Maybe it’s worthwhile to take another look at the American Silver Eagle bullion as an instrument for investment. The American Silver Eagle bullion has never ceased to amaze us since its launch in 1986. It is one investment medium that has remained true to investors’ trust.

This quarter of 2010, the American Silver Eagle bullion again flexed its muscles, soaring to 7,157,000 ounces in sales. This figure is higher by 26 percent over the same first quarter of 2009. Sales in January reached 2,773,500 ounces, dipped to 2,050,000 ounces in February but soared again to 3,057,000 ounces in March.

The January numbers easily surpassed the 1,900,000 ounces sold in January 2009. Despite drop in February sales the American Silver Eagle managed to make February the second best February ever behind February 2009. These records were achieved despite the fact that only the American Silver Eagle Dollar was the only variant available for sale during the first quarter.

The sales numbers are apparently good signs of a promising 2010. If expectations are realized, this will mean that 2010 is a run-up of a terrific surge that began in 2008 through 2009.

Yearly sales of 200 until 2009 are the following:

Year                Ounces                Value

2000                9,133,000          45,100,650
2001                8,827,500          38,571,165
2002               10,827,500        48,267,945
2003               9,153,500           45,495,680
2004               9,617,000          64,016,840
2005              8,405,000          63,296,100
2006              10,021,000        116,425,840
2007              9,887,000          133,803,310
2008              19,583,500         286,451,715

Sub-Total    177,848,000      1.271,574,045

2009            28,766,500 -

Total           206,614,500 -

Please note the increase in value in relation to ounces sold starting the year 2004.

Steve Kickner

Gold bullions are worth a second look after the stellar performance by gold in 2000-2009 and in the midst of a first quarter 2010 rally. At the end of 2009 gold chalked up a historic $1104 an ounce, followed it up with a two-week rise to top off the first quarter of 2010 with $1126.10.

Gold bullion refers to both gold bullion bars and gold bullion coins. US gold bullions are of 24 karats, with 0.999% gold content. Unlike rare gold coins and gold jewelry, they are without numismatic value. Their value lies in the amount or percentage of gold that they contain.

Gold bullion coins, because of the artistry that went into their design, enjoy a higher premium than the simpler designed gold bullion bars. Gold bullion bars come in many sizes and weights. They are stamped with the manufacturer’s name and information about weight and purity.

Gold bullion coins and gold bullion bars are traded differently. Gold bullion coins need no storage after a change of ownership. Because of their size they can be immediately taken into possession by the new owner without jeopardizing security and secrecy. They can be secretly and safely kept at home without need of sophisticated security storage.

The gold bullion bars, because of their size, are cumbersome for an ordinary investor to keep. During a change of ownership, the new owner gets hold of a mere piece of paper attesting to his ownership of the traded gold bullion bars. The gold bullion bars remain secure in a bank vault or some safe storage. The new owner is charged a storage fee.

Gold bullions are kept short-term, unlike rare gold coins that are held on to by collectors and investors over a longer period of time. Gold bullions are keyed to daily price changes, even hour on the hour price fluctuations.

Have a second look at gold bullions with Certified Gold Exchange, America’s biggest and most trusted, as your tour guide. CGE has been certified by the Better Business Bureau with A+, the highest possible rating. Call us 1-800-300-715 or log in to http://www.gold-bullion.org.

Steve Kickner

Growing interest in precious metals investing has inspired many industrious individuals to brave the gold market through more obscure avenues, such as accumulating scrap gold (old or damaged jewelry, eyeglass frames, or collectables, as well as industrial gold that can be extracted from mechanical, and electronic components). These “scrappy” individuals may have accumulated substantial amounts of precious metal discard over a long period of time, or have obtained an abundance of scrap gold through inheritance, other circumstances. Individuals with sufficient scrap holdings, who seek to convert his or her second hand gold into Comex gold bullion, are encouraged to log onto comex.com, or to contact one of their authorized refineries.

Investors should be able to convey the approximate weight of their scrap, as well as the specific type of scrap that they wish to refine. Comex (Commodities Exchange) quality bullion bars are 99.999% pure gold (24-karat), and are traded over the NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange), so alloys that are contained in your scrap are eliminated during the refining process. Naturally, the weight of scrap gold doesn’t normally translate directly into Comex gold bullion weight, and there are refining, and various processing fees associated with a scrap gold conversion.

Scrap converters have the option of receiving their very same refined metal, a like quantity of Comex bullion, or a monetary sum that is compatible with the current gold spot price. Investors with questions about precious metal refinement are encouraged to contact one of our friendly specialists, who can assist you with your precious metal needs.

Jonathan Monroe

Experienced investors know that a crucial part in determining a workable precious metals investment budget, involves weighing certified coin prices vs. bullion coin prices. Seasoned investors generally recommend a balanced diversification between both types of coins, and this balance can only be determined through each investors’ thorough evaluation of his or her own, specific, individual, financial needs and expectations.

