1. Inflation Protection

Preserve your purchasing power.

As paper currency loses value due to inflation, precious metals tend to rise in price, maintaining your real buying power. Unlike cash in a bank account, gold and silver won’t erode in value over time. Historically, when the cost of living increases, metals have proven to hold — or even grow — in worth.

• Gold has averaged a 10% annual return during high inflation periods.

• Silver is used both as a store of value and industrial metal, giving it dual upside potential.

• Metals are not subject to the monetary policies that dilute fiat currencies.

2. Safe-Haven Stability

Hold what the world trusts during crises.

In times of market crashes, political turmoil, war, or recession, precious metals shine. While stocks can plummet and currencies can collapse, gold and silver often rise in response to fear and uncertainty — which is why central banks and governments themselves hold large reserves.

• Gold surged during the 2008 financial crisis and again during COVID-era instability.

• When the stock market is volatile, metals provide balance and peace of mind.

• Investors around the world flock to metals as a defensive position in turbulent times.

3. Tangible, No-Counterparty Assets

You own it. Fully. Directly. Without reliance.

Precious metals are real, physical, and unbreakable stores of value. They don’t depend on a bank’s solvency, a company’s quarterly report, or a government’s promise. You don’t need permission to access your metals — and no third party can freeze or erase them.

• No digital asset risk — metals can’t be hacked or “zeroed out.”

• No default or contractual failure risk — you hold the full value, not a paper IOU.

• Physical control gives you financial sovereignty.

4. Global Liquidity & Trust

Recognized, respected, and redeemable worldwide.

Gold and silver are the original international currencies. Their value transcends borders and political systems. Whether you're in the U.S., Europe, Asia, or anywhere else, precious metals are instantly recognized and accepted for trade, sale, or barter.

• Coins and bars can be liquidated quickly, often at very tight spreads.

• Globally standardized weights (like troy ounces) make them easy to value and sell.

• Trusted by banks, governments, and people in every corner of the world.

5. Long-Term Value & Legacy

Preserve wealth not just for today — but for generations.

Unlike digital assets or paper money that can be erased by time or tech, precious metals endure. They’ve stored value since ancient civilizations — from Roman coins to modern bullion. When you invest in metals, you’re placing your wealth in a time-tested vessel of permanence.

• Ideal for passing down to children, grandchildren, or into family trusts.

• Aesthetic and emotional appeal — metals are beautiful, symbolic, and historical.

• Gold never “expires” — it’s as valuable now as it was 500 years ago.

6. Portfolio Diversification

Stabilize and strengthen your overall investment mix.

Precious metals tend to move independently of traditional assets like stocks, bonds, and real estate. When those markets dip, metals often hold or rise — making them an essential tool for smoothing volatility and protecting total net worth.

• Reduce correlation risk by holding uncorrelated assets.

• Strengthen your portfolio during bear markets or sector slumps.

• Silver also has growing industrial demand, making it both defensive and opportunistic.

Start Smart. Diversify Wisely. Build with Purpose.

Whether you're protecting wealth, preparing for the unexpected, or simply tired of watching your dollars lose buying power — investing in precious metals is a time-tested way to build real, lasting value.

But where do you begin?

We believe the best portfolios start with clarity, diversification, and trust — not hype.

This guide will walk you through how to build a solid foundation with globally recognized bullion coins, and how to diversify into unique, handcrafted metals that combine value with identity.

Step One: Build Your Foundation with Bullion Coins

Start Simple. Start Strong.

If you're new to precious metals, the best first move is investing in government-issued bullion coins.

We don’t sell these — but we firmly believe they're where smart investing begins.

These coins are:

• Globally recognized and trusted

• Standardized in weight and purity

• Highly liquid and easy to resell

• A proven hedge against inflation and uncertainty

Bullion coins give you stability and flexibility — a dependable base for any long-term strategy.

