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How much in PHYSICAL metals do you own?

gecko109gecko109 Posts: 8,231 ✭
in Precious Metals
This poll is completely anonymous, I dont want anyone to feel compelled to give exact numbers. I would appreciate accurate poll answers however....there is no reason to lie in a poll.

What im trying to determine is what the average "goldbug" holds in terms of dollar amount in precious metals. Please do not include any ETF or other paper holdings.....im talking straight physical bullion. Also, please do not include "revolving inventory" if you happen to be a part time dealer. Im only interested in your private, personal stash.

There are some "benchmarks" that I have come up with, so those will be the levels included in the poll. Some of you im sure FAR exceed my highest number, and thats ok. But I tend to believe...even in a bullion forum....that 95% or greater of us have less than $250,000 in actual physical metal....so thats the cap on the poll.

Also, without any type of formal poll, im going to speculate that the average American citizen holds less than $2,000 in physical bullion....and in fact that number is probably MUCH smaller!

Thanks in advance for participating in this poll.

Comments

  • gecko109gecko109 Posts: 8,231 ✭
    With 24 votes cast so far, im simply shocked to see that more than 20% of you own greater than a quarter million dollars worth of metal. Shocked.
  • DrBusterDrBuster Posts: 5,378 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You're shocked that you have that much???

    Despite picking things up for the past 10 years, I basically just started regular buying a few years ago. If I do what I did the past 2 years on average for 10 more, at today's spots, that 250k is gone.
  • percybpercyb Posts: 3,324 ✭✭✭✭
    I keep buying and throwing it in the safety deposit box. At todays prices I may have more in value than I realize. image
    "Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world." PBShelley
  • gecko109gecko109 Posts: 8,231 ✭


    << <i>You're shocked that you have that much???

    Despite picking things up for the past 10 years, I basically just started regular buying a few years ago. If I do what I did the past 2 years on average for 10 more, at today's spots, that 250k is gone. >>




    You do realize that means buying over $2,000 worth of metal each and every month for 120 straight months without EVER missing a single $2,000 contribution, right? Even a person making low 6 figures with a wife and at least 1 kid to support would have trouble keeping up such a feverish pace!
  • 57loaded57loaded Posts: 4,967 ✭✭✭
    can you increase your upper limit to 500,000 and above?
    image
  • DrBusterDrBuster Posts: 5,378 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>You're shocked that you have that much???

    Despite picking things up for the past 10 years, I basically just started regular buying a few years ago. If I do what I did the past 2 years on average for 10 more, at today's spots, that 250k is gone. >>




    You do realize that means buying over $2,000 worth of metal each and every month for 120 straight months without EVER missing a single $2,000 contribution, right? Even a person making low 6 figures with a wife and at least 1 kid to support would have trouble keeping up such a feverish pace! >>



    No kids here but urgh, hungover Sunday morning math is totally not my strong point, ha.

    I'm TOTALLY no where close to that rate, completely mismathed.
  • PreTurbPreTurb Posts: 1,193 ✭✭✭
    You do realize that means buying over $2,000 worth of metal each and every month for 120 straight months without EVER missing a single $2,000 contribution, right? Even a person making low 6 figures with a wife and at least 1 kid to support would have trouble keeping up such a feverish pace!

    Many folks started buying at $400 and $7.....
  • OnlyGoldIsMoneyOnlyGoldIsMoney Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>You're shocked that you have that much???

    Despite picking things up for the past 10 years, I basically just started regular buying a few years ago. If I do what I did the past 2 years on average for 10 more, at today's spots, that 250k is gone. >>




    You do realize that means buying over $2,000 worth of metal each and every month for 120 straight months without EVER missing a single $2,000 contribution, right? Even a person making low 6 figures with a wife and at least 1 kid to support would have trouble keeping up such a feverish pace! >>




    Gecko, at our household its just me, the wife, and a hungry cat. At 55 I am a lot closer to retirement than many here. I started stacking late (early 2009) but have made up for lost time. I have been on a $6,000 a month pace ever since.
    NO END IN SIGHT LIB $2.50'S CAC ONLY
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  • pragmaticgoatpragmaticgoat Posts: 853 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Many folks started buying at $400 and $7..... >>



    or less image
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  • CiccioCiccio Posts: 1,405 ✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Many folks started buying at $400 and $7..... >>



    or less image >>



    or twice that! image
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,119 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>Many folks started buying at $400 and $7..... >>



    or less image >>



    or twice that! image >>



    or lesser........

    image
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • ksammutksammut Posts: 1,074 ✭✭✭
    It is funny you started this topic today. I just spent the past 3 or 4 hours adding up my bars, rounds, 90%, and other PMs to get an idea of how much all of it was worth. My insurance policy is up for renewal in January so I needed the new value.
    American Numismatic Association Governor 2023 to 2025 - My posts reflect my own thoughts and are not those of the ANA.My Numismatics with Kenny Twitter Page

