November 17, 2009 – Gold bar bullion investments have become common additions to American investors’ portfolios since 1971, when President Richard Nixon repealed the 38-year prohibition of gold bullion ownership. With one fell swoop, Nixon also permitted the US Treasury to begin running the printing presses overtime, and they have remained well-oiled machines ever since. President Franklin Roosevelt authorized the 1933 gold confiscation, which declared it illegal to own gold bullion worth more than $100. Our government recovered over 131 million ounces of gold from 1933-1971, and the seized gold was sentenced to the melting pot and then to storage on a shelf in Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Some gold escaped the fiery fate and have survived to our day, and investors use these coins as long-term gold investments. Gold bar bullion investments and modern-day gold bullion coins are typically reserved for short-term profit seekers. If you desire the possibility of rapid profits that you would liquidate back into cash within a year, gold bullion could be the right investment for you.
If you are looking for a long-term position in the gold market that you could maintain possession of for years or more, then pre-1933 gold and silver coins may be a better fit. Historic American coins like the $20 Saint Gaudens Double Eagle trend in the same direction as gold bullion, but they also bear a numismatic value that grows over time.
Pre-1933 coins are private investments, and they tend to be more profitable than gold bullion in the long run. However, investors who desire quick profits in lieu of a completely private coin will likely do better with bullion. Contact a reputable gold exchange today to learn more about the kind of gold that will best fit your portfolio.
Jonathan Monroe
Senior Staff Writer - Gold-Bullion.org
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