# Physical possesion of gold/silver



## markell50

Hi all.
Can anyone advise if it is possible to get physical possesion of gold/silver that is bought instead of storing it with a trader. I was thinking of investing but am concerned that if anything were to go wrong that the gold/silver would be unidentifiable as mine due to the fact that it only a paper/electronic record of what would be unascertained goods.
Any advice appreciated.
Regards,
Markell50


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## LDFerguson

You can buy physical gold via GoldCore.  I have no connection with this firm.

Liam D. Ferguson


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## markell50

Many thanks LD for your reply, will check it out.


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## george.shaw

Gold hit new record highs in all currencies and it is was not even reported by RTE,  Newstalk or the newspapers in Ireland:

PRECIOUS METALS: NY Gold Pulls Back A Bit From Record Level
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100609-707698.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines 

Gold dips after record as risk appetite recovers
http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-49167820100609


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## worksop7

This might sound like a slightly paranoid question but if you buy physical gold, how can you be sure it is authentic in terms of purity etc? Is there any way of authenticating the gold you buy, or do you just need to know who you are buying from, go to a reputable firm?


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## george.shaw

Definitely go to a long established firm - preferably regulated (although the 'blue chip' banks were regulated!!). Interesting article here:
Real or Fake Gold: How to Tell the Difference
http://beforeitsnews.com/story/0/563/Real_or_Fake_Gold:_How_to_Tell_the_Difference.html


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## BOXtheFOX

Maybe it's time to dig out the half sovereign I gave to my wife on our wedding day?

Incidentally, if you travel to South Africa can you purchase Krugerrands easily enough and do you pay VAT or similar on them?  Can you export them?


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## worksop7

Thanks for the link George Shaw, interesting article.


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## Upstihaggity

george.shaw said:


> Gold hit new record highs in all currencies and it is was not even reported by RTE,  Newstalk or the newspapers in Ireland:
> 
> PRECIOUS METALS: NY Gold Pulls Back A Bit From Record Level
> http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100609-707698.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines
> 
> Gold dips after record as risk appetite recovers
> http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-49167820100609




mentioned here last week - http://www.tribune.ie/article/2010/may/30/market-barometer-inside-the-markets/?q=market barometer


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## george.shaw

Good article by CMC Markets. My point was the fact that the fact that gold had reached new record highs was barely reported in the Irish media and indeed in the UK media except in the Telegraph who are the only paper who regulalry cover gold. 
[broken link removed]

The Irish media and most of the English media cover gold every two or three years and when they do it is generally negatively with pejorative references to 'goldbugs' rather than rational investors diversifying their portfolios in order to reduce risk.   

This is in marked contrast to their coverage of equities which they cover in glorious technicolour detail every day and tend to 'cheerlead' witn 'analysts' from stockbrokers on touting their wares continuously. This would suggest that gold remains a fringe investment with most people not knowing what the price is let alone how one would go about investing in it.


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## seamus357

*buying gold in Switzerland*

I read somewhere that you can walk into a bank in Switzerland and buy gold coins over the counter. Has anyone tried this? Does anyone know the situation when you bring the gold back into Ireland? Do you have to pay VAT or duty on it? Are there limits on how much gold you can leave Switzerland with? Or enter Ireland with?


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## greentree

BOXtheFOX said:


> Incidentally, if you travel to South Africa can you purchase Krugerrands easily enough and do you pay VAT or similar on them?  Can you export them?



I did this last time I was in JoBurg. Had no problems bringing them back - I only had a few of them though...


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## greentree

seamus357 said:


> I read somewhere that you can walk into a bank in Switzerland and buy gold coins over the counter. Has anyone tried this? Does anyone know the situation when you bring the gold back into Ireland? Do you have to pay VAT or duty on it? Are there limits on how much gold you can leave Switzerland with? Or enter Ireland with?



I'm sure you can do this but seems like a lot of effort. I ordered a few krugers and maples on Kitco.com and got them a few days later by DHL...


