The cast were awakened to the harsh reality of gold mining when they got to Alaska. They met a lot of trials along the way such as frozen ground and broken equipment. Add to that the fact that they had to mine really deep underground before they could reach the depth where gold could be mined. It took them several months before they even saw a tiny grain of gold. When the first season of the show ended the amateur miners were only able to dig up 14 oz. of gold. This only meant that they were not able to earn any profit from all the money that they spent on their mining venture in Alaska. This only means that finding gold is not easy even if a lot of people believe that Alaska is rich in gold.

The reason why gold is very hard to find is because it is a very rare precious metal. In order to find gold, miners have to dig several hundred feet only to find a small nugget of gold. It is said that all the gold that has been mined through the years only measures up to the size of a 20-yard cube. This only shows how rare gold is and how difficult it is to mine it.

Gold may be very rare but a lot of people wish to own it. This is because gold is considered as money. A lot of people in the United States still consider gold as money even after Nixon took the country off the gold standard. The rising demand for gold has only contributed to its already high value in the market. As the demand for gold in the market increases so does its price. This only motivates a lot more people to start owning gold. The good news is that owning gold is no longer as difficult as having to travel to Alaska with truckloads of mining equipment in tow. There are now many ways of owning gold and one way to do that is by buying gold coins.

Following the discovery of gold in Eastern and Western parts of United States, government started minting gold coins as well. By the end of 19th century different mints were established in San Francisco, Dahlonega, Charlotte and New Orleans. The last mint was established at Denver in 1904. Top mints of the United States were said to produce approximately ten million coins on daily basis. Minting resulted in usage of raw materials like water and chemical plus increased energy consumption. Due to serious ecological issues, these mints were modified and new projects were launched that focused on low energy consumption and increased coin production using limited resources.

Top Mints Of The United States:

1) Headquarters at Washington DC

Being the center of all minting activities, this agency was responsible for formation of policies, administrative works, coin research, development and supervision. Its additional duties include handling market operations, serving customer queries, managing different minting units and processing coin orders.

2) Denver Mint At Colorado

This mint is associated with production of coins belonging to different denominations, production of dyes, uncirculated currency, memorial coins and designing bars or bullions in silver and gold. There are facilities for tourism and sightseeing too.

3) West Point Mint At NY

This location is responsible for producing bullion coins in one ounce silver. They manufacture proof, uncirculated and circulated gold and platinum coins of American Eagle, bullion coins in Gold, Silver and Platinum, American Buffalo coins in 24 karat gold and other memorial coins recognized by Congress.

4) Philadelphia Mint at Pennsylvania

Being one of the oldest production mints in United States, it is responsible for sculpting engraved coins in metal as well as coin dies. The coins produced are of uncirculated types and for commemorative purposes or public uses. This mint is open for public tourism as well.

5) Other petty mints

Additional production facilities include mints at Fort Knox (In Kentucky) and at San Francisco (in California). They’re responsible for producing silver and gold bullion coins for different purposes.

If you wish to acquire more information on coin minting or in case you’re interested in sightseeing, you can log on to USMINT.gov website for more details.

Bullion:

Bullion gold coins are the pure form of a precious metal which are valued by the Gold content.  The bullion market has a spot price that you can find everyday either by using the web or the newspaper.  The physical gold market is different.  It is the spot price as well but then you have to include a premium, which can range from 2% to 10% above the spot price due to mining, minting, marketing and also for dealers.  Supply and demand also has an impact on pricing as well.
Sometimes these coins are used as a hedge to stand up against inflation.  The reason for this is cause gold is sometimes seen as an alternative currency, which is mainly used to shift from fiat currencies.  Often on CNBC you will find Jim Rickards talking about gold not making profits that it is just the opposite of the dollar meaning if the dollar is down in value gold is up in value.

The world has many types of bullion coins, which include the American Eagles and Buffalos, the Canadian Maple Leaves and the South African Kruggerands.  There are different sizes but the common sizes are 1/10 oz, ¼ oz, ½ oz and 1 oz.

Numismatic:

Numismatic coins are very different from bullion coins.  They are generally minted before 1933 and are considered to be rare coins.  Most people believe this is the best way to own gold coins due to their three main benefits, which include privacy, protection from confiscation and growth.  First benefit, they are non-reportable and whether you are buying or selling it is between you and the dealer only.  Second, even though they are both gold, only gold bullion has been confiscated in the past, numismatic has never been touched and finally in the last 40 years numismatic coins have outperformed bullion and if long-term growth is important to you numismatic is the right choice.  They do however come at a higher premium than bullion but remember they hold a longer-term than bullion.

