Ways To Invest In Gold: A Guide For Investors
Gold has long held a fascination for investors, whether it was a 19th century prospector panning for nuggets or a modern-day financial whiz scanning the computer for buying opportunities. Nowadays, you can buy gold in many different forms, from coins and bullion to exchange-traded funds and derivatives.
But is gold a good investment? For many investors, the answer is yes but you should first learn how to invest in gold. Keep reading to learn about seven ways to invest in gold.
Buy Gold But Maybe Not Today
Gold has a place in most portfolios, but you need to be careful about how you use it. If you already have a long-standing position in the metal, you should probably stick with it. But today’s swift rise seems to have taken on a life of its own. That makes sense given the difficult times we face today, which have altered the investment landscape in a potentially negative way . But if you are looking for a safe haven, cash is probably the better call.
Don’t give up on gold — just keep it on the wish list for now if you are looking to initiate a new position. The risk/reward relationship appears skewed toward risk for the moment.
Gold As A Long Term Investment
We showed that over short periods of time, gold is very volatile that makes it tough to be considered a safe store of value in the short term.
But what about the long term? If you are fine with the volatility of gold, and dont need it to protect the value of your investment over short term periods does it still have a place in your portfolio for its long term returns?
To start to think about that, I thought about what you could do if you were holding a lot of gold over a long term period, and how it would compare to other potential assets you could buy instead.
This is Wrigley field, home of the Chicago cubs. And even if you havent been here specifically, most people are pretty familiar with the relative size of a baseball field.
And if you bought every ounce of gold in existence today and melted it down and put it in a giant cube, youd have a cube of gold that measures about 70 feet on each edge. To put that in perspective, here is what it would look like on the pitchers mound at Wrigley field.
This gold would be worth about $12.4 trillion dollars. A lot of money, and no doubt it would be great to have that amount of gold.
But if you were concerned about the long term growth of your investments. Think for a second about what this cube of gold would do.
- It would not pay you anything. It doesnt produce interest like a bond, or earnings and dividends like a stock.
- It doesnt grow, you are never going to visit one day and find this cube bigger than the day before.
You May Like: How Many Grams In 1/10 Oz Of Gold
Gold As An Investment: Faq
Recent gold value called the spot price was as follows on June 25, 2020:
- $1,768 per ounce
- $56.84 per gram
- $56,842.52 per kilo
Gold is also sold in special products, such as the Gold American Eagle coin, which is traditionally one ounce of gold, although its also sold in half-ounce and one-tenth-ounce increments.
- Gold American Eagle: $1,884.60
Etfs That Own Mining Stocks
Dont want to dig much into individual gold companies? Then buying an ETF could make a lot of sense. Gold miner ETFs will give you exposure to the biggest gold miners in the market. Since these funds are diversified across the sector, you wont be hurt much from the underperformance of any single miner.
The larger funds in this sector include VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF , VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF and iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF . The expense ratios on those funds are 0.51 percent, 0.52 percent and 0.39 percent, respectively, as of July 2021. These funds offer the advantages of owning individual miners with the safety of diversification.
Risks: While the diversified ETF protects you against any one company doing poorly, it wont protect you against something that affects the whole industry, such as sustained low gold prices. And be careful when youre selecting your fund: not all funds are created equal. Some funds have established miners, while others have junior miners, which are more risky.
Don’t Miss: Is Dial Gold Body Wash Antibacterial
You’re Not Investing In Wealth Producing Assets
When you invest in a bond, the issuing company uses that money to grow its business. Or you invest in the stock of a company with a long history of providing valuable products and services. It offers employment for thousands of workers, steadily increasing revenues and profits and paying dividends to you as a stockholder.
None of that happens with gold because it’s essentially a static investment. When you buy gold, you take possession of the metal and hold it, at least in the case of bullion-related investments. And though there is the possibility of investing in wealth-producing assets through gold-mining stocks, that’s more the exception than the rule. Gold-mining stocks tend to be closely tied to the price of the metal. This makes them mostly a form of leveraging a gold investment. And even if a gold-mining stock is paying a dividend, it might be cut or eliminated when the price of gold falls.
Further Reading: Is Silver a Better Investment?
Gold Mining Stocks And Funds
Gold mining stocks and funds are just what they sound like they are stocks of companies that mine for gold, or funds that include stocks of companies that mine for gold. This isnt so much an investment in gold as an investment in the operations that are looking for gold, and it comes with risks, like any investment.
Gold mining stocks tend to be riskier investments that dont correlate perfectly with gold prices, Wittmeyer said. Mining companies have operational risk, regulatory risk, environmental risk and corporate governance risk, and frankly are not the best mechanism for investors who only want to gain exposure to gold prices.
The price of gold could be going up $1,000, for instance, but if a gold mining company has taken on a foolish amount of debt and a chief executive commits an infraction that results in the company getting sued, that stock could quickly take a dive.
Pros
- Take advantage of rising gold prices: If the price of gold goes up but a companys costs to mine stay the same, you stand to make money as stock prices rise.
