The discussion between Itsuo Toshima (a Japanese precious metal trader and economic commentator) and Atsuto Sawakami (a Japanese long-term stock investor) that took place five years ago remains very relevant to the current financial climate.
- Holding gold bullion can function as a peace-of-mind investment and its robust value-stability can form the basis for risk-taking with respect to other investment products.
- Even if company stocks become worthless, your house burns down, the bank holding your deposits goes into default, or an earthquake or tsunami strikes, gold bullion stored remotely in a vault will remain unaffected.
- Gold bullion is a robust asset in national emergencies-on 9/11 an 8 ton gold nugget held in the 6th floor basement of the Gold Bullion Exchange next to the World Trade Center Building did not lose even 1 gram of its weight. On the other hand, TBS news footage of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995 shows a wad of deposits found in a set of TANSU drawers amongst the ruins found blackened and burnt while Canadian Gold maple leaf bullion was found intact and undamaged.
- The investment strategy for gold bullion can be considered one of “Buy & Forget”-this is because other investments play a leading role in an investment portfolio while gold bullion takes more of a supporting role. When other investments are ailing however, gold bullion comes to the fore.
- Kyoto is the gold capital of Japan with sales of gold there the highest of any city in Japan. The chief priest of a temple in Kyoto is known to have bought the most gold bullion of anyone in Japan. It is said that gold bullion in Kyoto remained undamaged even through the period of the Onin War (1467 to 1477). Additionally, even during the Warring States period (1467-1615), gold bullion was commonly traded in castle towns.
- From the viewpoint of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) developed by the United Nations, diamonds which are recut in line with the changing trends of each era inevitably lose carats. It goes without saying that this never occurs with gold bullion. And while crude oil cannot be recycled, 200g of gold can be extracted from one ton of smartphones and all of this gold can be recycled.
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