Gold has always been one of the most easily recognizable forms of money in the world. This precious metal has been used and fought over by kings and emperors alike as a symbol of their wealth and power. Gold was the element that money was once made from and gold bars were usually used to finance battles in days past. While countries no longer use gold bars as a way to pay for their wars they are still popular with investors as a way to give their portfolio a solid foundation.
As one of the elements on the periodic table gold’s symbol is AU. Even though heat does need to be applied to large pieces gold is one of the dense, but malleable metals on the table and one of the most valuable. Currently its most popular purpose is to be used in the art of jewelry making and to showcase precious gems. Investors prefer their gold in its purest form of bars or ingots.
Investing in Gold Bars
The reason why the general public and seasoned investors alike prefer gold is because it holds it monetary value very well. Most people believe that the value of gold rarely decreases and is one of the most solid investment decisions that they can make. Another aspect of gold that is very appealing to most investors is that gold is tangible; you can hold it in your hands, but at the same time you can trade it or sell it very easily depending on your individual needs. Most of the gold used for investing purposes is in the form of bars or ingots; this type of gold can be produced in two ways each having their own challenges and properties.
The first way to make gold ingots is to cast them; this is done by pouring molten gold into prepared forms. Minting is the second process that can be used to make gold ingots; in this process the bars are cut from a large piece of gold called a blank. The real difference between these two methods is that cast bars are usually much bigger than the minted ones. The process usually includes using presses to put certain markings on the bars for authentication purposes.
One other thing to remember about gold bullion is that they are measured in troy ounces which are slightly heavier than the more traditional ounce. Gold is also a very heavy metal so looking at a million dollars work of gold bullion will not look as impressive as it sounds.
Gold bars are so popular today that they are not only the subject of the serious investor but used as storylines from Hollywood. There are countless movies and television shows that feature gold heists as a form of entertainment, not to mention everyone has dreamed of what the rooms and halls of gold look like in Ft. Knox. One of the more serious reasons investors like the idea of gold bars is that they have a great deal of value, but do not take up that much space.
Source by Mishaun Taylor
Should You Invest in Gold Bars?
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