Cons
How to buy gold mining stocks and funds:
Gold mining stocks and funds can be bought and sold through a brokerage account. Large gold mining companies include Newmont Goldcorp, Barrick Gold and AngloGold Ashanti. Some of the biggest gold miners ETFs include VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF , Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bull 2X Shares and iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF .
Don’t Miss: 1 10 Oz To Grams Gold
You Can Buy Gold But Should You
Despite its age-old allure, gold isnt always the strong investment that movies and TV shows may have led you to believe.
I advise all of my clients to stay away from investing in gold, says Smith. Gold is a speculative investment and has a very poor long-term performance record. For individuals that still move forward on purchasing gold, buying gold in the form of a tradable security is a much easier and cheaper way of incorporating it into a portfolio.
I advise all of my clients to stay away from investing in gold. Gold is a speculative investment and has a very poor long-term performance record.
But while hes clear that he doesnt think investing in gold is a good idea, Smith does acknowledge the draw the physical metal can have. Theres something comforting about being able to touch what you own. You dont get that if you own a part of Johnson & Johnson.
Greg Young, a CFP and founder of Ahead Full Wealth Management in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, agrees. People like gold because its so easy to understand, he says. But anytime someone insists on a specific asset, there is an underlying emotional rationale.
About the author:Alana Benson is one of NerdWallet’s investing writers. She is the author of “Data Personified,””WTF: Where’s the Fraud?” and several young adult titles. She has spoken at multiple fraud conferences, most notably for the FTC.Read more
Gold As A Hedge Against The Dollar
The idea that gold preserves wealth is even more important in an economic environment where investors are faced with a declining U.S. dollar and rising inflation. Historically, gold has served as a hedge against both of these scenarios. With rising inflation, gold typically appreciates. When investors realize that their money is losing value, they will start positioning their investments in a hard asset that has traditionally maintained its value. The 1970s present a prime example of rising gold prices in the midst of rising inflation.
The reason gold benefits from a declining U.S. dollar is because gold is priced in U.S. dollars globally. There are two reasons for this relationship. First, investors who are looking at buying gold must sell their U.S. dollars to make this transaction. This ultimately drives the U.S. dollar lower as global investors seek to diversify out of the dollar. The second reason has to do with the fact that a weakening dollar makes gold cheaper for investors who hold other currencies. This results in greater demand from investors who hold currencies that have appreciated relative to the U.S. dollar.
Recommended Reading: How Much Is 18 Karat Gold Per Ounce
The Brief History Of Gold Investing
According to the National Mining Association, gold was first used by culture in 4000 BC, but it wasnt until around 1500 BC when the Egyption empire made gold the first official medium of exchange for international trade. Since then, gold remains a store of value, a medium of exchange, and a great investment.
Gold went on to be re-essayed into all kinds of coins, bars, and even jewelry. The term gold standard references a now-extinct monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account was based on a quantity of gold.
The hard money system and cornerstone of Lincolnomics kept wage gaps low, and encouraged saving. Starting after World World I, the gold standard was abandoned for todays current monetary system involving fiat paper money that is backed only by the governments word and military might.
From around 1919, London gold fixing and the LBMA have become the common benchmark for gold and silver pricing. Prices are established using a twice-daily phone meeting between representatives from five bullion-trading firms.
After World War II, the Bretton Woods agreement pegged the US dollar to gold. At the time, gold prices were at $35 per troy ounce or ozt for short. It wasnt until 1971 when US President Nixon suspended the direct convertibility USD into gold. This also introduced the current fiat monetary system based on central banks.
A Bad Time To Invest In Gold
In order to ascertain the investment merits of gold, let’s check its performance against that of the S& P 500 for the past 5 years . Gold has underperformed by quite a bit compared to the S& P 500 over this period, with the S& P index generating nearly a 100% in total returns compared to gold, which returned just 42.5% over the same period.
That said, the period of time that we look at is incredibly important. Gold, for example, outperformed the S& P 500 over the 10-year period from November 2002 to October 2012, with a total price appreciation of 441.5%. The S& P 500, on the other hand, appreciated by 58% over the same period.
The point here is that gold is not always a good investment. The best time to invest in almost any asset is when there is negative sentiment and the asset is inexpensive, providing substantial upside potential when it returns to favor, as indicated above.
Read Also: How Many Grams In 1 Oz Of Gold
Caveats To Buying Physical Gold
Know where your gold is coming from
Gold mining can leave a significant toll on the environment, to say nothing of social, human rights and governance issues, as many gold mines are located in conflict-affected or otherwise high-risk areas.
In 2019, the World Gold Council took steps to implement guidelines for member companies, as did the International Council on Mining and Metals. Both require that participating mining companies publish information on their progress publicly, making it easier for consumers to find.
If youre buying gold bullion rounds or bars, its best practice to look for pieces stamped with information about the maker, weight, and purity of the gold.
When purchasing gold jewelry, some retailers are taking additional transparency measures similar to those implemented against so-called blood diamonds from conflict areas. Theyre often sold under the tags ethical or sustainable.
