Investment gold bars. Investments in gold: modern market trends. There are also downsides to investing in gold.

The day before, I already wrote about options for investing in gold, which can be called virtual or electronic (read). I talked about gold futures, gold mutual funds, OMS, and so on. This time, let's talk about investing in physical gold. Three areas can be distinguished here: gold bars, gold bullion coins and gold commemorative coins.

gold bars

If you imagine gold, then the first thing that comes to mind is just gold bars. In Russia, ingots are unpopular. Mainly because of the existing 18% VAT on them. However, this tax can be bypassed. To do this, when buying an ingot, for example, at Sberbank, you simply leave it there for storage. But in this case, an investment in an impersonal metal account looks more advantageous. Some banks (Uralsib, for example) even pay interest on them.

Photo of the Bank of England gold bar warehouse

pros

─ By purchasing an ingot, you are completely independent of the country's financial system. Even if Russia's backbone banks start to "burst" one by one, your savings will be safe. After all, they are where you decide to store them - in a chest of drawers, a safe or under a layer of earth in the country.

─ In this format, your investments are tied to the value of gold. Forget about the ruble exchange rate! The value of your bar is determined based on the exchange prices of a troy ounce. The unit of measure is the dollar.

Minuses

─ There is VAT on ingots ─ 18%.

─ Possible difficulties in terms of sales.

─ Fairly high spread between the buy and sell price.

─ There is a question of reliable storage.

The modest gold reserve of the family. On the left - an ingot of 999 gold, 10 gr., on the right - an investment coin "Philharmoniker" 31.1 gr. (1 oz)

Gold investment coins

They favorably differ from ingots in that they are not subject to VAT. Although it is still the same physical gold. Special knowledge when buying investment coins is not required. In Russia, the standard gold investment coin is George the Victorious (a quarter ounce). In the world, the standards are Philharmoniker (Austria), American Eagle (USA), Golden Maple Leaf (Canada), etc. (the most replicated sizes are "untsovski", but there are coins weighing 1/2 ounce, 1/4 and smaller).

The main seller of gold investment coins in Russia is Sberbank. You might have noticed the precious coins at the cash desks of their branches. The bank enjoys a leadership advantage and low financial literacy of the population, so their prices are the most disadvantageous, especially when buying back coins.

Below I give the levels of buying and selling gold St. George the Victorious of the Moscow Mint from the leading players in the capital market (the list is incomplete).

I note that the difference of 30-35% between the purchase and sale prices at Sberbank is an absolute norm. Even according to the table, one may get the impression that the best purchase price is from Sberbank. This is far from true. They haven't updated their website in over a week. To do this, you need to call and drown.

Now let's weigh the pros and cons of investing in gold by buying bullion coins.

pros

- As with bullion, you are completely removed from the Russian financial sector. Your money is "pegged" to an ounce of gold, which is quoted in dollars.

─ Unlike gold bars, the supply market is much more competitive: without leaving your home, you can go to the websites of leading sellers of investment coins, compare prices and find the best offer.

─ Unlike bullion, there is no VAT here.

Minuses

─ It is enough to take a coin without gloves and “touch” it well without a case, and its value will drop sharply. There is always some risk of spoiling appearance coins. This can reduce its price by 10-20%.

─ Pretty significant spread. If today you decide to buy a coin, and in a week you have to sell it, even if the price of a troy ounce and the exchange rate of the ruble have not changed, you will lose about 10% in a week due to the difference in buying and selling prices.

─ There is a problem of storage and transportation.

─ We need at least a little understanding of this market. Before buying St. George the Victorious, you should at least "google" why this coin from the Moscow Mint is cheaper than from the St. Petersburg Mint (in short: at one time, the products of the St. Petersburg Mint were allegedly found to be defective).

Commemorative investment coins

For ordinary people, purely outwardly investment and commemorative gold coins are indistinguishable. But this is far from true. Cost calculation investment coin always comes from exchange rate fluctuations in the value of a particular precious metal from which it is made. Correlation, in other words, the relationship, may be fuzzy, but it is always traceable. Another thing - commemorative coins. Initially, they have a numismatic value. Over time, it can grow, and very strongly. And sometimes - to stay in place, only following the value of a troy ounce.

In my opinion, this is the most difficult type of investment in physical gold, because. without specialized knowledge, there is a high probability of greatly miscalculating. You will buy a coin, relatively speaking, for 100 thousand rubles. And tomorrow it turns out that the numismatic market has overestimated it. As a result, it will drop to 80 thousand rubles, although the exchange price of gold has remained the same.

I am not telling you not to invest in commemorative gold coins. I say: first find a specialist who understands this. And it's not so easy. For example, the manager of the TrueInvestor Coin Fund, Konstantin Kasatkin, specializes in the low-cost segment of numismatic coins of the Soviet and modern era. But he almost does not deal with coins from the times of imperial Russia. Or investment coins. Or memorable precious coins… All these are separate directions.

pros

Unlike bullion, there is no VAT.

In your hands, let it be in a numismatic wrapper, but real gold that has value.

