What is the Best Metal Investment?

When it comes to investing in physical metal, most soon-to-be precious metals investors think of the obvious two options: gold and silver. To be fair, both metals are highly valuable and widely available.

From gold coins and silver coins to bullion bars or gold ETFs (exchange-traded funds), there are a lot of options. You can even find mutual funds—called gold funds—that focus on gold! From these few observations, it’s no surprise that most newer investors decide to stick with the obvious options.

A precious metal investment offers a high level of stability, especially when compared to the overall volatility of the stock market. While price movements are common in metal investments, they’re rarely as drastic as the market in general, making metals an excellent hedge against inflation.

Of course, gold and silver aren’t your only options, but are the other options even worth considering? What is the best metal investment? In this article, we aim to find out!

Gold

We’ll start off with gold, which is one of the most popular metals (for investment purposes). This yellow metal has been used as a form of currency for thousands of years, and the demand for gold has remained relatively stable over the years.

Gold bullion is very easy to obtain online, provided you have the money. Both gold bars and gold coins are common options.

The price of gold isn’t quite as high as some precious metals, but the gold price still exceeds the price of most other metals.

At the time of writing this article, the price sits just above $1,800 for an ounce of gold. This represents a 413.35% increase over the last twenty years.

Silver

Silver is another popular option for investors. Although well-known, silver prices are considerably lower than gold, making this white metal an appealing option to people with less to invest. It’s also more volatile than gold, which means you could see comparably bigger gains (or losses).

The metal has a number of industrial uses that support its value over time. For example, silver is used in batteries, solar panels, and other types of electronics! Of course, like gold, silver is also used for vanity objects.

At the time of writing this article, the price of silver sits at $20.66 per ounce. This represents a 343.39% increase over the last twenty years.

Platinum

Slightly less known, platinum is another precious metal (although it’s not extremely common for investors). Still, being rarer than both gold and silver, platinum has managed to hold its value over time.

It’s most commonly used as an industrial metal, being used in the auto industry, for electronics, and in medical equipment.  Platinum isn’t a good option as a primary investment, but it can certainly be used to diversify your precious metals portfolio.

At the time of writing this article, the price sits just above $943 for an ounce of platinum. This represents a 34.91% increase over the last twenty years.

Palladium

Last on our list is perhaps the least known option: palladium! Volatile and valuable, this metal has a heavy industrial demand as well. However, this volatility makes it best suited for investors with a higher risk tolerance.

The metal has various industrial applications but it’s primarily used in manufacturing catalytic converters, making it highly valuable to the automotive industry.

At the time of writing this article, the price sits just above $1,800 for an ounce of palladium. This represents a 501.76% increase over the last twenty years.

Where to Buy Precious Metals Online

Augusta Precious Metals

Augusta Precious Metals offers a variety of gold coins and bars, as well as a buyback plan. However, its main offering is its gold IRA, which enables customers to use their precious metals purchases to invest in their future. Learn more here!

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Acre Gold

This unique service caters to those who can’t afford to buy precious metals outright. With Acre Gold monthly payment plans as low as $50 per month, you can essentially finance your gold purchases!

Purchase your first gold bar with Acre Gold!
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Money Metals Exchange

Offering a wide selection of precious metals including gold, silver, palladium, and platinum, Money Metals Exchange is an excellent online marketplace. In addition to outright purchases, MME also offers IRAs and financing.

Click here to see the latest prices!
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Summary

As you can see, you have a few different options when it comes to filling your precious metals portfolios. Although your purchasing power will certainly affect your options, we’d suggest you focus more so on your investment goals and risk tolerance.

So, what is the best metal investment? Well, it depends! For large gains, a lesser-known metal like palladium could be your best option. However, if your primary concern is steering clear of variable market conditions then a more traditional option like gold or silver will be safer.