Gold trading has sparked the interest of a great deal of potential investors of late, largely because of the difficult economic times many have faced. But not many people are savvy enough to make smart trading decisions. Continue perusing the information in this piece to understand how gold can work for you.
You need to know what a karat is. Gold is a soft metal so it must be combined with other metals for durability. Each karat, which is 1/24 pure gold, tells you how much gold is in the alloy compared to other metals. A piece that has less than 10 karats cannot legally be called gold.
Only jewelry that is at least 10 karats can be sold to gold dealers. The more karats your piece is, the higher amount it will command on the market. Therefore, a necklace that is 14 karats should get you a better price than something that is only 10 karats. Prior to taking in your jewelry, look at each piece to determine how many karats it is. This may help you decide whether you want to sell it or not.
The price of gold tends to fluctuate over time. It is smart to buy when gold prices are very low and then hold on to it. Don’t panic and sell if the price goes up and comes back down. Investing in gold over a long period of time can really end up paying off.
Make sure that you get your gold valued by a selection of different precious metal dealers before you agree to trade in your gold for cash. The price per gram of gold offered by different precious metal dealers can vary greatly, so it pays to get prices from many different dealers before agreeing on a deal.
When selling your gold, make sure that you separate each piece by its karat value. Some dealers will attempt to weigh all your gold at once then use the lowest karat value to calculate the payment. Keeping your jewelry separated out by karat values ensures that you are paid fairly for each piece.
Once you decide to sell your gold, start your search with local dealers. Go into a store and get a ballpark figure for your pieces. From there, you can begin checking online and in other shops to see where you can get the most bang for your buck. Get at least four to five quotes before you go forward with a sale.
Understand how gold much gold is in each ounce. For example, 18 carat gold contains more gold than 14 carat. This is because in 18 carat gold there is 18 parts gold and 10 parts other alloys. In 14 carat gold, there is 14 parts gold and 10 parts other alloys. For this reason, 18 carat gold sells for more than 14 carat gold.
Before going to a gold party, find out which company will be buying your jewelry. Research the company ahead of time by taking a look at their website and finding out how long they have been in business. You can also check the Better Business Bureau to see if they are on there or have any reviews.
Go into selling your gold with a realistic attitude. Some people think a few pieces are going to net them thousands of dollars, but realistically there are many factors in play. The items may not be pure gold, or they could even be plated. Consider an appraisal to understand what you really have.
Do not sell your gold at a gold party. Although these parties are fun, sellers usually net less than 80 percent of the value of their gold at these parties. To get the most bang for your buck, find a reputable dealer that specializes in buying and selling gold.
Talk to friends and family about their experiences. You may be surprised at the knowledge you can gain from them! In fact, they may lead you to two or three reputable gold dealers. This can speed up your research a lot starting out, so it’s worth the five minutes to ask.
When you buy gold as an investment, you should consider how easy it will be to sell when you are ready. Common gold coins are relatively simple to sell. Rare gold coins and coins mostly traded outside the US can be more difficult to sell. Gold bars can be expensive and difficult to resell if you need to send them to a dealer.
Keep in mind that most gold dealers are not interested in plated or gold filled pieces. They want the pieces to melt down, and they will only pay you based on the melt down value. Plated and gold filled pieces can’t really be melted down for any profit, so they will usually turn those pieces away.
Many people find the idea of investing in gold thrilling. However, much of the time not enough knowledge stops them from trading gold to their advantage. This article has provided the knowledge to open the door to gold profits for those that pay attention.
