Gold Investing Factors for Success

ByBarry Goldstein

The stock market has always been an attractive means of earning quick money not to forget also a place where you can lose a lot as well. However, with the current financial uncertainty that has engulfed the world the fear of recession is present at the back of everyone's mind. This has had serious repercussions on the stock market. Stock markets all around the world have been subject to a lot of changes due to all these factors. However, it is also very important to understand that although some of the stocks continue to provide returns in terms of share price however the extent to which they give returns now as compared to the returns that these shares used to give a couple of years back has definitely been on the downslide. Thus the best way of making money is by gold investing.

Gold investing is seeing an increased amount of interest from a number of investors due to the returns that this shiny metal is giving since the past few years. Investing can be done in many ways. You can choose to do gold investing by buy gold coins or bars at a low price and selling them at relatively high prices. However, one common concern that everyone has with regards to gold is the security aspect that is associated with it. Safeguarding such investments is highly risky hence came the concept of gold investing in the form of mutual funds.

Exchange Traded Funds are what you can invest in instead of gold in its physical form. You can choose to buy various quantities of gold depending on the quantum of your investment as in this case the quantity of gold that is purchased is maintained in electronic form so the aspect of security concern is completely ruled out. Gold investing has thus become a very safe and secure way of making money. In the past few years it has also proven to be the most profitable mode of investing. Gold investing though profitable is subject to a couple of global aspects. Studies have shown that crude oil prices around the world have a direct relationship with the gold price. Higher the crude oil price, the more is the price of gold. This is because crude oil is a very important raw material that is used in the mining of gold and also getting the final finished and polished product to the market.

Another major impact is due to the fluctuation of the dollar value. If the dollar value is prone to a great amount of fluctuation the gold price is adversely affected. Many investors who used to be known for making money in stock markets are now doing so through gold investing. Gold investing although a relatively new concept has become very popular amongst the investor community because of its capability to provide higher returns than any other investment. The willingness of people to be involved in gold investing is going to see a rise in the near future.

Want to know one of the best and easiest ways to get into gold investing? Try out gold penny stocks. Check out PennyStocksCapitalist.com, which has a series about gold investing (click that link). I diversify myself and penny stocks provide a nice, low-cost way to get started.

By the way, many of their recommendations will also make you mean because of silver and other precious metals. Very solid.

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Ride Out the Recession: Sell Your Gold Jewellery

ByM Hammersley

Do you need to make some extra cash to pay your bills, go on a much needed vacation, or just for the satisfaction of having extra money in your pocket? These days it isn't so easy to make extra money on the side. The recession has made it difficult for many individuals to find one full time job, let alone a second one that could provide the extra money they need.

There is one solution though. If you have old jewelry you never wear, you may be able to sell gold jewellery to help your financial situation.

Methods to Sell Gold Jewellery

There are several methods for selling gold jewellery. Here are just a few.
On Consignment- Consignment at a jewellery store is an option if the gold jewellery you have is valuable. The downside to selling your gold this way is you may have to wait a long while until for the jewellery to sell. You may also have a pay a percentage of the sale to the store, which may eat away a lot of your profit.
Online Auctions-Selling your gold jewellery with an online auction is a great way to make some extra cash when you are in a pinch, but you should keep in mind you may not get the amount of money you want. Online auctions are unpredictable. You will also have many competitors who may be selling the same type of jewellery you are at lower prices.
Online Listing-If you want to stick firmly to your price, an online listing may be right for you. With these services, you can state the price you want and the cost of shipping. You may not sell your item quickly though, and may have to share some of the profit with the listing website.
Pawn Shops- Selling your jewellery at a pawn shop can be tricky. Unless the piece of jewellery you own is rare and worth a lot of money to collectors, you will more than likely be paid a percentage of the gold price.

Cash for Gold

One of the best ways to sell your gold jewellery is to use a cash for gold website. With this kind of site, you can:
Sell gold jewellery, regardless of what shape it is in. Even if it is broken, the gold will still be just as valuable.Get quick cash.Sell other gold items at the same time.

You won't have to worry about shipping costs or making a sale. You will be given an offer for your gold, which is usually a high percentage of what the gold is worth by the daily gold standards. Your check will be sent right to your door, so you won't have to worry about going to pick it up or sharing your profit with anyone else.

If you are looking for a place to sell gold jewellery from the comfort of your home, be sure you are using a reputable cash for gold site. Check the credentials first, so you won't be sorry later.

When you need to earn a little extra cash, you can sell gold jewellery to Windsor Gold. We are simply the best in the business. We offer the highest prices, safe courier post delivery, fast cash within 24 hours, and a name you can depend on.

Don't trust your gold to anyone else. Just check our website and take a look at all of our happy customers. If you are looking to sell gold, you've found the industry leader!

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Are You Dealing With a Legitimate Company? Find Out Before You Sell Gold

ByM Hammersley

In these tough economic times, more and more individuals are attempting to sell gold to buyers in order to earn a little extra cash. If you know how to tell the real thing from a scam, this can be very lucrative, but if you don't, you may lose precious gold items or be offered less money than your gold was actually worth. In some cases, you may not receive payment for your gold at all.

So the big question is; Do you know how to tell the real thing from a scam?

Common Signs of a Scam

In order to avoid cash for gold scams, you need to know what some of the most common signs of a scam are:
Taking a week or more to provide you with an offer for your gold will usually indicate a scam. Fake gold buying companies usually take longer to make an offer on your gold because their policies generally state you only have a certain amount of time to file a complaint. The longer they wait to give you an offer, the less time you will have to file your complaint.
Some unscrupulous companies will display a refund policy, allowing you to ask for a refund within a certain amount of time from the date on the check. They will then delay sending out the check in order to reduce the chance of unhappy customers requesting a refund.
Scam gold buying businesses will most likely fail to provide a physical address or provide a fake address. These businesses do not want you to be able to find them. They will most likely disappear soon after they have scammed a few individuals and will reappear under a new name. This allows them to continue their scams.