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## worksop7

Greentree, was that delivered from the US to Irl.? If so, are there any customs etc. issues?


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## johnymc2010

Try going to a wissel/currency exchange dealer they often sell gold krugerrands and Canadian or American dollar coins


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## johnymc2010

you have to declare any valuables after 10000 euros worth
so best to make several trips!


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## greentree

worksop7 said:


> Greentree, was that delivered from the US to Irl.? If so, are there any customs etc. issues?



No customs issues but I only ordered a few.


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## tenchi-fan

Markell50, I think I'd prefer to take the risk of electronic fraud, vs the risks associated with having physical possession of precious metals!
It could so easily get stolen! I don't know if thieves would have a metal detector as such, but in a lot of break-ins the thieves very easily discovered a hidden safe by using some sort of detector. I doubt a few grand's worth of gold would be covered under your house insurance.


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## george.shaw

Thieves do not have a metal detectors!! Gold and silver coins/ bars can be hidden in corners of attics, under floorboards, in jars in the freezer   

Prefer a few gold bars hidden in my attic than paper euros in an Irish bank !

Gold hit new record nominal highs again today (stil half the price it was in 1980 if you adjust for inflation which is crucial to do) and will be interesting to see if the Irish Sunday papers even mention it.


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## UptheDeise

The independent have an article on it:


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## george.shaw

Good article here on whether gold is a bubble as most of the people who never foresaw the massive equity and property bubbles now claim. Ironic that.

Gold Bubble? What Bubble?
http://smartmoneytracker.blogspot.com/2010/06/gold-bubble-what-bubble.html

When people start talking about their precious metal investments at dinner parties it will be time to run for the hills. We are a long way from their yet !!


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## j31emerald

only problem with buying physical through goldcore is that minimum purchase is 500 silver ounces and 10 ounces of gold - depending on daily prices that means a minimum purchase price of 9000/10000.. which is bit high for a first time metals investor?


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## sabre

j31emerald said:


> only problem with buying physical through goldcore is that minimum purchase is 500 silver ounces and 10 ounces of gold - depending on daily prices that means a minimum purchase price of 9000/10000.. which is bit high for a first time metals investor?


 
Try here, you can buy as little as 1 ounce,

[broken link removed]

sabre


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## sabre

george.shaw said:


> Thieves do not have a metal detectors!! Gold and silver coins/ bars can be hidden in corners of attics, under floorboards, in jars in the freezer
> 
> *Prefer a few gold bars hidden in my attic than paper euros in an Irish bank !*
> 
> Gold hit new record nominal highs again today (stil half the price it was in 1980 if you adjust for inflation which is crucial to do) and will be interesting to see if the Irish Sunday papers even mention it.


 
You dont trust the Irish gangsters then...oops I mean Irish bankers.

Nice to see someone with a bit of cop on. Respect.

sabre


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## Rory Gillen

You can buy gold via an ETF (GLD quoted in the US) where the gold is held in a vault by HSBC bank in London. Alternatively, you can buy perth mint gold certificates from Goldcore here in Dublin that come with an Australian government guarantee.

So, in reality, no ned to take physical delivery unless it is your desire...Silver to bulky.


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## george.shaw

Gold hit new record highs yesterday (and again today) and was not even a tiny article on it in the Irish Times and Irish Independent. Too busy doing important news stories on high risk stocks like Elan and Circle Oil!

Strangest bubble ever where the media does not cover and the public does not know of or participate.

Only Rory Gillen, myself and a few others ever bother to post about gold on AAM and threads are sparse with few posters.

Would be interesting to know how many AAM readers even know what the price of gold is - let alone have any investment in it !


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## smiley

Soros: Gold Not Safe Anymore
by Paula Schaap ,Senior Reporter , September 16, 2010


Hedge fund manager George Soros said, despite his play in gold, that the precious metal wasn’t a safe bet anymore. 

Speaking at a conference sponsored by Reuters, Soros warned while the commodity could go higher, it’s the “ultimate bubble.” 

