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GSC 10AM REFERENCE PRICES
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GOLD 1 OZ:      SGD 5289.11
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SILVER 1 OZ:      SGD 82.85
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PLATINUM 1 OZ:      SGD 2179.24
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Updated: 11/06/2026 10:00 AM

GoldSilver Central Pte LtdGoldSilver Central Pte Ltd

GoldSilver Central Pte Ltd

We are a Singapore registered company that specialises in physical bullion trading in Gold, Silver and Platinum at real-time pricing, completed with a whole array of services.

+65 6222 9703 | Mon to Fri: 10am to 5.45pm | Sat: 10am to 12.45pm
Email: [email protected]

GoldSilver Central Pte. Ltd.
3 Pickering Street #01-15/16 Nankin Row Singapore 048660

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Is Platinum worth investing in?

  • 0
GoldSilver Central Team
Friday, 05 November 2021 / Published in Blog, General

In recent years, Platinum has seen an increase in popularity among Precious Metals investors. The scarcity of Platinum makes it rarer than Gold. Approximately 1,500 tons of Gold are mined each year in comparison to just 160 tons of Platinum. However, is rarity a deciding factor on whether the Precious Metal is a good and valuable option for investment?

Although Platinum is widely used in various industries such as jewellery and dental, its greatest demand comes from the automotive sector. Around 40% of Platinum is used to produce catalytic converters in helping to reduce harmful emissions. To find out more on what the other 60% is used for, click here.

Gold and Silver had been used as a form of money for thousands of years before the discovery of Platinum. Although Platinum does not have the same monetary history, the prices of Gold and Platinum are closely correlated, and is even more valuable than Gold based on past historical data. In March 2008, Platinum outshined Gold and peaked at US$2252 per troy ounce while in August, 2020, Platinum has significantly outperformed Gold, rising 55% versus Gold’s rise of 33%. This year, increase in catalytic converters thefts have been reported as Platinum have become more valuable then Gold.

 

The prices of Gold and Platinum had been drawing closer to each other since the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. (Data Source: LBMA Precious Metal Prices)

 

Whether you are looking to ride the Platinum wave or to diversify your investment portfolio,  GoldSilver Central offers a range of products and services including both digital and physical Platinum to meet your needs in Precious Metals investment.

Shop for Platinum Coins  & Bars

Disclaimer: Information shared here are of general nature and should not be regarded as a substitute for seeking professional and/or legal advice on any specific issues.

 

 

 

Evonne

Buy A Physical Gold Bar or Accumulate via GSAP?

  • 0
GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 28 October 2021 / Published in Blog, General

One question that most people ask would be – is it better to buy physical Gold Bars now that the price has dropped? There is no absolute yes or no, as the price may be even lower tomorrow. If you prefer seeing and holding on to a physical precious metal, purchasing the physical item would be a better choice but does it help in diversifying your price risk?

A good way to diversify your price risk would be to accumulate pool-allocated Precious Metals (Gold, Silver, and/or Platinum) with GSC Savings Accumulation Program (GSAP). GSAP works by dollar-cost averaging your investment amount. For example, if you invest S$100 to accumulate Gold every month, GSAP will split the S$100 into business days, and buy into Gold regardless of the price. As  the Precious Metals accumulated daily are physically deliverable, you can also take physical delivery of your pool-allocated holdings and own a physical item.

Using the dollar-cost averaging methodology may not get you the lowest price but will definitely help in reducing your risk of buying at a high price. Also, by using the dollar-cost averaging methodology, it is convenient and puts your mind at ease, knowing that you are buying in everyday, without the need to worry about price. When you have decided to make your first move in investing in precious metals, I’m sure many have thought about price risk reduction, and this is one way you can consider GSAP to own precious metals to help reduce and diversify risks in your investment portfolio.

To find out more about GSAP, you can head over to our website here. You can also reach us at [email protected] or call +65 6222 9703 to enquire more about this program!

Wendy

Is the Gold Run Over?

  • 0
GoldSilver Central Team
Monday, 18 October 2021 / Published in Blog, General

1. Algorithmic traders derived similar sell levels and multiple stop loss or stop out levels were triggered

Many algorithmic traders might have derived similar sell levels based on their technical models and there might have been hundreds or thousands of sell orders once prices hit their sell limit levels. This dip happened during the early hours of Singapore time, also during the wee hours in Europe and late night in the US. Those who had long positions might have had their positions automatically liquidated due to insufficient margins and as prices go lower, this would be further exacerbated into a downward spiral.

2. Lack of liquidity during market open in Asia

Coincidentally, this price dip happened on public holidays in Singapore and Japan. Singapore was celebrating its National Day and Japan was having a holiday in lieu of its Mountain Holiday. There was more trading activity on Friday the week before as US released better-than-expected non-farm payroll figures. This led many to believe that economic recovery was on the way. This probably led to more traders in Asia to leave sell orders before the market opened on Monday.

