Precious Metals Investing For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance))

In recent years, metals have been among the safest and most lucrative investments around, but they are not entirely risk free. Before you begin investing or trading in metals, you need authoritative information and proven investment strategies. You need Precious Metal Investing For Dummies. This straightforward guide eases you into the precious metals market with sound advice on trading and owning these profitable investments, including gold, silver, platinum, and uranium, as well as high-demand base metals such as zinc and copper. You’ll learn how to research their market performance and choose among an array of proven trading plans and strategies. Plus, you’ll get savvy advice on how to choose a broker, buy stocks and futures that involve metals, maximize your investment return, and minimize your risk. Discover how to: Evaluate the different metals Add metals to your portfolio Decide whether you’re an investor or a trader Identify your metal-investment goals Weigh the risks and benefits of metals investing Buy physical metals Use technical analysis to evaluate opportunities Make long-term investments in precious metals Diversify your metals investments Analyze base-metals companies Purchase numismatic coins Add metals to your mutual fund or ETF portfolio Understand how politics effects metals prices Metals can be an important and valuable addition to any investment portfolio or retirement plan. Make the most out of your investment with Precious Metal Investing For Dummies . Precious Metals Investing For Dummies 3 About the Author 5 Dedication 7 Author’s Acknowledgments 7 Contents at a Glance 9 Table of Contents 11 Introduction 21 About This Book 21 Conventions Used in This Book 22 What You’re Not to Read 22 Foolish Assumptions 22 How This Book Is Organized 23 Icons Used in This Book 26 Where to Go from Here 26 Part I: Breaking Down Precious Metals 27 Chapter 1: A Compelling History 29 Mining the History of Precious Metals 30 Taking a Look at Track Records 32 Grappling with Bulls and Bears 36 Chapter 2: Diversifying with Metals 39 Working with Rising Inflation 39 Understanding the Versatility of Metals 40 Reaching Your Financial Goals 40 Discovering Your Investing Style 43 Knowing Whether to Get Physical or Own the Paper 48 Getting the Amount Just Right 51 Chapter 3: The Beauty and Benefits of Metals 55 Protecting Your Portfolio Against Inflation 55 Benefits for Investors 59 Benefits for Traders and Speculators 63 Chapter 4: Recognizing the Risks 67 What Risk Means to You 68 Minimizing Your Risk 72 Risk-Management Tools 76 Weighing Risk Against Return 77 Part II: Mining the Landscape of Metals 79 Chapter 5: Gold: All That Glitters 81 The Ancient Metal of Kings 82 Gold for the Record 83 Securing a Safe Haven from the Coming Storm 87 The Gold Market 91 Gold Bugs 95 Gold Investing Resources 96 Chapter 6: Discovering the Secret of Silver 99 Understanding the Hybrid Potentials of Silver 99 Researching Silver 102 Owning Silver 103 Silver’s Compelling Future 105 The Legends of Silver 106 Chapter 7: Platinum and Palladium 111 The Platinum Group Metals 111 Platinum Group Investment Vehicles 115 Research Resources 119 Chapter 8: Uranium 121 Controversial Past, Bright Future 122 Uranium Investing Vehicles 126 Resources 129 Chapter 9: Base Metals 131 Understanding How Base Metals Fit into Your Portfolio 131 Covering All the Bases 134 Base Metal Investing Vehicles 139 Base Metal Resources 145 Part III: Investing Vehicles 147 Chapter 10: Buying Metals Direct 149 Weighty Matters 149 The Case for Physical Ownership 150 Forms of Gold Physical Bullion 154 Silver Physical Bullion 156 Bullion Dealers and Resources 161 Putting Precious Metals in Your IRA 162 Chapter 11: Purchasing Numismatic Coins 165 The Basics of Numismatics Coins 166 Collectible Coins 169 Coin Services and Organizations 172 Selling Your Coins 173 Chapter 12: Mining Stocks 177 Essential Stock Investing 101 177 Mining Stocks — Digging Deep 184 Getting Down to the Nitty-Gritty 186 Boosting Your Returns 190 Chapter 13: Investing in Mutual Funds and ETFs 195 Mutual Funds 195 Mutual Fund Resources 203 Exchange-Traded Funds 203 ETF Resources 206 Chapter 14: Exploring Futures 209 Back to the Futures 209 The Players in the World of Futures 213 The Fundamentals of Futures Contracts 216 Metals Futures Contracts 218 Basic Futures Trading Strategies 223 Futures versus Options on Futures 228 Futures Resources 229 Chapter 15: Options 231 How Options Work 231 Working Out Your Options 236 Something for Everyone 237 Minimizing Risks with Options 239 Some Profitable Combinations 240 Options in the World of Precious Metals 242 Golden Rules for Options Success 245 Options Resources 247 Part IV: Investment Strategies 249 Chapter 16: Choosing a Trading Approach 251 Being a Boy Scout — Being Prepared 251 Picking Out Your Vehicle 254 Selecting Your Trading Strategy 255 Resources for Trading 258 Chapter 17: Finding and Using a Broker 259 Getting Down Some General Points 259 Futures Brokers and Accounts 260 Selecting a Broker 262 Dealing with Futures 263 Stock Brokerage Accounts 272 Types of Orders 274 Chapter 18: Using Technical Analysis 279 Technical versus Fundamental Analysis 280 Tracking the Trend 283 Charts 286 Chart Patterns 288 Moving Averages 290 Indicators and Oscillators 292 Short Term versus Long Term 294 Resources for Technical Analysis 295 Chapter 19: Following Politics and Markets 297 Precious Metals and Skullduggery 297 Precious Metals and Geo-Politics 303 Resources on Politics and Markets 304 Chapter 20: Dealing with Taxes 305 Taxable Activity 305 Capital Gains and Losses 308 Tax-Deductible Activity 309 Special Tax Considerations 309 Tax Resources to Keep You Up-to-Date 311 Part V: The Part of Tens 313 Chapter 21: Ten ( Nearly) Reminders about Mining Stocks 315 The Company’s Management 315 Financing 316 Earnings and Cash Flow 317 Balance Sheet Strengths 317 Regulatory Environment 318 Hedging and Forward Sales 318 Valuable Projects or Properties 319 Extraction on Cost Per Ounce 319 Political Considerations 320 Chapter 22: Ten Rules for Metals Investors 321 Diversifying Your Vehicles 321 Having Some Bullion Coins 322 Limiting Your Exposure 323 Watching the Markets That Affect Precious Metals 323 Using Options to Boost Performance 324 Adding Alternatives 324 Adjusting along the Way 324 Understanding the Difference between a Correction and a Bear Market 325 Watching Political Trends 326 Monitoring Inflation 326 Chapter 23: Ten Rules for Metals Traders 327 Faking Out the Markets First 327 Having a Plan 328 Avoiding Committing All Your Cash at Once 328 Taking Profits Doesn’t Hurt 329 Using Hedging Techniques 329 Knowing Which Events Move Markets 330 Checking the Trading History 330 Using Stop-Loss Strategies 330 Embracing the Experience of Others 331 Minimizing Transaction Costs 331 Chapter 24: Ten Ways to Limit Risk 333 Staggering Your Entry 333 Using Trailing Stops 334 Diversifying Positions 335 Diversifying in Markets 335 Diversify among Different Vehicles 336 Read the Best Sources 337 Using Protective Puts 338 Avoiding Unstable Political Markets 338 Looking at Past Trading Patterns 339 Taking Some Chips off the Table 339 Index 341