Aesthetic pleasure, after all :) I, for example, have long liked this French gold coin (see below). Over time, I will buy.

French gold coin Year of Astronomy. Year of issue - 2009. Denomination - 200 euros, 999 gold, weight - 1 ounce, mintage - 1000 pieces.

Minuses

You need to understand the segment of commemorative precious coins.

Risk of damage due to improper storage, transport, handling.

High spread: much higher than for investment coins.

There may be problems with the implementation, liquidity. Especially if you buy a kilogram gold coin (if you can, of course), see below.

Gold commemorative coins "Judo", gold 999, weight 1 kg., face value - 10 000 rub.

As with investment coins and bullion, storage difficulties are possible: if there are a lot of coins, you need to take care of the safety of gold.

In complex business transactions, commemorative coins, unlike investment gold coins, cannot be used as collateral for short-term loans. Checked! :)

Jewelry gold items

Separately, I will tell you about this type of investment in gold. I will not be original and say that I would not call the purchase of jewelry an investment. It must be understood that the cost of a gold product includes a large added value, including store rental, product design, craftsmanship, etc. Also, a gold ring or earring is usually only 35-40% gold, or maybe 70%. But this is not even close with coins or ingots, where in the worst case the sample (at modern coins) - 999.

Those who are fascinated by the topic of investing in gold may be interested in this book on the topic. It's called "All about investing in gold". Auto ─ John Jagerson and Wade Hansen. Publisher ─ Mann, Ivanov and Ferber. Haven't read it but the reviews are good. See more about the book.

What are the pros and cons of investing in precious metals? Is it profitable to invest in gold in 2017? How can a gold price chart be useful?

Hi all! In touch Denis Kuderin is an investment expert.

My friend has been collecting commemorative and commemorative coins, including gold ones, for many years. So, some of them have grown in price by 5-15 times or more in just 10 years. For example, he showed me the Sower coin, which he once bought for 1,000 rubles. Now it costs about 20,000 rubles. It can be sold to the same Sberbank at any time.

The price of the “George the Victorious” coin, issued in 2008, rises by 20-30% every year. In the year of release, it could be purchased for 6,000 rubles. Now it costs 17,000. If I had bought a dozen of these coins at one time ... Will we count the lost profits or will we figure out together how to invest in gold wisely? That's right, let's find out!

I will also tell you which companies can be trusted with “gold” investments and tell you about the possible risks of such investments.

Go ahead, friends!

1. What are the features of investing in gold

Precious metals and especially gold have been one of the most reliable and profitable investment areas for thousands of years.

No economic reforms and political upheavals will cancel the fact that the reserves of this metal on the planet are limited and a real decline in value does not threaten it either in the near or in the distant future. Unless new alchemists will appear and learn how to extract gold from lead. But this is, to put it mildly, unlikely.

It is noteworthy that economic crises do not reduce gold prices, but vice versa.

Example

According to Sberbank, the profitability of depersonalized metal accounts over the past 3 years amounted to 84%. And the price per gram for 5 years has grown from 1,600 to 2,500 rubles.

Investing in gold in 2017 is just as profitable as it was a year or 5 years ago. Moreover, experts believe that the cost of this metal is likely to increase by the end of the year. Another issue is the payback period of such investments.

And yet, you should not immediately run to the bank and exchange cash for gold bars. First you need to weigh all the pros and cons of such a decision and learn the basic rules for investing in precious metals.

The first rule that an investor in precious metals needs to know is that investments in gold are designed for profit in the long term. It will not work to get real income in 3 months and even in six months. The payback of such investments is measured in years. See the charts of gold price growth on the websites of major banks.

Here is an example of such a chart.

The next point is the choice of investment method. Every citizen of Russia has the right to purchase ingots or coins in a bank, as well as open an unallocated metal account (OMA) in gold and other precious metals. Each method has its own characteristics and risks, which I will discuss in detail in the corresponding section of the article.

The main advantages of investing in gold:

• gold almost does not fall in price - this is not about seasonal fluctuations, but about long periods of price quotation;
• this metal does not rust, does not corrode, does not wear out - if your great-grandfather bought a 1 kg ingot 100 years ago and passed it on to you, the weight and appearance of the metal will remain practically unchanged;
• it is easy to store - the ingots are compact and do not require special care;
• gold is liquid - it can always be sold to banks or others;
• it is a universal currency that is valued on all continents and in all countries.

The main disadvantage of gold as an investment instrument is its high purchase price. Not every citizen has free money to purchase the amount of gold necessary to obtain a stable income.

Another disadvantage is the long waiting period for profit. I have already talked about this - in order to get a solid profit, you will have to wait several years. In addition, gold is property, and it is taxed.

Method 3. Impersonal metal accounts

An interesting and promising way to invest. CHI is opened in a bank licensed for this type of operation.

The client purchases gold virtually at the price set by the banking institution. As a rule, this price is slightly higher than the exchange value of gold on that day. The buyer has nothing to do with the metal itself, just the amount that he deposits on the deposit is converted into grams of the precious metal.

