Buy Genuine Gold Coins and Bars Please!

Last week I suggested that investing in Gold might be a very wise decision in our present economic climate, as the recession continues to hit hard at our hard earned cash stacked away in bank vaults for that rainy day.

As we all know the value of Paper Money has been weakened tremendously in the west, because of the greed that has fed the financial economic models in the last twenty odd years. We are about to start really paying for this, and the wise ones will make sure that their eggs are not all placed in one basket, namely in Paper Money saved in the bank vaults of our banking institutions.

So lets say you've decided to be wise and start investing in Gold bullions and the like, well one word of advice though, ensure that you buy your bullions from reputable firms and individuals preferably those that belong to the relevant trade associations in your countries. Bullions do not always come with certificates, but if you buy from a reputable dealer or firm you wont go wrong. There are a lot of fakes out there and you do not want to find yourself lumbered with worthless bits of metal someone sold to you as pure gold or silver.

Some reputable associations that dealers belong to include:

BNTA (British Numismatic Trade Association)
CAND (Canadian Association of Numismatic Dealers)
IAPN (International Association of Professional Numismatists)
SAAND (South African Association of Numismatic Dealers)
ANDA (Australasian Numismatic Dealer's Association)

Paper Money Collectors should note that this is not a call to abandon your hobby and paper money investment portfolios, but this is a call to broaden your investments and not keep every saved penny as raw cash in the banks.

Paper Money, Gold or Silver?

The current economic climate has made it difficult to continue writing about paper money without relating it to the reality that befalls us all. Life has become very stressful for most. No job, no home and little prospects of seeing the light at the end of this dark tunnel!

So what do you really think! My advice is what ever extra money you have saved up needs to be wisely invested in non paper money investments such as gold, silver, land or property. Things will get worse before they get better and leaving your hard earned cash in a bank as paper money will not serve you well in the long run.

Have you noticed that both banks on either side of the Atlantic Ocean have taken to selling off their gold and silver reserves to keep the price of gold down? Once its all gone the prices are going to shoot up sky high, this will in turn deplete the value of paper money to never before low levels.

The history of paper money in the east is about to repeat itself in the west. Take note and heed the well meant warning. I am not an economics expert but there is a bubble that is about to burst try and help yourself and get something tangible from your hard earned savings. Buy gold or silver now!

The Credit Crunch and other Impediments

The Credit Crunch and Other Impediments have made it possible to keep me off-line and not writing for over a month now. My apologies, its been quite a while now. And within the month and a half so much has happened.

For the first time America has stood above racial prejudice and elected their first black President in Barak Obama. The Credit Crunch on the other hand has taken root and become a massive global recession.  The once strong British Sterling is now so weak its standing at nearly 1:1 with the Euro and just a bit over that with the US Dollar. How devastating for us all!

Well with the new President, I say well done, congratulations and now the hard work really begins, these are very hard times and what a burden he carries both for his nation and the world. So much is expected of him, I pray for God's wisdom to guide him, and for the other dark forces to keep off and let him do and achieve the best he can in the circumstances. To the rest of us I say on his behalf, don't expect superhuman results in the days, months and years to follow. Barak Obama is only a human being!

Now the Credit Crunch is another matter, I think the most poignant fact for me is seeing "Wollies" go down. That is the beloved name for the giant "Woolworths" that went into administration over the Christmas period. Many others have followed suit and so many people as a result have lost their jobs and maybe homes.

I must commend the Governments all around the world who have taken action promptly to reduce the massive negative effects of this economic disaster. For one thing the Banks have been saved from collapsing but unfortunately they still think they are financial masters and nothing can touch them. Well they should watch this space. If they don't change their ways, give back to the hands that fed them, help mend the fences that have come crumbling down in the last couple of months and stop over indulging their top directors and managers with fat cat bonuses, then whatever comes crashing down on their heads was brought on by nothing else but their greed.

I know I'm supposed to be collecting paper money, but I haven't done much in the past month. I've instead been taking care of my ill 5 year old, reaching down to my roots to understand the significance of the Obama Presidency and looking into ways to beat the credit crunch.

I know I'm straying but it is the sign of our times as the Credit Crunch and other impediments take up our limited time and resources.