In recent years, metals have been among the safest and most lucrative investments around, but they are not entirely risk free. Before you begin investing or trading in metals, you need authoritative information and proven investment strategies. You need Precious Metal Investing For Dummies.

This straightforward guide eases you into the precious metals market with sound advice on trading and owning these profitable investments, including gold, silver, platinum, and uranium, as well as high-demand base metals such as zinc and copper. You'll learn how to research their market performance and choose among an array of proven trading plans and strategies. Plus, you'll get savvy advice on how to choose a broker, buy stocks and futures that involve metals, maximize your investment return, and minimize your risk. Discover how to:

• Evaluate the different metals
• Add metals to your portfolio
• Decide whether you're an investor or a trader
• Identify your metal-investment goals
• Weigh the risks and benefits of metals investing
• Buy physical metals
• Use technical analysis to evaluate opportunities
• Make long-term investments in precious metals
• Diversify your metals investments
• Analyze base-metals companies
• Purchase numismatic coins
• Add metals to your mutual fund or ETF portfolio
• Understand how politics effects metals prices

Metals can be an important and valuable addition to any investment portfolio or retirement plan. Make the most out of your investment with Precious Metal Investing For Dummies.

In recent years, metals have been among the safest and most lucrative investments around, but they are not entirely risk free. Before you begin investing or trading in metals, you need authoritative information and proven investment strategies. You need Precious Metal Investing For Dummies. This straightforward guide eases you into the precious metals market with sound advice on trading and owning these profitable investments, including gold, silver, platinum, and uranium, as well as high-demand base metals such as zinc and copper. You'll learn how to research their market performance and choose among an array of proven trading plans and strategies. Plus, you'll get savvy advice on how to choose a broker, buy stocks and futures that involve metals, maximize your investment return, and minimize your risk. Discover how to: Evaluate the different metals Add metals to your portfolio Decide whether you're an investor or a trader Identify your metal-investment goals Weigh the risks and benefits of metals investing Buy physical metals Use technical analysis to evaluate opportunities Make long-term investments in precious metals Diversify your metals investments Analyze base-metals companies Purchase numismatic coins Add metals to your mutual fund or ETF portfolio Understand how politics effects metals prices Metals can be an important and valuable addition to any investment portfolio or retirement plan. Make the most out of your investment with Precious Metal Investing For Dummies .