Need to Sell Gold? Here's the Signs of a Real Company

When you are ready to sell gold jewelry, coins, or other gold items, make sure you are selling these items to reputable company who will provide you with a fair price.

Before you send your gold off, check forums and reviews online to see what others have to say about the company. Become involved in the forums and ask other customers what they thought of the payment they received, if they company responded quickly, and ask if they would consider using the company again. This will give you peace of mind when you send your gold to be appraised.

Also, make sure you have read and understand all of the fine print. If the company states the percentage of the gold value they will pay on their website, you will want to make sure you see it so you are not surprised when an offer is made.

Real cash for gold companies will provide you with:
Physical and mailing addressesInsuranceCustomer servicePrompt offersQuick payments

If you are ready to sell gold, don't get scammed. Know the common signs of scams so you can get the most money for your gold.

When you need to earn a little extra cash, you can sell gold to Windsor Gold. We are simply the best in the business. We offer the highest prices, safe courier post delivery, fast cash within 24 hours, and a name you can depend on.

Don't trust your gold to anyone else. Just check our website and take a look at all of our happy customers. If you are looking to sell gold, you've found the industry leader!

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Gold Stocks For Long Term Investors

ByMike Clemson

In this article I will update my forecasts for the major gold stocks. I have a strong preference for gold producers rather than exploration stocks. Thus, when I buy gold stocks I usually focus on large producing gold companies like Newmont (NEM), Barrick (ABX) and Goldcorp (GG). These companies produce millions of ounces per year and have market caps over $20 billion. When I want a gold stock with more growth potential and more risk I will at companies that are on the verge of expanding production. These companies might include Yamana (AUY) or IamGold (IAG).

The reason why I don't invest in gold exploration stocks is that it is far too much of a gamble. There are so many things that can go wrong with respect to the property, permits, political situation and poor management that I choose to focus on gold producers exclusively. Most exploration companies actually have no intention of entering into production as their whole business strategy is to be acquired by a large major like Newmont or Barrick.

In the summer of 2011, I moved a lot of my gold ETF positions into the underperforming gold mining shares. After the first week of August, the gold miners began to dramatically outperform the price of gold

For example, Yamana Gold (AUY) has broken out to multiyear highs. The company reported tremendous results in early August with adjusted earnings per share up to 25 cents per share, more than double the year-earlier results. Cash flow from operations jumped to a record 44 cents per share, up 70% year-over-year. Consider that these numbers were with an average realized gold price in the quarter of $1,509 an ounce. As of September 1, 2011, gold is now $330 higher, at just below $1,850 an ounce. Yamana and all my other gold miners will report tremendous third quarter results. I suspect that the results and earnings per share growth will be unprecedented and should finally attract some mainstream media attention.

Now contrast the gold miner's third quarter earnings prospects with companies in other sectors of the market such as the Dow Jones Industrial sector. It is almost laughable to see companies like Walmart and Cisco struggle in a deteriorating economy.

That's why I'm positioned as I am, with large positions in the gold miners and almost nothing in industrials. Soon, earnings momentum investors will be forced to pile into the long-neglected miners. If the global economy continues to slide, the miners will be one of the only games in town. Institutional investors are starting to take notice, per the anecdotal evidence that I've recently accumulated. Brokerage houses have started to upgrade the miners. Everything's coming together for a potentially explosive second half.

I continue to hold two gold ETF's including the Sprott Physical Gold Trust ETF (PHYS) and Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF Trust (GDX). The Sprott gold ETF owns and stores gold at vaults in Canada. The GDX is a basket of large gold producers which means that I have more of AEM, NEM, GG and AUY.

My gold bullion positions have not changed as of October 2008. I am already at a full position in regards to physical gold.

Find out which gold stocks professional money managers are buying by visiting our website at www.goldinvestmentnetwork.com.

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How to Invest in Gold - Alternative Investment Series

ByDavid D Garner

Since April, gold prices have continued their meteoric rise, with many institutional investors seeing gold as portfolio insurance that will provide growth as the value of other assets in their portfolios fall. Some Family Offices are reported to hold up to 15% of their portfolios in the precious metal, although many are now also taking profits to invest elsewhere in other tangible alternative investments like farmland or forestry.

Why invest in gold?

There are two main reasons for investing in gold; firstly, as already mentioned in this article, gold is traditionally viewed as a safe haven when equity markets are volatile and is therefore perceived to be a good capital preservation tool. Secondly, gold investments are seen by many to be a hedge against the US Dollar. Many investors believe that US economic dominance will wane and the value of the dollar falls, so then the price of gold will rise.

As gold does well when inflation is high and markets are volatile, it is no surprise that prices have rocketed in recent times as markets experienced the worst falls on record and central banks pumped new money into economies creating inflation.

Gold is also a relatively liquid investment asset, allowing investors to trade in and out with relative ease. Also, supplies of gold are limited and production of the precious metal peaked back in 2003, since then production has fallen yet demand from investors and demand for gold from wealthier classes in developing nations such as China and India has increased year on year.

Some analysts have predicted that gold will continue on rising and pass $2,000 per ounce, other have even gone so far as to quote and eye-watering $5,000 per troy ounce. Another set of thinkers believe gold to be overvalued and prices will fall back as confidence returns to traditional markets and investors sell their gold to repurchase equities.

Long-term returns from gold investments

Over the longer term, the investment performance of gold has been outstanding, outperforming many other alternative investments.

Labour Chancellor Gordon Brown sold off around 395 tonnes of the UK's gold in a series of auctions between 1999 and 2002. This amounted to over half of the United Kingdom's gold. The $3.8 billion raised from the sale would now be worth over $25 billion if it were kept in gold, costing the UK economy over $20 billion, or about $2 billion per years since.

