Precious metals are metallic elements that occur naturally; they are rare and have intrinsic value and the chemical substance of these metals is not as reactive as several other elements. They are usually malleable and highly lustrous.
Some of the most commonly known precious metals are gold, silver, palladium, and platinum. These ingots have played significant roles in human history over the years. They have a unique composition that contributes to their value and demand. They are also useful for a number of purposes which include jewellery making, manufacturing, medical treatment, cosmetic surgery, and as currency and means of investment. You can check out this site for more information:https://en.wikipedia.org/
Features and Uses of Precious Metals
The major feature of these ingots is rarity; this means that they are not easily available and are in limited quantities. Some of the other features include the following:-
- Malleability
- Highly conducive
- Extremely durable
- Ductile
- Lustrous
- Anti-corrosive
Due to the above features, they come in handy for making jewelry, production of electronics, and other industrial uses. The list of the uses is quite long but that is not our focus in this article. In this article, we want to focus on how to diversify your investment portfolio with precious metals.
How to Invest In Precious Metals
Financial experts advise that you do not put all your investment funds in one asset. That is why at least 5% of your total investment fund should be spent on precious metals; you can go as high as 20%. This helps to diversify your portfolio and build a hedge against inflation.
You can invest in these commodities by different means which include buying physical commodities (bullions and coins), commodities ETFs, and gold IRAs; let’s examine them.
Buying Physical Precious Metal
You can invest in any of these ingots by buying the physical commodity. You can buy gold, silver, platinum, or palladium and there are many ways of buying them as explained below:-
1. Banks or Broke Age Firms – These institutions can help you buy any of these commodities at the spot price and have them delivered to you at home. You can also arrange with them to store it for you. It is recommended that you store the physical commodity with a broker so that the security thereof is guaranteed.
2. Auctions – There are reputable auction houses that make these products available to the public. The keyword here is reputable because if you buy from just about anyone, you may end up with fake products.
3. Online Dealers – Although this is a somewhat risky way of accessing the physical commodity, there are quite a few reputable dealers online. These dealers have built a solid reputation over time and can be trusted. Some of these dealers include Indigo Precious Metals, JM Bullion, APMEX, and Provident Metals. However, we advise that you still carry out thorough research before you engage with any of these dealers.
4. Local Coin Shops – Some dealers operate only offline. These shops sell coins and bullion and some of them will even buy back these precious metals from you. With a little research on this also, you can always find a reputable store that you can buy from.
Regardless of the means you choose, bear in mind that we have emphasized transacting with a reputable dealer. Therefore, you must research properly and have a basic understanding of what to look out for and what to expect. You must also know the spot price of the commodities so that you will not be cheated by any dealer.
Commodity ETFs
This is a very convenient way of buying and selling any of the precious metals we have mentioned in this article. However, when you invest in this type of ETF, you do not get the physical gold or any of the other metals and you cannot lay claim to the physical commodity in the fund.
What happens with this type of investment is that the investor can participate in the market by trading the unit shares that are listed on the stock market. This is considered a cheaper means of investing in precious metals without all the hassles of storage and insurance that come with having the physical commodity.
Precious Metals Stocks and Mutual Funds
These are mutual funds that are focused on the stocks of companies that mine silver, gold, palladium, and platinum. These funds are usually global but with stocks that are domiciled in America and other countries overseas.
This is also another safe way of investing in precious metals because all you need to do is commit your funds to a fund manager or Access Management Company. It is this company or broker that will carry out the investment in bonds and stocks and take care of everything in between.
Futures and Options
This operates just like the conventional ones. It offers the investor the leverage and liquidity to place huge wagers on the commodity of their choice. There is great potential for massive profits as well as losses with whatever commodity that the investor is dealing with.
If you understand the conventional futures and options, then you’ll understand its precious metal alternative. This is one aspect of investing in precious metals that are not recommended for beginners. This is because it requires in-depth knowledge of the desired commodity market for one to play in this league.
Conclusion
Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium are the most common and popularly accepted precious metals in society today. They are metals that have great intrinsic value and are used to store wealth either as savings or for generations to come. These commodities also serve as great investment tools that serve as hedges against inflation amongst many other advantages.
In this article, we have discussed some ways that you can invest in these metals and use them to diversify your investment. However, we will always stress the need for thorough research and due diligence before committing your money to any venture.