There are a number of gold desks in banks located in Singapore and Japan. Due to the holiday, there were probably fewer traders physically on desk or less experienced ones left on desk to handle the trades. Also, expectedly more trades were on the sell side when market opened, coupled with a lack of liquidity in the early hours with fewer market makers during Asia hours, which resulted in a 4.2% dip in the gold price before finding a support level. Gold prices then recovered very quickly within two hours and prices recovered from the low at US$1,680 to US$1,720 (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Gold Price Daily Chart

 

Figure 2 and table 1 show increased activities (volume and open interest) on these two particular days as compared to other trading days, but they are nothing out of the ordinary. It is also very unlikely there was “manipulation” as many unhappy investors claimed. There were many market participants that contributed to this dip, as opposed to a single big trade by a market player.

 

Figure 2: Gold futures – Volume and open interest

 

 

 

3. “Summer doldrums” and other asset classes have generated higher returns

The annual seasonal weakness for gold happens during the summer months, which many call the summer doldrums. During this period many family offices, fund managers and traders are on vacation, which means fewer trades executed and hence lesser volatility or price action during this period. Refineries use this period to retool and collect gold dust in their facility as physical demand tends to be lower. As we know, when markets are trading in narrow ranges, not much activity happens and more often than not, investors who are looking for prices to appreciate to make a profit will then lose interest and look at other asset classes to generate their alpha.

Capital will always flow to asset classes that can generate higher returns. This year equity and cryptocurrencies have done well. The S&P has posted 50 new highs this year and a return of about 20% so far. Cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ethereum have also done well, with more than 100% returns at their highs. Short-term gold investors were disenchanted as they were expecting gold to hit new highs from what they have seen last year, but prices went persistently lower than the market open on 2 January this year. This probably played a big part in the sell orders we’ve seen, especially when prices fell.

Table 1: Gold futures – Volume and open interest

 

Is the gold run over then?

It seems like gold will do well during the last quarter, hence I remain bullish on the precious metal. There are three main reasons why I believe gold prices will be supported. First, weak hands have been cleared out by this dip and prices can climb from here. Second, central banks that were not usual buyers have been buying gold in big quantities. For example, Brazil bought 62.3 tonnes, Hungary bought 63 tonnes, Japan bought 80.8 tonnes and Thailand bought 90.2 tonnes this year. Prices they bought into were in the range of US$1,780 to US$1,840, hence we might expect to see more central banks buying into gold at current levels, which would be a good support for gold. Finally, jewellery buying from China and India has picked up sharply compared to last year and as we move into the wedding seasons for both countries, we expect demand to pick up during the last quarter. Coupled with the October Comex Gold roll that will be rolled over to December, we could see an exciting end for gold in 2021.

Updates on silver premiums

In Crucible 17, I shared that the premiums for 100 oz. silver bars shot up by 687% in February, exacerbated by the silver squeeze. Currently, supply has more or less caught up with demand and we have seen the easing of premiums, though it is still elevated at 250%. However, ready inventory supply is still not at pre-Covid levels, hence we expect premiums to rise if there is a sharp increase in physical demand.

Brian

What is bid/ask spread and how it affects you as an investor?

  • 0
GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 07 October 2021 / Published in Blog, General

What is bid/ask spread?

The bid/ask spread is the difference between the price quoted by bullion dealers (Ask price) selling certain Precious Metals and the price that investors are willing to pay for the Precious Metals (Bid price).

For example, for Gold, if the bid price is US$1788 and the ask price is US$1790, the spread will be US$2.

 

What are determining factors for the spread size?

  1. Trading volume: The higher the liquidity of the Precious Metals, the higher the trading volume. Precious Metals that are highly liquid will have narrower spreads as many dealers or investors are looking to buy(ask) or sell(bid) with the best price. Precious Metals such as Rhodium have a wider spread as they are less liquid and more volatile when compared to Precious Metals such as Gold or Silver.

 

  1. Volatility: Prices may fluctuate when volatility in the Market is high. The bid/ask spread is usually widened for bullion dealers or market makers to manage market risks. For example, when compared to Gold and Silver, Platinum has a wider spread as it is more volatile.

 

How it affects you as an Investor?

As an investor, you would want to execute a buy or sell order closest to the Spot price. With a narrower bid/ask spread, you can get the best price with the market order itself.

 

However, a wider bid/ask spread will impose an indirect cost in trading, especially for huge orders. A wider spread will equate to a higher premium for investors. To minimize trading risks, placing a limit order will therefore be a better option. GSC Live! allows you to place a limit order at your desired price with narrower spreads at anytime, anywhere!

Read more about GSC Live!

 

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at [email protected] or +65 6222 9703.

 

Evon

为什么你的现货价格与其他贵金属交易商或平台不一样?

  • 0
GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 26 August 2021 / Published in Blog, General

English Version: Why are your Spot prices different from other bullion dealers or platforms?