Understand the fees involved with physical gold
Buying physical gold entails a number of different costs that you wont find when investing in financial instruments. These include the storage fees in a bank deposit box or precious metals depository, insurance costs, transportation and delivery costs, transaction fees whose percentage is based on the value of the trade, and even fabrication fees. Gold dealers may also impose buy-back fees on any transaction. Small purchases may also involve processing fees and small lot fees.
Confirm the purity of your precious metals
How Gold Stocks Perform Vs The Gold Price
In general, if you think gold has room to run, history would say you’re better off owning gold stocks than the yellow metal itself. However, if you think gold could be nearing a top, you’re probably better off holding gold than gold stocks, based on past performance.
Consider, from the gold price bottom in late 2015 through the August 2020 peak, GLD, the SPDR Gold Shares ETF tracking the commodity’s price rose 94%. Meanwhile, the VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF rose 244% over the same span. That reflects the dramatic corporate earnings improvement thanks to the higher price of gold. Improved earnings, in turn, allow mining companies to increase dividends as the price of gold rises.
Sometimes corporate dynamics and changing perceptions of them can take precedence. Even as the price of gold came down a bit, Franco-Nevada stock broke out to a record high in late December 2019. Newmont stock hit a multiyear high in that time frame.
Still, gold stock investors can never let down their guard. The descent for gold mining stocks from the 2011 price peak was much rougher than for the metal. To the trough in late 2015, GLD, which tracks the price of gold, tumbled 46%. Meanwhile, GDX, the ETF tracking gold miners, cratered close to 80%.
Read Also: Is Gold Or Silver Tequila Better
How To Invest In Gold And Silver
Lastly, real quick on how to invest in gold and silver. Those last few slides we tried to show why we dont believe gold, silver, and other commodities really deserve a big allocation to your portfolio.
That said, we completely understand the desire to have some amount in gold. And if it makes you feel better knowing you have something tucked away in gold, then its good to do.
Gold Investing: Gold Stocks And Etfs
Gold stocks and gold ETFs are the simplest way for individual investors to bet on a rising gold price. Investing in gold stocks can be riskier, but it’s also potentially a more rewarding way of investing in the precious metal.
Investors have three major options, aside from buying gold coins or jewelry. They can buy gold stocks individually. They can buy an ETF that tracks gold stocks, such as the GDX gold miners ETF. Finally, they can get direct exposure to the precious metal itself via an ETF, such as the GLD ETF that tracks the price of gold.
Well-known gold mining stocks include Barrick Gold, Newmont and Kirkland Lake Gold stock. Another segment of the gold market is gold royalty companies. These provide financing to gold miners, typically in exchange for below-market-cost purchase rights of gold they produce. Examples of gold royalty companies include Royal Gold and Franco-Nevada stock.
You can research the top gold stocks, which are part of the broader Mining-Gold/Silver/Gems industry group, at IBD Stock Checkup.
Don’t Miss: Where Can I Buy A Bar Of Gold
When Investors Worry They Often Flock To Gold
Gold is often looked at as a safe-haven asset. When Wall Street starts to crater, investors jump into gold in an attempt to limit the pain. Today, in the middle of a global pandemic, the metal’s role in investing would seem to be more important than ever — but there are some very mixed signals out there. Before you decide to buy gold today, consider these three issues.
For $124t Are There Better Investments Than Gold
And thats a big difference from the types of assets that are in our client portfolios for long term savings.
If instead you wanted to put that $12.4 trillion into other assets, heres what you could buy:
- All the farmland in America this is just under 1 billion acres of land.
- And even after you bought all that, you could still afford to buy every single share of:
- Apple,
- Microsoft, and
- Amazon.
I think this is interesting in its own respect. But what is really interesting is what an investment in these assets would produce compared to our golden cube.
Read Also: What Dentist Does Gold Teeth
Is It Safe To Invest In Gold Now Gold
The company then helps you convert that money into rare-earth elements by offering you gold or silver coins or bullion bars. The advertisers choice for conservative media may be due to the fact that their ads tend to use fears of monetary collapse. The world is a harmful location, they may say.
So safeguard your money by putting it into tough assets that can make it through a crisis or, as Devane puts it, an IRA backed by gold and silver, not by paper and promises.They are hitting every behavioral hot button to weaken peoples self-confidence in the property management world, says Christopher Jones, chief investment officer for Financial Engines, a property allotment company.
So they are both victimizing worry and going where the cash is, states Allan Roth, creator of the fee-only financial advisory company Wealth Reasoning, of Colorado Springs, Colo. But are rare-earth element IRAs really a wise choice? Next Avenue spoke to retirement and investment experts and found numerous reasons to be careful consisting of high expenses, relative volatility and a mixed financial investment record.
For beginners, while gold can supply some insurance coverage against inflation, just how much depends upon your timing and perseverance. Gold does tend to hold its worth in the long-term, however it is likewise unpredictable approximately as unpredictable as stocks so you may require decades to ride out its ups and downs, says Campbell Harvey, the J.
