If you've ever considered investing in coins and precious metals.
Coins are one of the oldest forms of currency, and some of the most lasting reminders of eras gone by. Some coins from ancient days are made of gold, silver, copper.Many investors prefer to purchase precious metals such as gold or silver to add some security to their investment plan. Even when stocks and bonds fall in value, there will always be a market for certain metals… especially those that can be used in jewelry and have been used as a basis for various economies.
Of course, just because something has value doesn't mean that you should use all of your investment money to buy it. When buying precious metals, you should always temper your investment with other forms of investment. This helps to protect you against theft, since there are no easily traceable methods of finding stolen gold or silver bars and coins.
Coins and precious metals can be used as a wonderful supplement to traditional investments.
Fine precious metal jewelry
Diamonds, gold, silver, platinum, and semi-precious gemstones...
Monday, September 25, 2006
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Precious metal - Sterling silver jewelry a popular choice
Have you ever wondered what exactly is up with precious metal? This informative report can give you an insight into everything you've ever wanted to know about precious metal.
Sterling silver jewelry has always been popular and remains so today. Sterling silver estate jewelry has also shared it’s time in the limelight but in recent years its popularity has exploded. Everyone knows how beautiful sterling silver is and how durable it is, that’s one of the reasons it’s such a popular choice.
The best time to learn about precious metal is before you're in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep reading to earn some valuable precious metal experience while it's still free. Whether you are looking at sterling silver for a gift for that special someone or looking to add to your own jewelry to make that fashion statement, it’s important you understand the terms that are used throughout the industry. Once you understand the terminology you will be better equipped to choose quality pieces of sterling silver jewelry.
Silver likes to be worn. It helps keep it shiny and beautiful. So the next time you are in the market for some quality sterling silver jewelry be sure to check out estate silver jewelry!
Those who only know one or two facts about precious metal can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you're learning here.
Sterling silver jewelry has always been popular and remains so today. Sterling silver estate jewelry has also shared it’s time in the limelight but in recent years its popularity has exploded. Everyone knows how beautiful sterling silver is and how durable it is, that’s one of the reasons it’s such a popular choice.
The best time to learn about precious metal is before you're in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep reading to earn some valuable precious metal experience while it's still free. Whether you are looking at sterling silver for a gift for that special someone or looking to add to your own jewelry to make that fashion statement, it’s important you understand the terms that are used throughout the industry. Once you understand the terminology you will be better equipped to choose quality pieces of sterling silver jewelry.
Silver likes to be worn. It helps keep it shiny and beautiful. So the next time you are in the market for some quality sterling silver jewelry be sure to check out estate silver jewelry!
Those who only know one or two facts about precious metal can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you're learning here.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
precious metal : The Beauty of a Pendant Necklace
I am truly fascinated by all kind of jewellery but on top of my list stand pendant necklaces. There is absolutely nothing which can be more beautiful. It isn't the glimmer I like. I often find myself enchanted by a plain and tarnish pendant necklace. I try not to pay too much attention to gems - sapphires, rubies, emeralds and diamonds, so I am not really taken away by shiny things. And I surely cannot afford to have a necklace like that. What I like best are unique pendant necklaces which have a story of their own and have a character.
My favorite pendant necklace was not originally designed as pendant jewellery. It was made up of a piece of pewter and it was a figure I liked to put on my mantle piece. The figure depicts a wizard, not an ordinary one but such without a long beard, a straight cap and long robes, and there is not a red stone in the wizard's staff, either. On the contrary, it is a typical but an eccentric pendant necklace.
The only thing that helps you recognize this figure is actually a wizard is the staff inscribed with imaginary runes that he holds. My wizard figure has a big casual hat with a puff ball, chubby cheeks, and a large friendly smile. He looks quite similar to a regular guy, so people often ask me about him. This is what I call a good pendant necklace, such that draws attention to you not for its gems but for its uniqueness and charm.
