Gold has always had the reputation of being a highly prized commodity. Gold has been treasured for thousands of years. Keep reading for information on investing in gold and maximizing your purchasing power.

If you are buying gold as a form of a retirement fund, make sure to buy the right kind. It’s crucial that the gold be IRS approved. The gold has to be either coins or bars, of the 24 karat variety. Because they hold their value, buy gold bars instead of gold coins.

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. While businesses may claim free shipping, they may also charge you to send the pieces back. Know what this cost is before you mail your items.

Don’t rule out getting gold items from thrift stores or antique shops. If you know what you are looking for, there are bargains to be found in such places. The prices are low here as the items are often donated. If you know what you’re doing, you can make the money they did not.

Gold Market

Be cautious with the gold market. There are many scammers in the gold market. There are lots of people that want to rip you off by not giving you what you’re owed. You need to exercise caution and do your research.

Whenever you begin the gold selling process, you need to be educated on the market price. It’s also a good idea to research what similar pieces have for asking prices. You will get a general idea of the kind of price you can get. Just make sure to go a little higher than what you actually want so that there is wiggle room for negotiation.

Comparison shop prior to selecting your gold buyer. You might be surprised by the price variants. When you just take buyer number one, you may lose money. Take a little bit more time at first so you’ve got the maximum return on your gold investment.

Make sure you read fine print in any sales contract to a full understanding. Read any materials the company you are sending your gold to provides you with. This allows you to know how much of your proceeds will be used to pay for commissions and fees.

Earring backings are often solid gold, even when the earrings are not. Quite often, necklace clasps and ring bands are real too. Try to sell them as part of a “lot” since singularly they are not very heavy. This just pulls together a number of gold pieces as a quantity, which might help you make a little more money.

Karat Weight

Before you try to sell any gold items, you’ll need to separate the pieces depending on the karat weight. When you try to sell your gold as one large group, the seller might attempt to weigh everything at the karat weight that is lowest. You will earn more if you sell your gold separately by karat weight. Instead go in with the piles pre-separated so that you’ll get the most for your gold.

You now know more about how gold is valued and the reason why people around the world treasure it. Not only is gold a luxurious item to wear, it is truly a solid investment. Print out this article in order to refer back to it when necessary, and get started on the path of gold buying and a good future.