FWIW, I've been trying to research gold and silver as an option for going on two years now. It isn't easy to sort through the hype and the cons to figure out a strategy and not be ripped off. From what I've figured out:
If you have gold or silver as a way to store wealth, know what it's actual resale value is. Also, have a plan in place so that you'd be able to sell it for what it's worth or better. Avoid "certificates of ownership" or anything else that isn't actual possession of the metal. And don't believe anything a salesperson tells you. Research it yourself.
I buy physical silver in both coin and bar form.
I also keep some silver in foreign vaults as a hedge against physical theft.
For the foreign vaulting I like Goldmoney/BitGold and also BullionVault: spreading the buys across multiple jurisdictions.
A lot of folks have invested heavily in lead.
and suggest you buy coins that are commonly recognized, like Eagles and Maple Leafs
You pay a premium for the coinage but their portability is probably better than bars from “Bozo’s Mint” or coins issued by the Government of Tajikistan
Here’s an interesting video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJm3cRRvPoM
Very good post!
CA....