do banks sell gold and silver bullion?

[bornthrifty]

big city banks?

currency exchanges?

or do you have to do this online?

where is the best value, I am guessing coin stores are more exspensive?

 

[Wifezilla]

They are at a high right now.

I don't buy gold because I figure in an emergency so bad I can't use currency, food will be more valuable than shiny rocks I can't eat anyway.

Plus I don't know a darn thing about gold. For a girl, I am surprisingly stupid when it comes to jewelry and precious metals.

I would rather have food, seeds, land and livestock.

 

[Big Daddy]

I think you have to buy it through a gold exchange. They usually mint them in to various coins and certify percentage of gold. Be careful, scams run rampant.

 

[k0xxx]

Surprisingly, eBay has been about the best source. Being new at it, I'd stick with bullion coins from government mints (US Eagle, Canadian Maple Leafs, Australian Nuggets, South African Krugerrands, etc.). Stay away from anything that says "mini", "copy", "reproduction", "HGE". Also, even though there are a lot of legitimate gold coins from China, Mexico, and The Isle of Mann, I'd forget about these until you know more about what you are looking at. I'd also avoid any coins that are graded and "slabbed" by a professional service such as NGC, PCGS, ANACS, etc., as these will command a higher price just for being graded.

Coins are generally available in 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 ounce sizes. There are also bars in the 1 gram, 5 grams, and other sizes available, with some of the best values in these come from refineries in Pakistan, of all places.

Generally though, you'll pay more per ounce for the smaller sizes. If you buy on eBay, be sure to look at the feedback rating of the seller and avoid any seller with minimal feedback.

Below are a couple examples. One the left is a one ounce Silver Eagle, the center is a private mint 1 gram gold coin, the right is a 1/10 ounce Gold Eagle.

 

[THEFAN]

There are a few places on the net. I have had a lot of luck on evilbay. I have been ablt to snag 1 oz silver bars for 16-17.00 each shipped. Liberty dollars as well. I also check out pawn shops when I get to the mainland. I figure silver will be barterable. Gold might be a little harder. I do believe food, seeds, ammo, toiletries and goods of such to be the best barter. Silver is a long term investment. If worst comes to worst I can always melt down the silver and make silverbullets for the VAMFEDS. That just might stop them. Before anything I would go debt free first!!!!!!

 

[bornthrifty]

thanks for the responses, and the photos, I keep sort of wanting some gold, as I can see how with china now legalizing and encouraging the people to own gold, and with the dollar plunging, I can imagine it still going up in value

(which really in my opinion is not Gold going up so much but rather a reflection of the value of the dollar going down)


good points about silver, I think it is undervalued right now, and can be easily traded for bigger things, that rolls of Toilet paper wont help me obtain,


I sometimes get tempted to take our little savings we have and just go out and buy things like wood and equiptment that we might not be able to afford should this ecomomy continue to mirror what happened in other countries when they printed to much money

 

[Mackay]

I sometimes get tempted to take our little savings we have and just go out and buy things like wood and equiptment that we might not be able to afford should this ecomomy continue to mirror what happened in other countries when they printed to much money

This I think is an excellent idea. Right now I am nagging at my husband to get that Stilh chainsaw and log splitter before it doubles in price.

We have been working on it, getting all the stuff together to survive. We have the studio apt almost done, spring brings the start of the house. Once the frame and roof is on we will stock pile building supplies within. I'm thinking that the end of next summer there will be trouble with the dollar big time. We are being warned by other nations and messages are being given to us. Doubts and concerns by china for the dollar, their pressing for a change in the interntaional currency exchange, along with some other countries. Arabia is even going broke if you can believe that one., Construction in Dubai has ceased. This spring all the construction workers just abandoned their cars a the airport and flew home. Work dried up. Mostly this is all due to the declined price in oil. Now arabia, which has extended its cost of living during boom times can no longer keep up with their debt during recession.
Arabia has stopped purchasing our T bills, which is essentially our debt. They just can't do it anymore after doing it for many many years. That was the agreement Kissinger made with the King, we buy your oil and for each purchase you purchase a percent of our debt, Its been going on for years but no more. And now China is sick of our debt and feels our t bills are really worthless, um, probably because they are.

Those here on this forum who don't want to think about this stuff and just laugh it off are foolish in my opinion. Perhaps they already have everything they need to survive, but most of us don't and careful and considerate planning is required... so keep asking questions, bornthrifty.