Making your own pendant necklace is not a very difficult task but the majority of people prefer purchasing them from stores. With a little creativeness you can make almost any miniature a lovely pendant necklace. Sometimes you might need to solder of bend the material, knowing something about shaping wire might also be helpful but most of the times you wouldn't need to do that in order to make a pendant necklace. All you need to have is patience and desire to learn. Having these two, you can easily make your own unique pendant necklace.
by Morgan Hamilton
My favorite pendant necklace was not originally designed as pendant jewellery. It was made up of a piece of pewter and it was a figure I liked to put on my mantle piece. The figure depicts a wizard, not an ordinary one but such without a long beard, a straight cap and long robes, and there is not a red stone in the wizard's staff, either. On the contrary, it is a typical but an eccentric pendant necklace.
The only thing that helps you recognize this figure is actually a wizard is the staff inscribed with imaginary runes that he holds. My wizard figure has a big casual hat with a puff ball, chubby cheeks, and a large friendly smile. He looks quite similar to a regular guy, so people often ask me about him. This is what I call a good pendant necklace, such that draws attention to you not for its gems but for its uniqueness and charm.
Making your own pendant necklace is not a very difficult task but the majority of people prefer purchasing them from stores. With a little creativeness you can make almost any miniature a lovely pendant necklace. Sometimes you might need to solder of bend the material, knowing something about shaping wire might also be helpful but most of the times you wouldn't need to do that in order to make a pendant necklace. All you need to have is patience and desire to learn. Having these two, you can easily make your own unique pendant necklace.
by Morgan Hamilton
precious metal : Care & Storage of Sterling Silver Jewelry
Proper care and storage of your sterling silver jewelry means you will have many years of pleasure and your jewelry will continue to look like new. Sterling silver will tarnish over time and with a little care will continue to look beautiful. With some pieces, you may even wish to leave some “color” to enhance the contrasts or aged appearance of your jewelry
Types of Cloths/Brushes
Because sterling silver is a relatively soft metal, it will scratch easily. For best results use only use only soft, lint-free 100% cotton cloth. Terry cloth, synthetic fabrics or any coarse cloth may cause fine surface scratches which will trap tarnish, dirt and polish. This will cause your jewelry to lose its luster and appear duller over time.
You may clean your silver jewelry with a very soft brush, like a baby’s toothbrush, a horsehair brush or brushes sold for this purpose. Some have successfully used mushroom brushes. The bristles of the brush must be very soft and used gently. There’s no place for rough treatment or harsh scrubbing if you wish to preserve the luster of your jewelry.
Anti-tarnish polishing cloths are available and are very inexpensive. These are both handy and easy to use. However, if your jewelry includes gem stones, you’ll need to be careful not to rub the stone(s) with the cloth. It could, over time, damage the stone.
Types of Cleaners
For the same reasons, a soft cloth is necessary – so is a soft, gentle cleanser. There are several options available.
For light cleaning, a mild detergent and warm water will often do the trick. Just make sure that you are using a lint-free soft cotton cloth to gently clean your jewelry. Once cleaned and rinsed thoroughly, gently dry completely before storing.
You can also purchase a silver cleaning dip – just make sure that you do not immerse the stone. Gently wipe with a soft cloth and rinse with cool water. Always make sure your jewelry is completely dry before storing.
There are a number of excellent quality silver polishes and pastes that you may wish to use for pieces that are more heavily soiled. Again, do not rub the polish on the gem stone as it may dull the surface over time. Be sure to rinse your piece thoroughly and remove all polish or paste. If your jewelry is a plain silver piece, with no gem stone, you may want to use a silver polish spray.
Ultrasonic cleaners are not recommended for any silver jewelry with gem stones and particularly any that are porous, like turquoise. The cleaner may harm the stone. If your silver jewelry has no setting, then you may use an ultrasonic cleaner.
