One of the problems with buying platinum is the cost. Platinum is more expensive than gold ounce for ounce so one has to fork out more money to get the same amount of precious metal.

Usually the most economical method of buying platinum is by the ounce. The premium and shipping costs are a big factor however and can add substantially to the cost. This means it takes longer to recoup the expenses incurred in buying platinum either from a dealer or mint.
However, there is a way of buying platinum that does not involve a lot of cost, saves on shipping and one can buy virtually any amount without an additional penalty. This is through the use of the company called GoldMoney.

Gold Money
Signing up for an account with GoldMoney is free and enables one to buy either real gold, silver and platinum in any amount for a small fee and have it stored in either a London or Zurich Bank Vault.

The precious metal is stored in bullion bars and the amount you own, weather a part of a bar or entire bars, is represented by the account you have. That account shows how much of each metal you have, which bank vault it is in and its current value at any given time. You can buy or sell as much or as little as you want at any time which is very convenient for people who wish to buy small amounts on a regular basis and want to be able to sell just a small amount rather than their entire value of precious metal.

This is an excellent way of buying platinum as one can buy just fractions of an ounce rather than having to pay for full ounces if their economic situation makes that difficult.

Creating an account with Gold Money is easy and uses a similar basic identity application system as many banks. Once an account is opened and the identity of the account owner is verified one can proceed to fund the account with platinum, gold and silver.

One usually transfers funds through bank either by bank wire or CHAPS/BACS (UK bank accounts only).

Security
What about security you might ask. An important question! Itt states on the GoldMoney website:

1. The vault operator is VIA MAT International Ltd.,
MAT International Ltd., an independent third party, routinely prepares a bar list showing all of the precious metals owned by GoldMoney’s customers that is held in its vaults. These reports, which include bar number, weight, refinery, and fineness, are posted quarterly to our website.

2. Reports by the Metal Administrator
The metal administrator, Andium Trust Company, an independent third party, verifies that the totals shown in the bar list prepared by the vault operator equals the amounts of gold, silver and platinum recorded in GoldMoney’s database. The metal administrator has special access to review at any time the total amount of metal recorded in GoldMoney’s database. These reconciliation reports by the metal administrator are posted quarterly to our website.

3. Reports by the Vault Auditor
The vault auditor, Inspectorate International Ltd, an independent third party, audits on a quarterly basis the precious metals owned by GoldMoney???s customers to ensure that the physical bars held in the vaults operated by VIA MAT International Ltd correspond to the bar weight lists posted to our website. The audits are performed on a statistical random sample basis with the exception of Registered Gold Bars which are audited on a 100% basis every quarter. The audit certificates issued by Inspectorate International Ltd are posted quarterly to our website.

An a SAS 70 Type II Audit report is also done once a year and available to account holders upon request.

When you use GoldMoney you actually own real platinum, gold and silver and it is not pooled or shared as is with some ETFs and other services. The precious metal is yours and in your name. And the cost is minimal. There is no shipping or insurance costs to worry about also.

Using Gold Money therefore, is probably one of the best ways of buying platinum around.

GoldMoney is the leading provider of precious metals storage in gold and silver bullion to retail investors and digital gold currency payments. GoldMoney has recently expanded its precious metals offering by moving into Platinum. Investors looking to diversify their precious metal portfolio can now buy up quantities of platinum in their digital accounts as well as the traditi0onal gold and silver.

Some metal analysts suggest that an economic recovery could lead to a strong platinum rally as the price is currently forty percent lower than it was 12 months ago.

Platinum is the rarest precious metal of all with annual production amounted to only 5.5 million ounces in 2008. That is one tenth of the amount of gold produced in a year.

Platinum is predominantly used in industry where demand has increased almost threefold over the past 30 years particularly due to the expansion of the car industry which consumes half the annual global platinum output.

Demand for platinum jewellery has also increased, particularly in China, since prices hit bottom in November 2008. South Africa, the largest producer of platinum, is also facing difficulties increasing the output of the metal which in turn contribute to a worldwide supply deficit as industrial demand increases.