In the event of an increase in gold prices, the client receives a guaranteed income. If he closes the account, he is returned the monetary equivalent of the value of the metal, but already recalculated at the current gold rate.

Significant advantages of OMS:

• unlike "physical" gold, depersonalized accounts are not subject to VAT;
• the price of gold for OMS is as close as possible to the stock exchange, which allows, in the case of a demand account, to sell assets as profitably as possible;
• bank interest is accrued on the accounts (albeit small).

There are also shortcomings that experts and analysts talk about. Most importantly, such deposits are not insured by banks, like cash deposits. This increases the risk for the investor. Therefore, when choosing a bank for opening a CHI, be extremely careful. Choose only proven and reliable institutions with a long track record.

Method 4. Exchange trading

This is the easiest way to invest in precious metals. It is not necessary to acquire "physical" gold, and therefore there is no question of its storage. At the same time, brokers receive income not only due to an increase in the price of gold, but also due to a decrease in it.

Leverage allows you to trade in volumes exceeding the deposit, which also has a positive effect on profitability. And yes, you don't have to pay taxes.

There are risks, where without them. The probability of losing a deposit is present in any exchange transactions. It all depends on the reliability of the broker and the effectiveness of the chosen trading strategy.

In the table, the pros and cons of each method are presented in a visual form:

№	Ways to invest	Advantages	Flaws
1	Ingots	Over the years, gold does not fall in price, but grows	VAT 18% on the purchase of an ingot
2	coins	The cost of investment coins is steadily increasing	To purchase collectible and commemorative gold coins, you need to understand numismatics
3	CHI	No account opening tax	Deposits are not insured
4	Exchange trading	Eliminates the issue of storing gold	It is not easy to find a reliable broker and a good trader

For more information, please refer to the relevant publication.

3. How to invest in gold - a step by step guide for beginners

So, you have firmly decided not to keep money under the mattress anymore, but to make it work for you. When you start investing, prepare yourself mentally: gold is a reliable tool, but there are risks in any financial transactions.

It is necessary to act systematically, soberly, reasonably.

Step 1. We assess the current financial condition and put our finances in order

The step is obvious, but I can’t not include it in the instructions. Any investment involves a preliminary assessment of their financial capabilities. Calculate your assets, including additional income, and compare them with liabilities.

If, for example, you have a mortgage or credit debt that takes 30% of your main income, you can hardly count on a significant amount of free funds. Overestimating your investment opportunities is the main mistake of every beginner.

But too much caution will not bring benefits. One dollar today is always more valuable than the same dollar tomorrow. To keep savings, they must be invested. This is how the economy works, regardless of the scale of available funds.

Step 2 We designate the goals and objectives of investment

Investments are not abstract. Having made a contribution, you need to know how much it will bring you and for how long. Decide on the goals and objectives of investing.

For example, you need to increase your funds by 50% within a year and a half to purchase a Peugeot 408 car. To implement such a plan, you will have to choose the most profitable and at the same time risky way to invest. Having achieved the goal, withdraw the assets from the game and buy a car.

Don't be greedy. The pursuit of superprofits often ends in ruin.

Step 3 We develop an investment strategy

There are many investment strategies. Study them beforehand. Let time be spent, but basic economic knowledge is the same capital.

Strategies are active and passive, long-term and short-term, aggressive and moderate, high-risk and vice versa. The choice depends on your goals, amount of capital and temperament.

Step 4 Determine the way to invest

I have already talked about the instruments of investing in gold. The choice is yours. Experts advise beginners with relatively solid funds to start with depersonalized gold accounts. The risks here are moderate, the profitability is quite predictable. The main thing is to open an account in a reliable bank, which is not in danger of ruin in the next 5-10 years.

Step 5 Choosing a company and investment program

Investments in precious metals are offered by banks, investment funds and other financial institutions. How to choose a reliable partner?

I offer several criteria for choosing a company:

• experience - ideal if the institution has been operating on the market for more than 10-15 years;
• availability of a functional website with interactive features and useful content for users;
• the number of investors;
• choice of investment instruments - the more offers the company has, the better.

The best option is to find an institution on the recommendations of acquaintances who have already received real income from their investments in this company.

Step 6 We submit an application and conclude an agreement

The next step is to contact the representatives of the company. If the company offers free consultation to clients, be sure to use this option.

Let the manager or consultant explain to you all the nuances and subtleties and help you choose the most suitable program.

Step 7 We deposit funds and get profit

It remains only to deposit funds and wait for the profit. The Internet allows you to check the profitability of investments at a distance. Start Personal Area and periodically monitor the status of your account.

4. Rating of companies for investing in gold - an overview of the TOP-3 reliable

To make it easier for readers to choose reliable companies for investing in gold, we have selected 3 of the most reliable Russian organizations working with precious metals.

Read, compare, analyze and make decisions.

The bank was founded in 1990 and is the oldest institution in the new Russia. One of the most dynamically developing banks in the Russian Federation, the industry leader and the strongest player in the financial market. The company's assets are estimated at 250 billion rubles. There are branches in 55 regions of Russia. The head office is in Yekaterinburg.