Soros has been calling a gold bubble since the start of the year. Yet, at the same time, he has invested heavily in gold ETFs through the SPDR Gold Trust and in gold mining companies, according to regulatory filings.

Gold prices were up to a new high early Thursday morning, at $1,278 per ouce.

Butn Soros said, in times of economic uncertainty, what he really prefers are plain vanilla blue-chip stocks with steady dividends.


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## george.shaw

Soros has been accumulating gold in a huge way for months and now has $650 million worth of gld. 

Meanwhile he is now talking it down in a cryptic somewhat contradictory manner.
Yesterday he also said gold is the only bull market in the world today. And that gold is the only asset class he made money in in the last quarter.

 It is a classic hedge fund manager tactic to talk down an asset one is accumulating - don't want the masses piling in before one has amassed a sizeable position. 

He will no doubt talk gold up in a huge way in a few years time when gold is over $2,000/oz thereby fueling a mania and a bubble and extra liquidty which he can sell into.

Important, as ever, to watch what Soros actually does, rather than what he says. When the quarterly filings show his gold holding has fallen it could be time to head for the exits.

That day will happen when banks and governments are not close to insiolvency and interest rates have returned to long term average levels of 5% to 7%. 

We are a long way from there yet.

Please DIVERSIFY people.


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## joe sod

*gold and security*

i dont think it is a good idea to hold large quantities of precious metals in your house. Gold should be considered an investment like any other, therefore all you can ensure is that whoever is storing your gold should be top notch. if you are worried about the global financial system then maybe you should invest in other hard assets, or top quality equities that have durability, soros and the other investors are investing not based on a dooms day scenario of total collapse but on the inevitable decline in the purchasing power of the worlds currencies.


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## smiley

george.shaw said:


> Gold hit new record highs yesterday (and again today) and was not even a tiny article on it in the Irish Times and Irish Independent. Too busy doing important news stories on high risk stocks like Elan and Circle Oil!
> 
> Strangest bubble ever where the media does not cover and the public does not know of or participate.
> 
> Only Rory Gillen, myself and a few others ever bother to post about gold on AAM and threads are sparse with few posters.
> 
> Would be interesting to know how many AAM readers even know what the price of gold is - let alone have any investment in it !



Very strange perception this. I have been reading articles about 'Gold' over the past 3 years or so in both International and even Irish newspapers.


The price of Gold will not keep going up..it will plummet  soon enough i expect.


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## george.shaw

Err Smiley, think it is you who has a "strange perception" - not sure which Irish newspapers you read as gold is covered once in a blue moon in the Irish press. Irish equities, Irish banks and the ISEQ are covered extensively every day in a somewhat parochial manner. 

Gold has hit consecutive record NOMINAL highs for the last month and I don't think the Irish Times even covered it once. Didn't see any Sunday papers covering either - besides some Spreadbeeting company correctly warning that gold was rising due to the debasement of fiat currencies in an advertorial. 

Look forward to some evidence of Irish media coverage of gold from you Smiley.

Also look forward to some reasons as to why gold "will plummet". The bottom line is nobody has a crystal ball about the future movement of any asset class and everyone should be DIVERSIFIED.

IF we have not learnt about the importance of DIVERSIFICATION at this stage than God help us!


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## smiley

George Shaw...its quite funny to see how defensive you are of the yellow metal. You must be sitting on a shed load of the stuff!

Over the last 5 years i have seen articles about gold in both Irish and international papers. These obviously became more frequent since the credit crisis.

By the way you DO NOT need to hold gold to be DIVERSIFIED. You can own a number of asset classes if you need but there is no need whatsoever to hold gold.


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## george.shaw

Attacking the man and not the ball again Smiley. 

I have a healthy allocation of 5% in gold and 5% in silver which is performing well and that financial insurance helps me sleep easy at night. The rest is in international short dated government bonds and international equities as I believe that the euro will not survive this crisis. I have a small amount of euros on deposit in Ireland for emergency saving purposes. 

