Get Into Gold

Few investments have the beauty and timeless appeal of gold. Its periodic symbol, Au, is taken from the name ‘Aurora’, the Roman goddess of the shining dawn. Since its discovery more than 5,000 years ago, civilisations have traded and treasured this most precious of metals. From the tombs of the pharaohs to the mythical city of El Dorado, gold has threaded its way through our collective history and culture.

Thanks to its dual nature as an investment and a consumer good, gold has the potential to perform during times of boom and bust. Gold is easy to buy and sell, has a track record for returns over the long term, and is valued by investors all over the world as a way of balancing risk against other investments such as stocks and shares. With a range of gold investment options now available from The Royal Mint, it has never been easier to get into gold.

When it comes to investing, spreading risk could help to avoid overexposure to any one particular asset class. Many experts, including the World Gold Council suggest putting around 2–10% of your portfolio into a safe haven investment such as gold.

The chart below compares the annual percentage growth of gold over the past twenty years against cash, property, stocks, bonds and gilts.