Whichever coins you decide to choose know that both are a great choice and it all depends on which will work best to help you reach your goals and needs.  Understanding the risks and benefits will help you in your purchase.  At ITM Trading they specialize in all types of precious metals so please don’t hesitate to call.

Safe haven

Gold has proven to be an excellent safe haven during crises no matter how short or long the crisis’ duration was. Even if the next crisis cannot be predicted or foreseen, gold will still hold strong. But today, many “black swans” have surfaced in just the last two years, making the markets susceptible to the beck and call of such events. Hence, gold is appreciated as a short-term hedge against an unstable economy.

As for a longer term effect, gold gains its owners confidence in view of increasing inflation; speculative or not as many signs point to its imminent presence. Global governments are still wrestling with debt issues with their central banks intervening for a plausible solution which is nowhere in sight; this will definitely spiral down the major currencies’ value quickly. Hence, a wise choice to resort to gold as a definite hedge against inflation is obvious.

Possible reserve currency

As the economy leaves little confidence, it is time to consider an alternative reserve currency: gold. And this could very well happen over the long run. Gold has been used as the global reserve currency throughout history; it could rise again to regain its prominence as a reserve currency.

This could happen sooner than expected with the central banks buying up gold like sponge soaking up water. Their new found interest will spark a greater demand on gold. Just holding on to their current supply will stir renewed interest in the precious metal of all sorts.

Diversified portfolio

Owning gold has many caveats; investors have understood it enough to incorporate gold into their portfolios, embracing its risks as well. Gold’s volatility is infamous on the market front; its ballooning price today holds excitement for some and grave concern for others.

Increasing Trend

Gold prices have been on the rise for a decade and there is no indication of it halting or reversing any time soon. Hence, many are optimistic about the continual rise of its prices. It is believed that gold prices have not become full-blown as yet with a current $1,600 per ounce.

Many investors and analysts are watching and waiting to see it rise to $2,000 per ounce due to inflation.

Gold has always incited a love/hate relationship. It is a contrary investment. Some still eye it suspiciously while those who embraced it earlier are smiling today.

Trading with gold has many benefits and one of those benefits is that gold is money in and of itself. It is not printed into being by a government or created by accounting at a bank. When banks and governments around the world make large financial blunders and errors as we have recently seen, metals tend to trend upwards rather than down such as stocks and bonds. This diversification from debt based investments is perhaps the most important benefit of gold ownership. Also, gold generally has small one-time charges for commission, unlike funds and accounts that have high re-occurring annual service charges. Trading gold is also relatively private. Since you take possession when you take ownership, there is no need for lengthy contracts or agreements or monitored accounts and statements.

When it comes to buying gold coins, gold bullion coins are the most commonly used medium. They are minted all over the world. The gold content and size of the coin may vary and this dictates the price of each coin. The value of rare or numismatic gold coins is based on condition and rareness and can be much higher than the metal value of the coin.

Gold bars are also another option in gold trading. They can be bought in different weights and sizes. A gold bar can be as light as one gram to as heavy as 400 troy ounces. There are around 400 varieties of gold bars poured by 94 accredited manufacturers in 26 countries all over the world. The minimum gold content for each gold bar is 99.5 percent.

Gold futures are an option in gold trading which is sort of a commitment to acquire or deliver gold at a certain date and price. An interested party can get gold futures by making a partial deposit with a broker. This deposit is a portion of the price of the gold that is indicated in the agreement. This set-up enables the investor to get a high leverage. Trading of gold futures takes place at the Tokyo Commodity exchange, the New York Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board of Trade and can be done only on account.

The demand for gold is predicted to continue to surge upward. The same will happen with its price as the demand increases. This is primarily due to the increasing demand for gold in emerging markets like China, Russia, Brazil, and India. The global financial crisis also brought about the increase in attention towards gold. More people are seeing the benefits of gold as a diversification out of debt based currencies and for-profit based banking investments.

Many dealers may wish to bid on your coins should you decide to liquidate, however it is suggested to develop a relationship with a trusted and established gold trading firm. Quite often the company you bought the gold from is the best place to sell it. They will have record of the coin and its sale, and they will also have a market ready to resell your coin into (though they shouldn’t need to resell it to buy your coins back).