All Irish Times and Irish Independent articles, as are much of the Sunday papers - are online and I look forward to some evidence of their extensive coverage of gold! 
Better still - tell us the journalists who cover gold as Jill Kerby and Eddie Hobbs are the only two Irish people who advocate investing in gold.

Even on Ask About Money there is little response to threads on gold. Think it is just you, me and a few others who post Smiley. 

Gold is the only asset class with a statistically and an academically proven inverse correlation to equities and bonds and that is why it is an important diversification according to modern portfolio theory. This is important as Irish pension funds are overweight Irish equities and equities in general.

Managing Portfolio Risk with Gold Bullion
http://www.gold.org/assets/file/pub_archive/html/presentations.html

Good interview in the FT yesterday from one of the top pension fund managers in the world. Advise you to pay heed to him rather than blindly adhering to your fixed and non evidence based view about gold.  

*US pension fund takes shine to gold*
*http://video.ft.com/v/622621245001/US-pension-fund-takes-shine-to-gold *


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## smiley

New York Times...Wealth Matters
The Crowd Around the Gold CounterBy PAUL SULLIVAN
Published: October 8, 2010

Gold evokes emotions from investors like few other investable assets. Whether it is increasing or decreasing in value, people usually have an interest in it beyond its intrinsic value as an investment. 

Have you been buying gold, or steering clear?

.“If I went outside and talked about gold, everyone would have an opinion on it, including the taxi drivers,” said Jason Toussaint, managing director of the World Gold Council, a group whose mission is to stimulate demand for gold. “Anyone past the age of 4 knows about gold. It brings out a lot of people of opinions.” 

While emotional attachment like this is fine with sports teams, it can make rational decision-making around investments more difficult. 

So what should we make of this current moment for gold? It is trading at more than $1,300 an ounce. Last year, the gold exchange-traded fund marketed by State Street Global Advisors was up 25 percent. And it has continued that surge this year, up 18 percent in the first nine months. 

But the question many skeptics are asking is why investors are still flocking to it after such a run-up in value. Are they contributing to a gold bubble? Or has something fundamental happened in the way gold is held in portfolios? Not surprisingly, the emotional divide remains strong. 

Positives: The pro-gold camp is not just pointing to the metal’s long, steady growth over the last two years. They’re now talking about its permanent role in a diversified portfolio. 

“The case that has really resonated with the largest private wealth firms is the strategic long-term case,” said Jim Ross, senior managing director at State Street Global Advisors. “Gold is not always going to go up, but the focus of advisers has been the noncorrelation of the price of gold” to other assets in a portfolio. 

Mr. Ross, who oversees the exchange-traded funds business at State Street, said their gold E.T.F. had grown from $17 billion in June 2008 to almost $55 billion today, second in size only to its E.T.F. tracking the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index. 

Fear, as it has historically done, initially drove the buying — fear of inflation and a vulnerable dollar. What surprised Mr. Ross earlier this year, though, was how investors’ attitudes toward gold were no longer being driven by fear. Even as last year’s concerns have subsided, he said, “buying hasn’t diminished.” 

Diversification could give gold a long-term respectability in portfolios. But now there is also the argument that a lack of other investment opportunities keeps it going. The other historic safe haven, United States Treasury bonds, has short-term yields close to zero. 

“The cost of owning gold has been mitigated because interest rates are so low,” said Alan Zafran, partner at Luminous Capital, which manages $3.5 billion. “The opportunity cost of sitting in cash is no longer 3 to 4 percent; it’s zero.” 

Still, Mr. Zafran is mindful of a future decline in the price of gold. 

Negatives: The history of gold is replete with surges and crashes. 

“Gold is worth what you think it’s worth,” said Bill Stone, chief investment strategist at PNC Wealth Management. “It’s very difficult to value. There are no cash flows, so it has no intrinsic value. There is very little commercial use for it. It’s more of a trading vehicle.” 