How to Clean
If you’ve ever noticed a black car that has been repeatedly hand washed, you’ll notice the circular scratches that inevitably show. Keep that in mind when you’re cleaning your jewelry. Use a lengthwise gentle motion to wipe your jewelry clean rather than a circular one. Any surface scratches that occur will be less noticeable. Make sure that you rinse your jewelry completely and gently dry with a clean, soft cloth.
How to store
Storing each piece of silver jewelry separately will reduce the amount of scratching that occurs in a jewelry box. Using an airtight zipped bag – plastic or specially purchased anti-tarnish bags – will help reduce tarnishing over time.
Silver jewelry is meant to be worn. Actually our body oils act as a barrier to tarnish – most of the problem will come in storing the jewelry. A little consistent care will go a long way to keeping your sterling silver jewelry beautiful for a lifetime. But if you’re like most of us and get busy with other things, it’s nice to know that silver jewelry is quite forgiving.
by Terry Lewis
Types of Cloths/Brushes
Because sterling silver is a relatively soft metal, it will scratch easily. For best results use only use only soft, lint-free 100% cotton cloth. Terry cloth, synthetic fabrics or any coarse cloth may cause fine surface scratches which will trap tarnish, dirt and polish. This will cause your jewelry to lose its luster and appear duller over time.
You may clean your silver jewelry with a very soft brush, like a baby’s toothbrush, a horsehair brush or brushes sold for this purpose. Some have successfully used mushroom brushes. The bristles of the brush must be very soft and used gently. There’s no place for rough treatment or harsh scrubbing if you wish to preserve the luster of your jewelry.
Anti-tarnish polishing cloths are available and are very inexpensive. These are both handy and easy to use. However, if your jewelry includes gem stones, you’ll need to be careful not to rub the stone(s) with the cloth. It could, over time, damage the stone.
Types of Cleaners
For the same reasons, a soft cloth is necessary – so is a soft, gentle cleanser. There are several options available.
For light cleaning, a mild detergent and warm water will often do the trick. Just make sure that you are using a lint-free soft cotton cloth to gently clean your jewelry. Once cleaned and rinsed thoroughly, gently dry completely before storing.
You can also purchase a silver cleaning dip – just make sure that you do not immerse the stone. Gently wipe with a soft cloth and rinse with cool water. Always make sure your jewelry is completely dry before storing.
There are a number of excellent quality silver polishes and pastes that you may wish to use for pieces that are more heavily soiled. Again, do not rub the polish on the gem stone as it may dull the surface over time. Be sure to rinse your piece thoroughly and remove all polish or paste. If your jewelry is a plain silver piece, with no gem stone, you may want to use a silver polish spray.
Ultrasonic cleaners are not recommended for any silver jewelry with gem stones and particularly any that are porous, like turquoise. The cleaner may harm the stone. If your silver jewelry has no setting, then you may use an ultrasonic cleaner.
How to Clean
If you’ve ever noticed a black car that has been repeatedly hand washed, you’ll notice the circular scratches that inevitably show. Keep that in mind when you’re cleaning your jewelry. Use a lengthwise gentle motion to wipe your jewelry clean rather than a circular one. Any surface scratches that occur will be less noticeable. Make sure that you rinse your jewelry completely and gently dry with a clean, soft cloth.
How to store
Storing each piece of silver jewelry separately will reduce the amount of scratching that occurs in a jewelry box. Using an airtight zipped bag – plastic or specially purchased anti-tarnish bags – will help reduce tarnishing over time.
Silver jewelry is meant to be worn. Actually our body oils act as a barrier to tarnish – most of the problem will come in storing the jewelry. A little consistent care will go a long way to keeping your sterling silver jewelry beautiful for a lifetime. But if you’re like most of us and get busy with other things, it’s nice to know that silver jewelry is quite forgiving.
by Terry Lewis
precious metal : Sterling Silver Wedding Rings
A True Delight
Choosing the right wedding ring is a very important part of the wedding preparations. Wedding rings aren’t just ornaments, they hold a much deeper meaning. Besides the ‘beauty’ aspect of the wedding ring, one has to consider comfort as well. Since a person wears the wedding ring on a daily basis, it is essential to make sure that the wedding ring you purchase is comfortable enough.
