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Buy gold now by opening a Gold Bullion Account for investment or gold trading
Gold breached $1,200 on Dec 2. Gold was above $1,100 per oz, $35,000/kg by early November. It first hit $1,000 in 2008, then dropped. In 2009, other than dips, gold has stayed over $900, with predictions for it to rise higher – and i
t certainly has. According to many, the value is likely to continue to rise; private investors can and ought to take advantage of this too. See below how easy it is to do that...The safest way to own gold bullion is registered in your own name
While it was once difficult for private individuals to own or trade gold bullion, this has changed in recent years. Now anyone can hold gold bullion in their own name. It's an asset for added financial security as well as take advantage of fluctuating prices instantly. See real examples. You can learn how to trade with a free gram of gold.Anyone can see the rise in the value of gold (or the decreasing value of the US dollar and other currencies) from $400 in 2004, with the spot price reaching $1,100 per troy ounce or $35,000 per kilogram by November 2009.
Gold 'Nuggets'
1 troy ounce (T Oz) = 31 grams
(31.1034768)
1 troy ounce = 0.031 Kg
(0.0311034768)
1 kilogram (Kg) = 32.15 Oz
(32.1507465686)
400 oz 'big' bar = 12.44 Kg
(27.4 lbs)
200 x 80 x 45 mm
8 x 3 x 2 inches
1 ounce = 42 x 24 x 2 mm
(all approx.)
How can a personal small investor benefit from buying gold?
More
and more 'ordinary people' are seeing the sense of
owning or trading gold as world economies,
currencies and financial markets
become less and less
stable. 2008
saw major bankruptcies, bailouts and mergers in banking and financial sectors
worldwide, especially in
Europe and the USA. With the 'credit crunch' really taking hold
now, and a new world recession imminent, takeovers and government rescue
packages are the order of the
day. But will they work?
There have been significant profits for those who owned or bought gold since September 2007. Some owners of one kilo of gold bullion have made over 40% profit.
Buying gold bullion is safe as the five, ten and twenty year trends all continue strongly upward as the overall global situation worsens in spite of rapid economic growth in some regions, especially Asia, and India and China in particular.
Temporary 'corrections' or downturns triggered by various economic factors periodically occur; these are ideal times to start or increase a personal gold holding; you will profit in the medium to long term. Not so long ago, gold was $700 an ounce.
The best time to open an online bullion account and buy gold is TODAY; it's both easy and secure.
An alternative is a guaranteed online gold trading system that ensures monthly profits from changes in the gold price, through your brokerage account. Save $100.
Background
Predictions are that the US dollar will continue to fall and that the value of gold will rise further to possibly $1,500 or even $2,000. Gold has also risen against all major currencies such as the Euro, Pound, Swiss Franc and Yen.
During 2007 gold rose from $600 to $840, an increase of 40%. In January 2008 it went over $850, the highest price for 20 years. March 2008 saw gold hit $1,000 for the first time, and it went over $1,030 before correcting. Since then it has fluctuated considerably, but the longer term trend is easy to see; by September $1,000 an oz was common place and by October 8, 2009, gold was at its highest-ever price over $1,060. Almost exactly a month later gold breached the $1,100 per ounce 'barrier' during the Asian trading session and has continued rising until on December 2 it surpassed $1,210.
Wise investors
include up to 10% gold
in their portfolios
People in modern societies tend to
rely primarily on banks to protect their wealth by holding their money
in accounts and safe deposits for other valuables.
Often their assets are mostly tied up in real estate in the form
of the family house or other property investments. Some speculate in
foreign currencies, others in securities like shares and bonds via
brokerage accounts.
Buying gold and silver has been going on for about 5,000 years. Today, it's about as far as you can get from the complex global debt markets which have been making dramatic headlines recently. Bank stocks plummet, mortgage bonds go into default and losses are piling up at hedge funds. On the other hand, gold is showing three-decade and all-time highs, and it doesn't 'owe' anything to anyone! While many did not believe gold could go over even $1,000, now it is expected that the gold price might reach $2,000 or more.