GoldMoney founder James Turk stated, “Platinum offers the opportunity to diversify one’s precious metals portfolio, but it is often difficult for retail investors to locate and purchase. GoldMoney has now changed that because platinum can be purchased online with the same ease and convenience that our customers purchase gold and silver.”

In the same way they buy gold and silver, GoldMoney customers can now open an account with as little as 10 pounds and transfer funds to specially segregated customer funds accounts prior to placing a specific order for platinum. Orders and payments are made through a secure online system and processed by Gold Money???s servers, which record transactions and store currency and metal balances. All customer metals are insured and held in allocated storage in specialized bullion vaults in Zurich and London, and the metals are audited annually and reported to customers.

About GoldMoney
GoldMoney is based in the British Channel Islands, in St Helier, Jersey. Bank Vaults are based in London and Zurich. The deposits are fully insured and are also independently audited on a regular basis.

GoldMoney is the inventor of digital gold currency, combining 21st century technology with the world’s oldest money - gold - to make the online purchase of gold and silver safe, convenient and economical.

Not only is GoldMoney the fastest growing digital gold currency, it is also the largest. Its regular audits and governance procedures have set the industry standard. These advantages have made GoldMoney a world leader in the buying and selling of gold and silver bullion.
Anyone can use GoldMoney to build their savings and secure their wealth by owning pure gold and silver that is insured and stored safely and conveniently for them in a specialised bullion vaults near London, England and Zurich, Switzerland. GoldMoney services can be accessed at goldmoney.com.

In these economically uncertain times, it is a good idea to put some assets into safe storage and there is little better than GoldMoney to do it.

Here are some useful tips on how to buy platinum.

First it is a good idea to understand a bit about platinum. Platinum is more rare than gold and all the platinum ever mined would fit into your bedroom. There is not very much of it. It melts at double the temperature of gold and is much harder and more long wearing. It is a shiny and silver looking precious metal and goes well with various diamond and other gemstones as well as opals and pearls.

There are different types of platinum one can buy. Platinum coins, platinum bullion and even platinum in custodian form, which has some useful advantages.

You can buy platinum in the form of coins such as American Eagles, Canadian Platinum Bear coins among others. The price of Platinum coins usually incurs a sizable premium. Coins have to be struck and made presentable as they are also legal tender with a face value. Of course that face value is far below the value of the platinum contained within the coins. But the premium can be up to twice the value of the platinum. Platinum coins are usually presented in attractive boxes and are of mint or proof condition. This means they are sealed in plastic usually and should not be touched by hands or fingers. These can cause thin hairline cracks in the surface and reduce the value of the coins. Also when you buy platinum coins there is shipping storage and insurance issues to be concerned with.

Platinum bullion bars are a better deal although you have to buy more platinum in one hit to take advantage of it. One kilo platinum bars have a lesser premium but still have the same shipping, insurance and storage issues of course.

An alternative is to buy platinum from GoldMoney. Here you can open an account and buy platinum to put into the account. The advantages here are:

You can buy any amount without incurring an extra charge or premium.
The platinum you have is stored in bank vaults in either London or Zurich and is fully insured and audited on a regular basis.
There is no shipping to worry about as the platinum does not move. Simply the ownership of the platinum residing in the bank vault changes as you buy, and even sell your platinum.

This is probably the simplest and easiest way to buy platinum. It incurs less expensive and less work and, when it comes to how to buy platinum, beats other methods hands down.

Investment in platinum looks very attractive as platinum looks set to continue the rise it has enjoyed over the past 6 months and , in time, may even enjoy the dizzy heights of last year.

If one wants to invest in platinum the first question is what type of platinum should one invest in?

The use of platinum’s in industry over this century has skyrocketed to include neurosurgical and dental apparatus, drugs for cancer treatment, computer and automotive equipment. In fact out of every five goods manufactured one contains or is made using platinum. Auto catalytic converters are a main use, especially these days with the attention on climate change and greenhouse emissions. Within auto catalysts, platinum converts harmful emissions into carbon dioxide and water. Almost a third of newly mined platinum is used in this way

Although the use of platinum in industry is increasing, the supply is very restricted. It takes about 6 months to extract platinum in a intricate and involved process. The amount of platinum mined is only 5 percent that of gold and there is so little of it that all the platinum ever mined would fill a normal sized living room.