One significant factor in choosing a wedding ring is the kind of metal. The days are gone when the choices were pretty much limited to yellow gold or diamond rings. With the passage of time, sterling silver wedding rings and bands have become incredibly popular. They are very compatible with the momentous occasion of a wedding. The reason why the popularity of sterling silver wedding rings is rising day by day is because they look modern and match any outfit.
Gone are the days when only diamond and platinum rings were considered to good enough for wedding rings and anything else was considered inferior. Although silver had been in use for a long time, mainly because of its aesthetic qualities, only recently has sterling silver been used much in wedding rings and bands. And, not surprisingly, they soon captured the market. These days, many couples choose wedding rings made of sterling silver.
The chief reasons for the growing popularity of the sterling silver wedding rings are their affordability and versatility. It is not too difficult to engrave and resize a sterling silver ring. This is because sterling silver is ductile and has a low melting point. This reflective precious metal is also easy to take care of. You can easily clean your ring using a soft cloth. Make sure you don’t exert too much force while cleaning, otherwise you might leave scratches. So take your time and carefully clean your ring. Many people use toothpaste to clean sterling silver jewelry but it is better to avoid using toothpaste as a cleaning agent since it might make your wedding ring or band look dull. Also, to make sure that your precious sterling silver wedding ring doesn’t tarnish, don’t expose it to any corrosive agents such as detergents, chemicals, etc.
If you are on a budget and looking for an elegant, stylish wedding ring for your beloved, then a sterling silver ring is the perfect choice. It is sturdy, long lasting, non-allergenic, light and, in short, an ideal metal for a wedding ring or band. It is a lot cheaper when compared to a diamond or a platinum ring, but it looks just as exquisite and delicate. So keep sterling silver wedding rings in mind when you go hunting for the perfect ring for your life partner. Sterling silver wedding rings and bands are undoubtedly an excellent choice.
By Roy Dietelzieg
Choosing the right wedding ring is a very important part of the wedding preparations. Wedding rings aren’t just ornaments, they hold a much deeper meaning. Besides the ‘beauty’ aspect of the wedding ring, one has to consider comfort as well. Since a person wears the wedding ring on a daily basis, it is essential to make sure that the wedding ring you purchase is comfortable enough.
One significant factor in choosing a wedding ring is the kind of metal. The days are gone when the choices were pretty much limited to yellow gold or diamond rings. With the passage of time, sterling silver wedding rings and bands have become incredibly popular. They are very compatible with the momentous occasion of a wedding. The reason why the popularity of sterling silver wedding rings is rising day by day is because they look modern and match any outfit.
Gone are the days when only diamond and platinum rings were considered to good enough for wedding rings and anything else was considered inferior. Although silver had been in use for a long time, mainly because of its aesthetic qualities, only recently has sterling silver been used much in wedding rings and bands. And, not surprisingly, they soon captured the market. These days, many couples choose wedding rings made of sterling silver.
The chief reasons for the growing popularity of the sterling silver wedding rings are their affordability and versatility. It is not too difficult to engrave and resize a sterling silver ring. This is because sterling silver is ductile and has a low melting point. This reflective precious metal is also easy to take care of. You can easily clean your ring using a soft cloth. Make sure you don’t exert too much force while cleaning, otherwise you might leave scratches. So take your time and carefully clean your ring. Many people use toothpaste to clean sterling silver jewelry but it is better to avoid using toothpaste as a cleaning agent since it might make your wedding ring or band look dull. Also, to make sure that your precious sterling silver wedding ring doesn’t tarnish, don’t expose it to any corrosive agents such as detergents, chemicals, etc.
