Search the internet for “Purchase Gold”, “Gold Bullion Deals” or any other combination of keywords and a gambit of websites and forums will come up. Many discount gold “brokers” offer “deep discounts” on gold bullion, have professional looking websites, 800 numbers and use professional sounding terminology, but are their Gold deals for real?

Many Gold Bullion swashbucklers, claim to be working on behalf of a client, “who has a substantial amount of Gold Bullion they are looking to liquidate”. It is not uncommon to hear numbers as high or higher than 10,000 MT’s (metric tonnes) of gold. The U.S. Federal Reserve presently holds about 8,000 MT’s.

The most Popular Schemes on the internet today:

• High Interest Yield Investments- HYIPs are usually just Pyramid Schemes dressed up with no real value underneath. Using gold in their prospectus makes them seem more solid and trustworthy.
• Advanced Fee Fraud – Various emails circulate on the Internet for buyers or sellers. Often using mythical terms like ‘Swiss Procedure’ or ‘FCO’ (Full Corporate Offer). The end-game of these scams is unknown, but they probably just attempt to extract a small ‘validation’ sum out of the innocent buyer/seller from their hope of getting the big deal.
• Gold dust sellers – This scam persuades an investor there is real gold with a trial quantity, then eventually delivers brass filings or similar.
• Counterfeit Gold Coins
• Shares in fraudulent mining companies with no gold reserves, or potential of finding gold, as per the saying, attributed to Mark Twain, “A gold mine is a hole in the ground with a liar on top.”

It is advisable to research a supplier before investing in Gold Bullion.

Steve Kickner

Gold bullion’s appeal strengthens as the U.K. and U.S. have moved closer to losing their AAA credit rating. According to Moody’s Investor Service the cost of servicing debt is the primary concern that could lead to the detraining credit rating for the world’s largest economy. According to Pierre Caileteau, managing director of sovereign risk at Moody’s in London, under the ratings company’s so-called baseline scenario, the U.S. will spend more on debt service as a percentage of revenue this year than any other top-rated country except the U.K., and will be the biggest spender from 2011 to 2013

In a telephone interview with Bloomberg.com, Cailleteau said “We expect the situation to further deteriorate in terms of the key ratings metrics before they start stabilizing, this story is not going to stop at the end of the year. There is inertia in the deterioration of credit metrics.”

According to Moody’s adverse scenario, which assumes 0.5 percent lower growth each year, the U.S. will be paying about 15 percent of revenue in interest payments, more than the 14 percent limit that would lead to a downgrade to AA.

Many investors are considering a position in gold and silver coins as a hedge against the falling dollar and to have a hard currency available in the safety deposit box; not to mention the potential for appreciation.

Investors looking to reduce their risk exposure are encouraged to contact one of our friendly specialists, to get a better understanding of how to best utilize gold bullion in their portfolio.

Steve Kickner

One of the more attractive aspects to buying gold bullion, is its’ relative affordability in comparison to rare coin prices. Unlike long-term, rare coin investments, bullion carries premiums that generally hover slightly above the current gold spot price, which represents the cost of one troy-ounce of pure gold. The spot price is currently hovering around $1070 per ounce levels, and although there remains some debate as to why gold prices have dropped to such affordable levels so quickly, those who are buying gold bullion obviously believe that gold prices won’t remain there for very long. As a result, short-term profit seekers can now use bullion for what may be a wide-open window for potential gold spot price gains, while others are opening government-approved, bullion-backed IRAs, for long-term financial safety. (www.usagold.com)

Bullion-backed IRAs are an especially attractive option among our nation’s “baby-boomers”, since certified rare coin prices are so high, and long-term financial security is among these individual’s primary concerns. The government doesn’t permit rare coins for IRA storage, but acceptable bullion bar brand names include Credit Suisse, Johnson Matthey, Engelhard, and PAMP Suisse. Household investors typically purchase, one-ounce, and/or ten-ounce bars, although kilo bars are available.

Modern American Eagle bullion coins are the only government-approved items for IRAs with 22-karat purity, so holders of 22-karat South African Krugerrands may want to consider converting their metal to modern American Eagles, or various 24-karat bullion coinage, like American Buffalos, or Chinese Pandas.

Those who complete their research, are encouraged to contact one of our friendly specialists, who can facilitate a precious metal IRA transaction, and who also offer institutional discounts on bullion bars, coins, and rare coins to household investors like you.

Danny Burns

Investing in gold bullion bars with reputable brand names like Engelhard, or Credit Suisse, is beneficial for investors because gold traders generally give these globally liquid brands the highest consideration. Other reputable brand names for 24-karat, one-ounce and ten-ounce bullion bars include PAMP Suisse, and Johnson Matthey, and these are all commonly used items for earning short-term profits. Investing in gold bullion bars is the most affordable way to own investment-grade physical gold, as bullion bar prices hover just above the current gold spot price, which represents the cost of one troy-ounce of pure gold. The U.S. government also approves all of these reputable bullion bar brands for precious metal IRA storage, along with certain modern bullion coins, which generally contain a full troy-ounce of pure gold.

Modern, one-ounce, $50 American Eagles are the only acceptable 22-karat bullion coins for gold-backed IRA storage, along with 24-karat bullion coins like American Buffalos, and Austrian Philharmonics. Rare coins like Double Eagles aren’t permitted in precious metal IRAs, but all of the aforementioned bullion bars and coins are also commonly used as diversifications for rare coin holdings, along with other 24-karat bullion coins like Australian Kangaroos, Koalas, and Lunar coins, Chinese Pandas, or Canadian Maple Leafs. Bullion coins are slightly more costly than bars, but certain bullion coins can appreciate as collectables over time, despite their absence of numismatic value. Those who are considering investing in gold bullion 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