Buying gold online is just as secure as any other transaction you make over the Internet, provided that you are dealing with a reliable company. The best vendors use SSL encryption and are PCI compliant. Moreover, all your shipments are insured for their full value. In fact, buying online is even safer than buying from a physical retailer. Whether you are interested in buying gold bars or coins, you can purchase gold online safely as long as you deal with a reputable gold company, such as International Precious Metals.
IPM's affiliations with the American Numismatic Association (ANA), Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), Certified Acceptance Corporation (CAC), Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Industry Council on Tangible Assets (ICTA) demonstrate the retailer's commitment to fair business practices that are consistent with the standards of each of these organizations. At first glance, there appear to be several advantages to buying gold and silver from a local metal store. You will receive your purchase immediately, instead of having to wait for shipping. You know exactly where you got the bars and the person who sold them to you, so if there's an issue you know exactly where to go. Some people assume that this gives them more protection against counterfeit or overrated products.
However, many reputable precious metal companies across the country sell genuine government-issued gold coins and genuine gold bars, even online. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide how and where to buy gold. As people are hesitant to visit jewelry stores and gold traders, being able to buy gold online has become a perfect solution for many investors. If you choose not to sell the gold, you can order a home delivery of your gold in the form of coins or bars. Since gold tends to perform well when the economy is in recession, most people buy gold as a type of financial insurance policy to hedge their bets against the value of the dollar in the market.
We interviewed Don Durrett, a longtime investor and author of the book “How to Invest in Gold and Silver”, to help us answer the five most common questions about buying gold. Contrary to popular belief, gold bars are much more accessible than many gold owners realize. Under a gold options contract, you have an agreement with the option to buy or sell gold if it reaches a certain price by a predetermined date. Investing in mining stocks is riskier than buying gold bars or physical currencies, but the rewards can be greater and include dividends that you won't get when you buy a piece of gold. However, just like gold coins, you're likely to pay more for the amount of gold you actually receive, a premium that could range from 20% to 300%, according to the manufacturer. It's great to have the gold or silver right away, but waiting a few days to get the gold can save you a lot of money.
In his book How to Buy and Sell Gold and Silver Privately, Internet marketer and business coach Doyle Shuler explains many of the complexities surrounding taxes and buying gold. This gives you exposure to gold as an investment without the risk or hassle of handling physical gold. That said, gold prices can be very volatile, meaning that gold is not a totally safe investment (not even primarily).
