In 2006, the U.S. Mint issued the modern version of American gold Buffalo coins in order to compete with the foreign 24-Karat gold coins such as the Canadian Maple Leaf. Before the release of Buffalo 2006 gold coin, there were no American 24-Karat pure gold coins available for investors who need 0.9999 pure gold Bullion. So the Buffalo 2006 gold coin was an immediate success. Over 300,000 coins sold out that year, comparing to the total sales of around 200,000 American Gold Eagles. Here are some important things you need to know before buying Buffalo 2006 gold coins. Buffalo 2006 gold coin features a distinctive American Design based on American sculptor James Earle Fraser’s 1913 Buffalo Nickel. The coin’s obverse side is the famous Indian Chief Head. An standing American Bison appears on the other side. Beneath the Buffalo’s head inscribed with the motto “In God We Trust.” Although the coin has a legal tender value of $50, Buffalo 2006 gold coin is actually priced based on the gold content it contains plus a small premium as the gold Bullion coins. The 1 oz Buffalo gold coins appear in two versions, proof and uncirculated. Proof gold Buffalo coin is struck multiple times with a specially polished dies to produce an effect that highly detailed images seem to float above the field of the coin. Uncirculated old Buffalo coin is minted with a satiny finish and flashy appearance instead. Buffalo 2006 gold coin specification: Condition: Bullion Face value: $50 Fineness: 0.9999 Weight: 31.108 g (1.0001 ounces) Diameter: 32.70 mm (1.287 inches) Thickness: 2.95 mm (0.116 inches) Minted Year: 2006 Mint: West Point As the first 24-karat pure gold Bullion coin produced by the US Mint, the gold content and purity of Buffalo 2006 gold coin are guaranteed by the US government. This helps Buffalo gold coin become one of the most popular gold Bullion in the world. Almost all gold dealers or stores are willing to buy and sell Buffalo 2006 gold coins, making them easily converted into cash should the need arise. This allows you to liquidate your asset very quickly when necessary, which is an important factor to take into consideration for gold investment. I recommend you checking out American Buffalo Coin. It is a specialized Buffalo Gold Coin for Sale site, offering a great selection of American gold Buffalo coins, silver Buffalo and Buffalo Nickels for sale. This website makes finding your dream American Buffalo Coin a million times easier. Be sure to try this website before you buy.
April 11th, 2010
posted in Gold Investment
“Growing instead of Shrinking
First thing to note in the list of real estate investing benefits is that if you look at the real estate market as a time line compared to the stock market, you will notice that real estate is a growing line with few major fluxuations. On the other hand the stock market has high points and valleys that range from quick high’s to sudden drops through out it’s history. It’s harder to look at the time lines of other forms of investing i.e. currency investing, mutual funds, buying gold and silver etc – but one thing is clear, no other market is as profitable or as safe as the investment real estate market.
Many people ask me “Why is investing in real estate such a safe investment?” and the answer is as simple as it is complicated, the quick answer is “God isn’t making any more of it” the more complicated answer isn’t as poetic. The reason investing in real estate has so many benefits has many factors, I will go over the basics with you now:
“”A 1031 exchange or Like kind exchange is defined by section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code. This code specifies that if an asset, usually some form of real estate such as land or a building, is sold and the proceeds of the sale are then reinvested in a like kind of an asset then no gain or loss is recognized, allowing the deferment of capital gains taxes.”"
The simple explanation is as long as you reinvest the money you made from your real estate investment into another investment you don’t have to pay taxes on said profit. No other form of investing gives you this much freedom with taxes.
Anyone Can Invest – Because real estate investing is so profitable and safe it see’s a huge amount of amateur investors entering the market everyday. Why else do you think all these infomercials are on late at night talking about the millions they’ve made overnight with someone’s CD set? O.k. I’m not saying that buying one of those CD sets will make you a millionaire but they are good to learn the basics of real estate investing from. The big problems with these CD sets is they teach making millions in real estate with bad credit or without spending a dime. This is not the case, 99.9999% of the time you will need excellent credit and a good amount of money for the down payment on an investment property (usually 10-20%).
Other People’s Money – Why invest your money when you can invest someone else’s? One of the big rules in real estate investing is “If someone is willing to flip the bill – let them”. Banks are more then willing to give out a loan to buy houses because unlike other forms of investing they have something tangible they can keep if you don’t pay up. Banks are usually not as willing to give loans for stock or gold investing because the stock you invested in maybe worth nothing by the time you sell and the bank has nothing OR you take your gold and run across the border. Real estate is almost always going to be worth something (often increasing in value every year) and their hasn’t been a recorded case yet of someone taking a house across the border.