Included in the top 100 most reliable banks in the country. It occupies the highest lines in the ratings of independent organizations. The National Rating Agency assigned the bank the AA level - the highest degree of solvency and reliability.

The bank offers customers deposits in gold and silver. This is a good opportunity to earn income due to rising prices for precious metals. Consumers have access to time deposits in gold and demand deposits. Compulsory medical insurance is a guarantee of saving funds from inflation, plus the absence of problems with the storage, transportation and certification of the precious metal.

Specify the terms of investment deposits in gold directly on the site and by phone.

according to the Interfax agency. More than a million clients, 18 years of experience in the exchange of currencies and precious metals, 3 international licenses. The dealing center offers clients all the tools necessary for working on the stock exchange.

Gold trading requires special knowledge and skills, so beginners should take the help of experienced traders.

The reliability of Sberbank is evidenced by at least the fact that it is the oldest financial institution in the Russian Federation. The bank was founded in 1847. More than 70% of Russians are Sberbank clients and active users. The company has more than 17 thousand branches in 83 subjects of the Russian Federation.

Sberbank buys and sells gold bars of various weights, coins (investment and commemorative), offers customers to open metal accounts on the most favorable terms. The site has up-to-date price charts for gold, silver, platinum and palladium since 2003.

5. How to reduce risks when investing in gold - 3 useful tips

As I said, there is no investment without risk. But there are ways to reduce the chance of losing funds.

Read expert advice and don't forget to put it into practice.

Tip 1. Use various investment tools

In economic parlance, this is called diversification of deposits. It is wiser to divide the capital into several areas and thereby protect funds from a complete loss.

If one tool turns out to be suddenly unprofitable, then others will protect your investment portfolio from a complete collapse.

Tip 2. Objectively assess your financial capabilities

Invest only free funds - that is, those whose loss will not lead to a decrease in living standards. You should not invest in gold accounts if you have mandatory spending in the near future.

Gold is a precious metal that has been valued for thousands of years. Since ancient times, it has been a measure of wealth, carried out the function of money. Now, in fact, paper money has replaced real gold only because it is more convenient to use, but they are worth nothing in themselves if they are not backed by a certain gold reserve of the country.

Many people think that investment in gold is a very correct and deliberate step that will provide you with financial stability and independence. In part, such a judgment is correct, because gold is not very susceptible to the economic impact of crises, and the demand for the precious metal will always be, no matter what happens. We can say that gold is a single world currency that will be relevant always and everywhere. Today we will talk about investment in gold, we will try to figure out how profitable they are at this stage of economic development, and whether there are prospects for this kind of investment.

If we analyze the last few decades, we can see that investing in gold was not very popular among the population of our country. On the one hand, this is due to the inability of ordinary people to buy precious metals, and on the other hand, because there were profitable and promising niches that deserved more attention from investors.

The beginning of the 2000s was generally marked by the fact that many large world banks massively sold their gold reserves. Then it seemed that the rate would collapse to a minimum, and gold would lose its status as a “guarantor”, its stability would be shaken, and people would need metal only to admire the beautiful ebb and shine. But the global economic crisis put everything in its place. Just when the banking system began to burst at the seams, investment in gold loudly declared itself. People who save their fixed capital in precious metals were able to endure the difficult times for this financial world as easily as possible.

It was after these "black" months that many people thought about investing their money in gold, thereby protecting themselves from possible fluctuations.

Banks also began to understand that such a vaunted monetary system is failing, and very severely. If she has already fallen into a deep coma once, then there is no guarantee that this will not happen again in the near future. The mass sale of gold stopped, and the reverse process began - banks were actively buying up the precious metal, increasing demand every day. And if demand goes up, so do prices, which was very beneficial for those who invested in gold before the global financial crisis.

A positive factor for "gold" investors are destabilizing situations in the field of politics and economics. These can be unpredictable election results, crises in the highest echelons of power, untimely repayment of debts between countries on credit obligations, the inability to come to a single developed plan to eliminate the consequences of the crisis in Europe and the United States, disputes in the EU countries, inflationary processes and a number of other reasons. .

Investing in gold: dry numbers and facts will say a lot

You can talk for a long time about whether investing in gold is profitable. Maybe this kind of investment should be used only as a guarantee of stability, with no hope of making money, or maybe it’s worth analyzing the situation by buying gold at the boundary mark and waiting for the peak price growth per gram? Here, everyone chooses the best option for himself.

Now I would like to give just a few facts that will help you understand that investing in gold is quite profitable and promising.

Based on official data from 2007, the gold rate according to the Central Bank of Russia was at the level of 13,402 rubles per third ounce (31 grams). A year later, the price increased by 5,000 rubles and amounted to just over 18,000. In May 2012, a certain peak was recorded when the price of an arbitral ounce was estimated at 50,376 rubles. It is not difficult to calculate that in 5 years the rate has grown almost 4 times.

