Gold is a staple of savvy investors. Create strong and lasting investments by learning all you can about gold. You need to consider a laundry list of things, whether purchasing gold or buying shares in mining firms. Keep reading to understand gold investing a bit better.

The high price of gold may give you the idea that gold-filled or gold-plated jewelry is better. You still can get gold jewelry items without spending a lot at a local jewelry store. Pawn shops provide great discounts.

Get your jewelry appraised. Although you’re spending some money up front, at least you’re getting fair market value for your items. Only use an independent, accredited appraiser to get the most realistic value. If you still decide to sell your gold, you should know that you will not be paid the full appraisal value.

You can sell anything that contains gold to gold dealers. This could be jewelry pieces which are broken, home decor, tableware or any other gold items you have around. You can get something for an item if it is not made out of pure gold. It just needs to be plated or maybe only a part of it’s gold. Any amount of gold will get you back a nice amount of money.

If you decide to mail your gold to a buyer, find out how much mailing and insuring these items will cost you and how much you will have to pay to have the items mailed back to you in case you do not accept the buyer’s offer. Companies often provide free shipping, but it can be costly to get them back to you in the mail. Be certain you know exactly what those fees will be.

Shop around before you decide which gold buyer you will use. The different prices you receive might shcok you. Going with the very first buyer who comes along might prove a bad deal. Putting in a little time at the beginning can mean maximum cash in the end.

Talk with a gold expert on how they go about attaching a price to a piece of gold, so you know how much a karat is worth. Many times, the items are stamped. Some sellers are trained to calculate the value of a piece of gold that is not stamped. Dealers using an acid test may be newcomers, as this is a very basic test.

In many cases, earing backing are solid gold even the total piece is not. Sometimes rings are only partially gold, and sometimes necklaces just have gold clasps. Because each piece does not weigh much, consider selling these as a group. You will get more money if you put them all together.

You can invest in gold without actually owning physical gold property. You can buy gold shares in an ETF, a mutual fund with a focus on gold, or in gold mining equities. If you buy real gold bars or coins, consider safe storage of your pieces.

Investing in gold has significant profit potential, but it’s not for the faint of heart. If you can’t handle losing money, this is not the investment for you. Look for ways to limit your risks, for instance by investing small amounts in gold. Do not invest more than a tiny percentage of your portfolio in gold. Invest up to 5 percent for best results.

You probably are amazed how much goes into buying and selling gold now that you’ve read the last few paragraphs. These tips can help you make better choices for your portfolio. Use the information laid out here in order to invest for your future with gold.