Right now the investment real estate market is booming like never before in history and those investing in it are being rewarded more so then in any other time in. If you want more information on this explosive market feel free to visit my website or give me a call and I will answer any question you may have.
”
April 10th, 2010
posted in Gold Investment
Does your gold bullion collection include Dutch gold coins? If it doesn’t, it definitely should! You may or may not be aware of the scarcity of these coins, and why you should add then to your portfolio. These gold coins not only have true historic value, they are unusual in appearance. Whether you are an experienced collector or a complete beginner, expanding your gold investing horizons can be a profitable idea.Gold coins in the Netherlands are distinct in appearance. If you like variety in your collection, these will add value as well as uniqueness to your portfolio. Prices for any type of gold coins vary greatly, but investing in your collection is wise. The value will increase, and gold is one of the most stable markets today. Whether pure gold, bullion or bars, gold is hard to beat for financial security.No matter where their origin, gold coins have always been known as something of “real” value. It is one market that is constant, and appreciates in value as other markets fail. Adding value to your portfolio is very important, and can add a great measure of security to your financial future. It is also a “liquid” market, meaning it can be easily traded.When searching for Dutch Gold coins, you may find terms such as ducats, florins, florins d’or, duits, stuivers, cavaliers, gulden or guilders, and ducatons. This can be confusing when you go to purchase an addition for your collection, but don’t let it stress you too much. Just like the country has many names (Holland, The Netherlands, or Der Nederlanden to the Dutch), so does its coins.Many collectors have coins from a variety of countries. Why limit yourself, when you can increase the value of your collection, and vary the interest? In the future, if you decide to sell your gold, having a diverse collection will enable you to better yourself financially.Most North American people who have a passion for collecting coins start with United States coins. Although they are of great value, there is no reason to limit yourself. Diversify and add Dutch Gold coins to your portfolio – increase your financial assets!
April 9th, 2010
posted in Gold Investment
Each gold bar is of 24 karat gold purity and has the exact purity and weight stamped on each gold bar, then sealed for your safety and security. The pure gold content of each Credit Suisse gold bar is fully backed by the world renowned Credit Suisse Bank of Switzerland. Each bar is also stamped with a unique serial number to authenticate the bar. These bars come in gold, platinum, silver and palladium. We sell unique gold 10 gram pamp zodiac bars which have the zodiac sign. They come in Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. These bars can be worn as jewelry items when placed in gold bezels. Bezels are available in many sizes, 1 gram, 2.5 gram, 5 gram, 10 gram. By investing in gold physical precious metals, such as gold, platinum, silver and palladium, you will avoid the drama of the stock markets paper investments. It also does not have the staidness of parking your money in long-term debt products. Metal prices have been volatile, but well within ranges and though the metal has had a strong run in 2007 and 2008 with fairly high prices, analysts expect there will be a further appreciation. Looking at what the crude oil market has been in the last few months is an indicator of where the metals market is heading in the near future. The time is still right in purchasing gold or other precious metals as it is a commodity that still has legs for a good run. Near future prices of gold in the range $1000-$1200 per oz for gold is only a matter of time as gold investment money will flow into precious metals do to the still uncertain global economy. Buying bullion bars and uncirculated mint coins buying as physical investment is the right choice. Online purchase of the coins and bars can be a very easy process with secure transactions provided by coinsbullions.com
April 8th, 2010
posted in Gold Investment
The following is from originally published article at www.gold-speculator.com on February 4th
I’ve been trying to tell anyone, who would listen, to diversify at least some of their assets into gold for some time now. Five years back, the lot of willing listeners was small. I clearly remember my voice going hoarse one night as a mix of beer and fruity margaritas made a b-line straight to my brain and unleashed a roaring spiel on my uninterested friends. As I recall, the rest of the night, I was rather enjoyable, so I make no apologies. We’ve come a long way since then. When I first became interested in the commodities market, I remember very specifically that gold was trading at $375 per ounce, interest in the sector was low and misguided information was plentiful. It certainly wasn’t the bottom of the bear market, which came around the turn of the millennium and was marked by the 400 tonne auction of bullion by the Bank of England at historically low prices around $250 per ounce. Today we’re looking at gold prices north of $900, interest has definitely perked up but misguided information is still plentiful. So it doesn’t surprise me that many of the people who once shunned my message with apathy have now turned to me for advice. Nothing gets a person moving like fear and greed. If you’re worried that you may have missed the train, there’s good news for you. I strongly believe that we’ll see prices upwards of $2500 before all is said and done.
