Owning gold bullion

Owning gold bullion is a popular way to invest and protect your wealth. It has long been recognised as a means of hedging against inflation, while making long-term, low-risk gains. At BullionByPost we believe owning physical gold bullion is the best way to invest in this precious metal.

In contrast to other forms of gold ownership, investors in the physical metal do not rely on banks, governments or financial trusts such as Exchange Trading Funds (ETFs) to administer or guarantee their investment.

There are specific issues with physical ownership that investors should consider however...

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Owning gold

Owning gold is legal around the world, and many cultures already have an ingrained acceptance and belief in buying physical bullion. Some investments must be declared for tax purposes but in many instances, particularly with modest investments, owners will have nothing pay.

Our beginners guide to owning gold p rovides more details on tax and bullion, specifically related to VAT and CGT. It does not offer personal investment or tax advice; for this we would always recommend that you should seek independent advice from a qualified adviser. This will help you get an unbiased opinion and advice on whether owning gold is the right choice for your portfolio and circumstances.

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Gold value

With a high value and easy mobility, gold is unfortunately potentially a vehicle for money laundering and illegal transactions. G old can be melted down and reformed but its value remains the same, so it can be a target for robbers and fraudsters.

Bullion dealers have a legal obligation to ensure they sell only to identifiable, legitimate investors and they must record all of their transactions. They will require buyers to provide identification and will only deliver to the named buyer at their registered address. HM Revenues and Customs additionally requires companies such as BullionByPost to hold customer transactional information for several years to help protect against any such illicit behaviour. This helps ensure the gold market is as open, transparent, professional and legitimate as possible. We take our own, and customer's security very seriously, and maintain robust standards to ensure owning gold is done in the correct and legal way.

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Gold storage

Owners of precious metals should store them securely with specialist insurance, tailored to the ever-changing value of the metal markets. Beyond insurance, the physical storage of your gold is worth considering, even with relatively small investments.

Be it a safe, a drawer, deposit box, or even a hole in the ground the dense nature of gold means it takes little space to store in, but it should be somewhere you are happy is safe and secure. For customers who are concerned about home storage we also offer our own highly-secure allocated storage service starting from just £10 per month.

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Gold proof of ownership

Due to money laundering legislation, bullion dealers hold records of transactions. Buyers can document their purchases and validate their ownership via a combination of a packing slip which comes with your goods, as well as with the invoice detailing exactly what you have bought, where from, and to what value.

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Gold certification

Gold certification can provide an additional layer of authenticity, but should not be considered a necessity for investors. Not all bullion comes with a certificate of authenticity, indeed the vast majority does not. This is often restricted to proof coins, but some smaller bullion bars do come in sealed packaging with an assay card proving their origins.

All bullion bars and coins sold by BullionByPost are sourced from LBMA (London Bullion Market Association) approved refiners, meaning that these companies are rigorously inspected to ensure they abide by quality regulations for their gold and silver, as well as adhering to employment rights and working conditions, amongst other requirements.

Bullion bars are marked with their purity and weight regardless of whether they come sealed or not, and many coins also follow this trend.

Ultimately, gold does not need certification , but we appreciate that it can be reassuring to customers. At BBP we have state-of-the-art equipment to test gold, silver, platinum and palladium - ensuring that all our precious metals, whether new or bought back, are of the correct weight, purity, and from a trusted producer.

If you are ever unsure of your precious metals or wish to discuss any queries, please contact our customer support team on 0121 634 8060 or via email at support@bullionbypost.co.uk.