Gold Investment Funds and Shares

Investing in traditional equities can be a risky business, especially when the investment is speculative as is the case with gold mining companies as their result reply on finding more gold reserves to harvest. Shares in gold mining companies have not fared as well as the price of physical gold.

One particularly popular gold investment fund is the Blackrock Gold & General fund, previously referred to as the Merrill Lynch Gold & General. Graham Birch is the Fund Manager and has over 20 years of experience. The fund mainly invests in gold mining companies.

Ian Henderson is another credible gold investment fund manager. He manages the JP Morgan Natural Resources fund which has broader investment remit, investing in global companies involved in the production and marketing of commodities and is heavily weighted toward gold investments.

Another choice is the First State Global Resources Fund which buys shares in companies connected to the global natural resources and energy sectors. This fund has a large proportion of assets under management invested in precious metals, including gold.

Blackrock have two prominent choice for the gold investor; The Blackrock World Mining investment which invests in a range of precious metal commodities, and the BlackRock Commodities Income investment trust which again has a large percentage of its investments held in gold.

Physical Gold

Investors may choose to take actual ownership of physical gold in the form of investment grade bullion bars or coin.

There are a number of advantage to holding physical gold as some gold coins are still legal tender and therefore do not attract capital gains tax.

There are a number of gold brokers that are set up specifically to deal with investors and will arrange the sale and purchase of physical gold on behalf of the investor. Some will also offer secure storage facilities for investors not keen on keeping their gold at home.

Download the Alternative Investment Report at: http://www.dgcassetmanagement.com

David Garner is Partner at boutique alternative investment boutique DGC Asset Management Limited.

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Hard Assets to Topple the Fraud

The debt ceiling fiasco, resulting in a "super committee" that has no interest for the public at-large, should be a stark indicator to the US population that the time for real action against tyrannical government is here. The mortgage "crisis" was a great indicator of what happens when government is in bed with supposed private entities. The same thing is occurring with the US bond market right now and US stocks as well. What is needed is liquidation of debt and a return to money backed by gold and silver.

The free markets need to be reinstated so as to wipe out corrupt companies, companies which I cannot name here. Companies that know they will be bailed out are more likely to take bigger risks, like offering loans to homeowners with only a 5% down payment. LOL are you kidding me? The government wants to keep propping up the housing market because nobody is buying housing. Well that's a good indicator that the free market DOESN'T WANT the overvalued housing, and therefore resources in the form of bailouts should not be funneled into those bankrupt companies and fraudulent markets! The easy money is also seen in the bond bubble that will eventually return to its true value of zero, while gold and silver continue their upwards climb.

Gold and silver have been used throughout history as a store of wealth. In our current situation, we have money backed by nothing other than the "faith and credit" of the US government, i.e. NOTHING! Heck, even tobacco was used as currency in places like Virginia in the 1800s when previous US currencies failed. Money is a commodity, and this tobacco (commodity), which was recognized to be a monetary commodity, allowed for stability in the marketplace. After WWII in Germany, American soldier were known to use cigarettes as a monetary item. A cigarette was worth quite a bit more than just its intrinsic value. It could be smoked, and could be exchange for food and other supplies. The great thing about it was that it cost somebody somewhere to provide the labor and materials to increase the "money supply," instead of having somebody to just "print" cigarettes out of thin air. And when the "money supply" became too large and made the cigarettes worth less, you could just partake in the smoking of said item and enjoy its natural intrinsic value. Interesting stuff. All in all folks, do your research and learn to protect yourself.

People have grown away from the barter and simplicity upon which America became great. Do we really need a bank 2000 miles away from us to do business? Do we really need a tax system that just takes from the poor and middle class and gives it to foreign banks? The elites depend on people to remain reactive and not proactive. Get off your ass and make the changes necessary to improve your life. Learn about history and you'll realize only gold and silver will protect your wealth from the coming real financial crisis.

Remember, gold is the money of kings, and silver is the money of man.

For an easy way to accumulate a proven hard asset visit my daily video and article blog

http://safehavenmetals.webs.com/

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Going to College? Not Always the Best Idea

According to the Associated Press, sales of new homes fell for the third straight month in July, a sign that housing remains a drag on the economy. If the current pace continues, 2011 would be the worst year for new-home sales in nearly half a century.

Sales fell nearly 1 percent in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 298,000, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. That's less than half the 700,000 that economists say represent a healthy market.

There are a lot of negative things occurring thanks to loose economic policy. The young people of the country, like their parents who signed away their lives with mortgages, are swamped with student loans and harsh a job market. How can a young person pay off $20,000

Reasons to Own Gold Even at $2000/Oz

ByMike Clemson

In this article I will summarize the main reasons why investors are reaching for gold. Despite the tremendous run up in the gold price to close to $2000, investors and speculators are still pouring into to Gold ETF's, bullion and even to a lesser extent, gold mining stocks.

First of all, real U.S. interest rates are negative. The whole curve up to the ten year bond is currently negative. Negative real interest rates are like steroids for gold bull markets. Today, the Fed is promising 0% nominal rates until at least 2013 (meaning negative real rates). Thus, the gold bull market will have these central bank steroid injections for several years.

Some investors fear that gold will crash and burn as it did in 1980. However, there are a number of key differences. First of all, Paul Volcker sharply tightened interest rates in 1979 and into the early 1980s (driving real rates positive. In other words, competence took over at the Fed and consequently gold peaked in January 1980.

Another difference between now and 1980 is the U.S. administration. In 1980, Ronald Reagan was running for President with a campaign for smaller government. Reagan also endorsed a pro-growth agenda that was business friendly with economic policies developed at the University of Chicago. Today we have President Obama unveiling stimulus plans and trillion dollar deficits loom as far as the eye can see. There's been a massive expansion of the Federal government bureaucracy and an explosion of federal regulations. Businessmen are being demonized.