Popular Coins to Consider:

American Silver Eagle
.999 fine silver backed by the U.S. Mint — highly liquid and respected globally.

Canadian Gold Maple Leaf
.9999 fine gold with leading anti-counterfeit features — among the purest in the world.

South African Gold Krugerrand
Durable, iconic, and historically significant — the first modern bullion coin.

Austrian Philharmonic (Gold or Silver)
Elegant design and European prestige — widely traded and easily recognized.

Why It Matters

These coins serve as your financial foundation — offering reliability and liquidity while protecting against economic volatility.

They’re easy to understand. Easy to acquire. Easy to trust.

Start here. Build confidence. Then diversify.

Step Two: Diversify with Unique, Handcrafted Precious Metals

Go Beyond the Basics. Add Depth to Your Portfolio.

Once you’ve built a stable core, the next step is to add character, rarity, and dimension to your holdings.

This is where handcrafted, small-batch precious metals come in.

These are more than just ounces of gold or silver — they’re pieces of craftsmanship. Individually made. Often custom-designed. Visually striking. And never mass-produced.

Why Diversify Into Artisan Metals?

True Rarity
Unlike bullion coins minted by the millions, these pieces are created in small runs — or entirely one-of-a-kind. They offer uniqueness that adds depth to your collection.

Tactile, Visible Quality
Each piece is refined and finished by hand, often showcasing artistic texture, design, and intent. It’s wealth you can feel and display — not just store.

Emotional and Legacy Value
Whether gifted, collected, or passed down, handcrafted metals carry more than just market value. They tell stories. They become heirlooms.

A Personal Statement
Diversifying into pieces that reflect your style and values adds a layer of meaning to your portfolio. It’s about more than accumulation — it’s about expression.

Where to Find Handcrafted Metals

There are a growing number of independent precious metal artisans offering stunning alternatives to mass-minted bullion.

Marett Precious Metals is one of them — specializing in hand-poured, hand-refined silver and gold made in small batches with artistic and historical character.

Whether it’s a limited-edition round, a custom bar, or a bespoke piece engraved with your story, handcrafted metals can elevate your portfolio in a way bullion alone can’t.

Build More Than a Stack. Build a Strategy.

A smart portfolio doesn’t rely on a single format or philosophy. It blends stability with individuality. Global recognition with personal meaning.

Start with trusted coins.
Then evolve with handcrafted metals.
Diversify your holdings — and your story.

When you’re ready to explore artisan metals, Marett Precious Metals is here to help — or explore other independent refiners who share a passion for quality and creativity.

Because true value isn’t just stored.
It’s crafted.

Common Terminology in Precious Metals

Whether you’re investing, collecting, or simply exploring the world of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, understanding the terminology is essential. This glossary breaks down the foundational terms that define the precious metals industry and helps you make informed decisions with confidence.

Common Precious Metals

Precious metals are rare, naturally occurring metallic elements with high economic value. The four most common investment metals are:

• Gold (Au) – Valued for its beauty, scarcity, and historical role as a store of wealth.

• Silver (Ag) – Affordable, versatile, and used across industrial and investment sectors.

• Platinum (Pt) – Dense and durable, with industrial demand and high intrinsic value.

• Palladium (Pd) – Silvery-white and increasingly in demand, especially in the automotive industry.

Bullion

Bullion refers to refined precious metal—typically gold, silver, platinum, or palladium—formed into bars, rounds, or coins. Its value is primarily based on weight and purity rather than collectibility or face value.

Bullion comes in various forms:

• Machine-pressed bullion is created through automated systems, producing clean, uniform shapes ideal for stacking, storage, and large-scale investment.

• Hand-poured bullion, on the other hand, is crafted in small batches with molten metal poured manually into molds. Each piece is unique, often bearing natural cooling patterns, raw textures, and hand-stamped markings. These bars reflect a level of craftsmanship, character, and human touch that mass-produced pieces simply can’t replicate.

