Gold

Gold Investments
Gold is usually held in the form of bullion coins or in a gold bullion ETF. Gold company stocks can be held individually, or in a gold stocks mutual fund or ETF.

Bullion Coins

 * The United States Mint American Eagle Bullion Coins
 * The Royal Canadian Mint Maple Leaf Bullion Coins
 * The South Africa Mint Kruggerrand Bullion Coins

Exchange Traded Funds

 * SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) (Company shares)
 * iShares Comex Gold Trust (IAU) (Bullion)

Gold Stocks and Mutual Funds

 * See Precious Metals Equity page which has different characteristics than gold bullion.
 * Vanguard Precious Metals and Mining Fund

Taxation
Gold Bullion and gold bullion ETFs are subject to the maximum 28% capital gains tax on collectibles. This tax rate is higher than the maximum capital gains tax of 15% on other investment assets.

Links

 * British-US Gold Prices for the years 1257 to 2007
 * Gold Price Chronology 1971-2007
 * Gold Bullion Prices 1970 - 2008
 * Asset Class Returns 1971 - 2008 includes S&P 500 Index; EAFE Index; 10-year Treasury Bonds; Gold Bullion ; MSCI World Index; and the Aggregate Bond Index

Academic Papers

 * The Structure and Operation of the World Gold Market by Gary O'Callaghan, 12/1991
 * International Portfolio Formation, Skewness and the Role of Gold by Brian M. Lucey and Edel Tully, 09/2003
 * Is Gold a Zero-Beta Asset? Analysis of the Investment Potential of Precious Metals by James R. Mccown and John R. Zimmerman, 07/24/2006
 * Analysis of the Investment Potential and Inflation-Hedging Ability of Precious Metals by McCown, James Ross and Zimmerman, John R., (July 23, 2007).
 * Is Gold a Hedge or a Safe Haven? An Analysis of Stocks, Bonds and Gold by Baur, Dirk and Lucey, Brian M.,(December 2006)