If anyone is interested in this I would suggest getting the real, physical stuff (and from a solid, reputable dealer) as opposed to paper gold or silver as that at the end of the day is just that; paper.


I also thought we could use this thread to talk about investments in general. What do you feel is the best one?

I am not fully awake yet and from the thread title I totally expected a screenshot of Lothran’s ingot stash. This is what happens when you click through from the new posts window.

It seems that coins would be handier if you intend to use them as currency.

Well, he does have a collection of gold and silver nuggets...


That�s how I feel too. Not saying we will get back to handling physical precious metal but on the other hand I don�t trust the bills and coins in my wallet either.

There�s talk about bitcoins but that�s an electronic currency and is therefore subject to direct manipulation by the hands of those who conjured them up. Everything can be manipulated but nothing more easily than electronic currency.

If the games are anything to go by, you'd rather have weapons and armor than gold.

The only thing currency has going for it is that all merchants use it, and it's that agreement on a common standard that's the important factor. Precious metals were that standard at one point, mainly for the high value to weight ratio. Since the games let you carry unrealistic amounts of armor, they're better units of value.

Now spell scrolls would be even better, if only more merchants would take them.

Historically, gold has held its value well. For thousands of years, an ounce of gold has been able to purchase (on average) three hundred loaves of bread or a stylish suit of men’s clothes. So as an investment, it has its own unique niche that may fit into your portfolio from a diversification perspective. During uncertain times, the value of gold does indeed tend to rise.

Don’t confuse uncertain times with a catastrophe, massive crash of markets, post-apocalyptic scenario or the like. Then you are talking anarchy, empty stores, roving armed gangs anxious to take your stuff. If you show up at the local grocery store with a pocket full of gold coins, the store will be empty from looting, and the looters will beat you up and steal your gold.

For such a scenario, you need the real things required for survival: food, shelter, water, medical supplies, etc. You also need the weaponry and physical ability (read youth/hardiness) to survive in austere conditions and protect what is yours. This type of scenario may be survivable for well-prepared younger folks in rural or semi-rural areas. I am old and live in a moderate sized city however – so such a scenario is simply not survivable for me. Age is not completely devoid of perks, however. With more years behind than ahead of me, I’m prepared to check out at any time, content that I’ve had a wonderful life.

Once again Acadian proves his wisdom

Indeed, those things hold the very true value since gold can neither feed or protect you directly. Only food and loaded guns can. Youth and cleverness also help, I guess.

Acadian has a very strong point there.

My grandmother always believed the best investment is real estate. If you own a piece of property, theoretically you can grow your own food and support yourself on it. But let me take this one step further . . .

In arid regions like the American West, Africa, and much of northern Asia, water is key to economics. Even in areas like subtropical zones, clean drinking water is essential to survival. Hence in more civilized areas, water rights underlie the value of real estate. The most expansive ranch is worthless if if has no reliable access to water. Wars have been fought over access to water. Countries have risen and fallen because of access to water. And the kind of water we need to survive is disappearing. Fast.

Without water, it doesn't matter if you have gold and silver bullion in the basement. You won't be around to benefit from the shiny stuff.

Well, that's very much dictated by supply and demand. The Dutch are making more land, and doing it by getting rid of the water.

The Californians would like the water right now. Maybe they'd trade land for it?

Water is an important issue of course and it�s one of my concerns about our little place in the woods. We have our own well but the pump is starting to age and my dad and I have plans to replace it and also rebuild it so it�s not in a cement hole but in a shed sort of. Problem is, everything costs a lot of money and we�re doing so many things at once now because of necessity.

Top 17 reasons to own gold

"Eventually, paper money returns to its intrinsic value; zero"


-Voltaire



I figured I�d put this quote here instead the quote thread because of the content

The hardest thing when buying physical gold and silver is not to get fakes. Like I said I buy from two reputable dealers and that´s really all I can do. All tests I can perform involve leaving permanent damage on the bars and coins and it´s just not worth it, especially if they turn out to be real....


Anyway, here´s the reasons I don´t talk about my little hobby with my family.

*mALX hides shovel and dons "Cloak of Invisibility;" makes secret trip to Mirocu's nest and begins carefully checking floorboards and digging holes*

*mALX should remember that mirocu has an excavator and can thus dig his treasures pretty deep*

*mALX uses Mirocu's 'cavator while he and his parents go to car shows Wednesday nights; digs up recently 'cavated spots...*

Just got some silver Canada Owl coins and silver American Eagles, very nice things!