If you are on a budget and looking for an elegant, stylish wedding ring for your beloved, then a sterling silver ring is the perfect choice. It is sturdy, long lasting, non-allergenic, light and, in short, an ideal metal for a wedding ring or band. It is a lot cheaper when compared to a diamond or a platinum ring, but it looks just as exquisite and delicate. So keep sterling silver wedding rings in mind when you go hunting for the perfect ring for your life partner. Sterling silver wedding rings and bands are undoubtedly an excellent choice.
By Roy Dietelzieg
precious metal : What’s Hot Around the World?
Thousands of visitors from the Australian jewellery trade, retailers, manufacturers, bench jewellers, goldsmiths, silversmiths attended the annual fair to see the latest products on show from hundreds of exhibitors from all over the world.
There is nothing new under the sun. Well perhaps there isn’t but there certainly can be new twists put on old themes and that is certainly evident in the jewellery fashion world.
The world economies are changing and China is playing a big part in jewellery manufacture and China equals cheap. In Australia sales have been dampened by rising fuel prices, rising interest rates and massively rising gold and silver prices. But it doesn’t mean that people have stopped buying jewellery.
As a response to these negative economic conditions new metals are looming as the popular choice. We are seeing titanium, tungsten, and stainless steel taking over some of the role of the precious metals gold and silver. These are exciting precious metals and a lot can be done with them that might not be done with other metals. Also, white gold is the most expensive of the gold varieties and with a huge surge in the gold price what can we do? Well palladium is the answer. It is a beautiful metal and is strong and a sparkling white. It doesn’t need to be rhodium plated and in my opinion it looks better than white gold or platinum and it is less expensive.
Big is the word of today. We are seeing huge mens’ watches. At first I have to laugh but then they grow on you. Of course you don’t have to agree with the fashions you just have to keep up with them!
Beads and all things beaded and big beads are popular. Well, that’s been happening for a while but it doesn’t show any signs of waning. Bright coloured beaded jewellery is looming large. The best part about beaded jewellery is that it is cheap. You can buy a lot of it for very little and you can even make it yourself. Beaded gemstone jewellery is raging. I like because you get beads like garnets, pearls, opalite, and so on all very inexpensively. They are the poorer quality pieces of the mining process but what a terrific way to use them.
Diamonds are still in flavour which is evidenced by the fact that one and a half million dollars worth were stolen from one exhibitor as his wears were being transported to the fair. Diamonds are coming in all colours now and this is making a resurgence in the desire for the timeless stone.
Other gemstones are being set in invisible settings and this is becoming very popular. All that glittering metal which traditionally holds the stones in place is cleverly being replaced by another form of setting which makes the setting method invisible. I like it.
Silver jewellery is surging as a response to the increased cost of white gold but it always had its loyal followers in any case.
I am pleased to see that amber and amber jewellery from the far Baltic shores is still very popular.
All in all, my view of what I have seen and talked about shows that all the old favourites like opals are still holding their ground but big, bright, glitzy jewellery is on the rise!
by Gary Hocking
There is nothing new under the sun. Well perhaps there isn’t but there certainly can be new twists put on old themes and that is certainly evident in the jewellery fashion world.
The world economies are changing and China is playing a big part in jewellery manufacture and China equals cheap. In Australia sales have been dampened by rising fuel prices, rising interest rates and massively rising gold and silver prices. But it doesn’t mean that people have stopped buying jewellery.
As a response to these negative economic conditions new metals are looming as the popular choice. We are seeing titanium, tungsten, and stainless steel taking over some of the role of the precious metals gold and silver. These are exciting precious metals and a lot can be done with them that might not be done with other metals. Also, white gold is the most expensive of the gold varieties and with a huge surge in the gold price what can we do? Well palladium is the answer. It is a beautiful metal and is strong and a sparkling white. It doesn’t need to be rhodium plated and in my opinion it looks better than white gold or platinum and it is less expensive.
Big is the word of today. We are seeing huge mens’ watches. At first I have to laugh but then they grow on you. Of course you don’t have to agree with the fashions you just have to keep up with them!
