[Grampa Dave]

This should stir the Free Republic early morning stew pot.

[Toddsterpatriot]

But I thought gold was the only way to really store value? I heard that an ounce of gold has always bought a decent suit. (smirk)

[coconutt2000]

Who has that pic that goes, "Oh no, not this again!" :-)

[ol painless]

Gold is good as a hedge against inflation, not as a long term investment. Even if our monetary system collapsed gold will still have value.

[Xenalyte]

It can't be about to crash. I hear all those commercials Michael Savage does for Swiss America Trading!

[Red Badger]

Gold is gold. A is A.............

[in hoc signo vinces]

Numismatic Gold...is always good stuff, if one is a coin collector.

Bullion coins are for playing the commodities game.

Gold may stay at these levels, it may go higher, it may go lower, as long as one tracks their investment...they'll be okay.

If the monetary system ever collapses, which is pretty extreme, I'd be worried about a lot more things thing than just the gold in my portfolio.

[roaddog727]

OK.

When all the pro's are saying "BUY GOLD NOW!" in these pushy commercials This means 1 and 1 thing only:

Gold (or whatever they are screaming about) is getting ready to peak and then tank, and these schmucks are looking to dump their positions on unsuspecting, gullible saps looking to make a fast buck.

When I hear these "BUY GOLD NOW!" commercials, I would Run, not walk but Run in the opposite direction.

[george76]

HOT FOR GOLD

Tops in consumer demand for gold, in tons:

1. India 721.6
2. Middle East 387.3
3. U.S. 378.9
4. Mainland China 292.5
5. Turkey 248.4

[Atlas Sneezed]

Imagine that in the year 1900 your great-great grandfather had listened to the advice of someone touting precious metals. How would his investment have looked one hundred years later?

---

WRONG!

The proper analysis is not to pick a date in hindsight and assume one lump purchase that cashes out today. Normal people don't invest like that to preserve their wealth. The proper analysis is to assume "averaging in," by a monthly or annual investment.

I haven't run the 1900 numbers, but even if you assume the worst, ansd someone started investing at the peak a few decades back, gold would have provided the equivalent of a 5% annual rate of return (ignoring taxes). Any other time of starting the investing (earlier or later) would yield much better.

Sure, Microsoft would have done much better, but a 5% rate of return on something that is a guaranteed store of wealth over the long term ain't

Not to be defensive, but for every moron who picks one investment date to make something look bad (or good) I can pick another to show just the opposite.

[SouthTexas]

Look at the price of copper over the past year.

[Calpernia]

As per this documentary hosted by Michael York

THIS gold was found in Venezuelan waters.

http://www.pcha.gov/goldtrainfinaltoconvert.html

I don't know what has become of it; but as of 2004, the victims have received a settlement.

December 21, 2004 The federal government settled a lawsuit with 32 retired Miami Jews, regarding a legend about a trainload of gold, jewelry and other property, supposedly stolen by US Generals.

[eyedigress]

I am led to believe the new CEO from Goldman Sachs is worried about US exports and will let the Greenback slide.
Hope I'm right..:)

[KarlInOhio]

Imagine that in the year 1900 your great-great grandfather had listened to the advice of someone touting precious metals. How would his investment have looked one hundred years later?

Pretty crappy, especially when FDR confiscated it (Unless my grandfather had been smart enough to hide it in the basement instead of obeying St. Franklin and turning it in).

[Blzbba]

Precious metals never completely lose value, unlike many stocks, like Enron, Global Crossings, Tyco, etc.

And the beauty of numismatics (rare silver/gold coins) is that YOU PAY NO TAXES when you cash in.

[Snardius]

"Gold is the best investment that a housewife can make," I was recently informed by a member of said caste.

Creating liquidity so the pros can get out at the top...

[Jim Verdolini]

“World mine production today is almost 25 times as high as it was in 1850 (again, see figures). New discoveries and technologies have allowed gold and silver production to continue to expand”

Bad argument…the world population is also up many, many times as is the industrial demand for such metals.

It also does not credit world situations or individual perceptions as having any value. Gold is way down today, about $100 from a month ago, BUT, it is up $200 from a year ago.

I personally like the idea of gold dropping a bit…I hope to buy another few ounces over the next couple of months before I stop buying regularly.

[Old_Mil]

One thing that this article does not take into account is that the % of wealth accumulated by Asia's newly prosperous countries stored as gold will be much higher than it is here in the United States. The cultural tendency on the part of Indians, Chinese, etc to accumulate a familial gold holding is no less today than it was in the past...so I suspect that the demand for gold will increase disproportionately to what the world is accustomed to seeing.

[Cold Heat]

This should stir the Free Republic early morning stew pot

Yep!! No doubt!

[xzins]

The truth is that gold has gone up so much that I'd be leery of getting into it at the top of a cycle. That's a probable buy high sell low scenario.

[capitalist229]

America has turned from a net creditor 15 years ago, to a net debtor for many decades to come. In fact we will never dig out from the mountains of debt, the currency will have to be devalued as with any banana republic.

The guvmint will try to reduce that debt, through inflation.

That's why gold is 'as good as gold' for decades to come, until we have rediscovered the merits of hard work and saving.

BUMP