And even if you invest in gold through an E.T.F. — as opposed to buying bullion — it has two significant costs. The first is that it does not pay a dividend, so there will not be a stream of income from it. 

Selling it is easy, particularly with an E.T.F., but this leads to the second problem: gold is taxed at a much higher capital-gains rate. The Internal Revenue Service considers it a collectible and taxes gains at a rate of 28 percent, as opposed to the 15 percent capital gains tax for other securities. This means gold has to appreciate more than other securities to make up for a tax rate on gains that is almost double. 

More alarming is the talk of a gold bubble. Mr. Stone said it fitted his three criteria for any inflated asset set to crash: high valuations, excess returns and speculation. “If nothing else, you ought to be mindful of the risks,” he said. 

Still, there are people who continue to buy gold as a hedge against the world falling apart. Tony Guernsey, head of national wealth management at Wilmington Trust, cited one client, a dentist, who was very proud of all the gold he was accumulating. 

“I understand why people go there,” Mr. Guernsey said. “It’s a lack of anything else that’s solid. But if you’re going to have a problem, you can be just about anywhere in the world and someone will take a dollar bill.” 

Future: Like so many things, the future of gold’s value may lie in India and China. Mr. Toussaint said that is where the biggest demand for gold in the form of jewelry is coming. “The U.S. does not drive the gold price, nor does the investment segment,” he said, pointing out that gold E.T.F.’s own only about 8 percent of the world’s physical gold. 

On the other hand, another group says it believes gold’s strong returns will last only as long as governments from the United States to Britain and Japan continue to suppress interest rates. The one certainty is that the debate over investing in gold will continue. 

“Ask people and you’ll get five views of why it’s going to go to $750 and five views of why it’s going to $2,000,” Mr. Ross said. In that debate, an E.T.F. is neutral: it can be used to short gold just as easily as to invest in it.


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## george.shaw

Err - whether gold goes up or down is irrelevant (in the long term it will go up versus all paper currencies including the dollar and the euro or rather they will lose their purchasing power - the dollar has lost 97% of its value versus gold since 1913).

More important is that people are not overly exposed to one asset, instituition, nation or currency.

Good quote from our own Jim Power:

"I teach Financial Management on a part-time basis in Dublin City University and a central tenet of what I teach concerns the virtues of portfolio diversification. I am a firm believer and have argued in numerous presentations on the topic of Property v Equities that it is not a case of either/or, but a case of both. I would be a big fan of holding gold as part of a diversified portfolio and would feel more confident about it than any other asset class at the moment."

DIVERSIFY


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## george.shaw

ps

Obviously a huge bubble in gold with every post on AAM is on gold. Not! 
No interest at all in gold and looks like its just you and me posting Smiley.

Most posts on AAM and most of the focus in the media are on savings and bonds - and that is where the bubble is with everyone piling into  bonds and euros in "state guaranteed" banks - not realising the real risks posed by government bonds and paper currencies in insolvent banks in insolvent states.

Ask yourself how many of your friends and family own gold? The answer is little or none. The masses have not touched gold yet and do not know what bullion is - let alone its price. That will change and when it is accepted wisdom that you HAVE TO own gold and you are a gombeen for not owning gold - then it will be time to sell or reduce allocations to financial insurance levels. 

Smart money - pension funds, high net worth, central banks buying now.

DIVERSIFY


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## Ravima

one of the difficulties with physically holding the gold, is you must physically bring it somewhere to sell it. If you physically hold silver, then you pay 21% VAT on the spot price.

Perhaps a better option is www.bullionvault.com. There, the stuff is held in vault, there is no VAT if silver, and you can sell immediately and get cash.

Plus, you can get a free 1g Gold or 1oz silver to get you started. Be careful however, that you follow up with account validation and be aware that there is a fee to send you teh cash to your bank account.


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## paperclip

Bullion vault is the way to go, www.bullionvault.com/#ballygowan

I've been using it for about 6 months, I've bought and sold silver and gold, no problems moving the money to my bank account.

