Luis Ovalle


Ways to own Gold

Should I own Gold coins or bars? Coins can be tricky if you engage in the numismatic coin trade which has less to do with the buying, holding, and trading the commodity, and more to do with the rarity of the coins. My opinion is if you can get a vintage coin close to the spot price of Gold then fine, but if not, then you need to remember that you are buying a coin filled with commissions paid to the broker. Remember you are buying precious metals because you feel the dollar’s value is diminishing and you are looking for a hedge against inflation. So don’t detract from your goals when looking at metals as an investment. Now as far as regular bullion coins and bars, I don’t feel there is any difference to be honest, at the end of the day Gold is Gold right? The only leverage legal tender coins can give you is that there is a market for particular coins and some people have a preference as to what type of coins they own as opposed to bars or generic Gold coins. Personally, I feel that if Gold goes to the levels authors such as James Turk says Gold is going to, then I don’t feel that anyone will be turning your gold away. Now there are large institutions that will sell you Gold Such as Monex, Gold Line, Merit Financial, and North West Territorial Mint. The only issues I can find with these larger institutions is there lack of ability to negotiate a fair price with there customers, and then when times get really busy they are not prepared to handle large scale volume. Such complaints have been posted as in the website monexfraud.com. Although I have never know Monex to commit fraud personally, there is a sense that they post there ads to get you in the door to buy Gold and then bait and switch you into their Atlas Trading account which uses leverage as a means to over obligate the consumer into paying interest on an over leveraged account. This was not the intention of the buyer in the first place which is why I don’t like their method of advertising. Now my feeling is that if you want to trade the commodities there are other tools to use other than a leveraged account (which is not bad if that is what you want to do), but the issue is weather or not everyone getting into the Monex Atlas accounts really know what they are getting into. If you want to trade, then trade, but if you just want to buy and hold then that should be your game. Now concerning the other dealers I mentioned, they are fine I suppose, but try getting through to Northwest Territorial Mint when it is really busy, or call Gold line without having them try to sell you rare coins instead of bullion! Remember your spreads and the commissions you pay. Now there are other ways that people buy Gold such as by using Exchange Traded Funds Gold can carry concerns about authenticity and purity, as well as storage and insurance costs. But you can shed those worries and still own a chunk of gold by investing in exchange-traded funds that make buying and selling gold bullion as easy as buying and selling stocks.

The share price of street TRACKS Gold Shares roughly tracks the price of gold and represents an investment in gold bullion. In effect you get to own gold without the hassle of storing and insuring. “With GLD, each share is priced at about one-tenth the price of gold bullion. If gold goes to $1000 an ounce, then the price of a share should be about $100,”

There are fees associated with exchange-traded funds, but they’re usually low. In addition, expect to pay a commission to your broker for each trade. But remember some very important features of the ETF derivatives and are not redeemable in Gold you have to take, ask yourself the question, if the dollar crashes do you want the US Dollar, or would you want the Gold? Also, the questions has been raised if the Comex really has the Gold on hand that GLD trades, and the fact is that GLD doesn’t carry all the Gold they are supposed they only hold about 25% of the Gold they are supposed to have on hand, the rest is most Gold paper certificates. Owning Gold this way is not Gold ownership, but if you don’t care and are only here to trade the volatility of the market then it doesn’t really matter then does it? Owning Mutual Funds, ETF’s and Gold mines is not Gold ownership, you own Gold to hedge against risk. Gold Stocks got hammered when the stock market crashed last Oct, while Gold held it’s own against all the asset classes. It is really the difference between diamonds being worth more then the ring it sits on. Mining stocks reflect the profits of the company. If it costs the company $600 an ounce to dig up gold, pay employees, gas and the like, and gold is selling at $900, their profit is $300. If the price of gold rises to $1200 their profits have doubled, so the stock is more volatile. But it works the other way, too. A drop in the price of gold could flip flop a company from one that’s profitable to one that’s bleeding. So this is a play on Stocks and not the metal itself. I recommend holding some Gold in your possession and then believe it or not, hold Gold in a country that does not have a history of Gold confiscation. Although when the U.S. Government confiscated its citizens Gold we were on a Gold Standard so in order to expand the money supply they needed more Gold then they had. So why would they need it now right? Since we no longer practice the Gold Standard they should not need our Gold correct? At the end of the day they can change the rules on us at anytime, so you should hold some Gold in Europe or Australia, both of which are regions that are friendly to Gold ownership. You can also own Gold in jewelry but this is because you like it, not as an investment. If you buy 14 karat gold, it’s less pure than investment grade. When you sell you’ll need to consider the purity of the gold and, more than likely, it will have to be refined to bring it up to investment grade. This is going to cost you money and take away from the purpose of hedging.

