Throughout history, gold has been a highly valued substance. It's unique properties and relative scarcity caused almost every world culture to use it as a form of money, as well as a way to "store" value. Although it has lost much of its importance as a form of currency, gold investments still provide a great way to protect your money and diversify a portfolio.

Over the past few years, gold prices have been steadily rising. There is a very good chance this trend will continue over the long-term, making it a good idea to put some money into gold investments now. Also, buying gold is a great way to hedge against other investments. Due to uncertainty in the stock market and the value of the US dollar, it's a good idea to put 10-20% of your money into a hedge fund in order to protect yourself. Gold and silver have always been considered to be among the best forms of hedge investments because they have relatively stable values (due to very small changes in supply).

How to Invest in Gold

Before you buy gold, it's a good idea to get the help of an investment consultant. This is especially true if you've never invested in gold before. He or she can help you determine the best moves to make based on your own personal financial goals and risk tolerance. If you already have a personal financial adviser, tell him or her that you'd like to use gold to hedge your portfolio. If he or she doesn't have much experience dealing in gold investments you may want to find someone who does.

If you're interested in profiting from the price movements of gold, buying gold bullion coins are an excellent option. The best choices are the American Eagle, the Canadian Maple Leaf, the Britannia, and the Australian Nugget coins. You can buy gold bullion coins from precious metal and coin dealers, both offline and online.

Before making a gold bullion purchase, always shop around for the best prices, as the markup on coins will vary from dealer to dealer. Also, do everything possible to make sure the dealer you're buying from has been in business for awhile and has a good reputation. If possible preserve your gold coins in the original mint packaging and protect them from scratches to maximize resale value.

Gold bars are another gold investment option you may want to look into. Smaller bars are usually more expensive (per ounce) than large bars but are often easier to sell. In general, bars carry a higher price premium than coins. As with gold bullion coins, only buy and trade with reputable dealers.