Precious MetalsPrecious Metals are metallic chemical elements found in the earth; they are usually mined all over the world. These metallic components are found in jewelry, tools, electronic equipment, art, coins and many other things that we use on a day to day basis. Metals are given the name precious since they are indeed rare. In bulk form these metals are known as bullion. You can also invest in precious metals by purchasing stocks such as ETF’s and Mutual Funds. We will examine each of the metals here for better understanding. When times are tough, people tend to buy metals to safeguard against the dollar and other assets such as stocks. Gold and Silver are the most common to invest in. If you currently do not have gold or silver in your portfolio I highly suggest that you start accumulating a few coins or bars (bullion) and keep them safe at home. Purchase a safe and keep all your valuables in it. Find a local coin shop or go online for sources of where to buy gold and silver coins. Precious metals in any variety is good to have. GoldGold is commodity in high demand and it's considered one of the most sought after commodities in the world. It's becoming more and more difficult to mine for it. For centuries it has been used as the primary form of currency. When there is political strife, war, or economic recession, gold tends to go up. The metal itself is founds in rocks as nuggets or grains. You can’t mistake gold because of it’s bright yellow color and maybe the most popular of all metals. Many people have gold jewelry and other items containing gold. An ounce of gold goes for around $1100.00 right now. However, I and many others expect it to go up quite a bit as the American dollar continues to devalue itself.
SilverSilver is yet another precious metal, a shiny bright white metal found in jewelry, coins, silverware, electrical contacts and mirrors among many other materials found in our lives. Like gold, silver was used in the early days as currency. It tends to move in lock step with gold so whenever gold goes up silver will follow, but not all the time. Silver is a lot easier to find and invest in since it is a lot cheaper than gold, which is often called the poor man's Gold. Silver goes for about $18.00 an ounce today, but again the price changes each and every day. You can find coins at a local coin shop or online. I personally own a few bar of 10 oz. kept at a local bank. However, people safe guard them at home as well. If the dollar ever collapses one can always buy things with a few silver coins.
PlatinumPlatinum is a heavy gray white metal. Platinum is resistant to corrosion as well as tarnish resistant. Used in jewelry (my wife's engagement ring and wedding band, go figure, ha), electronic equipment, dentistry and auto parts such as spark plugs. Platinum is said to be more precious than gold, but it doesn't look as pretty? It’s also a lot more expensive than gold. Platinum goes for about $1,200, but again it changes day to day. I don't know of many people who invest in Platinum.
CopperAlthough Copper is not considered a precious metal it is indeed a commodity. Copper is in high demand because it is used extensively in home construction. I'm sure you have seen a few copper pipes around the home. Copper has excellent electrical conductivity and finds itself in various alloys. Believe it or not but copper is also found in human bloodstream and other animals. Copper is heavily traded in the future markets. Here is a picture of the metal component Copper. Some folks collect or gather metals such as aluminum and copper and then they visit a local scrap yard that gives them money for it based on pounds delivered. Sometimes you will hear about it on the news since cars, homes or other places are burglarized for the metals. 
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