Gold bullion coins are a very recognizable type of gold coin. Examples of gold bullion coins are the Gold American Eagle, the South African Krugerrand, the Gold Canadian Maple Leaf and the Chinese Panda.
If you want to sell your gold coins you can call prospective buyers by phone or through the internet. The buyer can give you the value that he wishes to buy your gold bullion coins for. The price quotation that you will receive from the gold buyers may vary depending on when you want to sell your gold coins. The price of gold coins changes regularly so the price today may increase or decrease by the time you actually want to sell them. If you really wish to sell your gold coins, timing is very important. You have to sell them when the price for gold bullion coins is high. When the price is high, send your gold coins immediately to the buyer before the price goes down. Once the gold dealer receives the gold coins then you will be immediately sent a check as payment. Any company you decide to liquidate your coins through should be thoroughly checked out through the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General’s office in the state where the company is located.

Rare gold coins are another type of gold coin that is also easily marketable. Again it is best to have an established relationship with a gold firm for your purchases and liquidations. However, quite a few coin dealers and jewelers buy these rare gold coins at a fair price. However, the small-scale gold buyers and television ads that tell you to mail in your gold tend to pay only a portion of the spot price for your gold and will not offer you any premium for the quality or rarity of your coin. Banks and lending institutions will also loan money against your precious metals portfolio, and this may be an option other than liquidating your position.

Gold coins that are certified by the top coin grading firms such as NGC and PCGS are the most marketable. Rare gold coins that are not certified or are certified by firms other than the two mentioned above, are not as in demand for coin dealers. Rare gold coins that are certified by NGC and PCGS will be more immediately recognized and trusted and a higher premium is generally paid for these coins by the coin dealers. Loose gold coins that are not certified or graded will have to be individually evaluated and appraised before liquidation.

Hence, many resorted to trading rare gold coins that did not fall under that prohibitive jurisdiction. Since their inception, rare gold coins have been outperforming gold bullion slowly but surely, creating a wider margin as they creep upwards in their value.

There are many benefits in owning rare gold coins.

Consistently Great Performance

Owners of various rare gold coins are smiling their way to the bank as they enjoy the increasing worth of their gold coin collection during the hot time in the market (with gold rising creating more demand). Rare gold coins have been performing exceptionally well as time passes which pleases their owners. The main reason for the increasing value of rare gold coins over time is that these special coins are no longer in mint and hence, there is a scarcity of them, with demand exceeding supply. This pushes the market value of rare gold coins higher.

Many established grading agencies such as PCGS have been monitoring their performance and have created indexes of rare gold coins for a long periods of time to note its upward trend since the year 1971. At some stages, rare gold coins have even outperformed that of gold bullion.

Wealth Privacy

There are a lot of people, not just Americans, who would like to keep their wealth status private, which is an understandable stance. Owning rare gold coins otherwise known as numismatic gold coins, allows an individual exactly that privilege, as there is no need to report to any legal authority or anyone else for that matter any sale or purchase of rare gold coins.

The absence of documentation in the form of records or reporting makes rare gold coin transactions virtually paperless and very confidential. This is indeed great news in today’s electronic media world where a piece of information is can be spammed globally. This is not so with rare gold coin transactions. There are no questions asked and no answers or reasons need to be given to anyone regarding any sale or purchase.

Protection against Confiscation

Rare gold coins have not fallen under the jurisdiction of the Presidential law of gold confiscation which came into effect in 1933 under President Franklin Roosevelt because rare gold coins are considered collectible. Therefore people believe that if gold is ever confiscated again, that rare gold coins will again be excluded.

A lot of financial experts recommend a mixed portfolio when it comes to investment, and this includes rare gold coins as they tend to be not as volatile in their value change as paper currency like bonds and stocks.  A portfolio can only be successful if you have a mixed portfolio that contains assets which do not move together along the same financial outlook or path so that your losses can be averaged out. Hence, rare gold coins are a good bet as an effective asset that is diversified for your portfolio.

Quick Cash

Established grading agencies like the PCGS and NGC are authorized to certify these rare gold coins to establish a standard amongst them. With these certifications, rare gold coins are now the best collectibles that are most liquid globally as they are traded quickly and shrewdly every day through brokers and dealers.

There are plenty of rare gold coins trading everyday. Many dealers make markets in rare gold coins and therefore a coin can be bought and sold anytime it is needed, as there is always a demand for them.

Guaranteed basic value

This feature has added intrinsic value to these numismatic gold pieces which make them classic and relevant, unlike their paper counterparts which can turn hostile and worthless as evidenced in certain times in history. Numismatic coins can never go lower than what their worth is in their gold market, and gold has never been worth zero.

