June
Important Books
Gold Trading Boot Camp by Greg Weldon
Gregory Weldon, a veteran commodities speculator and expert on the subject, has mastered the gold-trading rules through more than two decades of hard-won experience. And now, in Gold Trading Boot Camp, he tells you everything you need to know when going to battle in today's volatile trading environment.
Throughout history, gold has been an exceptionally safe and effective storage vehicle for the preservation of wealth. During certain periods, however, when political instability consumes headlines and intensifies
How much does Gold/Silver Cost?
Gold and other precious metals are sold based on the internationally accepted current price of the metal, also known as the 'spot price'. All our products are sold based on this spot price with a premium based on the type of product.
The PMCP (Perth Mint Certificate Programme) attracts the lowest premium of any product we sell, starting at ~3.9% for a mimimum order and approaching 2% for large volume orders. That is the only cost you will ever pay for unallocated orders (please read up here about the difference between unallocated and allocated orders): allocated orders require st
ETFs vs. Physichal Gold
•The Perth Mint Certificate Programme has advantages over ETFs for investors with a medium to long term horizon •ETFs have an annual administration fee which make them uncompetitive for medium or long term investors •ETFs are not direct ownership of physical gold •ETFs have counterparty and custodian risk •ETFs are more suitable Speculators •PMCP is more suitable for Investors seeking Diversification
Many of our clientele and subscribers to our newsletters / articles of interest have let us know of their g
Geopolitical Risk
Geopolitical risk simply means international political risk as posed by international economic, diplomatic and military tensions.
With the end of the Cold War, geopolitical risk was greatly diminished and many financial analysts believed it had been banished to the dustbin of history. But since 2001, geopolitical risk has been increasing and the threat of terrorism and war is an ever present process that can affect investors and savers wealth.
Geopolitical risk has been ignored in recent months as the financial and economic crisis has rightly taken centre stage. But it i
Macroeconomic & Systemic Risk
Macroeconomic risk is the risk posed by the business and economic cycle in the form of recessions and monetary threats of deflation, inflation, stagflation and hyperinflation.
Systemic risk are risks that relate to or affect the entire body, the entire organism or the entire global financial system. It is the risk of collapse of an entire system or entire market and not to any one individual entity or component of that system. With increasing fears regarding the very solvency of the US and international financial system, systemic risk has never been more heightened.
Gold
Should I Store Securely or take Possession?
This depends on your motivation for buying precious metals. If you are simply investing in precious metals in order to diversify and in order to make a return then it is more cost effective to buy bullion and store it with a secure third party or own government certificates. If however your motivation is to own bullion in order to protect against macroeconomic and systemic risk and for financial insurance purposes rather than solely diversification and capital appreciation then you may elect to own and take delivery of your bullion.
If electing to store bullion with a third party
Are Your Precious Metals Held By A Third Party?
When having precious metals investments held by the selling dealer or another custody company, how can investors know their precious metals really exist and that they are, in fact, being securely stored for their benefit?
When buying precious metals, or any investment for that matter, most investors today take precautions to ensure they are dealing with a reputable seller, so they can be confident their transactions will be completed properly and delivery of the investment products they purchase will actually be made. These investors may ask for, and check the dealer's refe
Gold in a Pension
Residents in the UK can now invest in gold bullion in their pension funds. UK citizens can as of April 2006 invest in gold bullion through their Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). US citizens could already do so in their Individual Retirement Accounts.
SIPPs are Self-Invested Personal Pensions which are new types of personal pension schemes recently introduced by the UK government. The SIPP itself is a pension 'wrapper' that holds investments until you retire and start to draw a pension income. SIPPs allow investment in a range of different asset classes including gold bulli
SIPPs
SIPPs are Self-Invested Personal Pensions which are new types of personal pension schemes recently introduced by the UK government. The SIPP itself is a pension 'wrapper' that holds investments until you retire and start to draw a pension income. SIPPs allow investment in a range of different asset classes including gold bullion.
SIPPs are designed for people who want to manage their own pension fund by investing in assets of their choice. SIPPs allows individuals who pay income tax in the UK to invest their SIPP in a range of asset classes, one of which is gold bullion.
Fundamentals
When investing in any asset class whether they be paper assets like bonds and equities or tangible assets like property and precious metals, an investor should do their own 'due diligence' or extensive study and research and have a basic understanding of both the fundamental and technical analysis of the investment.
Fundamental analysis is as its name suggests an analysis of the basic factors influencing the future price movement of an investment. Supply and demand factors are the key determinants along with other economic data such as total debt to GDP ratios, currency movements
Important Commentators
Greg Weldon Founder of Weldon Financial
Greg Weldon is a macroeconomic, commodities and precious metals expert and author of 'Gold Trading Boot Camp.'