Beads and all things beaded and big beads are popular. Well, that’s been happening for a while but it doesn’t show any signs of waning. Bright coloured beaded jewellery is looming large. The best part about beaded jewellery is that it is cheap. You can buy a lot of it for very little and you can even make it yourself. Beaded gemstone jewellery is raging. I like because you get beads like garnets, pearls, opalite, and so on all very inexpensively. They are the poorer quality pieces of the mining process but what a terrific way to use them.
Diamonds are still in flavour which is evidenced by the fact that one and a half million dollars worth were stolen from one exhibitor as his wears were being transported to the fair. Diamonds are coming in all colours now and this is making a resurgence in the desire for the timeless stone.
Other gemstones are being set in invisible settings and this is becoming very popular. All that glittering metal which traditionally holds the stones in place is cleverly being replaced by another form of setting which makes the setting method invisible. I like it.
Silver jewellery is surging as a response to the increased cost of white gold but it always had its loyal followers in any case.
I am pleased to see that amber and amber jewellery from the far Baltic shores is still very popular.
All in all, my view of what I have seen and talked about shows that all the old favourites like opals are still holding their ground but big, bright, glitzy jewellery is on the rise!
by Gary Hocking
Sunday, September 03, 2006
precious metal : September Rallies
September will see more consumption from Indian and Chinese retail buyers'' of gold jewelry for holidays and weddings, said Ma Tian Yu, a gold trader at the Bank of China in Shanghai.
The precious metal has fallen only nine times in the month of September since gold began trading on public exchanges in 1975.
Gold demand fell 16 percent in the second quarter as price swings discouraged purchases by jewelers. The drop marked the third straight quarterly decline and the lowest level of demand since the third quarter of 2004. Jewelers still accounted for 85 percent of purchases in the period.
Futures have fallen 14 percent from a 26-year high of $732 on May 12, and some jewelers are using less gold on lower-priced pieces to counter higher costs for the metal.
``It has been difficult in a rising market to use the same amount of gold by weight,'' said Mark Hanna, vice president for Bel-Oro International Inc. in New York, a jewelry manufacturer who may buy 5 percent to 10 percent less gold this year. Necklaces, bangles and rings under $200 may have less gold than previous years, he said.
Adjusting to Prices
``As long as gold was in the $400 range, the business was quite stable and very viable,'' Hanna said. ``We all have to adjust. This Christmas will be a bit of a sticker shock. But next Christmas, $650 gold will be like $400 gold two years ago.''
``Between late August and late September, there tends to be a pronounced uptrend in the metal,'' said Dan Chesler, an analyst at Charttricks.com in Wellington, Florida, who studies historical price patterns. ``That's the historical tendency.''
Chesler recommended buying this week based on movements of 50-week and 100-week moving averages for the December contract.
Traders who look at price charts say the metal is poised to rise. Since spot gold plunged to $542.45 on June 14, prices have been forming a ``pennant,'' or a triangular pattern that usually indicates prices are poised to rise or fall once the apex is reached, said Phil Roberts, a technical analyst at Barclays Capital in London.
Hedge Funds
Hedge-fund managers and other large speculators decreased their net-long position in Comex gold futures in the week ended Aug. 29, according to U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data.
Speculative long positions, or bets prices will rise, outnumbered short positions by 87,716 contracts, the Washington- based agency said Sept. 1. Net-long positions fell by 8,232 contracts, or 8.6 percent, from a week earlier.
By Pham-Duy Nguyen
The precious metal has fallen only nine times in the month of September since gold began trading on public exchanges in 1975.
Gold demand fell 16 percent in the second quarter as price swings discouraged purchases by jewelers. The drop marked the third straight quarterly decline and the lowest level of demand since the third quarter of 2004. Jewelers still accounted for 85 percent of purchases in the period.
Futures have fallen 14 percent from a 26-year high of $732 on May 12, and some jewelers are using less gold on lower-priced pieces to counter higher costs for the metal.
