Investing in gold is a great decision that can balance out your portfolio. Keep reading to see why gold as an investment option.

You can actually sell gold online. You don’t have a physical store location anymore. You can find a lot of many websites to sell gold. The site will send special kits where you a kit for mailing in your gold items.

Conduct extensive research before you do business with a company specializing in gold. Check with business groups and read online reviews. See how fairly treated former customers feel. Shop around to get the best price for your gold.

Research the daily spot price of gold before you sell your gold. You should shop around to get an idea of what others are asking for similar gold pieces. This will give you a price point on pricing.

Research how the gold market is doing before investing in it. Some people will claim to be experts but who are in fact just trying to dupe you into investing through them.

Sometimes the cost of gold causes buyers to go for cheaper imitation jewelry instead. It is very possible to buy real gold without spending a lot of money at a jewelry store. Pawn shops provide great discounts.

Gold is usually a very lucrative but this precious metal can also be volatile. If the thought of volatility and constant changes is a turn-off, stay away. If you decide to invest, still limit your downside risk. Only a small portion of your portfolio in gold. A good limit is about five percent.

Gold prices have increased by over 400 percent in the last decade. When the dollar drops in value, the value of gold increases.

If you are not sure of the value of your gold jewelry, you may want to get it appraised. This adds an up-front cost, but it could save you a lot of money later. An independent appraiser should be used in order to receive the best value. Even if you still choose to sell, do know that you aren’t going to get the appraised value.

This is crucial when you use mail-away service for a buyer that is out of state.

A good way to get a good price on gold is to see if any relatives have broken jewelry. If you can buy it from them at below melt value, you can offer friends and family a higher price than what they would receive at a pawnshop.

Buying gold can exciting, but keep that to yourself. You don’t know who is listening, and you don’t know who you can trust. You want to keep these investments safe, mainly stored at the bank or at home if you’ve got a good safe. This keeps your gold hidden and secure, as it is a very valuable investment you want to protect.

Gold Jewelry

If you’re someone who appreciates the beauty in gold and its investment potential, you may want to buy 22-karat gold jewelry. You can buy gold jewelry as a fashion statement and sell it when you need cash.

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. It is true that precious metals are not attracted to magnets. Sometimes, the only thing real about a piece of gold jewelry is the clasp. The magnet test is an excellent way to find out.

You may get the best deals by purchasing gold from regular people willing to sell. You also need to understand the risks before purchasing any gold. If a person has an inexpensive coin for sale and you’re sure the coin in question is real, you could buy them and then hope they’re real.

If there are small gems in your gold piece, they can be retained once the piece goes through the melting process. If the gems are tiny, though, they will be difficult to remove.

Ask what method is used to determine the purity or karats of your jewelry. In most cases, the item is simply stamped. However, at other times, there is no stamp, so a lot of reps use other ways to find out. A representative using acid tests is a sign of a less-experienced gold agent, as this kind of test is not one of the more surefire methods for karat determination.

Gold Coins

A good way to acquire gold is to buy American gold coins minted prior to 1933. Gold coins were used every day until President Roosevelt put a stop to their circulation. Many people kept these coins rather than turning them in and they are available to buy.

Be sure to check the credentials of all gold buyers, jewelry stores and dealers with the Better Business Bureau. You should easily find basic facts concerning the specific business, as well as complaints and reviews from previous clients. Pay special attention to any complaints and if they were resolved or not. If they have many complaints or lots of unresolved complaints, consider another buyer.

Be sure you are getting what you are purchasing. Some “gold” coins are only gold plated while others will be difficult for you to sell.

Keep your eye on the price of gold prior to selling. You will have to determine when the perfect time to sell. This means you should learn to feel out what the fluctuation that occurs in gold prices. It’s worth the time monitoring before selling.

If you are selling gold pieces you own, keep pieces of different karats separated. If you keep them together, an unscrupulous dealer may try to weigh all the pieces in one batch, then pay you the lowest karat price for all of them. This of course results in fewer dollars for you. Have your pieces split up by karats in advance so that you can maximize the return you get out of the sale.

Remember your ID when you go to sell gold.Gold is a large target of thieves looking to make good money. To catch them, laws have been implemented that force any person who sells god to present identification. It is easier to find stolen gold to be found this way.

You could lose money if you sell them for their melt value. This is why it is important to do your research first so that you know the value of what you have to sell.

Gold is a very lucrative but volatile investment. Steer clear of this investment if you are easily stressed. If you have the fortitude, still limit your downside risk. Only invest a small portion of your portfolio in gold. Start with investing 5% of your portfolio in gold so you can get a better idea of how this precious metal fluctuates.

Make sure you make duplicate copies of that list.

Think about how the gold is made before you buy it. Machine made gold jewelry holds less valuable than that which has been handmade. This doesn’t effect the melt-down value, but it will make a huge difference if it’s sold as jewelry.

Before you buy gold, know the dealer. The Better Business Bureau can help you determine whether you are dealing with a credible, honest company. When you contact the BBB, you will learn whether there are complaints. If you find several complaints, look elsewhere for a gold dealer.

You won’t get rich selling gold jewelry isn’t going to make you instantly wealthy. Many sellers just get a few hundred dollars for their gold stash.

Take care when purchasing gold for an investment. For instance, there may be a coin which you believe has great value, you need to know the average sales price of such coin. Many people market coins saying they will have great future value, but a lot of the time that is not so.

As you prepare to sell your gold pieces, divide it into separate piles based on karat values. The karats determine the value and you may not get what you’re entitled to when you cash in your gold. Gold with a higher karat value is worth more.

Be aware of the marketplace. Gold fluctuates in price, so learn what the price is daily if you are buying or selling gold. Try and sell only on an up-day so that you might make a few more dollars.

Gold coins are a good investment in the long term investments. Keep them for about three years before you sell it. Gold coin values vary in value a great deal depending on their function and availability. Look for coins that are likely to increase in value fairly soon.

If you’re thinking about selling gold online, confirm the prices prior to proceeding. Many times there is a local dealer in your area that offers a much better price. It is certainly easier than dealing with a mail-only company, but these outlets do not typically pay as well.

Hopefully, you’ve decided that gold trading is what you want to do. That is a strategy that acts like a bridge between your stocks and funds, and your cash savings. Learn why gold is a smart investment, and know the different risk levels between all the different choices.