So due to its increasing use and continued restricted supply, platinum makes for a real opportunity as a future investment

Platinum comes in many forms, bars, coins, strips and other fabrications. Many people like to invest in platinum coins. These are struck by mints around the world and sell for a high premium.

The United States Mint launched its first platinum bullion coin in 1997, the Platinum American Eagle. This launch effectively doubled the investment demand for platinum at the time and demand for the platinum eagle has never really diminished. The Platinum Eagle has now become one of the most popular precious metal coins in the world.

But the platinum investor is not restricted to platinum coins. He can now choose between legal tender coins, bullion bars, exchange traded futures and options or even various numismatic coin products.

The main question then is, what is the most economical way of investing in platinum for asset savings? Apart from the cost of the platinum itself, the additional costs to factor in when buying platinum are the premium of the dealer or seller and the shipping, handling and even insurance costs.
One can search around, on auctions, such as eBay, or precious metal dealers to find the best deal. Small platinum bars such as one ounce or one to ten grams are the cheapest to buy. They also carry the highest premium. The American Platinum eagle and other platinum coins also carry a premium. However, those that purchased platinum coins and bars in the 1990s even with a high premium at that time are now sitting back congratulating themselves as the value of platinum rose far above any premium they might have paid.

But there is another way of investing in Platinum recently set up. Gold Money, usually dealing in gold and silver bullion has recently set up the ability for clients to buy platinum. here one simply opens an account and can fund it with platinum along with gold and silver bullion of course. The vaults are fully insured and the platinum one buys is fully yours and not shared. One can buy as much or as little as as one can and it is an ideal way of investing in platinum without having to buy large bars or more expensive coins. One can open an account at Gold Money free and set up an account within hours. This is a bona fide company and will require sufficient ID in the same way banks and other custodians of value do.

Where to buy the cheapest platinum coins is a question often asked and with a little research it is possible to find this out.

Platinum is one of the rarest and most expensive of the precious metals. There are other precious metals more expensive but they are usually traded by specialists and industries. Platinum is also used in jewellery as well as industry and investment. Of the precious metals used for coins, jewellery and investment it has been said that gold is the prettiest, silver is the cheapest and platinum is the fanciest.

Platinum tends to be hoarded in large quantities by people like the Swiss but it is also used in industrial applications, such as spark plugs, chemical reactions, and catalytic converters. In fact, over 50% of annual platinum production is used in the automotive industry.

Platinum coins are to be found of course. They are manufactured by many of the world???s mints and they usually offer them direct to the public now. Of course you can find platinum coins at coin dealers and numismatic dealers.

The smallest cheapest platinum coin available is the Cat Coin (picture above). This platinum coin is one twenty-fifth of an ounce and contains a picture of a cat on it. It was issued by the Isle of Man.

Generally speaking though to buy the cheapest platinum coins you will have to go direct to the mints that produce them and catch them when they are first issued. Platinum coins tend to increase in value after they have been sold. Checking eBay and the various coin dealers will soon show the current prices of platinum coins.

The best mints to check are the US Mint, the Perth Mint (Australia) and the UK Mint. All produce platinum coins, usually mint, offering them at a premium of course.

Also it is possible to find cheaper platinum coins by doing a lot of research, checking various auctions for that potential bargain, numismatic clubs and associations.

Finding out where to buy the cheapest platinum coins is half the fun, and when you find the one you are looking for, the fun becomes very joyful indeed.

Knowing how to buy investment platinum can make all the difference when it comes to investing in platinum.

First there are many forms of platinum from bullion bars to small pressed bars, called biscuits, to wire, to coins and even jewellery.

The most expensive platinum is platinum jewelery of course and this is certainly not the best investment option. There is a very high mark up or premium due to the fabrication process, of say platinum rings for example, as well as the fact that the jeweler will want his cut along with the wholesaler and manufacturer.