``It has been difficult in a rising market to use the same amount of gold by weight,'' said Mark Hanna, vice president for Bel-Oro International Inc. in New York, a jewelry manufacturer who may buy 5 percent to 10 percent less gold this year. Necklaces, bangles and rings under $200 may have less gold than previous years, he said.
Adjusting to Prices
``As long as gold was in the $400 range, the business was quite stable and very viable,'' Hanna said. ``We all have to adjust. This Christmas will be a bit of a sticker shock. But next Christmas, $650 gold will be like $400 gold two years ago.''
``Between late August and late September, there tends to be a pronounced uptrend in the metal,'' said Dan Chesler, an analyst at Charttricks.com in Wellington, Florida, who studies historical price patterns. ``That's the historical tendency.''
Chesler recommended buying this week based on movements of 50-week and 100-week moving averages for the December contract.
Traders who look at price charts say the metal is poised to rise. Since spot gold plunged to $542.45 on June 14, prices have been forming a ``pennant,'' or a triangular pattern that usually indicates prices are poised to rise or fall once the apex is reached, said Phil Roberts, a technical analyst at Barclays Capital in London.
Hedge Funds
Hedge-fund managers and other large speculators decreased their net-long position in Comex gold futures in the week ended Aug. 29, according to U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data.
Speculative long positions, or bets prices will rise, outnumbered short positions by 87,716 contracts, the Washington- based agency said Sept. 1. Net-long positions fell by 8,232 contracts, or 8.6 percent, from a week earlier.
By Pham-Duy Nguyen
precious metal : Gold May Rise as Demand
Gold may rise for a second straight week on speculation demand from jewelers and investors this month will recover, outpacing production from the world's mines.
Eighteen of 28 traders, investors and analysts surveyed by Bloomberg from Sydney to Chicago on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 advised buying gold, which rose 0.3 percent last week to $632.60 an ounce in New York. The survey results were the most bullish in seven weeks. Six respondents said to sell. Four were neutral.
Gold gained during every September since 2000 as jewelers stocked up on the precious metal for the winter holidays and speculators in New York and London returned from summer vacations. Mine output has barely budged in the past decade, forcing producers such as Goldcorp Inc. to acquire rivals to expand reserves.
``Our industry is not growing,'' Goldcorp Chief Executive Officer Ian Telfer said in an interview Aug. 31, after the Vancouver-based company agreed to buy Glamis Gold Ltd. for stock valued at $7.88 billion. ``New growth from mines is declining around the world, so you have production flat to down.''
Prices will climb by $200 an ounce to more than $830 in the next two years, and may reach $1,000, Telfer said.
Gold futures for December delivery rose $1.80 an ounce last week on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. A majority of analysts surveyed Aug. 24 and Aug. 25 anticipated the gain. The Bloomberg survey has forecast the direction of prices accurately in 76 of 123 weeks, or 62 percent of the time. Prices have gained 42 percent in the past year.
Renewed Interest'
``There has been renewed interest in gold, as evidenced by the Glamis Gold takeover,'' said Thomas Au, principal at R.W. Wentworth & Co., a New York-based consulting company.
Consolidation among mining companies worldwide has been spurred by a five-year rally in gold and soaring exploration costs. Goldcorp, Canada's third-largest producer, made more than $2 billion of acquisitions before its bid for Reno, Nevada-based Glamis. Barrick Gold Corp. bought Placer Dome for $10.4 billion in March to become the world's largest producer.
Annual mine production has been little changed at 2,500 metric tons for the past 10 years, according to GFMS Ltd., a London-based metals researcher.
A rebound in physical demand will be crucial in driving gold prices up for a sixth straight year, some analysts said. Jewelers are the biggest buyers of the metal.
By Pham-Duy Nguyen
Eighteen of 28 traders, investors and analysts surveyed by Bloomberg from Sydney to Chicago on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 advised buying gold, which rose 0.3 percent last week to $632.60 an ounce in New York. The survey results were the most bullish in seven weeks. Six respondents said to sell. Four were neutral.
