I am a chocolate snob. So when my husband buys me chocolate, he has to invest a lot of money to curb my appetite. Fortunately for him, I have found an inexpensive alternative to keep my chocolate fetish in check. I have also discovered other gifts that both I and our investment portfolio appreciate over time. We have discovered gold, silver, and diamonds. Even though we are not rich we have discovered that it is relatively easy to afford small investments in these precious elements. It makes me feel more confident in my future and in my kids’ future to know that we are slowly collecting some tangible assets whose value can’t tank overnight. Here are three of the romantic investments that both treat me and our portfolio.
1. Gold. Between January 2007 and January 2012, gold went from about $630/ounce to as high as $1900 an ounce. As of January 23, 2012 gold is listed as $1677/ounce. While it has had its ups and downs, it has been on a steady upward climb. Today an ounce of gold is a lot of money so we had to find alternative units in which to invest. There are both collectible coins and modern coins whose gold content is well below an ounce. One very affordable gold coin is the Mexico Two Peso Gold Coin. It contains 1/25 of an ounce of gold and as of January 23, 2012 could be bought for just under $100. Presented with a nice cup of coffee with a splash of Kahlua, a Mexico Two Peso Gold Coin makes for a fun and romantic gift.
2. Diamonds. There are a lot more variables involved with assessing the value of diamonds. A certified diamond from a reputable dealer provides both a beautiful item to admire and an investment that will certainly last longer than a box of chocolates. I’ve recently scoped out a very good quality, 0.23 carat diamond for $128.
3. Silver. In 2011 the cost of silver went up at a higher percentage than the cost of gold. My wedding ring is actually made of silver. I love this metal. It is a really easy metal to obtain. As of January 23, 2012 a Morgan silver dollar can be bought for as low as $44.
4. A safety deposit box. While this is not a romantic gift, I would never have started on my bent toward replacing my snobbish chocolate gifts with precious elements if I didn’t have a safe place to store them in. For just $30 a year we are afforded a safe place to lock up these small valuables. Now the only worry we have about our valuables is in remembering where we store the deposit box key.