Adam Hunter


Metal clay is a suspension of tiny particles of metal in a clay binder, which can be used to make jewellery, beads and small findings. The beauty of metal clay is that it can be manipulated in the same way as any modelling clay, but once fired the binding agents are burnt off leaving the metal form intact. Although there is a certain amount of shrinkage (between 10-15% for the more modern versions), very fine detail can be achieved, including impressions that would require casting in any other method of metalwork.

Silver metal clay results in objects containing almost pure silver (also known as fine silver) which is ideal for enamelling. There are two popular brands available – Precious Metal Clay (also known as PMC) and Art Clay Silver (ACS). Precious Metal Clay was developed in the early 1990’s in Japan and consists of microscopic particles of pure silver (or fine gold powder) and a water-soluble binder which burns off during firing. The original formula of PMC (now called ‘Standard’) has to be fired in a kiln at a temperature of 1650F and has a high shrinkage rate of around 30%. Two additional versions were later developed called PMC+, which can be fired at 1490F and PMC3, which can be fired at temperatures as low as 1100F. Both of these later versions of PMC have much lower shrinkage rates, allowing much finer detail to be worked into designs.

Art Clay Silver (ACS) was also developed in Japan and is similar in consistency to PMC+. The main difference with ACS is that it can be fired using a hand-held torch or gas oven. Because of subtle differences in the binder components and the longer firing times, ACS benefited from having a considerably lower shrinkage percentage – only 8-10%. This means that ACS can be worked in more detail without any loss of definition in fine work. Art Clay Slow Dry was introduced soon after, which has a much longer working time before requiring firing, allowing intricate work to be moulded into the clay with no loss of malleability.

Art Clay 650 and Art Clay 650 Slow Dry are now becoming increasingly popular, as not only do they have a longer working time but can be fired at temperatures as low as 650C/1200F. This allows jewellers to incorporate glass and Sterling Silver into the designs without fear of damaging the components. AIDA, the manufacturers of ACS have also introduced Oil Paste, a product only used on fired metal clay or milled fine silver, and Overlay Paste which is designed for drawing designs onto glass and porcelain. These two products have allowed the use of metal clay products to be incorporated into a whole new range of designs and mediums, expanding the potential of this product.

Metal clays allow jewellers to work with a material that is as malleable as ordinary modelling clay but produces fine (almost pure) silver jewellery of exquisite intricacy and beauty. Once polished it has a lustre and shine that is easily comparable to cast silver and because of the development of the products over the last few years shrinkage is now no longer an issue. The type used depends on personal preference as both types have their advantages, but incorporating metal clays into your jewellery design gives you a new medium to explore with beautiful results.

Elisha Burberry


When you’re buying a special piece of jewellery – whether it’s an engagement ring or a birthday necklace – it’s likely you’ll hear the term ‘precious metal’ thrown around a lot. But what exactly is a precious metal – and what makes it so ‘precious’? When it comes to jewellery, the three most precious metals are silver, gold and platinum – in that particular order. And if you’re buying jewellery made out of these metals, it’s important to know what each of them denotes, and how expensive they are, before making your purchase.

