Conrad Morris & Associates has been in the gold, silver, coins, jewelry and gem business for more than 40 years. Gold and silver are great ways to invest your money because they are physical items that have inherent value and more importantly they have stood the test of time. Gold and silver have held value for thousands of years and remain a great way to build real wealth.
Just like any investment, there are risks, scams, and bad ideas. Conrad has more than four decades in this market and with his help, you can win gold and silver markets! Knowledge is power!
General Knowledge
Gold and Silver Purity
A major factor that determines the value of gold and silver items is the purity of the item or what is called fineness. Fineness refers to the weight of fine metal like gold in an alloy. Other metals are often added to gold or silver coins and jewelry for various reasons, thus creating an alloy. Gold fineness is commonly measured in karats. Karats are measured on a scale of 24.
Karats | Parts of Gold | Fineness |
24K | 24/24 | 99.9% |
22K | 22/24 | 91.7% |
18K | 18/24 | 75% |
14K | 14/24 | 58.3% |
12K | 12/24 | 50% |
Gold and Silver Weight
The main standard for gold and silver weight is a troy ounce - not a standard ounce. When you hear that gold is worth $1750 per ounce (this is called the "spot price"), they mean $1750 per troy ounce. This is important because a troy ounce weights 28.35 grams MORE than a standard ounce. This is extremely important to know when buying and selling gold. If the spot price is $1750 troy ounce, it would be $1595 per standard ounce. You must consider this and make sure the gold or silver you are buying or selling is fair to the spot price.
Types of Gold & Silver to Buy
bullion and numismatiC Coins
There are two main types of gold or silver coins: bullion and numismatic coins. Bullion coins are newer coins, created on a regular basis by national mints and are usually at least 22K or over 90% fine metal. The value of bullion coins is based on the spot price of gold. Numismatic coins contain fine metal which supports the value, but the value is mainly influenced by rarity and how collectible the coin is. Numismatic coins were produced in the past and are no longer minted, whereas bullion coins are minted every year. Some coins are referred to as semi-numismatic. These were considered bullion coins a few decades ago, but are no longer in production or they only had a limited mint.
Gold or Silver Jewelry
Gold and silver jewelry can be a good investment, but similar to coins, the value is based on the amount of fine mental. There are four basic types of gold and silver jewelry.
Plated | Vermeil | Filled | Solid |
.5 microns thick | 2.5 microns thick | 5% of total weight | 100% gold* |
Thin layer of gold - will tarnish | Thicker layer of gold - won't tarnish | Can be 100x more gold than Plated | *Can be 10K-24K |
Base metal of copper, nickel, or brass | Base metal is sterling silver | Base metal of copper, nickel, or brass | No base metal used |
Gold Price
It's important to watch the spot price of gold when you are looking to buy or sell. CM+A can help keep you informed of the most recent movements in the price of gold. Below are two charts to help provide some perspective on the current price of gold. The monthly chart can show you the recent trends and the yearly chart give a larger context to where the current trend is.
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Gold Spot Price Last 30 Days | Gold Spot Price Last 365 Days |
Conrad Morris & Associates
CM+A has decades of experience buying and selling. CM+A is based in Indiana, but spends much of the year in Sarasota, Florida area. Conrad has built a longstanding, loyal customer base because we use the latest evaluation references and metrics to offer the highest market payouts in the industry, often up to 98.5% of market value. Contact us today to schedule a private home visit to buy and sell coins, jewelry, and other forms of precious gems and metals.
We are an active member of the Better Business Bureau. Here is more detail about what we buy. For those looking to buy precious metals and gems, give us a call, we also sell gold and precious gems at our events. We pride ourselves in maintaining a loyal customer base and getting you the highest possible payout. Our main goals are to get you top dollar and provide you with a service you can trust. We love and cherish our veterans! Tell us at the time you show us your product to receive a 5% premium on your monies.
For more tips and news about valuable coins, jewelry, gems, gold, and silver subscribe to our blog. Conrad regularly shares his knowledge as well as Buying Events where he buys and sells these valuables.
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