A minimal amount of research will reveal that the void between certified coin prices vs. bullion coin prices is quite expansive, due to the numismatic value that rare coins possess. Numismatic value historically tends to appreciate considerably during long-term economic bouts with self-induced “toxemia”, which is what makes rare gold coins like Double Eagles, such highly-touted safe haven assets. Double Eagles are rare, $20 Lady Liberty, and $20 Saint Gaudens, 22-karat gold coins, which command very high premiums. They contain nearly a full troy-ounce of pure gold (.9675 troy-ounces), but their numismatic value is where their true long-term, safe haven status lies.

Conversely, since bullion coins are completely devoid of numismatic value, their prices generally hover slightly above the current gold spot price. Bullion’s relative affordability also boasts international variety, so investors can select from various 22, and 24-karat bullion coins from all over the world. Many patriotic investors naturally gravitate toward 22-karat American Eagles, or 24-karat American Buffalos, but international bullion also includes 22-karat, South African Krugerrands, or 21.6-karat, Austrian 100 Coronas.

International, 24-karat bullion coins include: Canadian Maple Leafs, Austrian Philharmonics, Chinese Pandas, and Australian Kangaroos, Koalas, and Lunar coins.

Resourceful investors can avoid paying outlandish retail prices for their bullion, and Double Eagle rare gold coin by contacting one of our friendly specialists, who offer institutional discounts on these coins to household investors like you.

Danny Burns

Affordability, reliability, and confidentiality are but three main benefits to owning bullion gold bars, but versatility is possibly their most advantageous attribute. One-ounce, and/or ten-ounce, 24-karat bullion bars can be easily and discretely transported and stored for personal possession, and can also prove to be invaluable in a financial emergency. Their utter simplicity, and complete absence of numismatic value maintains their prices at just above gold spot price levels, and bullion gold bars can be used for various investment strategies.

It is advisable for investors to only purchase reputable brand names for their bullion gold bars, which are PAMP Suisse, Credit Suisse, Johnson Matthey, and Engelhard. All of these bullion bar manufacturers guaranty 24-karat purity, and gold traders worldwide honor these brand names. Investors can use bullion bars to capitalize on short-term spot price gains, or as diversifications for long-term, rare coin investments that carry much higher premiums. They can even be used as government-approved, gold-backed IRA contributions, and all of the aforementioned bullion bar brand names are U.S. government-approved for IRA storage.

Since so many of today’s investors are primarily concerned with their long-term financial security, they are using bullion bar affordability to diversify their holdings in Double Eagle coins, which are $20 Lady Liberty, and $20 Saint Gaudens, 22-karat rare gold coins. Investors are encouraged to complete their research, and then to contact one of our friendly specialists, who offer institutional discounts on bullion, and rare coin to household investors like you.

Danny Burns

Modern bullion gold coins like 22-karat American Eagles contain a full troy-ounce of pure gold, which makes them ideal for tracking the gold spot price. The spot price indicates the cost of one troy-ounce of pure gold at any given moment, and that cost fluctuates hourly, according to global demand for the metal. Historically, demand for gold increases during times when printed currency like our nation’s dollar continues to struggle, and rising demand for gold means rising gold prices. For this reason, many short-term investors purchase bullion gold coins like 22-karat American Eagles, or 24-karat Australian Kangaroos, to capitalize on possible spot price leaps, because the cost of bullion hovers just above the current gold spot price.

Many investors also use bullion gold coins for long-term financial protection by storing their U.S. government-approved bullion in precious metal-backed IRAs. This is a widely used strategy among investors who cannot afford rare coin prices, but are still looking for the long-term stability and financial independence that physical gold ownership provides. Rare coins like 22-karat Double Eagles aren’t permitted for IRA storage, and the aforementioned American Eagles are the only 22-karat bullion coins that are permitted. Investors can protect their wealth over the long term with a variety of 24-karat bullion coinage, which includes the aforementioned Kangaroos, as well as Australian Koalas, and Lunar coins. Other 24-karat bullion coins include American Buffalos, Austrian Philharmonics, Chinese Pandas, and Canadian Maple Leafs. Investors can avoid paying over marked retail prices for their bullion coins by contacting one of our friendly specialists, who offer institutional discounts on rare, and bullion coins to household investors like you.

Danny Burns

Gold spot prices are considerably lower than the all time record high of $1226.10 reached earlier this month, so investments in bullion gold bars could prove to be particularly beneficial for those who believe that our nation is still “heck and gone” from economic recovery. 24-karat bullion bars command premiums that are the closest to the current gold spot price because of their utter simplicity and absence of numismatic value, and investors are advised to rely on reputable brand names for bullion gold bars like Engelhard, Credit Suisse, PAMP Suisse, and Johnson Matthey, for purity and liquidity. Corporate and household investors typically purchase one-troy-ounce, and/or ten-troy-ounce bullion bars, as they can be used for short-term gains, as government-approved precious metal IRA contributions, or as diversifications for long-term rare coin investments.