My goal is to try and demystify some of the myths and try to simplify your foray into gold investing, which is no-doubt one of the main reasons you are reading this. So without further ado, let me delve into some of the fundamental reasons why you should own some gold.
MONETARY INFLATION LEADS TO PRICE INFLATION AND YOU”RE WEALTH SHRINKS OVER TIME.
There are several reasons to own gold in the current environment and the most prominent and insidious of these reasons is inflation. I refer to the current inflation problem as insidious because it is in essence a hidden tax on the holders of whatever currency is being inflated. It is a sad fact that the “buttons” to control the printing of more money is unarguably under the control of politicians who have little regard for the long-term economic health of our nation and are more interested in where their next votes will come from to keep them in power. So as a means of protection from the whims of idiot politicians and the throngs of “expert” economic yes-men screaming that everything is alright, there is no substitute for gold as a means of preserving your hard earned wealth.
Let’s delve a little deeper. Two millennia ago, gold was used as a medium of exchange and also as a store of wealth. Back in the ancient roman days, it is said that you could buy a nice outfit and a nice pair of sandals for an ounce of gold. Today the equivalent to an ounce of gold (currently $923) will buy you a fairly nice suit and a decent pair of dress shoes. Let me contrast that with a brief study of history and “money” as we know it now, namely fiat currencies much like that green paper in your pocket. We’ll begin with Germany in the early 1900’s.
“Before World War I Germany was a prosperous country, with a gold-backed currency, expanding industry, and world leadership in optics, chemicals, and machinery. The German Mark, the British shilling, the French franc, and the Italian lira all had about equal value, and all were exchanged four or five to the dollar. That was in 1914. In 1923, at the most fevered moment of the German hyperinflation, the exchange rate between the dollar and the Mark was one trillion Marks to one dollar, and a wheelbarrow full of money would not even buy a newspaper.”
(http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandinghe…inflation.html)
Now we’ll jump forward a few decades and slide west to Argentina in the 1990’s.
“Argentina was subject to military dictatorship…for many years, that resulted in a number of significant economic problems. During the National Reorganization Process (1976-1983) huge debt was acquired for money that was later lost in different unfinished projects, the Falkland/Malvinas Islands War, and the state’s takeover of private debts….. new government’s plans included stabilizing Argentina’s economy including the creation of a new currency (the Austral, first of its kind not to carry the word peso as part of its name), for which new loans were required. The state eventually became unable to pay the interest of this debt, the economy collapsed and inflation began increasing. In 1989, Argentina’s inflation reached 200% per month, topping 3,000% annually.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argenti…sis_(1999-2002)
And more recently we have Zimbabwe under the criminal dictatorship of Robert Mugabe, where we’ve seen hyperinflation to the tune of nearly 1000% per year. The price of a 2-ply sheet of toilet paper went from pennies to $417. A whole roll now costs $$145,750. History is littered with similar stories of currencies being inflated to worthlessness. The point I want to make with all this is that the root cause of all these problems can be summed into a few bullet points which then leads to the reason for owning gold. And they are:
1. A government exists with an entirely fiat currency, which means that the “money” used as legal tender has no intrinsic value and is enforced by means of law and the threat of punishment.
2. For whatever reasons, the government finds itself in a position where it has entered into more obligations to pay (liabilities) than it has funds to cover payment of. This is known as “bankruptcy” or “insolvency” if you are an individual and business-as-usual if you are a government entity.
3. The government finds that it is easiest to print money out of thin air to cover the obligations it has committed itself to pay for. This is usually the most politically acceptable solution as opposed to cutting spending or raising taxes.
4. The constant creation of money (monetary inflation) leads to a greater and greater supply of “money” chasing after the same amount of goods, thus leading to (price inflation) which I’m sure everyone is painfully aware of.