Another key difference is that all central banks are now engaged in money printing. Most recently, the Swiss National Bank was added to the global print fest. Essentially, the last safe haven of financial assets has capitulated. No central bank wants a strong currency and that includes Switzerland, Brazil, China and Singapore. Every country is mindful of the Dutch disease and they do not want to hollow out the manufacturing or export sector of the economy. As people in the rust belt of the United States can attest - when the factory leaves, it never comes back.

While most look at gold as an inflation hedge, it is equally a deflation hedge. More importantly it is a hedge against quakes in the financial system. It is clear that the financial system in the "developed" world is on shaky ground. Starting in 2008, there have been countless banks that have closed shop in the United States. In Europe, even the IMF head, Lagarde views European banks as hopelessly undercapitalized.

In 1980, the world economies were dramatically different. Japan was on the verge of entering it's parabolic ascent. The German mark was a strong currency supported by a strong economy and a central bank that was ever mindful of hyperinflation. The U.S. was only nine years removed from the gold standard and there was vastly more initiative to reduce the size of government, tackle deficits and the difficult entitlement issues

Thus, until an investor sees the landscape change, gold is still a wise investment and the secular gold bull market rules.

Find out how to invest in gold like professional money managers are buying by visiting our website at www.goldinvestmentnetwork.com.

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Return of the Gold Standard?

ByMike Clemson

The Swiss National Bank decided it was going to print unlimited amounts of francs to stem the rise of its currency against the euro (by pegging it to the euro). The Governing Council of the European Central Bank has been informed by the Swiss National Bank about its decision to "no longer tolerate a EUR/CHF exchange rate below the minimum rate of CHF 1.20."

Switzerland is the latest country that has decided to engage in massive amounts of money printing. The Swiss decision has bullish implications for gold and gold stocks. It is becoming more and more obvious that the only solution to the currency wars is a gold standard.

It should be noted that the Swiss National Bank previously implemented a fixed exchange rate regime in the 1970's. It was an epic failure because inflation surged to almost 8%. Similarly, this time around, there will be negative implications for most Swiss citizens. Yes, Swiss export companies and manufacturers might benefit from a lower Swiss franc. However, all of the Swiss people will have to pay for this temporary economic benefit via higher inflation. As we've noted before, inflation is particularly painful for the middle class who have little in the way of assets.

Over the past two years investors have flooded into the Swiss Franc as a safe haven. The only three asset classes that have performed well have been bonds, gold and the Swiss Franc. However, with the latest SNB intervention we can scratch the Swiss Franc off the list. This means that there is only true safe, one true reserve currency and that is gold.

Of course there are problems using gold as a financial instrument right now because one cannot easily settle transactions call. For example, if I were to order 1000 televisions from a Chinese manufacturer and I wanted to price the transaction in gold, the manufacturer would most likely look at me funny.

This is why we will eventually have to use gold to back a currency.

Most central banks have been irresponsible in the last decade. The fact that Swiss National Bank has started to behave in an equally reckless fashion means that there are no responsible central banks anymore that care about price stability. All investors are now living in environment where not a single paper currency can be trusted.

After this disastrous policy was implemented by the Swiss national Bank investors are only left with two remaining safe havens, the first being treasury bonds and the second being gold. Is my expectation that eventually there will be a funding crisis with major sovereign nations such as the United States and Japan. Investors will lose faith in their bonds as well. Subsequently sovereign bonds will be crossed off the list of safe havens. At that point in time the only game in town will be gold. After that point, I would expect that gold will return to its normal and historical place as a the backing of a sound currency.

Find out more about the return of the gold standard like professional money managers are buying by visiting our website at www.goldinvestmentnetwork.com.

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Gold-Silver Price Movement and Small Traders

Nowadays routine gold - silver buyers and sellers are in big turmoil especially in countries like India, where most of the traders run business in traditional fashion. The price tracking methods of these traders are very poor hence they are unable to rationalize the price movement of the precious metals and as an upshot they incur huge loss in business. The business and trading of precious metals has become highly arduous and full of intricacies, therefore traders require either high - tech enabled systems or advisors to stay in the business but sadly this is beyond their reach.

The small traders do not understand the various multi - dimensions of price movement viz. economies, investment demand, sovereign currency and safe haven demand. The prices of gold heading for $2000/oz and silver prices also all set to test $50 levels. Given the fact that the beta or market volatility of prices has knocked record high level and the money of small traders is diminishing day by day. The situation becomes grimmer in case of those who know about Morning Stars and Evening Stars (candle stick patterns) because they are unable to defeat the emotional tide or presume the Japan's earthquake or Obama's mind. This shows the uncertainty in the system which affects the prices of precious metals so as small traders, who cannot withstand the high variation in price in short span of time and as an upshot the incur small to huge loss.

Back home (India) the prices of gold and silver heading for record INR 30000/ten gram and INR 70000/ kilogram respectively. The small traders generally known for jewelry making and bar trading have suffered due to wrong assumption of prices since the don not have access to the bunch of knowledge holder firms. People only knows that the neighbor dragon or China is consuming this stuff more and more hence prices are shooting up but unfortunately they are unaware about the grand daddy united states of America's financial turmoil and poverty of European countries. At present the most of the stock markets in the world including India have given up 10 -20% from their recent high levels and still looks vulnerable but the interest rate hike cycle nearing its high emerging markets looks some investor attractive even though devil form of inflation looming large over the people's pocket especially in India inflation still hovering around double digit. The only hope for countries like India that if gold moves further up the crude oil prices may settle at comfortable level preferably in seventies, due to worldwide warranted scenario of poor economic growth.

Hence forth the small traders are advised to trade or deal in very cautious manner to avoid self fiasco in the volatile markets. They should feel well advised or filled with sufficient confidence to trade or making any kind of deal especially in precious metals. In addition they should develop their own system for trading as well as for business. Try to stay in the market as long as possible. I wish you best of luck.