At the time of writing this article, the gold rate is 47,884 rubles per third ounce. As you can see, many of those who invested their capital in precious metal before the global crisis not only saved their money, but also managed to multiply it by more than 3 times. How realistic is this now? Of course, it’s hard to talk about such incredible leaps, because the exchange rate is more or less stable, and the economic situation in the world does not portend anything dangerous.

But the conclusion is obvious - investments in gold are justified and have certain prospects. No matter how, every year the economy of many leading countries fails, which is reflected in world stability. Therefore, it is better to play it safe and invest free capital in the eternal currency - gold.

Investing in gold: how to make the right choice?

Only one question remains unanswered - what type of investment in gold to choose? Let's take a look at the 4 main ways to acquire gold, and evaluate each of them.

• Investing in gold bars

Buying gold in the form of bullion is not the most optimal and profitable option for investing in precious metal. In this case, the cost of the bar will include value added tax, which you will not be reimbursed upon sale. This way of investing has been popular since the late 90s, when people finally lost faith in the banking system and were looking for any way to insure their savings. As a rule, bars from 20 to 100 grams were bought, which were then stored in home safes. Over time, the excitement began to subside, and people took less and less gold bars from banks. And even now, if you decide to store gold at home, then you should do it very carefully. One scratch on the ingot, and the bank may no longer accept it, or significantly reduce the cost.

On the this moment Only a few banks are massively involved in buying and selling gold in Russia. First of all, this is the Sberbank of Russia, which conducts more than 65% of all transactions involving gold. There are also several other prominent players in this market - Nomos-bank, VTB, Nikoil.

If you decide to invest in gold bars, then the only way to avoid paying taxes will be if you do not take it from the bank and put it in a personal cell, the rent of which will also have to be paid. Plus, commissions when selling to a bank (which can reach up to 10%) will help to finally "eat" your profit. However, this method has prospects if the state follows the example of most of its foreign colleagues and cancels VAT when buying an ingot (this possibility is currently being discussed in the State Duma).

The conclusion is obvious - if you want to invest in gold at the moment by buying bullion, then it's better to wait a bit and consider other options, which we will write about below.

Investment in gold coins

This is already a more well-known and profitable way to invest in gold. Many Russians at the moment choose this kind of investment. Do not confuse ordinary gold coins with investment ones. First of all, investment differ in that they have good quality gold, interesting design, high complexity of coinage. These kind of coins are very liquid, and you can easily buy or sell them. It is worth noting that many banks, and even private financial institutions, are happy to buy gold coins.

By the way, there are not only gold coins, but those based on high-quality silver. We considered investments in silver in detail in the article ""

Investing in gold coins also has a number of disadvantages:

• A lot of banks sell gold coins, but not so many accept them. Very often, the bank works only for sale, and when the question arises that you need to get money for a coin, it is quite difficult to find a buyer. Although if you live in a big city, then you can forget about this problem.

• Big difference between the selling and buying price of a coin. Very often, banks invest their fees in the price, which are simply incredible. Thus, coins become just a beautiful gift or an attribute in your home, but not a promising investment.

In order to somehow minimize losses, customers are offered discounts when buying large lots of coins, in the region of 2.5 - 4%. But here we are talking about the scale of 100 "golden chervonets", or 500 silver "sables". In order not to pay income tax of 13%, it is necessary to hold coins for more than 3 years.

If you just collect coins and do not plan to make money on exchange rate jumps, then you can contact Sberbank, because it has recently started selling exquisite gold coins from other states.

OMS - Impersonal metal accounts

This is another very smart and profitable way to invest in gold. It consists in the fact that you deposit a gold bar into your account, or an amount of money that is equivalent to a certain amount of gold. Banks offer small interest on such deposits, usually 1.5-2% per annum.

For us, the issue of taxation of CHI is not entirely clear. If someone is interested in this issue, you can read in more detail on the specialized websites or official pages of banks.

I would also like to add that in Europe and the USA, investing in gold through CHI is the most common. This is beneficial both for depositors, who receive a certain percentage, and for banks. If you decide to open your own account, then be very careful about choosing a financial institution. It is best to invest in large banks with huge capital, serious support and an influential name. Don't be fooled by promises of high percentages. It is better to get little, but sleep well, knowing that tomorrow your gold will be in place.

Exchange trading

There are 2 ways to invest in gold through the exchange: you can either buy shares of gold mining companies, for example, Polyus Gold, or invest in derivatives (futures and options) for gold on the RTS exchange. This method is not for novice investors, but for experienced financiers. But here are the lowest costs. If you are not strong in analytics, general banking management funds (BMF) will be useful to you - they are also engaged in similar activities.

Trading on the stock exchange is associated with certain risks. Below is a chart where you can see a chart of the rise and fall in the price of gold over the past three years. The maximum rate was in mid-July 2011, and amounted to 1813 dollars per ounce. Now, at the time of writing, the price per ounce was $1,332. We are pleased with the trend that over the past month the price has been growing smoothly, but steadily.