Previously I referred to inflation as a “hidden tax” on the holders of the currency. You may be wondering why this is so. Well, I believe it is pretty evident to anyone who eats, drives, buys, sells; that the price of everything around us has gone up considerably over the years. Or, a better assessment, I think is to see it as the dollars in your pocket have lost considerable purchasing power over time. (I’m trying hard not to use the word “value” because dollars have no value in and of themselves) This is no accident. The reason is simply because there is more money or “liquidity” floating around the economy and the supply of goods available for purchase has not increased by as much. I should mention, at this point the important difference between “monetary inflation” and “price inflation”. Monetary inflation is a direct result of the government creating too much money, which undoubtedly leads to higher prices for goods and services. But price inflation can occur without monetary inflation. Let’s say for example that a good or service becomes more scarce, and therefore more valuable, then the price of it will increase independently of what the monetary authorities are doing. However, when there is a general and sustained increase in the price of most goods and services, especially basic necessities, we definitely need to take a close look at what the government is doing with the printing presses.
I’ve taken the liberty of dissecting this enormous article into more digestible sections. Please check under the Gold Investing 101 sections for more on this series.
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that we may or may not have positions in the financial instruments or assets we may write about. We provide our opinions in the interest of facilitating the free flow of ideas, which should not be mistaken for an investment advise. Please do your own due diligence before making any investment decisions. Please read the disclaimer at http://www.gold-speculator.com/index.php?pageid=disclaimer for the full disclosure.
Sincerely,
Markus Shultz
www.gold-speculator.com
April 7th, 2010
posted in Gold Investment
Until recently gold prices have been on a tear. After decades of going nowhere, gold has had a year of steadily rising prices, that is until two weeks ago. It appears the hedge fund investors who bid the price up, have decided to take their profits. Gold prices plunged and many financial analysts have proclaimed that the bull market in gold is over. Is it?
Price charts are one way to look at the situation, however we need to dig deeper into the fundamentals to see what the prospects are.
As the hedge fund investors have dumped gold, there is evidence new hands are coming into the market. As some investors leave, and new ones replace them, the volatility in gold prices will remain high. What we need to ask is are these new investors speculators or is there some fundamental reason new investors are coming into the market?
Lets start by looking at the retail investors. One important component of the price of gold is the retail investors in India, China and West Asia. Traditionally these investors have bought gold in the form of jewelry. Jewelry demand in these countries does have an impact on gold prices. The significant point here is investors in these countries are now accumulating gold in forms other then jewelry. In 2005 the investment demand for gold in these countries has risen from between 20% and 34%. The strong demand continues into the first quarter of 2006. During this same period of time, demand for gold related Exchange Traded Funds has risen 23%.
India is the largest buyer of gold in the world. Indian investors will soon be able to buy gold ETFs on Indian Exchanges. There is also a strong demand for investing in gold coins in India.
China has not had a strong interest in investing in gold for anything but jewelry. That may be about to change. The government is easing regulations that may encourage more investment in gold products.
Interest in gold investments is also increasing in Thailand. Demand for gold investments in that country has been hovering around 10%-15% until 2005. In the past year investment demand in Thailand has risen to 35% for gold.
The supply of gold remains tight. The demand across Asia is increasing. It is likely we will see supplies tighten even more which will again begin to drive up prices. The next wave up will look different. After having seen prices plunge, investors are likely to take profits much quicker this time around. Prices will begin to go up again, however there will be significant pullbacks as investors take profits.
Gold investments will also continue to be fueled by Energy price increases, increased inflation in the US and world tensions. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said that growth in the inflation rate could be worse than expected. After that remarkstocks in US markets dropped. This could bring investors back into gold.
Several financial experts in India are looking for gold to go to $770- $800 by the end of 2006 or beginning of 2007. Currently the price is around $635 an ounce. It is not clear if we are at the bottom prices yet. Prices will rise, but this ride will not be for those with weak stomachs.
April 6th, 2010
posted in Gold Investment
Gold has always had its place in many investor portfolios seen as a sef bet carrying intrinsic value. But the precious metal frequently returns to the spotlight in times of financial turmoil. In our latest BizChina 360 series, we look at gold China, its fledgling market, its production, and investment.
Our first installment, we look at dramatic developments over the last 8 years.
In 2007 China became the largest gold production country in the world-toppling South Africa from a position it had heldfor over a hundred years.
It’s an exciting new century for China’s gold market. That’s because in 2007, China became the largest gold production country in the world-toppling South Africa from a position it had held for over a hundred years. China’s gold consumption also grew multifold, and now ranks 2nd globally. And experts such as precious metals consultancy GFMS limited are confident, that the positive trend will only continue.