Unlike currencies, gold has maintained its value in terms of what it can buy and for at least 500 years gold has kept pace with inflation. In 16th century England under King Henry VIII, a man's suit cost an ounce of gold, comparable to prices today at Brooks Bros or on London's Savile Row. Not that I'd know or care; Retired in Asia, I have no need for a new suit; for the past few years I've been buying gold, safely stored in secure vaults in the UK, USA and Switzerland. I can sell some and convert it back into cash at any time.
Apart from acting as a hedge against inflation, gold adds diversity to a financial portfolio, protecting it like an insurance policy from the economic forces that affect stocks and bonds. The factors that determine the gold price are different from, independent of, and quite often in direct opposition to those which influence the other markets.
Gold has long been considered a hedge against inflation and insurance in the case of major economic turmoil such as when nations are at war, and where a country's paper currency might become worthless. Also, when financial or real estate markets go awry or crash, many people can lose their tangible assets very quickly. Safer alternatives are sought by those with forethought, and holding precious metals as insurance or security is growing rapidly in popularity. Throughout history, gold has always been seen as the safest choice for various reasons.
Gold although a soft metal, is extremely dense and does not rust or tarnish; it cannot be destroyed easily. One cubic foot of pure gold is worth over 10 million US dollars! So gold is 'compact' – heavy in quantity, but movable in bars of 12.4 kg (30lbs) or less. Depending on legislation, gold bullion can be exchanged globally, and tends to be more stable than any volatile or fluctuating currency including the once-mighty US dollar which continues to lose its value against other currencies as well as other precious metals.
Showing off gold by wearing or using it
In
most parts of Asia and the Far East, gold was and
is
worn by both men and women as jewellery in the form of necklaces, wrist
bands, heavy chains and medallions. For some, wearing gold in
public demonstrates that the owner is 'rich' and has tangible assets,
even though that gold may be their sole valuable possession; it's often the case, especially in lower levels of Asian society. Gold items are
also given as gifts and used as marriage dowry, in India more than
anywhere else in the world.
In the West, gold while
of course valued
highly, is seen less on
ostentatious display amongst 'ordinary' people. Security is now an
issue. Most of those that own
gold in any quantity keep it locked away in a vault or safe deposit somewhere;
they may borrow money against it for purchasing something more useful, like a
house or car or as loan collateral. According to some, gold
has no 'real' or intrinsic value. Henry Ford is probably
best known for his Model T Ford, offered in "any colour you want, so
long as it's black" also called "gold the most useless thing in the world. You can't eat
it, drink it or even smell it!". True enough, but that doesn't
deter people from wanting to own it!
When is the best time to buy
gold? RIGHT NOW!
That used to be a general rule
for buying real estate, but times have changed. Thousands are 'upside
down' (owing more than the property is worth) and defaulting on their mortgages, losing homes and property investments, especially in the USA. Caution needs to be exercised
now when buying real estate, but not so with gold, as it is far less prone to mid-term economic ups and
downs.
The price of gold is usually expressed as a currency value per troy ounce or troy oz (31.10 grams). The gold price per kilo (32.15 oz) is also quoted. The gold price has risen over the past seven years and gold experts suggest that it will continue to increase. Owning gold now makes perfect sense both for investors looking for longer-term gain and traders seeking short term profits from price swings caused by current global events.
Gold is a relatively safe investment
Investors of all sizes, from
nations and institutions down to the private
individual are
buying gold bullion for the future, as a hedge against
further
currency devaluation and inflation and perhaps
hyperinflation, let alone a major
financial crisis where precious metals like silver and gold may
become direct trading currencies again.
Volatility and confusion on
currency and share markets is reflected in price swings of these
metals too,
but the overall trend for silver and gold is still upwards. In
the case of silver, this is due to demand for its use in industry
outstripping world supply.
See gold price and movement charts from 10 minutes to 20 years at BullionVault.com, for gold bullion trading and international safe storage.
Gold price movement in
US$
in just 10 years, from
$300
to $800 and now beyond.

How much gold should an investor hold?
Even for the smaller investor, opening a gold bullion trading account
with a few hundred dollars, euros or pounds
is a reliable way to build up a
secure investment and a hedge against inflation. Gold is
expected to continue to increase in value
against the US dollar and other currencies.
