WHY SHOULD I
INVEST IN METALS?
  The reasons for
investing in gold have remained much the same overits long history. Although,
silver and platinum have much shorter histories, thereasons for investing in them
are similar. For a discussion on the relative meritsof the three metals, see
Gold vs. Silver Vs. Platinum. For the purposes of thisdiscussion, I will use the
word gold when referring to investment metals.
 Gold has solid value.
No one can say of gold that it isn't worth the paper its printed on. Gold is
scarce. All the gold ever mined would fit in to a cube measuring just 20 yards on
each side. Gold does not depend on a government's or company's promise topay or
produce for its value. Through centuries of war and peace, feast and famine,gold
has always been a consistent store of value and a trusted medium of
exchange.
Gold is an excellent way to diversify your investment
portfolio. Most of what we traditionally invest in; stocks, bonds, mutual funds,
and so forth, arepaper assets with no intrinsic value. In times of high
inflation or great uncertaintyabout the economy, these traditional investments
tend not to fair well. Gold, on the other hand, tends to do well when people are
looking for a place to safely store their money. Gold often moves in the
opposite direction of traditional investments, making it a good way to stabilize
the value of your portfolio.
 Gold also can be
attractive as a stand alone investment. Many experts believe that the value of
gold today, in terms of paper currency, is simply too low. They expect gold to
move up in value as they believe there is a widening gap between production and
demand; there is simply not enough gold being produced today to takecare of the
demand they anticipate for the metal. As gold reserves decline, the price of
gold will move up.
Gold is an excellent hedge against inflation. In
countries where the money has become valueless or nearly valueless, such as
1921-24 Germany, or modern day Brazil or Italy, the purchasing power of an ounce
of gold has stayed nearly the same throughout. Even in the USA or Canada, where
inflation, although troublesome, has not lead to the almost total devaluation of
the currency, the purchasing power of an ounce of gold has stayed almost exactly
the same throughout the country's history.
Gold is one of the most
liquid of all investments. It is readily portable. It is easy to store. It is
recognized in every country. It is easily and discreetly bought and sold. It can
be easily converted to cash at any time.
 Gold can also play an
important role in your retirement planning. American eagle gold coins are
eligible for inclusion in your tax deferred retirement account. Whether your
investment approach is conservative or aggressive, gold can play avital role in
your portfolio. Many experts recommend that 5-10% of your totalassets be invested
in gold. No matter what disaster befalls the stock and bond market,gold endures
in value. And gold can be purchased for a very small commision, see ourmetals
pages for our buy sell spread on all major bullion coins.
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