Author has worked as market analyst at Safe Trade Advisors.
He graduated from TamilNadu Agricultural University. He did post graduate diploma in agribusiness and plantation management from Indian Institute of Plantation Management, Bangalore, INDIA

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Ar Rahnu - Islamic Pawnbroking

Recently I've been receiving some enquiries on a strategy that's being used by some of the gold investors to create cashflow on the gold investment known as Ar Rahnu. In this post, I'll attempt to share some of the understandings that I have towards this scheme.

What Ar Rahnu is all about?

An Islamic Pawnbroking system which allows borrowers to use gold coins or jewellery as collateral. It is designed to adhere to Islamic laws where borrowers pay a safekeeping fee, as opposed to a compounding interest rate.

Why would anyone go for Ar Rahnu?

It is useful for those who need a small loan of at least RM100. It appears to be more cost-competitive than personal loans, which typically charge flat interest rates of 9% to 12% a year. The Islamic pawnbroking scheme charges a monthly safe-keeping fee of $0.50 - $0.75 for every RM100 worth of gold. This equals to an interest rate of 0.5% to 0.75% a month, or 6% to 9% a year.

Most importantly, there is a high chance of loan being approved because this scheme is backed by gold.

How Ar Rahnu Works?

Step 1 - Let's assume that you offer the bank RM100,000 worth of gold jewellery as collateral with a margin of financing of 65%. This means that you will receive RM6,500 of cash.

Step 2 - Do take note that there is a monthly safekeeping fee. Let's assume that the monthly safekeeping fee is 0.75%. That means that there is a safekeeping fee of RM0.75 for every RM100 worth of gold value. This equates your monthly safekeeping fee to be RM75.

Step 3 - Ar Rahnu's financing tenure is typically fixed at 6 months, although customers are allowed to renew it in multiples of 6 months. Therefore, by the end of 6 months, you will incur a total safe-keeping fee of RM450. At the end of the tenure, your gold will be returned to you as you pay your principal and the safekeeping fee.

However, if the price of gold has increased during the auction, the excess balance (after deducting the principal and safekeeping) will be refunded to you.

Do take note that if you fail to pay your principal and the safekeeping fee, the bank has the right to auction off your gold.

Which Bank Offers Ar Rahnu?

So far, there are 2 local banks that offers the Islamic pawnbroking scheme in Malaysia. Go to Agrobank or Bank Rakyat to understand better how Ar Rahnu works!

If you enjoyed this article from Jonathan Quek and would like to receive more information on how to achieve a successful money mindset and learn personal excellence or wealth intelligence principles that really work, then please visit: www.Jonathan-Quek.com

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Is Silver a Better Investment Than Gold?

ByTerry Sacka

Precious metals, such as silver and gold, are generally accepted as solid investments. Purchasing precious metals has long been considered a wise means of diversifying an investment portfolio and hedging, to a degree, against equities. Precious metals are particularly able to withstanding the pressures of inflation, war, and other economic fluctuations that can often devalue other investments.

Buying precious metals is a means of preserving your financial resources and protecting them against economic downturns. Of the precious metals most commonly traded on the market, silver offers the most benefits for the average investor and is viewed, by many, as the safest investment.

The Growth of Gold and Silver

While both metals tend to show growth during precious metal bull markets, silver has consistently shown the largest percentage increases during these times. For instance, between 1971 and 1981, while the dollar slowly dropped, silver increased in value nearly 5 times. It has not been uncommon, in precious metal bull markets, to see the metal triple or quadruple in value while gold only doubled.

One of the reasons for silver's consistent percentage gains over gold is that silver has more industrial uses than gold, with more industrial applications for silver being developed all the time. Silver is already being used in industrial brazing and soldering, catalysts for chemical reactions, bearings, batteries, electronics, and other crucial purposes. There are also a number of emerging medical applications for silver, as well as potential uses in solar energy, water purification, protective coatings, and more. All of this is in addition to the long-standing traditional uses of silver in photography, currency, jewelry, place settings, and more.

The Usage of Silver

Not only is the need for silver for industrial use increasing, there is not enough silver to meet current demands. Despite increased silver mining, as well as silver recovery and reclamation efforts, industrial demands have exceeded silver production for over 20 years. As with anything else, as the demand for silver continues to exceed the available supply, the cost of silver continues to rise.

Since the 1990s, when silver production and recovery first began to fall behind industrial demands, the supply of above ground silver - silver in circulation or privately held - has steadily declined. In Zurich and in London, estimated silver supplies have dwindled from approximately 350 million ounces in 1991 to around 50 million ounces today. Comex supplies of silver are down from approximately 260 million ounces in 1995, to 100 million ounces. Very few world governments even hold silver stockpiles, anymore, and it is a commonly accepted fact that the weight of the gold locked away in the world's leading banks far exceeds the amount of above ground silver in existence.

While the steadily declining supply of silver may not bode well for industry, at large, it is good news for investors in precious metals.With demands for silver continuing to exceed that which is readily available in production, silver is almost certain to continue to gain in value more quickly than gold or any other precious metal. As long as there are vitally important industrial applications for silver and ever-increasing demands on the limited supply, silver should remain a solid investment.

My name is Terry Sacka of Cornerstone Asset Metals, which is a private bullion dealer specializing in the investment of precious metals. To learn more gold and silver wealth building strategies, read more detailed information in my blog post entitled "Is Silver a Better Investment than Gold?"

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Five Ways To Keep Silver From Tarnishing

ByDarren B Wright

Silver is one of the most desirable metals today. They are highly marketable and they are nice additions to any one's collections. However, the number one problem faced by silver owners and collectors is silver tarnishing. Why does sterling silver tarnish? How can it be prevented?

