A key strategy to investing in the gold market is learning everything you can about gold. You need to be diverse and gold can provide your portfolio with this diversity. But, how do you start? The number of options available can make it difficult to know what to do. Read on to find some gold investing basics.

Bullion bars are a great choice if you wish to put your money in gold. There is a great variety of different weights. Smaller pieces are as little as half an ounce, while others reach hundreds of ounces in size. The 400 ounce bars are generally hard to find.

Gold Prices

Gold prices fluctuate on a regular basis, so make sure you have up-to-date information about gold prices before selling something. If you make the decision to sell gold, separate your pieces by purity level. Try not to sell jewelry items that are valuable due to their maker.

You may be put off by the price of gold, making you go with gold-plated or gold-filled jewelry instead. You don’t have to spend a mint at a jewelry store, though. You can buy gold jewelry more cheaply in pawn shops or online.

Before you mail off your gold, make sure that you understand the polices, fees and terms of the company you are dealing with. Know when they will send your payment out and get your package insured. As a last step, take a photograph of the package’s contents before you send it off to avoid disputes.

You should think about scrap metal if you want to invest in gold without hitting the markets. You can buy a little at a time, building up a stockpile. This will not break the bank. Make sure you keep the gold secured. A safety deposit box is a good place.

Gold Jewelry

Why not get your gold jewelry appraised if you are not too sure about its current value? Although appraisals cost money, you will know the value of your items. And make sure you only hire an independent and accredited appraiser to be sure you get an honest appraisal. When selling gold jewelry, you will receive only a percentage of the appraised value.

When sending off your jewelry, you need to consider the shipping cost to you if you’re not satisfied with the offer given. While businesses may claim free shipping, they may also charge you to send the pieces back. Find out how much you will have to spend in order to get your gold back if you decide not to sell it for the price offered.

You may even be able to find old gold at thrift shops or garage sales. Just make sure you know what to look for. People frequently give these things away without understanding their value. If you know what you’re doing, you can make the money they did not.

Make sure you are know exactly what you have. Pieces that appear to be gold may not be worth gold’s weight. Quite often, other metals are mixed with gold to give some strength to the metal. This has a detrimental effect on value. Gold plated items may also be deceiving. Have your pieces appraised before sale to determine their value.

A magnet can help you determine if a gold piece is solid. Gold is not magnetic. Certain pieces have a clasp made of real gold while the remaining parts are plated. A magnet is an easy way to test.

Understanding how to invest wisely in gold is essential to having a bright financial future through portfolio diversity. With the good advice you found here, you can now choose more wisely. Remember though, the information here is meant to help you along the way.