-- Posted Wednesday, 3 February 2010 | | Source: GoldSeek.com
By: Dr. Jeffrey Lewis
Slowly but surely, the path to the future of investing is being carved. This time, it isn't equities or debt that is leading the charge; it’s none other than precious metals.
A Decade of Growth
From 1999-2009, the best performing asset class was historically one of the least exciting: precious metals. While the US stock markets stagnated throughout a time span of 10 years and money markets posted less than enthralling returns, gold and silver staged one of the best ten-year runs in history and captured the attention of millions of investors worldwide.
The last ten years may soon be written in history as what jumpstarted the revolution in personal finance; that is, utilizing metals as an important hedge against economic fallout.
The Growth in Metal Investing
Ten years ago, it was rare to see a retirement plan include a special place for metals or talking heads on TV discussing the idea of precious metal ownership. Today, it’s just the opposite. Investing professionals and fund managers don't only recommend gold and silver, but they are also adding that it should be a staple in everyone's portfolio.
The ability of precious metals to protect against inflation, as well as deflation, and everything in between truly shows how versatile and rewarding gold and silver are as investments. Never has the public been so interested in gold and silver coins.
New Metals
Though gold and silver may have been on the fringe ten years ago, platinum and palladium weren't even on the radar for most investors. However, in the past month, platinum and palladium have made headlines in investing publications after a new exchange-traded product brought the two new precious metals into the mainstream.
Investors appreciate these metals as a way to access both the inflationary investing environment, as well as a play on the automobile industry, which is the leading driver of consumption for both platinum and palladium. For these two fringe metals to work their way into the mainstream, precious metals as an asset class have clearly come a long way.
The Best is Yet to Come
Though the business cycle doesn't look favorable for stocks nor bonds, precious metals still have a full decade of consistent growth before they reach their maximum potential. Even today, after all the obstacles metals have overcome, only a tiny fraction of investors are currently using the full hedging potential of gold and silver.
However, this won't remain the case forever. Gold and silver's big gains through the 2000s and a renewed interest in what was once a boring investment are sure to bring new investors into the ring each and every day.
It is important, now more than ever, to beat the rush. Secure your future and your investments with a healthy supply of silver coins and buy before the rest. As they say in Wall Street, “buy the rumor and sell the news.” With so much demand coming down the pipeline, those who secure their positions early are sure to enjoy the biggest and best returns.
Dr. Jeffrey Lewis
www.silver-coin-investor.com
-- Posted Wednesday, 3 February 2010 | Digg This Article
| Source: GoldSeek.com