While there can never be guarantees, that's the opinion of many
fund managers and professional
commentators.
Whether you prefer a low or higher risk portfolio, accepted market theory suggests a typical asset portfolio should contain up to 10% invested in gold and silver.
By opening a gold bullion account, then choosing when to fund it or sell part of it off by trading gold online, private investors have an effective hedge against crisis and also an easy-to-use tool to increase their net worth. It's also fun 'playing the market' with relatively low risk. See below how you can trade gold bullion easily.
Become a free R-A Member and download this report: In GOLD We Trust! and more. You can also use the drop down form at the top of the page to join.
WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS WAYS OF OWNING GOLD?
Gold bullion
storage and trading
While it was once difficult for private
individuals to own or
trade gold bullion, an alternative to
holding or trading currencies, this has changed in recent years. Now
there are effective ways of holding gold as an asset for added
financial security as well as get access to your gold bullion
account in order to buy or sell gold securely without high
commissions or charges.
See
real examples. You can easily learn how to do it with a
free gram of gold.
One of the problems for an individual private investor wanting to own or trade gold or other precious metal like silver, platinum or palladium was not only the amount of money needed to buy it, but the inability to buy or sell it at the real market price.
Apart from the small trading 'spreads' (the
difference between the buying and selling price) of the traditional
bullion markets, gold bullion transactions had to be settled in
'London
Good Delivery Bars' of approximately 400 troy oz, about 12.4
kg. That means with a gold price above $1,000 a good delivery gold
(big) bar is worth at least $400,000 or £250,000 @ $1.60=£1.
Another obstacle to holding gold securely is that big bars can only be kept in recognised bullion vaults in places like London, New York or Zurich. Consequently bullion trading at the real market price was restricted to professional traders and institutions who deal in 15 or more bars at a time. Nowadays you can buy gold coins and bullion 'over-the-counter' – the famous Harrods in London now offers gold to its customers.
Gold and precious metals trading
accounts
One easy way of trading gold is through
a foreign currency (forex) and precious metals broker
like ForexYard. Here you enter into an option to buy or sell currency pairs or
currency against a precious metal or even oil. You never actually take possession of
it. If you simply want to speculate on the
gold price moving up or down against the dollar then you can profit
by short term buying and selling; this is known as day trading.
Gold- and silver-related stocks and
exchange-traded funds (ETFs)
An investor needs to
decide whether or not to actually own gold, or simply have shares in it
through gold mining stocks (quite risky) or perhaps a silver or gold ETF
(exchange-traded fund) which can be included in IRA and
pension funds in many countries.
There's a big difference between owning physical gold, either in your hand or held in a bank or other secure vault, properly audited with your account showing ownership of actual physical gold and merely having shares in a mine, investment syndicate or a gold fund over which you have little or no control. Both silver and gold ETFs are seen as promising, but bullion in your own name is perhaps a better way to go.
Learn more about Exchange-Traded Funds which work well for certain market sectors, and can be very lucrative, providing you have studied that market well. For Americans they can be used for IRA funding too.
The best time to open an online bullion account and buy gold is TODAY; it's both easy and secure.
An alternative is a guaranteed online gold trading system that ensures monthly profits from changes in the gold price, through your brokerage account. Save $100.
Gold coins and jewellery
An alternative for the smaller, retail gold investor
who actually wants to see and touch precious metal is to
buy cast or minted 'small bars' including
gold coins. These can also be traded, but not so easily. The buy and
sell 'spreads' are 4-6% compared to 'Good Delivery Bars'
at the main market price with a spread of less than 0.5%, making
deals expensive for the small investor or trader (see more under Bullion
Account below).
The spot price of gold is the current market price as quoted on commodities exchanges. Items that are manufactured have an intrinsic value somewhat higher than that, due to the workmanship involved. The price may be quoted as an amount 'over spot' e.g. $10 per ounce above the spot price or 5% over spot. The gold is weighed and the calculation made.
These
small bars and coins range upwards from a few grams or fractions of a
troy ounce which is about 31g. In China, the tael has been
in use for centuries and was 37.5 oz; differences exist between the
mainland and Taiwan and Hong Kong. The official Chinese tael is now
metricated and weighs 50g.