Gold gained during every September since 2000 as jewelers stocked up on the precious metal for the winter holidays and speculators in New York and London returned from summer vacations. Mine output has barely budged in the past decade, forcing producers such as Goldcorp Inc. to acquire rivals to expand reserves.
``Our industry is not growing,'' Goldcorp Chief Executive Officer Ian Telfer said in an interview Aug. 31, after the Vancouver-based company agreed to buy Glamis Gold Ltd. for stock valued at $7.88 billion. ``New growth from mines is declining around the world, so you have production flat to down.''
Prices will climb by $200 an ounce to more than $830 in the next two years, and may reach $1,000, Telfer said.
Gold futures for December delivery rose $1.80 an ounce last week on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. A majority of analysts surveyed Aug. 24 and Aug. 25 anticipated the gain. The Bloomberg survey has forecast the direction of prices accurately in 76 of 123 weeks, or 62 percent of the time. Prices have gained 42 percent in the past year.
Renewed Interest'
``There has been renewed interest in gold, as evidenced by the Glamis Gold takeover,'' said Thomas Au, principal at R.W. Wentworth & Co., a New York-based consulting company.
Consolidation among mining companies worldwide has been spurred by a five-year rally in gold and soaring exploration costs. Goldcorp, Canada's third-largest producer, made more than $2 billion of acquisitions before its bid for Reno, Nevada-based Glamis. Barrick Gold Corp. bought Placer Dome for $10.4 billion in March to become the world's largest producer.
Annual mine production has been little changed at 2,500 metric tons for the past 10 years, according to GFMS Ltd., a London-based metals researcher.
A rebound in physical demand will be crucial in driving gold prices up for a sixth straight year, some analysts said. Jewelers are the biggest buyers of the metal.
By Pham-Duy Nguyen
precious metal : Gold History
Gold was in use as a form of money, in one form or another, at least from 560 BC until the end of the Bretton Woods system in 1971. It was used as a store of value both by individuals and countries for much of that period.
Since the end of the Bretton Woods system in 1971, gold has largely lost its role as a form of currency. It is still considered by many as a store of value and a safe haven in times of crisis.
Central banks retain large gold reserves
Gold and other precious metals are assets that are both tangible and liquid (i.e. easily traded), unlike real estate which is tangible but not liquid, or company shares and bonds which are liquid but not tangible.
Considering its high density and high value per unit mass, storing and transporting gold is very easy. Gold also does not corrode. Historically, it was also very easy to verify that an offered coin had the density of gold through the use of Archimedes' principle. Today, however, some metals are denser than gold yet cheaper. While some think gold deserves special treatment based on its cultural value and use as money, others consider gold a commodity, like copper or lead.
Some people, sometimes referred to as gold bugs, buy gold which they retain in their physical possession in the belief that should the monetary and financial system collapse, gold would still be considered valuable.
Other reasons for doing so include the ease of hiding the gold from others, such as family members or tax authorities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_as_an_investment
Since the end of the Bretton Woods system in 1971, gold has largely lost its role as a form of currency. It is still considered by many as a store of value and a safe haven in times of crisis.
Central banks retain large gold reserves
Gold and other precious metals are assets that are both tangible and liquid (i.e. easily traded), unlike real estate which is tangible but not liquid, or company shares and bonds which are liquid but not tangible.
Considering its high density and high value per unit mass, storing and transporting gold is very easy. Gold also does not corrode. Historically, it was also very easy to verify that an offered coin had the density of gold through the use of Archimedes' principle. Today, however, some metals are denser than gold yet cheaper. While some think gold deserves special treatment based on its cultural value and use as money, others consider gold a commodity, like copper or lead.
Some people, sometimes referred to as gold bugs, buy gold which they retain in their physical possession in the belief that should the monetary and financial system collapse, gold would still be considered valuable.
Other reasons for doing so include the ease of hiding the gold from others, such as family members or tax authorities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_as_an_investment
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