When talking about gold, many people immediately think of jewelry and collectible coins. Let's say right away that this is not an investment, because the price of these goods significantly exceeds the real price of the precious metal spent on their manufacture. And if you buy a piece of jewelry for one price, you will sell it much cheaper.

Investments in gold: we conclude from the above

Summing up everything we wrote about, we can say that investing in gold is a great way to save your finances and protect them from various kinds of problems in the global economy.

If we consider gold as a possible investment, then it should be understood that this is a very long-term investment, which has the main plus - stability and reliability. Do not expect huge profits, because such price jumps as it was after the crisis are no longer expected in the near future. The rate either falls or rises, and in order to predict such jumps and try to make money on the difference in rates, you need to carefully and in detail deal with analytics, study the market, follow trends in the world.

When investing in gold, it is important to choose the right moment: often the minimum prices are in January-February and from mid-June to mid-August. Now there are companies that allow you to buy gold remotely in other countries (where there are lower transaction costs).

Gold is an asset that is traditionally characterized by extremely high attractiveness among investors. What is the reason for this? What are the ways to invest in gold and what determines their effectiveness?

How profitable is investing in gold

is, in fact, a type of entrepreneurship, the history of which goes back thousands of years. This noble metal has been valued at all times, and today its demand as a liquid and reliable asset remains relevant.

However, main criterion investment attractiveness of any asset- how legitimate it is to expect a stable increase in its value. Does gold have this property? present stage development of the world economy? Is it worth investing in gold today, or should one prefer other investment options that are more profitable and, perhaps, predictable in terms of capitalization prospects?

Indeed, gold, like many other precious metals, is characterized by an extremely high degree of price volatility. And this is despite the fact that today they are formed in the world market, which is characterized by a fairly large inertia (as a result of which unpredictable large-scale jumps and falls in prices for raw materials and goods are more rare than a rule - but they certainly do occur). Gold is a highly sought after commodity. Many central banks, including the Bank of Russia, seek to back their reserves, primarily with gold, and are actively buying it. Situations are extremely rare when an overabundance of this noble metal appears on the market.

But, one way or another, the statistics of recent years suggests that world gold prices are far from stable. If in September 2007 gold cost about 700 US dollars per troy ounce, then 5 years later its price rose to 1700 dollars. Today ( early 2020) the cost of gold is about $1580 per troy ounce.

What does this mean for an investor? The first is that gold should be invested if there is confidence that its purchase price is “at the bottom” or close to such a level. The second is gold, taking into account realities modern market not very suitable for "short" investments. The volatility of gold prices during the year and even during the month can be tens of percent - both upward and downward.

It is very difficult to predict in which direction the gold rate will go based on trends in the global economy. Thus, it is extremely difficult to make a correlation between the prices of this noble metal and oil prices, indicators of the leading stock markets.

Thus, investing in gold in many cases makes sense if it is possible to make “long investments”.

With short transactions, there is a risk of falling into a downtrend, as a result of which the investment will turn out to be unprofitable. But there is, of course, the possibility of a different outcome - and here the question is in the competence of the investor in terms of predicting the impact of certain factors on world gold prices. There are a lot of such factors, and not all of them appear predictably, not to mention the possible results of their impact on economic processes.

In addition, the acquisition of gold assets can be useful in the activities of a large corporation - as a tool for business diversification.

For her, the "gold" portfolio, most likely, will not be a leader in terms of volume, but it can become a guarantor of the liquidity of the business if there are any problems with cash. in cash and other assets with which the enterprise can settle accounts with creditors.

The way gold is invested also matters. Consider the most common options for such investments.

What are the ways to invest in gold

Probably the easiest way is investment in physical gold. That is, the purchase of gold bars or products containing this noble metal - for example commemorative coins, jewelry. You can buy physical gold from different suppliers - but the question is where to store it later. The most reliable options here are renting a cell in a bank or opening an unallocated metal account with a financial institution. The Bank will assume the main risks to ensure the safety of gold. Such services are available in most of the largest Russian banks, including Sberbank and VTB 24.

If necessary, the owner of an impersonal account can sell his precious metal at any time. In many cases, asset management operations on OMS can be carried out via the Internet - using the Investor's Personal Account.

The main risk in opening CHI- in that such accounts are not subject to the norms of legislation on deposit insurance. If the bank closes, then the return of the volumes of gold transferred to it will be possible only as part of the bankruptcy procedure and debt collection from the credit institution at the expense of its assets.

Another way to invest in gold is to invest in shares of gold mining corporations.(and related businesses - for example, jewelry). They can be implemented both when interacting with issuers directly, and through brokers or the stock exchange. It is noteworthy that the growth in the capitalization of gold mining firms in many cases does not depend on the increase in gold prices. It also happens the other way around: when the price of the metal becomes cheaper, the demand for it increases, as a result, the need for more gold supplies. The number of orders at the enterprise is growing, its capitalization is increasing.