For those who value authenticity, artistry, and individuality as much as metal content, hand-poured bullion offers a deeper connection to the precious metal itself—blending function with form in a way that elevates the investment experience.

Troy Ounce

A troy ounce is the standard unit of weight used for pricing and measuring precious metals.

• 1 troy ounce = 31.1035 grams

This is slightly heavier than the type of ounce used for everyday items like food or mail, which weighs:

• 1 regular ounce = 28.35 grams

Because the difference can affect pricing, it's important to remember that all gold, silver, platinum, and palladium are bought and sold by the troy ounce, not the common ounce.

Spot Price

The live global market price for one troy ounce of a precious metal. It fluctuates based on supply, demand, inflation, economic conditions, and geopolitical events.

Premium

The amount added to the spot price to cover refining, manufacturing, distribution, and dealer markup. Premiums vary depending on the type of product, production method, and current market demand.

Purity / Fineness

The measure of how much pure metal is in a product.

• Expressed as a decimal (e.g., .999) or percentage (e.g., 99.9%).

• Higher purity generally equates to higher value and investment appeal.

Hand-Poured

Molten metal is manually poured into molds, resulting in pieces with natural variations, textures, and unique character. No two are exactly alike. Hand-poured metals offer individuality, artistry, and a sense of craftsmanship.

Machine-Pressed / Stamped

Mass-produced metal pieces created with automated machinery. These items are uniform and consistent, ideal for stacking and bulk investment, but lack the artisanal touch of handcrafted pieces.

Tarnish

A surface discoloration that occurs when silver reacts with elements in the air. Tarnish is purely cosmetic and does not affect the metal’s intrinsic value or purity. It can be easily removed with proper cleaning.

Refining

The process of purifying raw or recycled metal into high-purity bullion. Hand refining, done in small batches, ensures precision, close monitoring, and a high level of craftsmanship—resulting in not only purer metal, but metal with integrity and unique character.

Rounds vs. Coins

While they may look similar, rounds and coins serve different purposes in the world of precious metals. Both are trusted formats for investors and collectors, and each offers distinct advantages depending on your preferences.

Coins

• Minted by government mints and carry a legal tender face value

• Often feature official national symbols, emblems, or historic figures

• Recognized globally, making them easily identifiable in many markets

• Popular among collectors who value heritage, design consistency, and historical significance

Rounds

• Produced by private mints or independent refiners

• Do not carry legal tender status, but are crafted to the same purity and weight standards as coins

• Offer broader design flexibility—including artistic, branded, commemorative, or custom visuals

• Often handcrafted or uniquely finished, making them appealing for those who appreciate originality and craftsmanship

Key takeaway: Coins are ideal for those who appreciate official minting and tradition, while rounds offer creative freedom, individuality, and a direct connection to the artistry of the metal itself. Both are reliable forms of precious metal—your choice depends on what you value most.

Types of Silver

Silver is available in several forms, each with its own purity level and use case. Understanding the differences is crucial when investing, collecting, or buying silver products.

• .999 Fine Silver – Also known as “pure silver,” this is 99.9% silver and is the standard for investment-grade bullion bars and rounds.

• Sterling Silver (.925) – Contains 92.5% silver, commonly alloyed with copper or another metal for durability. This is the standard for modern jewelry and silverware.

• English Sterling – A traditional British silver standard. While often stamped .925, older pieces can be as low as 80% silver depending on the era and hallmark.

• Coin Silver / Junk Silver (.900) – Composed of 90% silver and 10% copper, typically found in U.S. coins minted before 1965, such as dimes, quarters, and half-dollars. These coins are valued for their metal content rather than collectibility.

• Silver-Plated Items – Many modern products, such as decorative silverware and costume jewelry, are made with a thin electroplated layer of silver over a base metal like copper or brass. While visually similar to solid silver, plated items have little to no melt value and are not considered suitable for investment.