Platinum coins are a good investment although the mark up or premium is higher than on bars. There is a lot more work done on the fabrication and production of platinum coins and, of course, they have to come in nice presentation boxes which the buyer pays for. Fortunately the sale value of platinum coins is fairly good and you can still sell for the platinum value plus a bit more in such places as eBay.

But the more you can cut out of the mark up (mark up: the amount a seller adds to the price to cover his costs and make a profit) chain the better so it is always better to go to the manufacturer if possible.

Probably the best form of platinum to invest in would be the smaller bars unless you can afford the larger bars or even ingots. The larger bar you buy, of course, the smaller the premium you will have to pay per ounce for the platinum.

If one can only afford a small amount then buying smaller one ounce bars on a regular basis would be the way to go. It is amazing how much platinum you can accumulate this way. Just a bar a month would give you, over a period of time, a sizable investment in platinum.

Ensure you buy from an authorized seller or dealer in precious metals. Check their credentials, ease of contact and returns policy. All these should be clearly available.

If you buy platinum bars from an auction, such as eBay, then try to pick a power seller with excellent feedback. Check over their feed back to see what it is. There are various ways of bidding but one of the favoured methods is to not make any bids until the last minute. It is a matter if skill and some luck involved of course. But with some study and persistence you can buy investment platinum at a reasonable cost this way.

So with the above points in mind it should not be too hard to know how to buy investment platinum

Here we look at where to buy platinum engagement rings cheaply.

Platinum engagement rings are probably one of the best to buy with platinum being very hard and long wearing precious metal. Platinum is also the most expensive precious metal and costs more than gold engagement rings.

The first thing to do is decide on a budget or price range. Generally a good benchmark is around two month’s salary but this will really depend upon what your salary is and what you can afford within your budget.

After you have established how much you will spend you then need to establish what sort of platinum engagement ring to buy in terms of style. It is a good idea to browse some jewelers and see what they have to get an idea of the style you prefer. This should take into account the fact that the ring is likely to be on the hand most of the time, so should be suitable for the type of lifestyle the wearer has.

Then, with those basics done you can start to look at where to buy platinum engagement rings cheaply.

When you are searching for a ring ensure you do not go outside of the criteria you have set above. This is the first step to buying a platinum engagement ring as you then ensure that you do not pay more than you have decided or can afford. You want to buy the ring you decide, not the ring the seller wants to sell you.

Browse a number of jewelers, both online as well as in the mall and high street. Auctions can be a fruitful source of rings also. It can take time and patience, but if you have in your mind exactly what you want, it is amazing how easy it is to get it. It is rather like having a goal and putting it there in front of you until it eventually comes true.

When you find some rings that couple be suitable then you can start the next step which is negotiating a discount or price reduction. Do not be afraid to ask for a better price. These days jewelers are more prepared to give a better price to secure a sale. In the jewelery field it is a buyer’s market at the moment.

If you can pay cash that is also a good negotiating tool. Paying by credit card costs the merchant money and they do not always get it for a few days or up to a month. Cash in hand is always a better option from the seller’s point of view.

The main secret is doing some research however, and some due diligence and having a little patience. With this and using the above points where to buy platinum engagement rings cheaply becomes very easy.

The 2008 Emblems of Britain Platinum Proof Set marks the watershed in numismatic history for Britain as it commemorates the major design change for the legal tender of Britain due in Spring 2008.

In the late spring of 2008 the nation will see new designs on the coinage, from the 1p to the ??1, reflecting a more modern twenty-first century Britain.

According to the Mint, “The Platinum Collection comprises seven coins bearing the definitive reverse designs, the portrait of the Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS on their obverse, and are all dated 2008. Each coin is struck in .9995 platinum to Proof quality. For such a magnificent collection, the Royal Mint has commissioned high-quality hand-crafted walnut veneer cases designed exclusively to house the platinum Proof coins. An informative booklet featuring a potted history of the iconic designs completes the presentation. Incorporated into each booklet is an individually numbered Certificate of Authenticity.”

