Reply #34: On precious metal mutual funds...

[roamer65]

Here's the question you have to ask yourself. If the dollar hyperinflates and society begins to break down, will I be able to access the fund? Probably not. If I store the metals and/or coins in safety deposit boxes, will I be able to access them in rough times? Probably not. Safety deposit boxes are also much more susceptible to government confiscation. It does not hurt to have a stash, physically available, just in case. If you're just looking to try to preserve wealth in dollar terms, the precious metal funds may be ok. Maybe a mix of a fund and physical metal, eh? Another reason I advocate pre-1964 silver coins versus silver bullion is that the silver coins can be insured, whereas bullion often cannot.

On real estate, I don't know. Not a real estate specialist. I would see one before I, personally, would do it.