Silver, for example, is one of the cheapest precious metals, and currently sits at about one fiftieth the price of gold by mass, although it did once trade at one sixth the price of gold before the Age of Discovery. As a soft metal, silver needs to be alloyed with other metals before being made into jewellery, in order to make the metal stronger and more resistant. ‘Sterling Silver’ needs to contain at least 92.5% pure silver in order to gain this mark (the remaining 7.5% is usually comprised of copper). This small copper content means that silver jewellery is likely to tarnish, so if you’re thinking about buying a sterling silver ring or bracelet, it’s important to make sure you clean in properly. Many people like to use toothpaste to clean silver jewellery, but if you’re looking for a less abrasive cleaning formula, it’s best to invest in a silver-cleaning fluid at the time of purchase. Further, to make sure the silver jewellery you’ve bought is high quality, ensure that it’s been stamped with a purity mark (like 925) before you buy.

Gold, on the other hand, has long-held associations with investment and wealth as a precious metal. As with silver, gold is a soft metal and so also has to be alloyed with other metals to make it hard enough for jewellery making. Pure gold, for example is yellow, while white gold is gold that has been alloyed with nickel, copper and zinc, and can sometimes look similar to platinum. In this way, the colour of gold can be manipulated in order to create a number of different types.

Of these three popular precious metals, however, platinum is the most expensive. Its heavy-weight and durable nature means that it’s great for diamond-encrusted jewellery and is similar in colour, though not in properties, to white gold. Generally speaking, platinum jewellery is 90% pure platinum and 10% iridium or palladium alloy. Moreover, jewellery that contains more than 95 per cent pure platinum is marked ‘platinum’ (950 plat or 950pt), whereas 85 percent pure platinum will be marked 850plat or 850pt. Platinum jewellery is rapidly gaining popularity and other related metals – like palladium and titanium – are, as a result being used with increasing frequency in jewellery-making. Hence, platinum jewellery designs are often modern and chunky, with an ethos that reflects the lifestyle of its new buyers.

Sakura


I need to know a stone that would be worth a lot of money. Or some sort of metal. And something that would be in earrings, k? Thanks!

ABC


I used one of the super glue gels to stick my stones and swarovski crystals to fabrics and metals but once the glue is dry they are no longer shiny or sparkle?! is it possible to remove and reglue it?

Samuel Heins


ng to find a market for precious gold and silver coins, the recent hedge inflation crisis hasn’t helped things any. Have you ever wanted to break into the business of distributing and amassing pure silver coins? What about pure gold coins? Have you ever wondered if the market was still as strong as its always been? Better yet, have you desired to invest in your future through the trade of precious metals but felt limited by your income levels?

Here’s an investor’s secret; the market for precious metals, even for something as common as silver eagle coins, is as strong as it ever was. If you look at America’s financial history, nearly every twist and turn of our stock market can be shown to have one common thread; that precious metals have always remained strong. Dollar values may rise and fall, but gold and silver are, and will be, the strongest and safest currency in the world. This begs the question; how do you get involved in this ever growing and profitable market?

The people at Silver Tornado have stepped out as the world’s first precious metals downline builder system to help you achieve your dream of working with gold and silver. They are a long-term focused company that works with multiple, reputable partners to bring you the numbers and success you’ve wanted but never thought you could have. Through their free system, they allow you to work with multiple distributors to meet your own financial ends. Most of the hard work is taken care of for you; all you need to do is the one crucial part that many of these sites simply don’t have the time or resources for, and that is drive traffic.

When working through Silver Tornado, you gain hundreds of dollars worth of marketing software, inside news on the market, the knowledge and ability to perform your job successfully and your own website with one year of free hosting already provided. The good people at Silver Tornado have done most of the hard work for you; it’s your knowledge of the web and the people you know that do the rest. The money is made automatically by the business you drive, and the companies you work with will often time share the wealth with you just for being involved.