He is the founder of Weldon Financial which is recognized within the industry as one of the top macro-research firms in the world.
Greg began his successful career in the financial markets “in the middle of the mayhem”, in the Comex Gold and Silver Pits. He quickly discovered that a trader’s instincts are his most valuable resource, along with vigilant analysis of the fundamental data
Should I buy Gold Bars and/or Coins?
A bullion coin is a coin that is of investment grade purity (over 900/1000 and normally 999/1000 fineness) and is valued by its weight in a specific precious metal. Unlike commemorative or numismatic coins valued by limited mintage, rarity, condition and age, bullion coins are purchased by investors seeking a simple and tangible means to invest in and actually own physical gold, silver, and platinum. Similarly a bullion bar is a bar (small or large) that is of investment grade purity (normally at least 995/1000 fineness) and that is valued by its specific weight of a precious metal.
What is Bullion?
Bullion is simply high grade, almost pure gold, silver and platinum in mass in the form of coins and bars. We often hear from first-time gold buyers: "I want to buy gold, but I don't want to pay the expense of buying gold coins. How do I buy just plain gold bullion?"
This is a misunderstanding of what gold bullion is. The common perception is that gold bars are the most cost effective, and perhaps the only available form of gold bullion. The same thinking has it that coins are not really gold bullion. There's a common misconception that all coins are limited in supply, expensive,
The History of Gold
A Brief History of Gold Gold and silver have been the cornerstones of the world's economies and banking systems since these systems were first developed, and the metals have lost little of their allure even today. Gold has been a central currency from about 600 BC up until the twenty first century. From Isaac Newton's recoinage of 1717 to the final closure of the Bretton Woods gold window by President Nixon, it was the pivot of the world exchange system. Gold reserves remain very im
A Beginner's Guide to Gold Investing
For centuries gold has been coveted for its unique blend of near indestructibility, beauty, rarity and because of its status as a universal currency. Empires and nations have sought to possess gold as a medium of international exchange, as a store of wealth and in order to increase and preserve power. Individuals have used gold as a store of wealth and as insurance against the fluctuations and depreciation of paper money and other macroeconomic and geopolitical risks. Perhaps no other market in the world has the universal appeal of the gold market.
Successful investing is about th
Why Invest in Gold?
Precious metals remain the ultimate safe-haven assets and gold is the precious metal and universal currency par excellence. Unlike paper investments such as bonds and equities whose value is dependent on the performance of governments, corporations and the global economy, gold is a hard, tangible, very limited in supply asset whose value is intrinsic to nature. Many investments, including that other hard, tangible asset property, are increasingly speculative in nature and based on huge levels of debt. Stocks & property in the weste
Why Invest in Platinum?
Introduction GoldCore continue to be bullish on precious metals - especially gold and silver but also platinum and palladium.
Platinum reached a record nominal high of some $2,300/oz in March 2008 before falling sharply to a low of some $730/oz. Since then it has been gradually eking out gains and has risen to over $1,200/oz (June 2009). Even though platinum remains above its 1980 high of $1,070 per ounce in nominal terms, it is still only some half the price of its inflation-adjusted high of $2,630. We believe this high will be reached in the next 5
Why Invest in Palladium?
Palladium is a sister to platinum, a 'noble metal' (member of the platinum group of metals) with some rather unique properties that ensure a place for it in industry and as a precious metal investment. This fascinating metal is tied closely with platinum in both history and its properties. Even so, important differences remain in physical properties and in today's supply and demand economics.
In recent years, palladium has become a well established precious metal - trading worldwide in common forms such as 1 ounce, 10 ounce and 100 ounce bar sizes. Many investors have been stockin
Tax Implications
We do not charge any commission. There is a margin between the buying and selling price which is how we stay in business. Internationally, most juridictions allow investors to buy gold, silver and platinum for investment purposes without the imposition of any tax or duties. You should consult your tax advisor for specific taxation advice in your jurisdiction.
In the EU there is no longer any VAT on investment gold coins and bars due to an EU Gold Directive (98/80/EC) which came into law on January 1st 2000. The exemption of VAT on gold applies to a number of categories, one of whi
What is Wealth Preservation?
Wealth preservation is based on the philosophy that it is more important not to lose money than it is to make money. If an investment falls in value by 50%, you need a 100% return just to break-even. This is especially the case in today’s uncertain financial and economic times.
In recent years there was a blind pursuit of capital appreciation, growth and indeed of “getting rich”. The old wisdom of wealth preservation and protecting one’s wealth was forgotten about as investors looked to make large capital gains from stocks and particularly property.
There was a b