The same can be said about the jewelry business. At the same time, the key drivers of growth in the shares of companies associated with gold mining can be very different from those that characterize jewelry firms. The largest customers of gold mining corporations, as a rule, include central banks. The main buyers of jewelry are still private individuals. The structure and activity of demand on the part of both can be different.

The next option is conducting classical exchange trading, within which gold will be one of the trading instruments (like, for example, currencies on FOREX). This scheme allows you to use "leverage" - when, with a small amount of investments, it is possible to increase them several times if the trader guesses with the price movement. It can be negative - and this is another advantage in exchange trading in gold. Even with a fall in world prices for this precious metal, a trader can win big.

Thus, the efficiency of investments in gold in modern conditions depends on the method of their implementation, the knowledge and skills of the investor in terms of managing "gold" assets - physical metal, securities of gold mining corporations (and other related businesses), as well as in terms of exchange transactions with gold. At the same time, an increase in the cost of physical gold does not predetermine the growth in the capitalization of gold mining businesses - and vice versa. But with experience, many investors can gain the ability to predict trends with high accuracy in both cases, and they can be extremely successful in doing business with gold assets.

Gold price forecast for 2020

Previously, we considered such investment instruments as a bank deposit, real estate investment and currency investment. In this article, we will talk about investing in gold and other precious metals, as well as compare the profitability with the previously described investment vehicles.

Why is gold interesting as an investment?

For many thousands of years mankind has been chained to gold. It is the quintessence of wealth and success. For a very long time, gold was a real payment instrument. People bought for gold, sold for gold, there was a gold standard and therefore the human brain and human psychology perceives gold as something very guaranteed, permanent and reliable. In addition, gold is limited (compared to 4 times more silver reserves), which increases its value, because. it may not be for everyone. If all gold reserves are divided by the number of people on the planet, then for each person there will be 27 grams. Gold is limited and the demand is currently high. A huge part of gold is consumed by the jewelry industry, electronics and dentistry. Now let's talk about whether it is profitable to invest in gold?

What are the benefits of investing in gold?

They are actually very similar to pluses in dollars. Profitability is about the same and the pros are similar:

• low entry threshold - you can buy gold for literally a couple of thousand rubles;
• fast enough turnover into money (high liquidity), that is, in principle, gold, like currency, you can quickly return something back to rubles to buy, unlike an apartment that is sold there for a very long time. The pros end there. Our profitability is stable, repels inflation and does not allow you to earn.

Cons of investing in gold

• if we consider in rubles - low profitability;
• if we consider this case in dollars - negative yield.

5 tools for investing in gold

First, let's look at 5 main tools that you can use in your investment strategy:

1. Buy gold in a jar in the form of an ingot. Of the pluses, you can place a large amount of money here. Upon purchase, you will pay 18% VAT on the deposit. Also, the bank takes its commission for the storage of bullion.
2. Buy gold on an impersonal metal account, that is, in fact, gold will not be on hand, but the rate of your account will be tied to the dollar rate on the stock exchange.
3. Buying gold jewelry. Jewelry has limited liquidity, loss of value when sold to a pawnshop or buyers.
4. Buying gold coins. Of the obvious advantages, you do not have to pay 18% VAT, and the cost of some investment coins grows over time.
5. Buy gold futures on the RTS exchange. You get absolute liquidity, do not pay for futures storage. Broker commission from 2-4 rubles per contract + 0.5% spread when selling a gold futures. One of the most optimal options for investing in gold (on a par with CHI).

Buying gold bullion

The process of buying gold is simple. In order to purchase gold, an individual must present a passport or other identification document, and legal entities and entrepreneurs, in order to buy an ingot of gold or other precious metal, are required to provide a certificate of registration with the tax office (TIN).

Ingot 10 grams of gold 999 (the presence of impurities not more than 0.01%) and its certificate

When buying and selling gold, an act of acceptance and transfer of precious metal is drawn up (), cash documents are attached, indicating the type of precious metal, its sample and weight, serial number and total number of bars, the total amount on the day of the operation.

Keep the certificate carefully, because its loss of the certificate is almost guaranteed to lead to a refusal to buy back the gold bullion by the bank. It will be possible to sell a gold bar only to a pawnshop, at the price of scrap.

Buying gold on an unallocated metal account (OMS)

Let's analyze earnings through the purchase of gold and other precious metals on an Impersonal Metal Account (OMA). An impersonal metal account (OMA) is an account that virtually reflects your gold or other precious metal (silver, platinum, palladium) in grams. You can always buy or sell metal to a bank at any time without getting it in your hands and without checking the bars.

Of the advantages of buying gold on OMS:

• you can start by buying from 1 gram of silver and 0.1 gram of gold
• easy to buy and easy to sell ()
• convenient metal storage
• no value added tax
• cheaper than ingots, because The cost does not include the cost of production and transportation.
• no risk of theft and loss
• convenient to manage

Disadvantages of buying gold on CHI:

• there is no provision for insurance of deposits of individuals, i.e. if the bank closes, you will lose your investment in CHI
• no accrual of interest on balances of precious metals

The scheme of earning on CHI is as follows ⇒ You buy metal on OMS, when the quotes rise to the level you need, you sell the metal.

