ETFs No Substitute For Physical Gold In A Crisis

Gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) generally follow the price of gold. As a result, they have been underperforming relative to the general stock market this year.

For instance, SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) lost about 28.3% of its value in 2013, fell another 2.2% in 2014 and yet another 3.8% so far this year. It was recently trading at $109.72 per share.

ETFs are backed by physical gold held by the issuer, and are traded on the market like stocks. They allow investors to play gold without having to buy full ounces of gold at spot price. Since their purchase is just a number in a computer, they can trade their investment into another stock or cash pretty much whenever they want, even multiple times in the same day. Many speculative investors appreciate this liquidity.

There are also gold mining ETFs that track the value of gold mining companies and also generally follow the price of gold. These are very popular with speculative commodity investors and some of the most popular hit record lows this past summer, like the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX).

With gold ETF prices being so low, many of Peter Schiff’s clients have asked if they should be investing in these ETFs.

There are good reasons to invest in ETFs, but they aren’t a substitute for owning physical metal. In an overall investment strategy, SchiffGold recommends buying gold bullion first.

When considering gold-backed ETFs, you should always keep in mind that you don’t actually own the gold. Buying the most common ETFs does not entitle you to any actual amount of the precious metal.

Having physical metal in your possession is particularly important in the event of an economic meltdown. Think about it: what would you rather have in your possession during a crisis – a piece of paper, or a physical asset recognized as real money all over the world?

Gold-backed ETFs are prized for their liquidity and ease of transfer, but during a period of economic chaos, those characteristics would likely vanish. Crisis creates uncertainty. Panicked people won’t value paper that may or may not represent a tangible asset. But they will value physical metal that they can hold in their hands.