Gold is probably the safest investment you can make with your money. You may be someone that has considered this but haven’t been sure of where to start. Now is the time to start expanding your gold-investing knowledge. This article will give you tips on investing in gold.

Make sure that you get a quality estimate from a reputable source before selling your gold. There are lots of services, jewelry stores and pawn shops that buy gold. Of course, they will want to make a profit when they sell it. Getting multiple estimates gives you a better idea of the prevailing market price, which prevents you from getting ripped off.

Bullion bars are usually the safest way to invest in gold. The weights will vary. From .5 ounces to 400 ounces, the choice is yours. A heavier bar may be more difficult to find, however.

If you’ve been thinking about selling your gold to a mail-in company, take the time to read over their fine print before getting involved with them. Be sure to understand when to expect payment and how to insure your items. Finally, take a picture of everything you are putting in the mail in case there is a dispute later on.

If you have an interest in getting into the gold markets, but don’t have a lot of investment capital, consider buying scrap. After a year of buying a little gold each payday, you could end up with a valuable collection of scrap gold. Store your gold in a secure location until enough to cash in has been amassed.

Know that gold in any form can be sold. Valuable gold can be made into anything that is now broken such as jewelry and any home items that could be around. It also doesn’t have to be 100% pure gold. It could be plated gold or it could be that just a portion of the item is made of gold. It’s still possible to make money this way.

Melt Value

If you are looking to sell gold, the first thing you need to figure out is if you’re going to offer it up as an entire jewelry piece, or seek the melt value. Most pawn shops and gold buyers will purchase your gold jewelry for melt value. However, if you are patient, you will find a buyer who is willing to pay top dollar for your jewelry.

If you send off gold by mail, see how much it is to have it returned to you if the offer isn’t that great. They may not charge you to send it to them, but they could gouge you to send it back. Know ahead of time if you must pay to get jewelry back.

Go through thrift shops and antique stores looking for gold. If you know what you are looking for, there are bargains to be found in such places. People frequently give these things away without understanding their value. Their lack of knowledge can be used to your benefit, if you know what to look for.

You need to know what you’ve got. Everything that appears to be gold isn’t worth its own weight in it. Other metals are frequently put together with gold in order to make it stronger. This will lower the price. Items that are just plated in gold can also be affected. Having an appraisal done to your gold can help you get the best idea of its actual worth.

When at a gold party, talk with the rep about how they make the determination on the karats of the jewelry being sold. Items are usually stamped. But other times, there isn’t any mark of visual cue, so the reps have other alternatives for determining it. One method that can be used is the acid test.

Gold investing isn’t only for expert investors, it can be a great option for anyone who wants to store their money somewhere safe. With the advice in this article you should be feeling confident about your interactions with the gold market. Keep in mind the tips you learned here, to help you.