Gold vs. silver: Deciding between the two can seem like an important choice when stepping into the world of precious metals. Is it better to buy gold or silver? Which is more affordable, and which has the better payoff? The truth is that both could be good choices...
Why Do Gold Prices Fluctuate?
Over the long term, gold is often seen as a safe-haven asset that can help offset the impact of volatility experienced by portfolios heavily allocated to paper-based assets like stocks. This is why many consumers use gold to diversify their portfolios amidst...
What Does “Peak Gold” Mean?
You may have heard the term “peak gold” and wondered what it meant. Simply put, peak gold is the maximum rate of global gold extraction, after which mining will slowly decline until gold can no longer be extracted at a profit. For a more complete understanding of peak...
4 Reasons to Buy Gold During a Gold Pullback
When it comes to selecting assets for your portfolio, having a long-term outlook is key. Gold is no exception: It has risen significantly over the long run. But as with any commodity, the price of gold can increase or decrease for any number of reasons in the short...
Three Things to Read Before Buying Gold
Gold has once again been making headlines as the nation’s financial markets continue to face uncertainty. On April 22, 2022, Barron’s reported that gold had made yet another run at $2,000/oz., nearing its all-time-high reached in August 2020. That same day, Barron’s...
Is Gold a Commodity? Yes, But It’s Not a Traditional Commodity.
When we think of commodities, our minds might immediately drift to products like crude oil, coal, corn, and sugar. We might call these the “dictionary definition” of commodities. Gold, too, is a longstanding commodity, though I hold that gold is not a “traditional”...
Bars, Bullion & Coins: Which Type of Silver Could Be Right for You?
Like gold coins, silver coins have been a commonly accepted form of currency for thousands of years. Silver was first used as a currency in 700 B.C., notes The Silver Institute, and has long held a special place in currencies around the world, from the Greek drachma...
Signs the Economy Is Weaker Than Yellen Let On At Jackson Hole
Markets were quiet last week as they awaited Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's comments at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. In short, she stated that "the case for an increase in the federal funds rate has strengthened in recent months," thanks to "continued solid...
6 Simple Tips for Buying Certified Coins
For those mindful of their wealth, gold coins are a means of diversifying away from paper-based assets, such as stocks and mutual funds. Certified coins, in particular, are ideal for those in search of long-term profit potential. If you're new to buying certified...
The Price of Gold: Demystified by Philip N. Diehl
Gold prices seem to move in mysterious ways, but over the long term, a few forces account for most of these price changes. For those of us who buy gold and and hold onto it for a year or longer, these are the most important factors to bear in mind as we make our...
If you follow gold, it bears to keep an eye on China
I occasionally go back through my blog posts to see how my predictions bore up after a year or so. This can be humbling, but sometimes you get it right. I'll leave it to others to dig up the ones where I missed the mark. In August 2013, The Wall Street Journal Online...
The South Carolina primary, one day out
I follow politics pretty closely. Back in November, I saw an article in FiveThirtyEight in which the author argued that the GOP’s primary and caucus rules doom the outsider candidates—Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and Ben Carson—by tilting the playing field in favor of the...