The free gram of gold lets you get used to the site... it's pretty easy.


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## shipibo

Ravima, Paperclip,

Is Bullionvault similar to Perth Mint, do you get certificates etc ... ??


Did you check both before purchasing, if so, was Bullion Vault more cost efficent ??


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## Ravima

no certificates. You physically own it. You can check the audit on a daily basis under your chosen nickname. The audit shows any cash balances as well as metal balances. You must buy several thousand euro worth of perth mint cert to start, wheras you can start with bullionvault for free literally, as once you sign up, they give you either a free gram of gold or ounce of silver, that you can sell immediately if you want.

The drawback is that it takes three to five days for funds to go from Ireland to UK, via the 51c transfer or you can do it same day for a much larger fee. You can only withdraw money to the account registered to you and basically the account from which you sent the money over. The commission rates are on the site, starting at 0.8% with a storage fee charged on a per month basis. This storage fee is very reasonable. You can collect the bullion any time you want, by arrangement. Bear in mind though that if you are collecting silver, VAT is charged. No VAT whilst in the warehouse.

Lest anyone think that I am not being up front, I must confess that if you sign up via the link attached here, I will get some few pence from each trade you do. 

www.bullionvault.com/#saravima 

do some research though before you get involved in bullion. Some say it is a bubble close to bursting, others say that it is going to rise more.


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## kiwijbob

I've never invested in precious metals (or much else) before, bit of a newbie 
really, I do have a couple of questions though: What is the CGT rate for gold?  
I may not be living in this country next year, I would assume that I'd pay no 
tax when leaving and just declare the CGT in my new country of residence 
upon selling?  
What are the different options when buying gold bearing in mind 
that I have no interest in owning the physical stuff, a certificate from a 
reputable institution will suffice? 
 What is & why is there a better price for gold on a gold exchange?  
Are bullionvault and goldcore offering the same service, 
looked at both and i'm a little bewildered right now?
thanks


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## Ravima

CGT is 25%.

If you are talking about Perth Mint certificates, they have a minimum investment. Most commentators only reccomend 5-10% or assets should be in gold. You don't want all egges in the one basket. Physical ownership of the metal is deemed to be more secure than paper certificate. 

I don't know anything about goldcore, but bullionvault allow you to purchase as little as a gram of gold or a gram of silver to begin. If you signup, they will give you either a free gram of gold or a free ounce of silver.

Your bank account that sends the money to bullionvault is the only account that can receive money from bullionvault. This is an added security feature, in that if someone gets your password, the worst they can do is sell what you have and have funds transferred to YOU, not to them.

Do your own research, do not be pressurised by anyone - your wealth is yours and you do not want to lose it.  

www.bullionvault.com/#saravima


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## bellboy

Any body use goldbank  to buy gold or silver out there/


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## max

Ravima said:


> CGT is 25%.



There is no CGT on gold.

What I am unsure about is silver, and whether physical delivery of silver attracts a customs and/or vat charge?


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## PatK

*Silver VAT*

Yes gold is VAT free, but you will pay 20% VAT on silver if you withdraw it from a vault. Bullionvault.com also charge a 10% surcharge for withdrawing silver from a vault and I believe this 10% fee is common with other companies as well.


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## callybags

max said:


> There is no CGT on gold.


 
Do you have any back-up for this claim?

As far as I am aware there is no exemption to CGT for disposal of gold.


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## shnaek

callybags said:


> Do you have any back-up for this claim?
> 
> As far as I am aware there is no exemption to CGT for disposal of gold.



Is gold not legal tender?


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## PatK

callybags said:


> Do you have any back-up for this claim?
> 
> As far as I am aware there is no exemption to CGT for disposal of gold.



There is CGT tax of 25% applicable on gold when you sell it for a profit. The Irish Revenue allow a €1270p/a tax exemption so while you have to declare it to revenue, you might not be liable to tax depending on your personal circumstances. There is no DIRT, stamp duty or VAT levied on any gold purchased throughout the EU.