“The introduction of the new decimal series of coins was no easy task 40 years ago. From settling the dimensions of the coins, to the creation of the designs, to their production by the Royal Mint it was a mammoth undertaking. Not only did the different denominations need to be readily distinguishable by sight and touch from each other, they also needed to avoid being confused with existing coins of the pre-decimal system.”

“As for their designs, a new portrait of the Queen by Arnold Machin RA had already been prepared and approved, while for the reverse designs it was announced in November 1966 that a public competition would be arranged. More than 80 artists took part and, from the 900 or so designs that were received, a series by Christopher Ironside was eventually approved, his designs drawing praise for the ???lack of clutter???, a requirement that had been stressed in the creative brief.”

There will only be 250 collections issued so the demand is going to be great. All coins are dated 2008 and the price of the collection will be ??4995.00. The code is UKL8PLS

The value of the 2008 Emblems of Britain Platinum Proof Set is very likely to increase very well over the coming years due to the distinctiveness and low issue.

You can by platinum clad sterling silver rings at many online jewelers. These are simply silver rings with a platinum coating on them.

This protects the silver and prevents it from tarnishing. It also give the ring a nice white finish. It is also a way to have a platinum ring without the expense of have a solid platinum ring. Platinum is more expensive that gold and about 100 times more expensive that silver so you see you can save rather a lot of money by buying a platinum clad sterling silver ring instead of a solid platinum one

As with any jewelry purchase you need to ensure you get what you are paying for. This means doing some due diligence, especially when buying on line. Ensure you pick a genuine dealer or jeweler.

Make sure the jeweler has a fixed address and a contactable phone number. Many on line have no address so you have no idea where they are in the event you have an issue cannot contact them except through a generic feedback page.

You can check if they are a member of the Better Business Bureau also and also a member of a jewelers association.

Ensure that the dealer can give you a certificate to show that the ring is indeed silver and not palladium (a much softer metal although it does look virtually the same) or even, god forbid, nickel.

It is a good idea to know what sort of style of ring you want. Do you want a gemstone in the ring? If so which one? And what size and quality atone do you want?

When you know what you want it is often relatively easy to find the sort of ring you are looking for and finding just the right platinum clad sterling silver rings is not as difficult as it may first seem.

Antique style engraved platinum ring settings can sometimes be found at auctions but, as platinum was not used so much in the earlier days, these tend to be be quite rare. More likely you will fine the ‘antique style’ really relates to newer rings manufactured in the antique style.

The antique style is very ornate and basically the idea is to fill every space with something. A decoration or pattern of some sort.

These appeal to many people and can look very striking in the right circumstances with the right clothes.

When buying antique style engraved platinum ring settings it is a good idea to know exactly what you are buying. The platinum should be at least 95 percent pure. There should, in fact, be a mark on the platinum ring to assure you of that and a written statement by the jeweler will help also.

If you are having engraving done always instruct the engraver by giving him very clear instructions what you want. A typed out text in capitals so it is easy for him or her to read. It is amazing how many people do not do this and simply reel off verbally to the engraver what they want resulting in potential misduplication and misunderstandings.

The engraving should be on the inside of the ring of course and done well. No mistakes as they are hard to rectify. You should be able to see the engraving if not with the naked eye, then with a jewelers loupe and the writing should be clear and easy to read.

Examine the ring thoroughly. Ensure that the designs and ornate patterns are well done and not slipshod.

If you are having a gemstone, such as a diamond for example, set in the ring ensure the prongs or claws are well set and hold the gemstone firmly but so hard as they can crack or damage the gemstone. Many gemstones can be brittle and crack easily and the common idea that diamonds cannot be cracked is false. So they need as much looking after as any other gemstone.

The bottom line is, if you like the ring and the design then it is for you provided common sense is applied to ensure you are buying a good quality ring and stone and not something that will deteriorate over time. Good quality antique style engraved platinum ring settings should last a life time.

Provided a bit of due diligence is applied you can get antique style engraved platinum ring settings that will give great pleasure for many years.