Philip Klapwijk, Executive Chairman of GFMS Ltd. said “The China market in 2008 will probably be the world’s largest physical gold market, supply, demand, consumption. China will be the world’s largest gold market in 2008; that tells you the significance of the China market.”What may be even more startling is the fact that it has taken less than a decade for the country to get here. Previously, gold was managed under the old system of “unified purchase and allocation”, and was strictly controlled by the central government. The development of the gold market was stagnant, at best.
But 2000 proved to be a pivotal year. Everyone in the gold industry hailed the Chinese government’s move to include opening up the country’s gold market in its 10th five year plan. The basic goal was to gradually loosen control of the market by establishing a new system for gold production, circulation and healthy consumption through market dynamics.
Gu Wenshuo, General Manager of General Office of Shanghai Gold Exchange said “The reform of the gold market was very critical. That’s because gold represented not only a commodity, but also a financial function. It was also related to the country’s gold reserve, and many other issues. As a result, China focused on reforming its gold management system. Under those circumstances, we did thorough investigation of the market conditions, and learned from the experience of other countries. On such basis, the State Council ratified the People’s Bank of China to establish a gold market to adjust gold resources.”So at the turn of the millennium over 20 years after China began to shift towards a market economy, the country finally launched its market reform for the gold industry.
The first step was establishing the Shanghai Gold Exchange, which formally opened for trade in October 2002. For the first time in China’s modern history, the country’s gold price was fully determined by the open market.
Enterprises were no longer confined with limited volume. They were free to buy or sell gold through the exchange, and at a price that was determined by the supply and demand of the precious metal.
The opening up of the market injected vigor into China’s gold industry, and significantly boosted development of mining, manufacturing and investment, and many other aspects. But there was a catch. In the early days, the Shanghai Gold Exchange was offering only spot transactions. As a result, most of the market players were gold miners, jewelry merchants, and other entities engaged in the gold industry. Gold investments such as gold future products were not available. In contrast, 97 percent of the worldwide gold trade was gold futures. So-that led to more development. “But it was not until 2004 before the country came out with more clear guidelines to develop the gold market. Speaking at an international gold summit that year, China’s central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan spelt out 3 targets for the sector, applauded by many industry insiders.
Liu Yuning, Senior Vice President of Jingyi Gold Co., Ltd. said “The central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan said the yellow medal should evolve from a solely consumable to investment product, while its trading should change from spot transactions to gold derivatives and move from domestic markets to overseas. From 2003 to 2008, we can see gold transforming into an investment product. When we talk about gold, many will now not only think about gold jewelry, but paper gold and gold trading at the exchange.”For the second target, there have been a lot of changes undertaken through years. After research and preparation, the Shanghai Gold Exchange first launched T+D products in 2004, (which allow investors to bid first but delay the spot transaction of real gold), as a stop-gap to gold futures. The breakthrough came in January 2008, when the Chinese Securities Regulatory Commission ratified the Shanghai Futures Exchange to launch gold futures products.
Li Wenfeng, Trader of Huaxia Bank said “The move has significant meaning. China ranks among top gold producers, but has little impact on gold prices. The launch of gold future is an important complement to China’s financial system. If we further relax controls on gold import and export, we will have more say in pricing the precious metal. Gold future is a good start. For individual and corporate investors, it is a new alternative.”Another important step has been combining the domestic market with the global gold market. The People’s Bank of China gave the Shanghai Stock Exchange the go-ahead to include 5 locally incorporated foreign banks in its membership this June. The Standard Chartered made a Chinese-style debut on August 8th by trading 88 kilogram gold at the Shanghai stock exchange. It hoped the 4 “8″s will bring luck to its future development in China’s commodity markets.
And with current economic climate in such a turmoil, gold has never looked better.
