The Benefits of Owning Precious Metals
Not a sales argument. The working knowledge that makes the rest of this site, and any conversation with us, easier to follow.
Metal and money
- A troy ounce is the unit metal is weighed in. It is heavier than a kitchen ounce.
- Purity is written as a decimal: .999 is 99.9% pure; .9999 is finer still; 22-karat is .9167 and alloyed for hardness.
- The “spot price” is the going price for a plain ounce, right now. Coins and bars cost more than spot because someone made them.
- Bullion is metal valued for its metal content. Numismatic coins are valued for rarity. We deal in bullion.
Owning it
- Coins from sovereign mints are recognised worldwide and easy to sell one at a time.
- Bars carry less making cost per ounce and suit larger, stored holdings.
- Delivered metal is your responsibility to store and insure. Stored metal sits in a depository in your name.
- Metal inside a retirement account is held by the custodian's depository, not at home.
Deciding
- Prices rise and fall. Metal is for holding, not for timing.
- The most useful question is not “gold or silver?” but “what portion of my savings, and why?”
A note on advice
We explain; we do not advise. Whether metal belongs in your savings, and how much, is your decision — ideally after a word with your own financial and tax professionals.
Speak with a specialist, or get the free guide.
This article is educational. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell anything, and it does not consider your circumstances. Prices can move in either direction.