In chemistry, silver is not that reactive as compared to other metals. In an average environment, it doesn't react with basic elements like oxygen and water. Then again, if silver is mixed with other metals and alloys, the purity of the silver can decrease and tarnishing or rusting may develop. Copper can chemically react with oxygen in the air, as with Sodium chloride which is commonly called table salts. Sodium chloride can corrode and the salt corrosion can characteristically appear on top of silver salt containers or shakers. Likewise, tarnish is what happens when silver becomes silver sulfide. What happen is that the usual silvery color turns dark black. It is common in silvers spoon or metals. When the sulfides in silver spoons react with the air found in the environment, the silver turns black.

The good news is that silver tarnishing is preventable. If you want your silver to twinkle and shine like new again here are a few tips.

Use Aluminum Foil

For your shoddily tarnished jewelry or teapots, here's a simple way to clean and remove stubborn tarnish. First is to cover the inside bottom of a glass heat proof dish. Then, get a piece of aluminum foil in your kitchen and place one shiny sheet inside. The shiny sheet must be placed inside up. Put the discolored and tarnished silver pieces at the bottom of the dish and add one big tablespoon of baking soda. Little by little pour boiling water over it until it covers the whole piece. The tarnish will slowly but surely accumulate on the aluminum foil. The expected result is a clean and very pleasant to the eyes silver. To maintain the shiny appearance of silver, once you remove your silver, rinse it thoroughly. Apply polish generously.

Use Baking Soda

Baking soda is very useful in maintaining the beauty of silver jewelries and other silver items. Just mix a paste of baking soda and water. Gently rub the silver with the mixture. Rinse and dry with a clean piece of cloth. If you have silver flatware at home, simply sprinkle the baking soda on a moist cloth and rub it on the flatware gently.

Use Chalk

Chalk can naturally absorb the moisture that causes silver to tarnish. To avoid tarnishing and rusting of silver, add a couple of chalks to the place where you store up your silver.

Use Toothpaste

Cover your sterling silver with toothpaste to get rid of hard to stubborn stains and tarnish. Subsequently, run it under warm water. Lather it up then rinse it off completely. For hard to reach areas use soft bristle toothbrush.

Store It Properly

If you are not wearing your sterling silver, make sure that you store your pieces properly. Before storing your silvery pieces, cover them in a jewelry polishing cloth. Find a plastic zip-lock bag or a simple sandwich bag and place the cloth inside. Zip-lock bags are recommended because it can prevent moisture from getting inside.

Tarnishing and rusting of silvers can be very nerve wrecking. Fortunately there are ways to prevent and to get rid of them completely. If you wish to maintain the beauty of your silver pieces consider the tips above. You may also invest in good quality silver polish to keep your silver pieces shiny and glittery than ever before.

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Two Ways To Sell Antique Sterling Silver Holloware

ByDarren B Wright

Just a brief introduction on how holloware began, the technique of silversmithing goes back to primordial history. Silversmithing is the art of turning silver sheet into fine pieces of holloware. However, the true art began in England in the year 1300 B.C. The use of these exquisite pieces originated when King John asked a band of German settlers to purify silver for coinage use. The group was then known as the Easterlings. The name was derived from their actual home setting. In 1343 the "Ea" was eventually dropped. Thus the word "sterling" was used to refer to silver. Its popularity grew from then on within the English population. Thus, the English were the ones who introduced this craft to the other nations across the globe. Up until now, the content of the silver alloy in sterling silver was 92.5 just like before.

These days, home TV shopping and other home improvement shows are very popular not just in the US but in other countries as well. If you are a fan of these shows, you may have seen several collections of silver holloware that might have caught your attention. If you are not familiar with these pieces, silver holloware can range from the elegant candelabras to hollow vessels, tea pots and bowls. In the main, holloware is made up of silver because it is lighter than gold, making it very suitable for production. They can add grace and style to any home interior because of their wide assortment of shapes and sizes. Aside from being a first-rate collection to have at home, holloware are also very marketable. All the more if you have an antique collection at home, it can earn you huge amount of profits. If you plan to sell your antique sterling silver holloware here's a couple of tips:

Look For Potential Buyers From Your Circle Of Friends And Close Relatives

Since holloware are nice pieces to have at home, for sure there are antique sterling silvers that have stayed for one family for years. Some families must have been passed these exquisite pieces from one generation to another. However, no family is perfect. There may be times that the family is tested on faith. To solve their financial struggles, they are forced to let go of something valuable like their antique holloware. For sure it will be disheartening to let go of something very precious. Selling it to people outside the family can be painful. If you are in the same situation with no choice but to sell and you still want to see your antique silver holloware from time to time, ask your friends and other relatives if they are interested. You may not get the best price for your piece but you are sure that your precious antique is in good hands.

Sell Online Through Auctions, Cash For Gold Websites And Social Networking Websites

The online community has been proactively marketing products for many years. One can sell any merchandise in just a couple of mouse clicks. If you intend to sell your antique silver holloware, find decent auctions, cash for gold and social networking websites to promote your pieces. Just be sure that you upload a clear picture of the holloware, add contact information and a brief description about your pieces. If there are dents and other flaws, be sure to include them in the description. Keep in mind that interested buyers will only look at the photo and the description you give. So be credible when selling online.

Letting go of an antique piece can be very disheartening especially if the piece has been with the family for years. If you wish to sell your antique silver holloware consider the tips above. Selling to family and friends can give you assurance that your items are in good hands. Selling it online on the other hand can offer convenience and expediency without you leaving home. Evaluate your options and see which one will work better to your advantage.

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How To Effectively Test Gold and Silver Jewelry

ByDarren B Wright

Do you have a collection of gold and silver jewelries? Do you know how to identify a counterfeit from a real jewelry? Surely, gold and silver jewelries are lovely. They are considered by many as investments. They are not cheap. They can cost you hundreds and thousands of dollars apiece. With that said, knowing the authenticity of silver or gold jewelry is very crucial. If you don't want your lifetime savings gone to waste because of fake jewelries here are some tips.

