Dr. Martin Hash Podcast

Gold has a reverence no other commodity enjoys. People worried the current financial system will inevitably crash imagine they can save themselves by burying a can of gold coins in their backyard. This solution has never operated as imagined in past upheavals but it does make the hider feel better. However, if the choice is between buying insurance and burying double-eagles, gold makes much more sense. Should you choose this option, here are a few suggestions:

First, never buy gold futures because gold is a poor investment; always take possession. Never buy bullion; a huge part of the gold ingot market is fake at the wholesale level; in fact, all eBay gold ingots are fake. Only buy Eagles from a reputable online source, a U.S. Mint recognized dealer. For smaller denominations, rather than buy unfamiliar small gold coins, buy familiar U.S. silver coins. If you're a coin collector then buy old pre-1964 silver U.S. coins. If you're not a collector, you can buy new U.S. silver coins but people won't recognize them and may be suspicious. Nickels are worth more in the metal than 5 cents, but they're bulky to store and not a lot of people understand their value, so a few hundred dollars worth is adequate.

Unfortunately, if history is any indication, the government will try and force you to turn in your gold during hard times, so if it comes to that, you'll be bartering in the underground economy. Obviously, secrecy remains paramount; even if you evade government confiscation, should armed bandits know you have valuables, they'll simply take them from you. That's why many people often mention gold and guns in the same sentence.