Everyone is searching today for safe places to store their money, and one of those areas is the gold market. If you have thought about becoming an investor in gold but really aren’t sure where to start, the tips presented below can be valuable in helping you begin this journey. Read on and get solid advice on gold.
If you have a nice gold piece, consider selling it privately rather than through a gold purchasing agency or jewelry store. Many companies that are in business to buy gold will only buy it to melt and sell, meaning they will pay only for the weight of the gold. An individual who likes your piece might be willing to pay a higher price tag, because they are likely to keep and enjoy the piece.
When searching for jewelry, you will probably want to know how many karats a particular piece has. The hallmark on a piece of jewelry will provide you with this information. For instance, say you purchase a ring that is 14 karat gold, the hallmark will say “14k”. The hallmark can be found on the inside of each piece.
The price of gold tends to fluctuate over time. It is smart to buy when gold prices are very low and then hold on to it. Don’t panic and sell if the price goes up and comes back down. Investing in gold over a long period of time can really end up paying off.
If you are headed to a gold party, keep your expectations low. While you may walk out with a few hundred dollars, you are not going to get rich. You also won’t get the full value of your jewelry. Go and have fun, but do not sell anything you don’t want to sell.
Avoid rare gold coins unless you really know what you are buying. Rare gold coins can be difficult to sell, and they sometimes lose value quickly. They also might not contain as much gold as you think. Leave such purchases for the experts, and stick to better known coins for your own collection.
Remember to look for gold in thrift and antique shops. When you know what to search for, you can find great items in these places. Lots of folks are unaware of the value of the items they donate to these places. You can gain from their loss!
A quick and inexpensive way to test a piece of gold or precious metal to see if it is real, is by using a magnet. Gold and other real precious metals aren’t attracted to magnets. Many times you see the clasp gold plated but not the rest of the piece. Using a magnet is an excellent way to find this out.
As stated from above, anyone can get into the gold market and succeed if they understand where to start. Being educated is the first step towards being successful in gold trading, and making sure you get a good return on your investment. If you keep these tips close by you are sure to reap the rewards in the market of gold.