Wang Lixin, GM of World Gold Council of Greater China said “With the increased income level of the population, with more mature of the gold market, with more products availability in the market place, in terms of the unstable financial market and a weaker US dollar, maybe some concerns about the global currency. We believe consumer will have the interest to buy gold.”"I am now at the People’s Bank of China, which serves as the only management of China’s gold system. However, it has now taken off from here to evolve into a very robust market. Many would say recent developments in China’s gold market has been staggering. People may ask how has this happened so quickly? Many credit the country’s macro-economic environment: China’s opening-up policy. The question now is, can it be sustained? Even though experts are bullish about the country’s future gold industry, China’s increased integration with the global economy does make it vulnerable to its highs-and its lows. But the fact that more and more people are turning to gold as an investment channel could spell an even brighter future for China’s gold industry. ”
April 5th, 2010
posted in Gold Investment
Gold bullion is the purest gold in the world. It is refined to make the entire bar nearly 100% solid gold. Investing in gold bullion is an extremely smart move. It is a tangible asset that you can trade on the open market extremely quickly. Gold bullion has been a trusted measure of wealth by the United States, Great Britain and many other world powers.When you considering investing in gold bullion, you must be committed to spending a fairly decent amount of money. Gold is one of the highest valued precious metals on the market today. There are many different sources that you can purchase your gold bullion from. Everyone from banks to exchange companies to a precious metals dealer usually has gold bullion that they are willing to sell. Investing in gold bullion bars is affordable for a wide range of investors. This is because gold bullion bars are available in 19 different sizes. These consist of the one gram bar to the enormous London Good Delivery Bar which weighs in at 400 troy ounces. The different sized bars also help you when it comes to selling off your investment. You can sell one bar while still keeping another larger one to generate higher returns on your income.Unlike stocks where a broker can charge extremely high transaction and commission fees, selling gold bullion bars is simple and exceedingly inexpensive. If your bar of gold bullion bears the mark of a recognized refiner you can easily sell it on the open market. Polished gold bullion bars and those bearing marks of select refiners can further increase the price of your gold bullion above that of market values. While gold bullion bars are a wonderful investment, you can also invest in gold bullion coins. The gold bullion coins are very simple to invest in. They almost always come in one troy ounce. They are pure gold, which means that you can check their value by reading your local newspaper’s business section and looking for the gold value. Gold bullion coins do have a downside, they are traded at a premium of approximately 7%. However, this can often be recovered during a resale. Gold bullion coins are small, easily stored and come in a standard weight that is easy to keep track of. Investing in gold bullion coins or gold bullion bars can diversify your portfolio and bring you a large sum of money.
April 4th, 2010
posted in Gold Investment
People have often asked me how I always pick stocks that end up with 20% gains in a couple of months or triple-digit gains in a year. They ask me is it luck? Maybe with a couple of stocks it may have been luck, but luck doesn’t play a role in buying ten or more stocks in the same year that earn more than 80% returns. The key is not to follow the herd, stop listening to the investment talking heads, and to learn an investment system and then be unwaveringly courageous in applying your system. There have been times family and friends have asked me for advice, and I have told them, “Buy this stock. I guarantee you, you will not lose money.”
Now I know that there are no guarantees in the stock market, but if you follow certain strategies, you can be 90% sure that the stock will appreciate. With this particular agricultural stock, it was almost the perfect stock, and I was 99.9% sure that the stock would produce monumental gains. Sure enough, the stock exploded almost 130% higher in about a year. And this stock was not some risky penny stock trading at less than a dollar a share. This stock was trading at about $70 a share at the time I advised my friends to buy it. So below are the 10 surefire rules I employ to build enormous gains in investment portfolios.
(1)Buy When Fear is Rampant, Sell When Mania is the Greatest
Every investing course should be accompanied by a psychology course as well. The most difficult thing to do in investing is to buy more when fear and panic is rampant and to sell when mania is the highest. Stock markets and asset classes cycle in peaks and troughs. Most people will not buy stocks until after stocks are plastered all over the news and after they have just risen by 30%, 40%, 50% or more, believing that they will rise higher forever. Buying at the troughs when nobody is talking about a stock or during steep corrections provides a low-risk, \high-reward setup for your portfolio.
(2)Learn What Your Neighbor is Doing, Watch Investment Shows on MSNBC and Bloomberg on TV, Listen to the Recommendations of Your Financial Consultant – Then Make Sure that You Don’t Have a Single Thing in Common With Their Strategies
If you are one of the thundering sheep herd and perpetually follow the mindless actions of others, you are virtually guaranteed to lose money or forever relegate your portfolio to average to below-average returns. The surest way to build an investment fortune is to buy asset classes and stocks when nobody is discussing them and to sell them when everyone is talking about them. This requires a nose for market timing. Is market timing impossible as all the global investment firms always tell you? Hardly. Learning what asset classes and individual stocks are poised to skyrocket every year just takes a little bit of time, but is really not that difficult. Since time is a commodity that Private Wealth Mangers and Financial Consultants employed by large commercial investment houses lack, they tell you that market timing is impossible merely because they don’t have the time to perform the necessary research.