Types of Gold by Karat

Gold is measured in karats (K), indicating how much of the item is pure gold:

• 24K Gold – 99.9% pure; soft and bright yellow; used in investment bullion and fine jewelry

• 22K Gold – 91.6% pure; common in high-purity jewelry and some foreign coins

• 18K Gold – 75% pure; standard in luxury jewelry with rich color and better durability

• 14K Gold – 58.5% pure; popular for everyday jewelry due to strength and affordability

• 10K Gold – 41.7% pure; minimum legal standard in the U.S.; extremely durable

Platinum

A naturally white, durable, and dense precious metal often used in jewelry, industrial applications, and investment products. Usually refined to .9995 purity.

Palladium

A silvery-white metal in the platinum group. Known for its use in catalytic converters, electronics, and as a rising alternative for precious metal investors. Refined to .9995 purity.

Trusting the Purity and Source of Your Precious Metals

For most buyers, trust is just as important as the metal itself. Whether you're purchasing from a major government mint or a small independent refiner, understanding how purity and authenticity are ensured can give you greater confidence in your investment.

Both large and small producers have their own strengths:

• Major mints often carry brand recognition, advanced machinery, and large-scale certifications. Their products are widely recognized and may offer the reassurance of long-established processes.

• Independent refiners, on the other hand, offer a more hands-on approach—often producing in small batches with personal attention to every detail. This kind of craftsmanship results in a level of transparency, care, and pride that mass production can’t always replicate.

Here are a few things to look for—regardless of the size of the producer:

• Serial Numbering – A unique serial number on each piece provides traceability, allowing buyers to distinguish individual products and ensure they haven’t been tampered with or duplicated.

• Certificate of Authenticity – A printed certificate accompanies each item, documenting key details like weight, metal type, and purity. While not the same as laboratory analysis, these certificates reflect the seller’s accountability and provide a written standard for what the buyer is receiving.

• Batch Testing and Quality Control – Smaller refiners typically test each batch for purity during production, taking the time to ensure quality before any item is finalized. While individual pieces may not come with test results, the process behind them is intentional and carefully managed.

• Visible Craftsmanship – Many small-batch products carry the marks of handwork: detailed finishes, unique textures, and visual cues that speak to the care taken in their creation. This can add both character and confidence.

• Transparency and Responsiveness – Reputable refiners—large or small—are open about their processes and ready to answer questions. Look for sellers who share information freely, respond to inquiries, and stand behind their work.

While you may not have access to tools like XRF guns or lab assays, you don’t have to rely on guesswork. Trust is built through documentation, traceability, consistency, and the professionalism of the supplier—whether their name is globally known or locally grown.

Storage and Preservation

Proper storage is key to maintaining the appearance, purity, and long-term value of your precious metals. Whether you’re holding metals for investment or collection, how you store them matters.

• Keep metals dry and sealed – Moisture and air exposure can cause tarnish, especially on silver. Use airtight containers, plastic capsules, or sealed tubes. Adding anti-tarnish strips or silica gel packets helps absorb humidity and preserve luster.

• Use soft, non-abrasive storage materials – Avoid materials like paper, cardboard, or acidic cloths that can scratch or chemically react with your metals. Instead, opt for coin flips, archival-safe sleeves, velvet pouches, or lined cases.

• Store different metals separately – Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium each react differently to air and moisture. Keeping them separated prevents discoloration or chemical interaction.

• Limit handling – Oils and moisture from your skin can leave marks or speed up tarnishing. Handle metals by the edges or use cotton gloves when possible. If needed, gently wipe with a dry, soft cloth.

• Secure your investment – A fireproof safe at home is ideal for small collections. For higher-value holdings, consider professional storage solutions like bank safety deposit boxes or private bullion vaults.

• Keep a written inventory – Tracking your metals by type, weight, and location helps with organization, insurance, and estate planning.

Proper storage preserves both the physical beauty and financial integrity of your metals—ensuring they remain secure, protected, and ready to pass on or liquidate when the time is right.