Many people forget about investing in gold because they think they have to buy expensive gold bars. While this is an option, there is much more to investing in gold that just buying it raw. Keep in mind the tips you’re about to read so that you can work towards adding gold to your portfolio.
Know you’re going to have to show your ID when you sell gold. By law, people are required to present their identification when they sell gold. That is done in order to deter thieves and other criminals. Therefore, don’t be embarrassed if they ask for your ID, and even snap a photograph of you.
Once you decide to sell your gold, start your search with local dealers. Go into a store and get a ballpark figure for your pieces. From there, you can begin checking online and in other shops to see where you can get the most bang for your buck. Get at least four to five quotes before you go forward with a sale.
Start your investing journey carefully. There are many unscrupulous companies out there who deal with gold. They want to take your money and take advantage of you. Do your homework before giving anyone your business.
Know exactly what you have. Even though the item looks like gold, it may not have much value. A lot of the time there will be something mixed with the gold so it holds up better. The price will be affected by this, often lowering it. This also applies to gold plated items. If you do not know for sure the value of your gold piece, have it appraised before presenting it for sale.
Make a commitment to yourself to get educated on gold. Know going in: only you are on your side. The buyers, no matter how reputable, want to get the best deal for themselves as possible. If you can’t speak the language, there’s a very good chance that you’ll lose in any sort of negotiation.
Know what you are selling. For example, a 14 karat gold necklace may be worth by selling it as a necklace rather than selling it based on the selling price of gold. If you have a lot of broken jewelry, you may make more money selling it for the price of gold than selling it as jewelry.
When attending a gold party, watch the representative carefully. Your natural instincts are often correct. If you feel like the person is being genuine with you, they probably are. If, however, you feel like the individual is holding back a little, you may want to wait and sell your gold to someone else.
When in doubt, get it checked out. There are some great knock-off gold pieces out there that really look like the real deal, but are infact fake. The best way to not get duped is by investing in a gold testing kit, or taking the gold piece in question to the pawn shop.
Do not assume because there is no stamp that a piece of gold is not real. There are many solid gold pieces out there that are not stamped at all. Try testing the gold in question with a magnet and if it does not stick, you probably have solid gold.
Do not buy gold from strangers who approach you in the streets and offer to sell it to you at an unreasonably cheap price. It might sound silly but people fall for it all the time. These pieces are brass or gold plated and the seller will do anything to get you to buy it. Ask to go to the pawn shop and if they refuse, walk away.
Get multiple bids before deciding on the final offer that you’ll take. The logic is simple: every dealer will offer something different. You want the best possible price for your gold, so you owe it to yourself to get at the minimum three bids prior to a final decision. It can turn a good deal into a great one.
When shopping around for the best deal on your gold jewelry, get any offers in writing. Most companies will give you something in writing, and that offer will usually be valid for a very short period of time. You can use the written offer to negotiate a better deal at your next stop.
If you are trying to sell your gold and hit a store that offers you a record high price, it’s often a good idea to sell immediately. Most prices are only good for twenty four hours because the markets change so frequently. If you try to go back the next day, the store usually will not honor the original price they gave you.
Hopefully, this article has helped you realize that there are many options open to you for investing in gold. Now that you’ve read these tips, it’s time to put them to good use. Once you see gold in your investment portfolio, you will feel much better about the equality and quality of your investments.
