10 Reasons for Canadians to Invest in Precious Metals
Whether you’re a seasoned investor or a ‘newb’, everyone has a different reason to pursue an investment in precious metals. Whatever your level of interest in precious metals (which include gold, silver and platinum) here are 10 of the most popular reasons to invest, according to the staff and customers of Royal Bull Silver & Gold.
1. Precious metals last forever
The gold mined from California 150 years ago looks exactly the same as it is today. The same goes for silver and platinum – they can last longer than you. Precious metals also require very little maintenance, if any at all, and can be easily passed to future generations. And just because you don’t like the look of one piece of gold (perhaps from your aunt who had horrible jewellery style), don’t discard it. You can melt it down and reuse the gold to make new jewellery, bars or coins that more suit your style.
Precious metals like gold, silver and platinum are also resistant to chemicals and are corrosion-resistant. They’re built to last!
2. Precious metals are a tangible investment
At this very moment in Canada, there’s a relatively new form of investing that involves buying “non-fungible tokens” (NFTs). There’s nothing physical about these investments, which makes the whole concept quite perplexing for most investors. The same can be said for investing in the stock market – there’s nothing tangible that you can hold in your hand.
Precious metals on the other hand are all physical. There’s something very special about putting your money into something that you can touch.
3. Investing in precious metals is fun!
There’s much more than “just” a gold or silver investment – you can buy them in bars, coins, collectibles and much more. A gold coin can immortalize the Canadian fur trade, a silver bar can pay homage to The Mandalorian and a silver coin can be bursting with a colourful blue jay.
Real estate needs maintenance, the stock markets are difficult to understand, GICs pay very little interest. Precious metals are investments that can be fun! And if you’d like to increase your collection size, there are new fun ways to increase your precious metals investments without leaving your couch or scheduling a meeting with a banker.
4. Investing in precious metals has a long history
Many new investment opportunities sound promising but are often quite the opposite. Think back to beanie babies, Pogs and 1990s baseball cards. Precious metals have been highly valued throughout recorded history and will continue to be around for millenia, unlike most ‘short-term’ investment opportunities.
Precious metals began being considered an investment back in the 19th century. European countries then began implementing currency equivalents for gold, and systems to determine the price, such as the London Gold Market Fixing Ltd. Although some systems are no longer in place, today there are now many ways to invest in precious metals (bars, coins, rounds, certificates, exchange-traded products, etc.) These products and systems will come and go but when it comes down to it, the fluctuating value of a precious metal relies on supply and demand.
5. Precious metals are collectable
The little weight of some precious metals makes them very easy to purchase small amounts of. (When was the last time you could invest in real estate for under $50?) Smaller dollar values allow for investors to also collect a wide range of unique precious metals that have unique designs, are part of sets, or are produced in limited quantities. Collecting different types of this investment opportunity (without the maintenance and high costs) means that collectors can claim a stake in precious metals easier, faster and more affordable than ever before.
6. Precious metals come in many shapes, sizes, styles and values
When you invest in a stock, that is what you get – a stock. When you invest in precious metals, you have an entire world of differentiation that makes every purchase a unique experience that will bring you happiness.
For example, if you wanted to invest in a physical gold product, you can buy a bar, coin or even jewellery. Which country do you want it to be produced in – products come from around the globe including Australia, Africa, England and Canada. There are even some countries that use third parties to produce coinage for them. There are of course different weights, from less than an ounce to a 400-ounce bar and beyond! The face values also differ. Lastly, there’s the design – whether you appreciate the classic coin designs based on currency or whether you love spider designs, there is a coin or bar that suits pretty much every interest in the world.
7. Precious metals have security features to guarantee authenticity
Recognized for generations as legal tender, many precious metals can be legally traded and have features on them or in their serialized packaging that ensures buyers are not buying counterfeits or that the product has been tampered with.
Some features include intricate details in the product’s design, like laser-engraving with digital verification technology. Many bars have serial numbers that can be traced back to the mint that the bar was produced at.
Other mints incorporate designs like an odd-sided coin, electronic signatures, holographic images, mic-lettering and electroplating. All of these together make counterfeiting precious metals incredibly difficult and give buyers extra security.
8. Precious metals can be safe havens for uncertain times
Gold especially has been known to be a wise way to invest when the economy isn’t doing well. Look back to the early 1980s and the 2008 stock market crash to see that investors move their money to safety – precious metals – when the rest of the world increases its volatility.
What will happen in the future? No one knows for certain, but precious metals have been known to be a safe way to ensure the future is a little less uncertain.
9. Precious metals are easy to buy
You don’t need a contract, you don’t need to wait, you don’t need to remortgage your home and you don’t (necessarily) need to ask your spouse for permission. With the power of the Internet, you can invest in precious metals through Royal Bull Silver & Gold – in as little as five minutes. Perhaps the hardest part of investing is that there are so many great options at affordable prices.
10. Precious metals are easy to sell
If you own precious metals and wish to sell them for the best price possible, the Internet comes to the rescue again. Reach out to Royal Bull and we’ll give you our best price within 24 hours. When we agree on a price, ship your products to us and if it’s everything that you said it was then you will get your cash payment shortly after we confirm the contents.
Whatever your reason for investing in precious metals, trust Canadian leader Royal Bull Silver & Gold to help show you many of the most popular coins and bars available to start your journey.