Portability

It is so easy to carry rare gold coins around or to transport them to another place for storage as they are much smaller than their paper counterparts. Hence, a large amount of rare gold coins can be transported easily without directing unwanted attention to its presence and worth, and no one will be the wiser with the rare gold coins being transacted and transported shrewdly. This cannot be said of huge assets such as cars, sculptures or paintings.

You and I can buy one or more

The prices of these numismatic coins are not as high as one might think; many common folk should be able to purchase them comfortably although there have been occasions where a seven figure value was tagged on certain rare gold coins at certain periods of time. Nevertheless, many are still at an affordable price for easy purchase.

Holding History in your hands

Another beautiful reason for owning rare gold coins is that you are actually encapsulating a piece of American history in one of these special coins as there is always a particular purpose or event leading to the creation of these gold pieces. Hence, any history lover will definitely want to be a staunch collector of these rare gold pieces.

Gold possesses a many unique properties; it is considered the truest form of currency which has been used over many centuries. The gold price today is correlated to the US Dollar which sets the platform for trade on a universal basis.

Physical gold comes in rare coins and bullion where both have about the same gold content but rare coins have an extra niche due to their rarity factor. With a sufficient supply for the demand, these rare coins are an easy positive asset.

Gold can be used to preserve wealth unlike paper currencies which fluctuate in value depending on monetary policies. Gold value will increase when the dollar value decreases through inflation. Hence, your money in the bank is less in worth over the years as gold value has increased.

Storing Gold

There are many ways to store gold; small pieces can be hidden away from prying eyes as gold weight determines its value whether in big or small quantities. Although small pieces do not take up a lot of space, their value is tremendous with the increasing spot price today.
Physical gold possession gives another form of protection against economic disasters where purchases can be made with the shiny metal that will preside over currency.

The spot price is the current price to pay for any gold bullion purchase with a small premium. Purchases from trusted brokerage organizations will ensure authentic gold whereas online purchases may not offer the purest gold coins.

Gold’s spot price fluctuates everyday depending on the supply and demand factor as well as the dollar value. This metal’s spot price is displayed on the right sidebar at the ITMTrading.com website.

Gold Prices

Today, the factors which affect the gold price positively are set in motion by economic crisis, inflation fears, quantitative easing and banking failures. Rare gold coins are preferred over gold bullion in building a gold portfolio as the former have been excluded from confiscation in the past by law and it is also considered to be a private asset.

Purchases should be made at established brokerage firms for gold ,like ITM Trading that has been providing excellent service for more than 15 years and has an A+ rating from the BBB.

Options for Trading Gold

Gold trading usually uses bullion coins which are government issued and are of different types that determines the coins prices. However, bullion coins are not numismatic or rare gold coins which are dependent on the quality, rarity and bullion content. There are many types of gold which one can trade on the market.

Gold Bars

Gold bars come in different weights and sizes, offering 1g to 400 troy oz. There are more than 400 gold bar types made by 94 manufacturers of gold bars in 26 countries which have been recognized by the Gold Bars Worldwide Association. These gold bars usually come in 99.5% fine gold as a minimum content requirement.

Gold Certificates

Gold certificates were first issued by the US Treasury around the same time as the civil war, up until 1933. Denominated in dollars, gold certificates were a component of the gold standard, which could be traded for a proportional value of gold. Nowadays, gold certificates are issued by banks, particularly in Germany and Switzerland, enabling investors to hold gold without taking actual physical possession.

Gold Futures

Gold futures trading are commitments made to take or deliver the ordered gold quantity at an agreed price. Gold investors make a first small deposit with a gold broker that is a portion of the gold’s net contract price. This benefits the investors if the leverage of gold is high. Gold futures trading takes place on commodity exchanges that are regulated such as NY Mercantile Exchange, Tokyo Commodity Exchange and the Chicago Trade Board.

Current Gold Trends & Outlook

The World Gold Council has indicated that gold will be in high demand in 2010 driven by increasing demand for gold jewelry in China and India. Moreover, the US economic instability and the EU sovereign debt have fueled the higher demand for gold worldwide.

Many are turning to gold as the safest asset, especially in the form of gold bars and coins as well as exchange traded funds (ETFs). As of May 20 2010, the SPDR Gold Shares displays a record 1,200 tonnes of gold  at a value of US$46.88 billion.