Gold is a non-renewable commodity that has been considered valuable for 5,000 years. Experts believe we will have mined all the available gold ore on the planet by 2110. In the 1980’s, gold hit an all time high of $850 per ounce. When adjusted for inflation, this works out to more than $2,000 per ounce in today’s dollars.

Over $30 trillion has been lost in stocks, real estate, commodities and high-yield bonds. At the same time, since 2001, gold has quadrupled in value. Throughout history, gold has been an asset that protects wealth as well as grows wealth, especially in failing economies.

In our opinion, Gold bullionⁱ and stocks are fundamentally different asset classes. Gold is a store of value and stocks are a return on value (i.e. growth plus dividends).  As opposed to equities, which can go from very high levels down to zero in a very short time, GOLD WILL NEVER GO TO ZERO.

A crisp $100 bill invested 10 years ago would today be worth more than $400 in gold, $357 in commodities (as measured by the S&P GSCI Enhanced Total Return Index), $268 in oil, $190 in corporate bonds or US Treasuries, and only $90 in US stocks

When other markets collapse, gold has historically seen huge increases in value as people quickly turn to commodities. A $10,000 investment in gold in 1971 grew to $242,800 by the end of the bull marketⁱ run in 1980.

"The attraction of gold becomes obvious when the deficiencies of alternatives become inescapable.” - John Hathaway

Gold bullion refers to both gold coins and gold bars of various types, sizes and weights.

All gold comes at a price arrived at by adding a premiumⁱ to the spot priceⁱ (market price). The market price changes hour by hour. There is a specific cost to fabricating gold. The costs for gold coins are higher than for bars because coins are struck to a much better finish. Also, the smaller the bar or coin, the larger the premium.

If asset protection is your goal, we suggest buying the largest size bars you can afford. The larger the gold bars the closer to the actual value of gold you are likely to get for your money.

“The desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means of freedom and benefit.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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BRYAN CROSS SPEECH - The following article reflects the competing American voices during the 1800’s between the adoption of the gold standardⁱ and its eradication within the context of a nascent democracy. Americans, having recently separated from England, enjoyed spirited debates concerning the viability and fairness of an income tax that would hold individuals accountable in return for the fruits of government. At ASI, the majority of our clients “pay their share” but sometimes feel as though they must scramble to protect the remainder of their hard earned money. By employing various products and services, ASI provides peace mind and protects of capital for their clients. ASI believes in “Keeping What’s Yours.”