In
Thailand, gold jewellery is very popular, particularly chains for
the neck or wrist, and medallions. Gold can be 99.9% pure (24 carat)
or mixed with other metals and sold cheaper as 18k or even 9k gold. Thai gold shops
are usually owned by Thai Chinese and are in every town and city in the country.
In Thailand gold is sold by the 'baht'.
The Thai gold
baht is different from the Thai unit of currency also called baht (THB).
A Thai gold baht weighs about 15 grams
or half a troy ounce. The picture shows a 'one baht'
medallion on a gold chain (bought separately and charged by its weight). With the Thai baht at 30 to the US dollar and
a spot
gold price of $1000, 1 gold baht costs around 15,000 Thai baht,
about US$500.
Foreign currency trading (forex) can be profitable, providing you have learned the basics and not just rushed into it, believing all the hype about instant profits from forex trading by unscrupulous marketers.
Start off on the right foot by getting a copy of Bill Poulos' excellent beginner's guide, the Forex Nitty Gritty.
ONE OF THE BEST AND SAFEST WAYS TO OWN GOLD:
Your Own Gold Bullion Held in a
Secure Vault
While jewellery and coins are attractive and tangible, and will always be popular,
nothing beats a bullion vault for security. There is also the intrinsic
value of the coin or jewellery to add to the cost of purchase, and
valuation can be difficult.
If your intention is to build a safety net against devaluing currencies, then it's best to own gold bullion registered in your own name and held in a choice of international secure vaults.
If
you are a non resident of the USA and would like a bank account
for checks and international transfers, learn how to open a
Free US bank account with Visa ATM card.
The gold in your BullionVault account remains in 'good delivery bar'
form, so you have the same trust status as a professional
market trader and can buy from and sell to other account
holders securely, knowing that the gold never actually leaves the
ViaMat vault. This also saves shipping charges for both buyer and
seller, and cuts out any 'middle men'. Trades can be settled
instantly without going through an outside dealer or trader.
What happens when you want to sell your gold or
currency?
You may think that in times of crisis,
that everyone is either trying to buy or sell gold at the same time,
so it would be difficult to trade against the historically upward
trend. However as
with gold itself, individual gold and currency investors have different goals. Some are looking for long term
gains, and
will buy more when the gold price goes down.
This is when smaller investors fearing losses they cannot afford may 'cash in'. Some are speculators trying to benefit from short term swings. Others liquidate their holdings to use the money for something else.
So there are short trends, medium term trends and long trends depending on the time scale, which may be minutes, hours, months or years. This is much the same as happens in the foreign currency (forex) market and other 'trading instruments' too. Even minute movements in the gold price can result in trading profits if entries and exits are made at the right times.
Obviously there is more to know about
owning a gold bullion or foreign currency account and you can get
full information on the
www.BullionVault.com
website.
We repeat: NOW is the time to buy and hold gold in some form.
Digital E-Currency and E-Gold Accounts,
GoldExchange
An alternative way to own foreign currency, gold
and precious metals like
silver, platinum and palladium is as electronic or digital currency,
known as e-Gold and e-Currency. This
is also backed by bullion physically lodged in a secure vault.
This type of 'electronic gold or currency' holding is used mainly as an alternate means of money transfer for those who cannot have international bank accounts or cannot use PayPal and other payment processors due to limitations imposed either by their own country or the international community. E-gold account holders can make and receive online payments between other e-gold account holders, avoiding other currency exchange or bank fees. However, it can be expensive to fund one of these accounts and also convert the gold or other precious metal or 'digital currency' back into cash at a later date.
E-GOLD WARNING. As of September 2008, we have no option but to accuse e-gold Ltd. WWW.E-GOLD.COM of improper business practice, resulting in loss of account holder funds, including our own. Their terms, which must be agreed to, allow them to arbitrarily close an account and retain accumulated funds without any explanation or recourse other than referring to the said terms. Beware also of e-bullion.com. You are likely to lose money in any accounts with them.
E-currency transaction trading became popular a couple of years ago with Mazu, DX and others but is no longer profitable; systems like Gary Jezorski's Currency Exchange Profits Video Training System are scams designed to steal your money.