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  • BigEBigE Posts: 6,949 ✭✭✭
    yep, looks to me like most people have between O and 250,000 or more--------------------BigEimage
    I'm glad I am a Tree
  • RedHerringRedHerring Posts: 2,077 ✭


    << <i>or twice that! >>



    I was one of those late to the party. Was paying the outrageous sum of $750/oz for gold and $13/oz for silver when I started buying in earnest! Gosh that sounds cheap now! image

    Best move I ever made financially was getting into PMs in 2007.

    Right now my stash is around 10ozs of Au / 300ozs of Ag / 2ozs of Pt putting me at the lower end of the $25K to $50K range.

  • cornbreadcornbread Posts: 62 ✭


    << <i>I was one of those late to the party. Was paying the outrageous sum of $750/oz for gold and $13/oz for silver when I started buying in earnest! Gosh that sounds cheap now! image

    Best move I ever made financially was getting into PMs in 2007. >>


    Yes! I started at the very beginning of 2006 -- the end of January, I have the exact date in a spreadsheet -- with my Christmas bonus. I remember holding one of those krugerrands in my hand thinking, "I can't believe I paid nearly $600 for this thing."

    It was so weird, I went into several shops before I found one that seemed reputable. I had no interest in numismatics before that point, so finding a dealer was kind of tough. He has been a good one though.
    Lovely dimes, the liveliest coin, the one that really jingles. --Truman Capote
  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,847 ✭✭✭✭✭
    People said I was an idiot in 2002 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2003 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2004 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2005 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2006 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2007 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2008 when I was buying gold and silver,
    People said I was an idiot in 2009 when I was buying gold and silver and not selling.
    People said I was an idiot in 2010 when I was buying gold and silver and not selling.

    Moral of the story. I'm an idiot. MJ
    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
  • jmski52jmski52 Posts: 22,824 ✭✭✭✭✭
    People said I was an idiot in 2002 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2003 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2004 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2005 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2006 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2007 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2008 when I was buying gold and silver,
    People said I was an idiot in 2009 when I was buying gold and silver and not selling.
    People said I was an idiot in 2010 when I was buying gold and silver and not selling.

    One thing for sure MJ, is that people are sure consistant. But you are hardly an idiot.image
    Q: Are You Printing Money? Bernanke: Not Literally

    I knew it would happen.
  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,847 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    One thing for sure MJ, is that people are sure consistant. But you are hardly an idiot.image >>



    I have an ex-wife ( she's the greatest) and a couple of ex girlfriends that would beg to differimage

    They could takes turns vouching for my idiocy.

    MJ
    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
  • percybpercyb Posts: 3,324 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>People said I was an idiot in 2002 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2003 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2004 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2005 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2006 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2007 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2008 when I was buying gold and silver,
    People said I was an idiot in 2009 when I was buying gold and silver and not selling.
    People said I was an idiot in 2010 when I was buying gold and silver and not selling.

    Moral of the story. I'm an idiot. MJ >>



    The first step in recovery is your admission of the problem. image
    "Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world." PBShelley
  • meluaufeetmeluaufeet Posts: 764 ✭✭✭


    << <i>and a couple of ex girlfriends that would beg to differ >>




    Too much information.

    The next thing you'll tell me is that they were taking turns image

    Be good or play safe my friend.
  • RedTigerRedTiger Posts: 5,608 ✭
    I am hesitant to reply to a Gecko thread. Gecko tends to think that most others are like him, and tends to be surprised when they aren't. Most forumites tend to be quite a bit older, typically with more modest income levels, than the top 10% income earning Gecko. That said, coin collectors do tend to have above average incomes and PM forum members do tend to have a high percentage in metals. Would anyone be surprised if high income folks had over the stated amounts in other asset classes such as bonds, or stocks or real estate? Why is anyone surprised when they have it in metals, when this forum skews heavy towards that asset class?

    Keep in mind that the average age on the forums is 50+, with a good percentage already retired, so there has been plenty of time to save money. For the retired folks, there is no more earned income to add to the pile. PM folks tend to be savers, at least those that stack physical (vs. gunslinging futures and options traders). So again, my surprise is at the surprise. Would anyone even blink on another investment forum, if 20% responded they had over the stated amounts in some other asset class? Yes, those amounts do put a person at a high percentile in terms of net worth in the general population, but this forum isn't the general population.