I was chuckling as I read of your new acquisitions. Yes indeed! You need a treasure chest. Then you can bury it in the back yard with the 'cavatator and, you know, make up a treasure map or something, put it in a bottle and toss it out to sea and. . . yo ho ho!

Maybe I´ll do that




Or.... Eh.... Maybe not that last part..

*mALX grabs shovel, books passage to Mirocu's cottage...*

This is a video I thought were worthy of posting


What counts as money is what people say is money. Could be caps Fallout-style for all we know. However at this point, I prefer precious metal.

*mALX counts turds in cat litter box*


"Eureka! There's gold in them there hills!"

That man said "the dollar will decline, but silver will always be silver" = True, but silver's value fluctuates just like the dollar's value fluctuates; and nothing you can do can influence it to increase in value.

The market that is more stable than precious metals is real estate. Invest in land; and you can cause its value to raise by improving it.

No matter how bad a recession is; people will always need a home - and they won't be buying precious metals in a recession; they will be selling them to buy the land.

So you invest in the land; improve it; and when hard times come you buy up people's precious metals to give them the money to buy your properties. (that way you get your money back immediately).

Then when the market goes up again, sell the precious metals for a profit and buy up more land, and start improving it. (and the circle continues). Land ownership gives you tremendous power and political pull as well.

Then when you're rich from following my advice, send me 10% of your net profit; etc.

I agree about owning land and a house (with little or no mortage on it preferrably)


I personally prefer precious metals over stocks because that always holds value (if not as money it still has industrial use and therefore it has value) and it´s something I can hold in my hand. I´m not completely out of the stock market though, I like to diversify and have eggs in many baskets

Well, not having any debt is always a good thing; but that equity can also be used as a resource to tap for funding other investments. (plus you can live in them if you want!).

Counted my last purchase yesterday!

Why do I now have an image of Scroodge McDuck McMirocu down in his vaults counting his gold and silver?

http://stormstrike.files.wordpress.com/201...oge_mcduck1.png

I'm shocked you knew Scrooge McDuck's name,

Decided to put in this short video with the underlying message; diversify. Don�t get all in on gold or silver. Make them a part of your saving portfolio if you are able, but as with any investment it�s best to spread the risks.

Edit: Link not working

Around here if you have copper pipes and go on a vacation leaving your home unprotected - there are those among us that "visit" your house in your absence and remove the copper pipes - smelt them down and sell them to the local foundry.

Not a great surprise to come home to, if it happens to you.

I really like my copper pieces, and especially the kilo bar. Yeah, copper is not valued nearly as high as silver even, but it has a very nice colour. Plus, like silver and gold, it does have some real use to it

You should see what a big vat full of copper looks like! BWAAHAA!!!


(Just kiidding!)

That one honestly flew right over me

You have to be remembering what I said just above that for it to be funny.

Ahh, ok

Just kidding - never done that, myself; but - actually have seen the vat full of smelted copper. The guy had a garage with a false wall, the back wall of it swung around and opened up (with all its hanging tools still in place) into what looked like a plain yard; with a patio and BBQ, chairs, etc.

If you drove out the back false wall of his garage, you'd drive past his patio, etc. and keep going down this dirt path and around a windy path through some trees. There was a natural gap in the mountain there, but it was completely enclosed by the mountain and his house, you could only reach it through that false wall in his garage; and couldn't see it from anywhere but inside his house - even then it just looked like any back yard.

But back there he had a still and that smelting operation going on. And if you kept following that winding dirt path it went up the mountainside within that gap and he had an entire stolen car stripping operation at the top of the mountain.

The stolen cars would go in and were broken down into pieces in under 2 hours. By four hours the pieces were painted a different color (quite professionally looking, actually) - all VIN numbers sanded off and/or new ones exchanged from cars in junkyards.

You could buy your own car that was stolen back and never know it, lol. Anyway, the guy died and his wife sold the place and moved; and the secrets behind his car selling business all kind of got exposed, lol. Me being the curious type, I took the tour of it; and seriously was tempted to buy, just for the novelty of having all those secret places, lol.

But I didn't, was afraid of being there when some 10 year old sting operation suddenly got sprung - which is probably why his wife sold and moved too, lol.