Your story is interesting, but of very little use to one simply looking for a smart way to hold his savings.
Let me know how much I would have to pay someone to take care of a cow to earn several hundred dollars profit. They also need to insure againt vet bills and disease, as well as providing all the food and land needed.
My cost to store a gold coin is zero, because I own a house with locks, and lots of hiding places.
Your post actually points out that you are using gold as an investment while saying you are using it as insurance...
“simply looking for a smart way to hold his savings.”...”take care of a cow to earn several hundred dollars profit”
You profit from investments...if you invest well...but you can also loss from investments. With both the cow and gold you stand the chance to gain or loss...both are investments. My issue is not with gold as an investment, but with the selling of it to the average person as “insurance”.