    The first filter is coin collector, a group that tends to have above average incomes. Magazine demographers place the median income of coin collectors at about $80k per family, well above the $50k or so national average. Non coin collectors likely never venture here, vs. other places such as the Kitco forums. The second filter is those that stack physical metal, a group that tends to save a high percentage of income. I'd guess stackers have a savings rate of 30% on up, vs. maybe 5% or 10% for the general population if they save at all. Add those factors, an above average income, a high savings rate, mix in prices that are up 4x to 10x off the lows, and it all adds up to a decent size number for those that have been at it for a while.
    Investment blog: gold, stocks and more
  • papabearpapabear Posts: 851 ✭✭
    People said I was an idiot in 1999 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2000 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2001 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2002 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2003 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2004 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2005 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2006 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2007 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2008 when I was buying gold and silver,
    People said I was an idiot in 2009 when I was buying gold and silver and not selling.
    People said I was an idiot in 2010 when I was buying gold and silver and not selling.




    Moral of the story. I'm an idiot. MJ

    If you are one then I must be a crazy idiot imageimage

    Thank You Papabear image
  • gecko109gecko109 Posts: 8,231 ✭


    << <i>I am hesitant to reply to a Gecko thread. Gecko tends to think that most others are like him, and tends to be surprised when they aren't. Most forumites tend to be quite a bit older, typically with more modest income levels, than the top 10% income earning Gecko. That said, coin collectors do tend to have above average incomes and PM forum members do tend to have a high percentage in metals. Would anyone be surprised if high income folks had over the stated amounts in other asset classes such as bonds, or stocks or real estate? Why is anyone surprised when they have it in metals, when this forum skews heavy towards that asset class?

    Keep in mind that the average age on the forums is 50+, with a good percentage already retired, so there has been plenty of time to save money. For the retired folks, there is no more earned income to add to the pile. PM folks tend to be savers, at least those that stack physical (vs. gunslinging futures and options traders). So again, my surprise is at the surprise. Would anyone even blink on another investment forum, if 20% responded they had over the stated amounts in some other asset class? Yes, those amounts do put a person at a high percentile in terms of net worth in the general population, but this forum isn't the general population.

    The first filter is coin collector, a group that tends to have above average incomes. Magazine demographers place the median income of coin collectors at about $80k per family, well above the $50k or so national average. Non coin collectors likely never venture here, vs. other places such as the Kitco forums. The second filter is those that stack physical metal, a group that tends to save a high percentage of income. I'd guess stackers have a savings rate of 30% on up, vs. maybe 5% or 10% for the general population if they save at all. Add those factors, an above average income, a high savings rate, mix in prices that are up 4x to 10x off the lows, and it all adds up to a decent size number for those that have been at it for a while. >>





    Excellent post! image
  • jmski52jmski52 Posts: 22,824 ✭✭✭✭✭
    So again, my surprise is at the surprise. Would anyone even blink on another investment forum, if 20% responded they had over the stated amounts in some other asset class? Yes, those amounts do put a person at a high percentile in terms of net worth in the general population, but this forum isn't the general population.

    Now I'm thinking that I need to find a stocks & bonds forum to go there and reveal that I have no stocks & bonds in any accounts, including mutual funds. Would I get sympathy, or would I get disbelief? Either way, it might be fun. (It would be fun at least, until pms crash).image
    Q: Are You Printing Money? Bernanke: Not Literally

    I knew it would happen.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I began gathering gold and silver in about 1993, people said I was nuts then. I laugh at them now and continuously remind them of their lack of foresight. Cheers, RickO
  • JamesMurrayJamesMurray Posts: 4,036 ✭


    << <i>People said I was an idiot in 2002 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2003 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2004 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2005 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2006 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2007 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2008 when I was buying gold and silver,
    People said I was an idiot in 2009 when I was buying gold and silver and not selling.
    People said I was an idiot in 2010 when I was buying gold and silver and not selling.

    Moral of the story. I'm an idiot. MJ >>



    image im also in the never sell club
  • KonaheadKonahead Posts: 1,476 ✭✭✭


    << <i>People said I was an idiot in 2002 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2003 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2004 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2005 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2006 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2007 when I was buying gold and silver.
    People said I was an idiot in 2008 when I was buying gold and silver,
    People said I was an idiot in 2009 when I was buying gold and silver and not selling.
    People said I was an idiot in 2010 when I was buying gold and silver and not selling.

    Moral of the story. I'm an idiot. MJ >>




    Your not alone! Just call me stupid.
    PEACE! This is the first day of the rest of your life.

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  • fivecentsfivecents Posts: 11,207 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Silver is just soooo high priced compared to what I am used to.

    I have been trading some of my common date modern commemorative silver dollars in my hoard + some cash for NGC /PCGS MS63 Morgans. I am able to cherrypick the nicest, flashy coins out of a large group.
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