Buying physical gold in the form of bullions or coins can be an interesting and rewarding goldcore.ie. But it is essential to do your research to ensure you are buying from a reputable dealer and that you are getting a fair price. It is also important to factor in the cost of insurance and storage fees as these can eat into your returns. Alternatively, you could consider a retail, pooled or collective investment where the gold is stored by a specialist provider and you only pay an annual management fee of 0.10%.

Golden Investments: Exploring the Benefits of Buying Gold in Ireland

Physical gold can be bought at a variety of locations including precious metal dealers, collectors and banks. It can also be purchased online through exchange traded funds that track the performance of the asset. Gold bullion bars – often pictured stacked in bank vaults – can range in weight from one gram to over 10 kilograms and are stamped with the purity level and weight. Silver coins are also available but tend to be liable for VAT and CGT and require more staging space than the equivalent value of gold.

Investors can also buy shares in gold mining companies, which provides the opportunity for capital growth if the share price rises and income via dividends (cash payments to shareholders). This type of investment can be highly volatile and is therefore best seen as a long-term investment.