How to open OMS in Sberbank

To open CHI you need to have a personal account in the Internet bank or mobile application Sberbank. In the office, find the "Metal Accounts" section. Then fill out a simple account opening form. After that, you will be able to buy gold and other metals.

3 banks where you can open CHI

Sberbank offers to open a metal account in gold, silver, palladium and platinum for free + account maintenance is also free. In addition, it is possible to issue a gold account for a minor, which is an excellent long-term investment for a child.

The minimum amount required to open an account is the cash equivalent of 0.1 gram of gold. If you are a client of Sberbank, you can open an OMS online and transfer funds from your current account to this account. You can also close or replenish your account through your personal account.

VTB 24 also offers the opportunity to open a metal account, one of the conditions is the presence of a current account in this bank. If there is no current account, it will be opened in parallel with the CHI. The opening of the CHI and its maintenance is free of charge.

The purchase or sale of the metal is limited to a minimum of 1 gram of silver or 0.1 gram of gold, palladium or platinum. Interest on the balance is not charged (as with Sberbank). The client does not have the opportunity to withdraw funds in the form of coins or metal ingots.

Alfa Bank offers to open an unallocated metal account in branches or remotely, in the "online" mode. The minimum amount is the equivalent of the cost of 100 grams of silver or 1 gram of gold, platinum, palladium.

The client also does not have the opportunity to receive funds from the account in the form of ingots or coins; it is also impossible to credit funds to the MHI account using ingots. The Bank sets its own price quotes for metals.

Investment in gold jewelry

Investment in gold through the purchase of jewelry is only possible if, in addition to the increase in the price of gold, there is also an additional value in the jewelry itself. In other words, the jewelry you buy must be a piece of art. Thus, the cost of jewelry will consist of the following components:

Decoration = gold value + art value

Otherwise, investments in jewelry will not be profitable, because. selling them back to a pawnshop will be much cheaper than the purchase price.

Investments in gold investment coins

The main seller of gold coins is the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (do not confuse with commemorative coins issued by Sberbank). The value of a coin is determined by the value of the metal. On the plus side, you do not need to pay 18% VAT when buying coins. Selling coins is a little more difficult than buying, because. Bank acceptance of coins is limited and you will have to wait in line. As an option, sell coins to a pawnshop or buyers. Investing in gold coins is a long-term investment. The spread is around 8% on average, which will prevent you from buying and selling them frequently.

The most popular investment coins:

• "George the Victorious"
• "Golden chervonets"
• series "Signs of the Zodiac"

The chart below shows the exchange rate of the “George the Victorious” coin. Data taken from the website of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.

An interesting trend is shown by the relatively new gold coin"Sochi 2014" with a face value of 50 rubles. The graph of its cost is shown in the figure. Both this and the previous coin have investment attractiveness.

Change in the price of the investment coin “Sochi 2014” with a face value of 50 rubles per year

Buying gold futures

And the last investment in gold is the purchase of a futures contract for gold on the stock exchange. This financial instrument is traded on the RTS and can be bought through the main dealing companies FINAM, ATON, etc. One of the main advantages of investing in futures of gold and other precious metals is high liquidity. You can always sell futures without significant time investment.

Let's take a look at what futures to buy? The table below compares the returns of various precious metals futures.

Below are graphs of these futures for the year (data taken from ivesting.com). The figures clearly show the volatility and trendiness of the instruments.

Short term investments. Comparison of investment in gold with alternative investments for the year

Consider a short-term investment (within one year). For example, let's compare annual investments in gold and other alternative investments: such as buying real estate, investing in other precious metals, classic bank deposits, bonds, and investing in the RTS index.

Graph of changes in the cost of housing. For the year, there is a drop in profitability from 172,000 rubles per square meter to 167,000 rubles. This is about -2%.

In 2017, the most profitable investment option was the purchase of palladium (43% growth). Gold, bank deposits and bonds give approximately the same yield.

Long term investment. What would happen to your 7 years investment in gold?

Consider long-term investments (more than 5 years). So, what would happen to your money if you bought gold in 2010? Let's turn to the numbers.

The stock index of gold is measured in terms of the price of gold per 1 troy ounce. For one troy ounce in 2010 they gave $ 1230 (one thousand two hundred and thirty dollars). And in 2017, 1224 $ dollars. For seven years, gold not only did not increase in price, but also lost a little of its value, but we live in Russia and if we invested in rubles, then due to fluctuations in exchange rates due to the fact that the ruble depreciated in rubles, our profitability would be 89% in 7 years. We can say that investment in gold for Russians would be equal to investment in the dollar.

Also, gold could be bought on an unallocated metal account (OMS). We could buy it for 1200 rubles in 2010 and sell it for about 2100 rubles in 2017, the yield is again at the level of 89%, well, for reference, we’ll tell you that gold, which is sold as scrap, that is, for the value of the metal, it cost 700 rubles in 2010 , and it became worth 1300 rubles, the yield is again the same 87-89%.