be stored as bullion over generations. Physical gold has excellent purchase options in the 1oz Gold Britannia coins, 1oz Canadian Maple Leaf coins and the 1oz Gold Krugerrand. Every product carries an authenticity certificate and a buyback guarantee. If you choose to store your wealth in one of our LBMA approved vaults, we will send you a storage agreement along with legal documents that establishes you as the rightful owner of the assets. When you give them away to your children or grandchildren, you simply transfer the rights, without having to take delivery.

Speak to our investment experts to discuss how to build a lasting portfolio

Our team of gold investment experts are always happy to advise you on what products to buy and when to buy them. Call us on 020 7060 9992 or contact us through our website to speak to our gold investment team, who can help you plan for your long-term investment goals.

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The Future for gold

Gold 2048 brings together industry-leading experts from across the globe to analyse how the gold market is set to evolve in the next 30 years.

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Key insights from authors such as George Magnus, senior economist; Rick Lacaille, Global Chief Investment Officer of State Street Global Advisors; and Michelle Ash, Chief Innovation Officer at Barrick Gold include:

• The expanding middle class in China and India, combined with broader economic growth, will have a significant impact on gold demand.
• Use of gold across energy, healthcare and technology is changing rapidly. Gold’s position as a material of choice is expected to continue and evolve over the coming decades.
• Mobile apps for gold investment, which allow individuals to buy, sell, invest and gift gold will develop rapidly in India and China.
• Environmental, social and governance issues will play an increasing role in re-shaping mining production methods.
• The gold mining industry will have to grapple with the challenge of producing similar levels of gold over the next 30 years to match the volume it has historically delivered.

To read the full 51-page white paper click below

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