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## PatK

Did anyone buy physical gold/silver coins from coininvestdirect.com? They are based in Germany and England and are cheaper than goldbank.ie  
Kitco.com are priced the cheapest, but charge about €104 shipping since they are based in the US.
Any opinions welcome..


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## Chris

I have used http://www.heubach-edelmetalle.de/ in Germany, their shipping costs to Ireland are reasonable, and so are their markups on gold and silver coins in small quantities. I have also used www.muenzland.com, also Germany based but I believe they only ship to Germany.



shnaek said:


> Is gold not legal tender?



Absolutely not, only the € is legal tender. Try offering the Revenue some gold to settle your tax bill


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## Optimistic

Thanks Chris.I just looked at their website and as I don't speak German, can you direct me to the English side of their website if they have one, or does a client just email them? Have you been happy and have no concerns regarding your interaction with them?

On another note,for those of us who know nothing about physical bullion, how does a buyer know for sure the gold/silver that is being bought is what we are sold? Is there a standard there that is a safe guard.Are certs supplied on purchase etc? Thanks.



Chris said:


> I have used http://www.heubach-edelmetalle.de/ in Germany, their shipping costs to Ireland are reasonable, and so are their markups on gold and silver coins in small quantities. I have also used www.muenzland.com, also Germany based but I believe they only ship to Germany.
> 
> 
> 
> Absolutely not, only the € is legal tender. Try offering the Revenue some gold to settle your tax bill


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## PatK

Hi Optimistic,

I was browsing http://www.heubach-edelmetalle.de/ and I have to agree with Chris that they were even cheaper than Kitco.com on most coins that I checked, and reasonable shipping rates as well. I used Google Chrome to translate the web pages into English and it translated perfectly. - Good luck


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## Optimistic

*Thanks guys*

Thanks for the reply. Now lets hope a non techie guy like me can do this  
Are there any other things I need to be aware of when purchasing physical gold?




PatK said:


> Hi Optimistic,
> 
> I was browsing http://www.heubach-edelmetalle.de/ and I have to agree with Chris that they were even cheaper than Kitco.com on most coins that I checked, and reasonable shipping rates as well. I used Google Chrome to translate the web pages into English and it translated perfectly. - Good luck


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## PatK

I normally buy on bullionvault.com and I've only started buying gold coins recently, but if you order online and the package that you receive from DHL, etc looks like it may have been tampered with then refuse to sign for it. You could also weigh the package as soon as it arrives to check the gram weight is correct but I don't know if man people bother doing that.


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## Rory Gillen

I'm not


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## Rory Gillen

I'm not so sure that gold is still 50% below its 1980 inflation-adjusted price - I think it is closer to 30%. Also, recall that gold was at that 1980 peak for all of three days. If you take the gold price from 1935 and adjust for US inflation in between, today's equivalent pric is circa $800. I remain positive on the gold theme but it makes sense to keep an eye on valu also. I enclose a link to a recent aticle I wrote on it on my own website.

[broken link removed]

Rory Gillen


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## Chris

Optimistic said:


> Thanks Chris.I just looked at their website and as I don't speak German, can you direct me to the English side of their website if they have one, or does a client just email them? Have you been happy and have no concerns regarding your interaction with them?
> 
> On another note,for those of us who know nothing about physical bullion, how does a buyer know for sure the gold/silver that is being bought is what we are sold? Is there a standard there that is a safe guard.Are certs supplied on purchase etc? Thanks.



As already suggested, Chrome or Google translate should do the job. I think you can order over the phone as well, and I would be surprised if there wasn't someone there that spoke English.
You have to make payment in advance by bank transfer, and they supply you with the IBAN and BIC. If you are a bit nervous about paying in advance then I would suggest starting with a small order.
I have no affiliation to the company other than being a customer.

To authenticate the coins you can start with measuring the dimensions and weight. For silver coins I also do the ping test (do a quick google search for silver ping test). There are also devices that can be used to authenticate coins and they range in price.


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