However, purchasing stocks that are likely close to cyclical bottoms instead of believing that market timing is impossible and indiscriminately buying stocks will easily add another 10% in returns to your portfolio per year. Do you really believe that you can make a fortune by buying any stock that is advertised on a TV program watched by millions of investors worldwide? Ultimately, if you own the same stocks as your neighbor to the right, your neighbor to the left, the talking head on TV, and the talking head at your commercial investment firm, then are doing something the proper things to build an investment fortune.
If you don’t seek out stocks and asset classes at times when nobody is considering them, you will never make serious money in investing. You may make 10% a year or maybe even 15% a year but if you want to enter the world of the big boys and earn 25% or more in annual returns, you have to dig a lot deeper than your investment peers. Just a couple of months ago (June 25, 2007) this email landed in my inbox from a big investment newsletter publisher. “Over the past week, I’ve crisscrossed northwestern Canada looking for the next great investment. I’m up here to find out what everyone’s invested in. And after attending an investment conference in Vancouver last week, I can tell you absolutely that no one is interested in gold…Base and minor metals will continue to be the best place to have your money over the next few years. Gold, as a virtually useless metal that has few industrial uses, appears to have hit its peak and could be running sideways for years like it has many times in the past.”
Then, in August, when the HUI (the major AMEX gold index) took a sharp hit in response to global market corrections, everyone proclaimed that gold was no longer a safe haven and that gold was “done”. Now, just a one-month later, on September 26, 2007, a lot of people are talking about gold’s strong rapid surge. So was the newsletter that ended up in my mailbox that proclaimed gold as dead in June right in June but terribly wrong in September? The answer is neither. The only person that is wrong is you if you blindly listen to talking heads that end up in your inbox or that you watch on TV. The fact is that little-discussed asset classes and stocks are ignored because perhaps 1 out of 1000 investors truly understand them, and even the ones that parade as experts on TV have been more terribly wrong about their calls than right. So it’s up to you to get off your proverbial bum and learn how to invest for yourself. Chasing stocks higher and buying when everyone else is speaking about them is a sure way to lose money. And so is listening to talking heads. Learn a system that teaches you to buy assets when everyone is ignoring them and you’ll outperform everyone else.
(3)Concentrate, Don’t Diversify
If you’ve read the paragraph above, you already realize that Private Wealth Managers and Financial Consultants are in short supply of time as they partake in the race to gather as many assets as possible for their respective firms. Thus, this is the reason they employ the rule of diversification for your portfolio. U.S. Navy SEALs will tell you that during an operation exfil exercise, the easiest way out is rarely the safest way out. The same holds true in investing, yet diversification is by far and away, the easiest investment strategy that anyone could possibly teach to tens of thousands of financial consultants. Certainly, diversification cannot be a complex strategy if tens of thousand consultants from varied backgrounds and industries can all efficiently apply this concept to their clients’ portfolios with very little training. Diversification is the biggest cop-out investment strategy of all time. It screams of incompetence and lack of skill – “I have no idea what asset classes are going to perform well this year so I’m going to invest you in everything under the sun.”
Assume everyday, a NBA coach looked at his active roster of 12 players and said, “I have no idea who are the best players. Because I don’t know, and don’t care to take the time to figure it out, I’m going to ensure that all 12 players share equal time every game.” This coach is unlikely to win many games versus the coach that takes the time in training camp to assess who his best 5 players are and then consequently plays these 5 players the majority of minutes during every game. This is the difference between diversification and concentration. The coach that diversifies may win some games based upon pure luck because maybe he has a couple great players that can make up for the deficiencies of the poor players he puts on the court every night. Still, most nights, the deficiencies of the poor players will drag down the performance of the excellent players.
However, the coach that concentrates and puts his best players on the court every night will be able to field a team every night that has an excellent chance of winning. This is why we concentrate in investing. To give us the best possible chance of winning. Diversification will never achieve this.Study the best investors in the world. The best investors in the world always manage their own money and they concentrate their portfolios in the best asset classes every year. Don’t believe the hype about diversification – diversification stinks, it doesn’t protect your portfolio, and it certainly will never make you wealthy.
(4)Learn Everything You Can About the Relationship Between Politics and Stocks
On September 18, 2007, the U.S. Federal Reserve cut the Federal Funds Rate (the rates banks borrow from each other and the rates the rates banks loan to customers) by 50 basis points. The U.S. stock markets soared that day, followed by strong surges in Asian markets the following morning. The interest rate cut undoubtedly was not just motivated by a desire to manufacture stability and confidence in the U.S. economy, but also motivated by politics. If you don’t \understand what I mean by this, then you have homework to do.