When you work with Silver Tornado you are working with distributors and whole sellers of everything from silver eagle dollars to bullion to the popular Liberty dollar, which has many in America talking about how they can put their trust and financial security back into our own great country. Imagine being able to not only help0 these companies fulfill their needs by distributing the abundance of precious metal stock they have accrued, but also gaining a leg up on the market by having the inside track.

There are a lot of get rich quick schemes out there, and Silver Tornado isn’t one of them. This site is designed to help you slowly and steadily build up the financial security you know you’ve wanted but were never sure how to attain. Go to Silver Tornado and see for yourself how this incredible site can start you on the road to financial security.

Kaytee


Lately there are many articles about the upcoming catastrophy after the baby boomers retire; financial analysts are saying that Social Security and Medicare are going broke and the US economy is going to be in deep crisis. Therefore, they advise to invest in real estate, precious metals of foreign stocks. Do you think they are making too much fuss about it?

scottshearer38


I’m curious why my CIBC precious metal funds are going down so radically when the price of gold is so high?

Absolutely Dude


I found an investment online called “Partner Fund” this combines commodities, real estate, precious metals (gold, silver) and foreign exchange. The account on average earns about 10% interest per month. there is a one time entrance fee of 10%. Do you know of a better investment? I have $8,000 to put in…
here is the website if found this investment at, I had to contact them for most of the information.

http://www.plateofgold.com

Adam Hunter


In the 1990’s scientists in Japan developed a combination of binders and fine metal particles to create a material with the malleable properties of modelling clay, known as Precious Metal Clay (PMC). This product is now available to the jewellery making industry and to hobbyists as well.

PMC is also commonly known as ‘Silver Clay’ which, when heated, turns into pure silver. The binder in the material holds the silver particles together. When fired like normal modelling clay, the binder burns away, allowing the silver particles to bond and form a solid piece of pure silver. The beauty of Silver Clay is that it can be easily used at home with just a few specialist pieces of equipment, and can bring a whole new dimension to your jewellery making techniques.

Since its initial development, Silver Clay has undergone a transformation, making it easier than ever to use. Early examples of the clay needed to be fired at very high temperatures, requiring a kiln to complete the process. Modern metal clays are now capable of being fired in a common kitchen oven or even with a gas blowtorch. Although a kiln is not strictly necessary with modern materials, it is still a useful jewellery workshop item to have, as it enables the user to control the temperature of the firing accurately. Too high and the silver will melt into a blob. Two low and the binder will not burn off completely, leaving the final piece weak.

The early PMC suffered from one major drawback – shrinkage. Modern metal clays are now much more resistant to shrinking during the firing process, making them easier to manipulate into far more delicate and complex patterns. Acceptable levels of shrinkage for modern materials are between 10-15%, depending on the brand.

Metal clay can be thinned with water to make a paste that can be used to join elements, repair cracks and use as a surface texture. Because the clay is very dense, just stirring in additional water will not thin the mixture. The medium has to be mixed, rather like adding thinner to oil paint, with a palette knife. Once the required consistency has been reached, allow the mixture to ‘rest’ in an airtight container for a few hours before use.

Metal clay is perfect for developing texture in a piece, and this can be achieved by simply pressing the pattern into the surface of the clay. Patterned rollers, even leaves or lace can be used to achieve a delicate finish on the surface of the silver piece.

Firing temperatures for the clay are around 1500 degrees F, which is applicable for most types of metal clays. Firing time is around ten minutes, making the use of a small kiln the optimum choice for firing processes.

Once fired, the metal can be soldered, filed, sanded and polished like any other metal, but it is advisable to burnish the surface first to compact the surface structure. Once finished, the piece can be worn like any other piece of silver jewellery.

Silver clay is widely available from jewellery and craft suppliers, the two main brands being Precious Metal Clay (PMC) and Art Clay Silver. Gold clay is available, but its price is prohibitively expensive for novice users. The silver clay is a good starting point when exploring this versatile medium.