Investing in gold, silver, and platinum bullion is one of the best ways to add more diversity and value to an investment portfolio.  These precious metals, as well as others, are traded on the global commodities market. Bullion is the pure form of a metal and can be purchased for investment in the form of bullion bars or bullion coins. 

Bullion bars are created by pouring melted metal into molds.  Once cooled, the bars can be hallmarked.  Hallmarking is done to show the exact purity of the metal and to authenticate the bullion.  Bars are usually made by recognized mints around the world.  It is important to buy precious metals from reputable dealers. This ensures that the metals are authentic.

Bullion bars are made in certain standard sizes.  The size of the bars is determined by the weight.  When buying bars for investment, it is most common to keep them on site.  This eliminates the need to transport the bars, which can be costly.  It also reduces the space that you’ll need at your home to store the bars.  Some smaller bars can be purchased if you want to store them in your home safe or in a safe deposit box. 

Bullion coins are a good way to purchase precious metals for investment.  Coin collecting is a fun and interesting way to invest.  There are several advantages to purchasing coins.  Coins are valuable tangible assets that can be viewed and held in your hand.  In addition to their value, coins can also hold some historical importance.  Coins are easy to store and can be kept in your home safe.

One of the most popular of the gold coins is the gold American Eagle.  The American Eagle is a beautiful coin that is quite stunning.  It is a good coin to add to your own investment collection.  Gold Eagles have the image of an American bald eagle on one side and Lady Liberty on the other.  It is a patriotic coin that is coveted by investors and collectors alike. 

The American Gold Eagle contains one troy ounce of gold.  The face value of the coin is $50.  The actual value of the coin depends on the current market value of gold.  Gold is traded on the worldwide commodities market.  The price that you will pay for gold is based on the price on the second day after the transaction is done.