Using A Piece Of Glass

When doing this activity, select a section that will be less observable in case this experiment leaves a permanent mark. In this test, you need to prepare a piece of glass and your gold item for analysis. Using the piece of glass, scratch it against your gold item. If you discover scratches after your scraped the metal, it is conclusive to say that the item is not pure gold and if there's gold content, it is quite low.

Check The Purity By Inspecting The Karat Grade

If you gold piece is too small to inspect, use a magnifying glass for better examination. Check the item for the gold purity. Most gold items have their karat grade imprinted on them. A 24 karat gold ring will have a marking of 24K. The other possible karat grades are 18 karat, 14 karat, 12 karat or 10 karat gold. Usually the mark is very small and it will be next to impossible to see. Again, for better viewing use a magnifying glass.

Inspect The Pendant

If you are examining your silver pendant, look carefully at marking. If you see a.925 or S.S. it means that your pendant is made of sterling silver. Then again, if you see the S.P. mark, it means that pendant is silver plated and not sterling silver.

Using An Acid Test

For jewelry buyers the acid test may not be the right testing for you to check if the items you intend to buy are authentic as most jewelry retailers will not allow you to drop any acid tests on their jewelries. However, if you have jewelries at home and you are curious if the items you have are genuine, you can choose to do this experiment. First is to prepare your gold piece and a testing stone. When scratching the test stone just use a drop of test acid on the streak of metal. Examine if there are any changes in color. If testing gold, the streak must change slightly. If you have used a14k gold acid and you did not test it on a 14k gold item, expect it to fade away, demonstrating that the item is less than 14K. If the color did not change at all, it signifies that you are testing on a gold piece higher than14K. However, if you are testing on a silver piece, use this guideline. The streak or band should change in dark red color if the item is 925 Silver. The streak should change to brown if 800 silver and green if 500 silver.

Find a magnet at home and hold it near your gold jewelry. If the magnet attracts to your gold ring or earrings, there are other alloys or metals mixed in with the material. Remember that gold in itself is non-magnetic and pure gold is very soft that is why during manufacturing of gold jewelries other metals or alloys are included to make the jewelry sturdy and heavy wearing.

Checking your jewelry for its purity and genuineness doesn't require expertise in smithing or jewelry production. Follow the tips above if you want to check the authenticity of your pieces. So that next time you buy a piece of jewelry, you will not just be ensnared by the beauty but also the authenticity of the jewelry.

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Platinum - The Real Value Of This Precious Metal

ByDarren B Wright

There are people who still believe that gold is the most precious metal. One good reason why they deem this as true is because gold is highly viable. They are marketed by several pawns and jewelers across the globe. Furthermore, it is widely used by many industries and it has been around for thousands of years. On the other hand, besides gold, there is another precious metal that is relatively new and is considered as one of the rarest metal ever discovered. This metal is known as platinum.

Like gold, many are enticed to invest in this metal because of its practical industrial uses. At times platinum is more expensive than gold because it is rare and the supply of this metal is limited. This means that in coming years, platinum should continue to rise. In the global market, platinum is still emerging and continuing to expand. This is certainly one valuable metal that investors are eyeing in the coming years.

Selecting which metals to invest in is not easy. It should be given careful thought and consideration. Careful analysis of trends, market viability and future studies are done by precious metal experts and investors before any major investment decision is made. To understand platinum more, let us see how valuable this metal really is.

Platinum Applications

As mentioned, platinum is widely used. Commonly, it is utilized as a catalytic converter in cars and automobile. Since carbon monoxides, nitric oxide and hydrocarbons are deadly gases especially when emitted in the atmosphere. As an alternative, catalyst experts think of a favorable autocatalyst that can convert these destructive productions into carbon dioxide and water which are safer and harmless. As a catalyst, platinum is also used in the petroleum industry. The use of platinum and palladium are more ecological than using crude oil separation. This precious metal is not consumed totally and is recycled and reused because this metal is limited.

Besides cars and automobiles, the computer industry is also benefitting from platinum. Hard disks make use of platinum in the production. The amount of platinum in magnetic alloys went up from 10 % in 2002 to 35 % in 2007.

Platinum As An Investment

Platinum as an investment-grade metal has been exceptionally volatile over the last couple of years. Platinum investors and collectors can select between legal tender coins, bars, bullion, exchange traded futures and options. There are also several numismatic coin products that are offered by coin dealers in shops, auctions and online stores. Currently, the US Mint is offering 1.0 oz,.5 oz,.25 oz, and.1 oz.9995 Platinum Eagle coins. They are all pure platinum. Australia and Canada are also producing platinum coins for venture.

Aside from platinum coins and bars, many are interested to invest in platinum jewelries. Platinum jewelries are very popular among Asian patrons. They say that the color of platinum blends well with the average skin of Asian as compared to other metals. Moreover, they are ideal for stone setting because characteristically, platinum jewelries are hard and durable. It is resistant to oxidation and discoloration, making it more ideal than silver. Furthermore, platinum is hypoallergenic which makes it the perfect jewelry option for people who are suffering from allergic reaction.

Platinum applications worldwide have certainly skyrocketed. Industries including dental, IT, fashion and automotive are profiteering from platinum. Indeed, it is one of the best metals ever discovered. The Spanish was the first people who discovered platinum. They thought that it was just a nuisance. Perhaps if they gave platinum a chance, they will be one of the wealthiest countries today. Thankfully the Russians thought differently and introduced the use of platinum. So, lesson learned. People should really not judge the book by its cover. Who knows? A new discovery can turn out to be very valuable like platinum.