Governments and corporations in every major global economy in the world have formed relationships that have since been coined as “corporatocracies”. Politics has a major hand in all of the following: interest rate cuts, interest rate increases, the price of oil, the price of gold, the valuation of the Euro, the valuation of the dollar, the valuation of the Pound Sterling, permits to mine uranium in Australia, defense spending for national security, decisions to go to war, and contracts awarded to corporations. If you don’t understand politics, you cannot possibly understand global macro-economic trends and what asset classes and stocks offer the best low-risk, high-reward opportunities year after year. The lack of understanding of politics is what causes Chief Investment Officers of major commercial investment houses to make poor calls in the direction of commodity prices and the direction of global economies. Understand politics and your investment returns should increase tremendously.
(5)Learn Everything You Can About Gold as an Investment.
Gold, as an investment, is perhaps the most misunderstood and poorest understood asset class in the world. Some people believe that the physical commodity is the only way to invest in this asset, and as such, only put money into the paper gold ETFs. Other people that invest in gold stocks don’t understand the differences in price behavior between the juniors and majors; explorers, developers, and producers; hedged and unhedged companies; and the political risk of operating in different countries. Therefore, they never understand the risk-reward quotient of their gold portfolio, sell out during steep corrections, always lose money, and think that gold investments are speculative and stink. Furthermore, they don’t understand that short-term manipulation of prices of the underlying commodity and stocks can’t change the long-term outlook and performance. However, learn how to buy and sell this asset class properly and you will be rewarded as no other asset class can reward you
Article continued under same title, part II. To read the rest of the article, merely perform a search for “10 Surefire Ways to Make an Investment Fortune, Part II) or visit us at http://www.theundergroundinvestor.com
April 3rd, 2010
posted in Gold Investment
With the gold prices rising steadily over the past few years, more and more smart investors are turning to investing in gold against the declining US economy. After all, no other investment has the wealth preserving power as gold does. As a result, gold Bullion such as American gold Buffalo coins are considered as a safe investment. So here are 4 reasons why you should invest in gold Buffalo coins now. First, as stated previously, gold is one of the safest and most effective investment to preserve personal wealth during times of financial uncertainties and depressions. With the recent economy turmoil and foreclosures are at an all-time high, seasoned investors have turned to gold as a safer investment alternative. Secondly, for average Americans, the easiest way to physically own gold is to buy gold Bullion coins in order to protect their hard-earned money during recession. gold Bullion such as Buffalo coins are easier to store and trade than standard gold Bullion bars, because of their smaller denominations and sizes. In addition , gold coin is classified as a collectible, which means that profits are not taxed as capital gains but as ordinary income. Long-term capital gains are taxed at a 15% rate for those in the 15% bracket, but gold investments can be taxed at rates of up to 39.6%. Those considering putting their money into gold coins should consider what these rates might do to their returns. Thirdly, American gold Buffalo coins are the first 24-karat pure gold bullion coin offered to the public by the US Mint. Before gold Buffalo coins issued in 2006, investors only had the option to purchase 22-karat gold coinages, because 24-karat gold is technically “softer” than 22-karat ones, and is harder to hold up to the rigors of circulation. US investors end up buying foreign 24-karat gold bullion such as the Canadian gold Maple leaf. So the US Mint released America’s first 24-karat gold Bullion coin, 2006 gold Buffalo coin, on June 22, 2006. Last but not the least, each gold Buffalo coin’s gold content and purity are guaranteed by the U.S. government. Gold Buffalo coins must contain one troy ounce of 24 Karat gold (0.9999 fineness), making them not only recognized as America’s official investment-grade gold bullion, but widely accepted and traded all over the world. This allows you to sell gold Buffalo coins for cash easily should the need arise. As one of the highest quality, purest gold coins, gold Buffalo coins are the ideal coin to add to your investment portfolio. To sum up, now is the time to invest in gold. American gold Buffalo coins offer a safe, yet effective way to protect your assets against the falling US dollar. Get in now, before gold prices get too high! I recommend you checking out American Gold Buffalo Coins. It is a specialized Buffalo Gold Coin for Sale site, offering a great selection of American gold Buffalo coins, silver Buffalo and Buffalo Nickels for sale. This website makes finding your dream American Buffalo Coin a million times easier. Be sure to try this website before you buy.
April 2nd, 2010
posted in Gold Investment
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