Buying gold is one decision. Deciding where it lives afterwards is another, and it affects your security, your costs and how easily you can sell later.

At home

Keeping a small amount at home gives you immediate access and no storage fees. The trade-offs are theft risk and insurance: many household policies cap cover for gold and valuables at a low amount unless you declare them. If you keep gold at home, use a fixed, rated safe and tell as few people as possible.

A bank safe deposit box

A safe deposit box is affordable and private: the bank does not usually know what is inside. Boxes can be in short supply, access is limited to banking hours, and the contents are generally not insured by the bank, so separate insurance is worth checking.

A professional vault

Specialist vault operators store gold for a yearly fee, usually charged as a small percentage of value or by weight. Ask two questions before signing up:

  • Allocated or unallocated? With allocated (or segregated) storage, specific bars with their own serial numbers belong to you. With unallocated storage you hold a claim on the operator, not particular bars.
  • Insurance and audit. Check who insures the metal, for how much, and how often holdings are independently audited.

Gold that never leaves a recognised vault keeps an unbroken record of custody, which can make it quicker to sell.

Keep the paperwork with the metal

Whatever you choose, store the invoice, any certificates and a list of serial numbers separately from the gold, ideally with a scanned copy. These records prove ownership and help any future buyer check the bars quickly.

Handle with care

Leave minted bars in their sealed assay cards. Hold larger bars by the edges, avoid dropping them, and keep coins in capsules. Scratches and dents do not change the gold content, but they can make a resale slower.

購買黃金是一個決定；之後把黃金放在哪裏，是另一個決定。它會影響安全、成本，以及日後出售是否方便。

存放在家

在家中存放少量黃金，可隨時取用，亦無存倉費用。代價是失竊風險及保險問題：不少家居保險對黃金及貴重物品的保額上限偏低，除非另行申報。如選擇在家存放，宜使用固定安裝、具防盜評級的夾萬，並盡量少讓人知道。

銀行保險箱

銀行保險箱收費相宜，私隱度高，銀行一般不會知道箱內物品。不過保險箱供應有限，只能在銀行營業時間使用，箱內物品通常亦不受銀行保險保障，宜另行查詢保險安排。

專業金庫

專業金庫營運商按年收取存倉費，一般以價值的小百分比或按重量計算。簽約前應問清楚兩點：

  • 分配式還是非分配式？分配式（或獨立存放）指附有編號的指定金條屬於您所有；非分配式則只是對營運商的債權，並非指定金條。
  • 保險及審計。了解由誰承保、保額多少，以及持倉多久由獨立機構審計一次。

一直存放在認可金庫的黃金，保管記錄完整不斷，日後出售往往更快捷。

文件與實物同樣重要

無論選擇哪種方式，都應把發票、證書及金條編號清單與黃金分開存放，最好另存掃描副本。這些記錄可證明擁有權，亦方便日後買家迅速核對。

小心處理

壓製金條應保留在密封證書卡內；較大的金條宜拿邊緣，避免跌撞；金幣應放入保護殼。刮痕和凹痕不會改變含金量，但可能令轉售過程變慢。

Have a question about buying or selling gold?對買賣黃金有任何疑問？

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