What Does Gold Mean To You

By Andrew Block


Humans have cherished gold more than any other precious metal throughout history. For centuries it was used as legal tender and it backed legal tender in the United States. Gold adorned kings, pharaohs and in recent years became a sign of opulence among the world's very wealthy as they coated cars and weapons with the expensive metal. Human beings have been attracted to gold throughout the ages and this trend shows no sign of stopping any time in the near future.

When times get tough economically, banks, countries and wealthy individuals often turn to gold to preserve their riches. Gold gives people and societies the security of knowing that no matter what happens in the world, they will still be wealthy. While money in the bank can suddenly become worthless in times of trouble, gold in the hand will always be able to buy you the things you need to survive and live the life you have grown accustomed to. People might think that we're crazy to think this way or prepare for something that might never happen but it's often better to be safe than sorry. There are many countries where after a war their currency becomes as worthy as the paper its printed on. It is the wise investor who is prepared and the savvy person who is realistic about the future possibilities and invests at least a portion of his savings in a material that will hold its value as well as be liquid enough to turn into money no matter where he is in the world.

There are some that feel that gold simply lacks the liquidity that other investments have. Stocks can be sold quickly and money in a savings account can be withdrawn easily. Owning gold is probably difficult to turn into spendable cash, right? Actually, precious metals are very liquid and it is possible to exchange gold for currency in many countries. You would simply walk into a bank with your gold and ask for it to be exchanged for money. Selling your gold back to the source of your investment or another investor is also an option and this is often the route that most owners go when they decided to liquidate their portfolio or a portion of their investment. Gold is actually more liquid that many other investment vehicles.

Take real estate or collectibles such as antiques or cars, for instance. While a home is a great way to invest your money while reaping the benefits of having an investment that you can live in, it is not very liquid. If you begin to see the value of your home dropping, it's very difficult to liquidate your position. The same holds true for other collectibles such as cars or antiques. Gold is very bit as liquid an asset as stocks or bonds.

Gold is a very stable investment and this is often why people look to buy this precious metal. It has stood the test of time and provides the security that other sources lack during inflationary period. During times when the stock market is declining or confidence in the market is uncertain, gold does very well as investors move their money into precious metals. It often moves directly opposite of the stock market and these trends can be seen historically. While gold makes sense as an investment, there is also often a hidden reason why many people put some if not all of their savings in gold or an account backed by precious metals. Deep down inside each and every one of us is a desire to own it and hold it in our hands.

How many of us dreamed when we were children of being rich? We dreamed of having gold bars or ingots. We daydreamed of the perfect life where we were happy and secure. We had the ability to buy what we wanted and do what we wanted because we were rich. In our secret safe we stores our gold bullion and we took it out from time to time to hold it in our hands. We could almost feel the heft of the heavy metal.

We all have that desire deep within us to own gold in some shape or form. While fulfilling a childhood dream might not be the primary motivating factor in investing in gold, it is entirely likely that more than one investor smiled with delight and felt like that child that they once were the first time they felt the weight of gold in their hand for the first time. There is something special about gold that gives us a pleasant feeling inside. Even though this might not be the primary reason for buying gold, it certainly is a nice bonus that investors might never admit to anyone other than themselves.




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