Today’s most resourceful investors are buying Double Eagle coins, which are rare, $20 Lady Liberty, and $20 Saint Gaudens, 22-karat gold coins. These coins survived the U.S. government gold confiscation in 1933, which seized all gold bullion from American citizens to restore order to our crumbling economy. Surviving Double Eagle coins command very high premiums because their circumstantial rarity grants them non-confiscatable status by our U.S. government. These rare gold coins also possess numismatic value that has appreciated dramatically in the past, so today’s investors consider $20 Lady Liberty, and $20 Saint Gaudens to be premier long-term investments for financial safety. Household investors are encouraged to complete their research, and then to contact one of our friendly specialists, who offer institutional discounts on bullion gold bars, and Double Eagle rare gold coins.

Danny Burns

The gold spot price’s profit-taking decline could be beneficial for prospective precious metals investors, and gold bullion bar purchases are typical items for first-time buyers. Experienced investors also utilize the various benefits of gold bullion bar investment, but novice investors typically gravitate to their low prices, which hover slightly above the current gold spot price, which is the cost of one troy-ounce of pure gold. Household investors usually purchase one-ounce, and/or ten-ounce bars, and only reputable brand names for 24-karat gold bullion bar purity include Engelhard, Johnson Matthey, Credit Suisse, and PAMP Suisse. These globally liquid items can be used as short-term profit vehicles, as diversifications for long-term rare coin holdings, or as U.S. government-approved, gold-backed IRA contributions.

Since rare coins command such high premiums, investors with smaller budgets are using gold-backed IRAs for long-term wealth protection. Traditional IRAs with holdings in stocks and bonds have literally lost $trillions over the past four years, while precious metals IRA’s appreciate along with the rising cost of gold throughout long-term struggles with economic dysfunction. Rare coins are widely believed to be the ideal long-term precious metal investment for financial stability and even future profit, and the aforementioned bullion bars are commonly used to diversify rare coin holdings like Double Eagles, which are $20 Lady Liberty, and $20 Saint Gaudens, 22-karat gold coins, which were minted from 1850 to 1907, and from 1907 to 1933, respectively. Investors can receive institutional discounts on their Double Eagle rare coins and bullion bars by contacting one of our friendly specialists, who offer these discounts to household investors like you.

Danny Burns

It’s true that gold bullion bars are beneficial to use for short-term profits as well as for long-term precious metal IRA storage, but experienced investors generally agree that the most enjoyable benefit about owning physical gold is the independence from banks, brokers, and our government that it provides. Our nation’s economy is a grossly malfunctioning mechanism, and while our Administration tinkers with its’ endless array of blown out “bells and whistles”, wise investors are purchasing physical gold bullion bars for short-term profit gains, as well as for long-term, government-approved, gold-backed IRA contributions. Gold bullion bars are the most affordable form of physical gold investment, as their prices hover just above the current gold spot price.

Household investors generally purchase one-ounce, and/or ten-ounce bullion bars, even though one-hundred-ounce, and even one-kilo bars are minted. 24-karat purity is essential, so investors are advised to purchase reputable brand names for their bullion bars, which include Credit Suisse, PAMP Suisse, Engelhard, and Johnson Matthey.

Another option that independent minded investors use gold bullion bars for is as a diversification for their far more valuable rare coins like $20 Lady Liberty, or $20 Saint Gaudens, 22-karat gold coins. Since the numismatic value that rare coins possess generally tends to appreciate over time, bullion bars can be liquidated as need be, while rare coins are left to appreciate. Investors can avoid paying ridiculously over marked retail prices for their bullion bars and rare coins by contacting one of our friendly specialists, who offer institutional discounts to household investors like you.

Danny Burns

The pride of Canadian coinage is the Maple Leaf gold bullion coin. The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) proudly produces these strikingly beautiful, one-ounce 24-Karat gold coins, and the Ottawa-based refinery and mint was the first in the world to offer 24-Karat bullion to the world in 1979. It wasn’t until 1982 however, that these modern bullion coins were massed produced. Before Maple Leaf gold bullion arrived on the scene, 22-Karat South African Krugerrands were the only available gold bullion in the world, and they weren’t immediately globally popular largely because U.S. citizens were forbidden to own gold during the early 70’s. South African’s own inhumane practice of apartheid was another major inhibitor of the Krugerrands’ initial global acceptance, while Canada’s ongoing legacy of robust, friendly ideals helps to promote the 24-Karat, iconic coin.

Maple Leaf gold bullion coins’ obverse design is one of Canada’s most recognized symbols, as well as the coin’s namesake. The design is the work of the RCM’s master engraver, Walter Ott, and artist, Arnold Machin created the reverse design, which portrays the profiled image of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, facing to the right. These 1-ounce coins are also minted in varying, smaller denominations like ½-ounce, ¼-ounce, and 1/10-ounces, to fit a wider range of budgets. Gold investment is the current economic trend, as spot prices continue to rise, while U.S. dollar values continue to flirt with ambiguity. Investors are encouraged to evaluate their finances, and then to contact one of our friendly specialists, who offer institutional discounts to household investors like you.

Danny Burns