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How To Make Profit In Scrap Silver

ByDarren B Wright

Everyone wants to make a living and earn. Money is a basic commodity. If you are clueless on where to start, look around. Junk or scrap silver is found everywhere. They come in different forms too, from appliances and specialty paper to coins and damaged silver jewelries. Then again, be sure not to confuse scrap silver with tin. Tins are commonly used in the production of old audio-visual devices. Both tins and silver are utilized for old engineering processes. Both are widespread and utilized even today. If you are unsure which is which, seek an expert's advice or a dealer in your area. They can also help determine the silver content in old coins and other stuff.

Since the price of gold is still on the rise, many investors are seeing the benefit of silver as an investment. If you do not have the fund to invest in pure silver and sterling silver, why not start with scrap. They are very viable and many are gaining profit from this promising venture.

If you wish to make profit from scrap silver, first is to find them at home. Generally the items considered as scrap are silver in the form of coins, damaged tableware, cutlery, salt & pepper pots, spoons and ladles, holloware and bowls, antique cigarette cases and boxes, sterling silver picture frames, teapots, marker and pen.

If you have collected your scrap silver, the next step is to check its purity. Before the year 1947, most bullion and bars are made of pure silver and are marked with .999. For other products, manufacturers are mixing hard alloys and metals to protect the silver against wear and tear. If it is mixed with another metal, you will find a marking of .925. Meaning to say that it has 7.75 percent other metals incorporated.

Since, there are so many kinds of silver you must know how to differentiate between a sterling silver to the plated ones. Remember that the lowest amount you can sell your silver is by selling them as scrap. Sterling can provide you better profit when sold, so be sure to check if your items are scrap as not to mistake your sterling silver as scrap metals. The basic way to check is to examine the object for markings or prints that indicate whether it is sterling silver. Usually a sterling silver has a marking of "S/S" or "Sterling" Also, keep in mind that scrap silver are pieces that has been damaged and are no longer marketable as fine pieces. Do not be confused as there are objects that can appear silver from the outside, but are in fact only silver plated. If you want to test if an object is silver, carefully drop a small amount of nitric acid on the object. The object is not silver if it turns green. However, be warned that the mark is permanent and cannot be washed away.

The next step is to weigh the silver and find a reputable scrap dealer or retailer. If you wish to make this a living, you ought to invest in a good scale. Today, you can find scrap dealers online. Know if they are genuine and find out how much they are prepared to buy your silver scrap. Choose the best offer.

Silvers are precious metals. They are highly viable. However, not all can invest in pure silver. If you wish to sell scrap silver, you can. Simply consider the tips above. Although scrap silver can offer little value, still it is profitable.

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How Much Is Gold Worth and Oil?

ByAuric Taurus

The basic relationship between how much gold is worth and the US Dollar is well known and understood and like any economic indicator, there are periods when the relationship is weak and periods when it is strong.

But what about oil? Is there a relationship between these two real and tangible commodities as opposed to the dollar which is a fiat based paper currency?

Gold / Oil Ratio

The oil price is closely integrated with the political situation in the Middle East whereas movements in how much gold is worth is affected by global central banks and other factors. Nevertheless, a study of these two critical resources makes for interesting reading.

If a graph were to be plotted that measured movements in the gold and oil price, a straightforward relationship between the two would result in a line of constant value. Even if the price movements were not proportionate to each other, the line would still be linear but may rise or fall.

Gold-Oil Ratio

Where Is The Best Place To Buy Gold Online?

There are quite a few places to buy gold online, some safe and some not so safe. You want to be sure to be both safe and smart when you invest in precious metals online.

The economic climate we are seeing today is quite unlike anything we have ever experienced. Not that we haven't seen turmoil in the markets before, but not to this extent and not on a global scale like today - it is simply unprecedented! Given the recent downgrading of the United States triple A credit rating (the first time in history), the overwhelming 15 trillion dollar debt that they can't even pay the interest on, and the failing strength of the US dollar, it's no wonder more and more people are running to the security of gold and silver.

The sad truth is that there is a massive economic collapse coming and most Americans, along with the rest of the world, are going to be completely blindsided by it! But the good news is you can prepare for it by protecting yourself by purchasing the only money that has never failed in the five-thousand year history of its use - Gold!

When purchasing precious metals online you have so many options. But what defines the best place to buy gold online?

You Need An Education Before You Buy Gold Online...

Here Are a Few Things You Should Consider:
Make sure you buy from a reputable company - Do your homework by reading reviews and getting recommendations and testimonials.Check the history of the company and how successful it is. If it is a hatchling company with only a few years of experience and not backed by a lot of success then beware.Find out about the "Team of Experts" driving the company. Are they well-known within the industry? What credentials do they have? What is their investment and financing background?Does the company give you the option of secure vault storage? If you are planning on buying gold online in a substantial amount, where will you keep it that is safe and secure, yet convenient enough to take physical possession of it or to sell-back.

The Best Place to Buy Gold Online Will Include First Class Vault Storage Services

Here's what you need to look for:
A company that offers safe, cost-effective, and secure gold and silver vault storage services.Access to fully insured segregated gold and silver vault storage around the world. This means the products you buy are held solely in the beneficiary title(s) you elect. Furthermore, your original product purchases are stored separately - never commingled or swapped with other accounts.Custody certificates that document the holdings and inventory levels of the account, and are given to each vault storage customer.The peace of mind that your physical vault storage holdings are just a convenient, secure phone call away to locking in a sell-back price or requesting physical door delivery - this is an essential service you must have when buying gold online.

In these tumultuous financial times and with all the uncertainty ahead you need to, not only, protect yourself from this economic collapse but also position yourself to prosper through it. The greatest wealth transfer in history is upon us - are you ready to benefit from it?

Many respected economists are predicting that we are headed for, if not already in, a double-dip recession at best, one that could last a long, long time... If you want to hedge against it you and protect your hard-earned assets, you should seriously consider buying gold and silver.

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