 

“为什么你的现货价格与其他贵金属交易商或平台不一样?”。这是我们在门市常遇见的问题。所以今天我们就来大约讲解这个问题。

 

  1. 价格取决于网站的更新速度。

贵金属的价格是以毫秒为单位来更新的。可是网站却无法负荷如此频密的更新速度,而每秒更新的速度也会致使整个网站瘫痪。因此,网站的更新速度通常没有那么频密,甚至可能在几分钟后才更新。金银中央网站的价格是每两分钟更新一次。

 

  1. 所有的贵金属交易商或平台都有不同的流动性提供者或价钱来源。

流动性提供者会以最小的差价提供价格给各贵金属交易商或平台。不同的流动性提供者所提供的价格未必相同。因此,每个贵金属交易商的现货价格都会不一样。更何况现货价格在国际上是以美元为单位来交易,这必须转换成当地的货币单位例如在我们的情况下就是新元。这汇率换算也会造成一些差价,差价大小取决于贵金属交易商所使用的外汇流动性提供者所提供的汇率。在大多数情况下外汇流动性的提供者会是银行,而银行会从兑换率的差价中赚取利润。这样层层堆叠上去就会扩大本地货币(新元)的现货价格。

 

不同的因素如市场需求、市场情绪、买卖商数量等都会影响或决定现货价格。即使是一样的贵金属(金银条,硬币),在不同的国家以及不同交易商所在的地区也会影响它的售卖价格。我们将在以后的文章进一步讨论这些课题。如果你有什么疑问,欢迎你向我们咨询更多详情!防疫期间,注意安全!

 

Evonne

Why are your Spot prices different from other bullion dealers or platforms?

  • 0
GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 26 August 2021 / Published in Blog, General

中文翻译: 为什么你的现货价格与其他贵金属交易商或平台不一样?

“Why are your Spot prices on your website different from other bullion dealers or platforms?”. This is a question that we often hear from our retail clients. So, today we will be answering this question briefly.

 

  1. The prices are dependent on the frequency of price updates to the website. Precious Metals’ prices fluctuate every millisecond. However, websites are not able to handle the frequent update of prices and setting it to update every second will crash the site unless a lot of resources is set up just to support this and this in turn will be very costly. Thus, the refresh rates for websites are usually less frequent and it might only be updated only after a few minutes. Prices on GSC website are updated every 2 minutes.

 

  1. All bullion dealers or platforms have different liquidity providers or price source. Different liquidity providers will provide different prices with minimal spread. Thus, the Spot prices would not be exactly the same for different dealers. Moreover, spot prices in different currencies (depending on home currencies of dealers) for example in our case SGD, will also need to be converted from USD to SGD as Gold is traded in USD predominantly. This would also incur some spread and depending on the forex liquidity provider that the dealer uses for currency exchange, in most cases banks, there will be a spread as the bank will have to make their margins. This will widen the spot prices quoted in the local currency, in our case SGD.

 

Spot prices can be affected or determined by various factors such as market demands, sentiments, number of buyers and sellers and more. Even location of the dealer and thus the cost of bullion can differ for the same bar or coin in different countries. We will further discuss these in future articles. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us to understand more! In the meantime, stay safe!

 

 

Evonne

Buy Now Pay Later for Precious Metals, Possible?

  • 2
GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 19 August 2021 / Published in Blog, General

 

Did you know, other than purchasing Precious Metals outright through our e-commerce site or over-the-counter, you can also accumulate precious metals gradually. Take your time to save and accumulate the asset and then redeem it whenever you decide.

 

Accumulating (Precious Metals) gradually allows you to average out your cost and spread out your funds just like the current trending way of purchasing, BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later). Just that in this case you can only take delivery after you saved the full weight of the physical precious metal you want. You can have a peace of mind even if you do not have the time to monitor prices in order to decide when to buy in. GSC Savings Accumulation Program (GSAP) is designed to automatically purchase for you daily, based on your stipulated amount you would like to save into precious metals monthly.

 

At any time during or after the accumulation, you may redeem the precious metals by selecting your desired physical products – bars, coins and/or jewellery. Based on your accumulated weight at that point of time, you can browse through GSC and Kim Gold product range to select what you would like to redeem. After you have decided, GSC will share more on the premium/Kim Gold Fee to top up.

 

Jewellery with different purity will be calculated accordingly when redeeming them. If you have queries on this, please do not hesitate to contact our team to understand more.

Don’t miss this good “lobang” as we Singaporeans like to say it in Singlish. This means don’t miss out on this good opportunity on our very own Precious Metals BNPL Program aka GSAP!

 

Suzane

This asset dropped by over 4.0% in 1 hour! (It’s not BTC!)

  • 0
GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 12 August 2021 / Published in Blog, General

“Spot prices dropped by over 4.00% in a span of 60 minutes before rebounding back 2-3 hours later.”

 

The above situation sounds like how BTC typically behaves with its extreme volatility. (For those of us who doesn’t track BTC, BTC’s price fell by over 55.00% in a span of 2 months recently, with the biggest drop being 49.00% within 2 weeks.)

 

That’s akin to saying your million-dollar HDB flat is now worth only 500k on the market. Ouch.

 

But guess what, the above situation refers to our safe haven asset known as Gold and it happened just this week, 9th August 2021 (Incidentally when Singapore celebrated its National Day holiday.)

 

The massive dip occurred just after 0700hrs local Singapore time, a time where most people were just starting their day. The dip lasted for an hour before rebounding back upwards 2 hours later towards levels of US$1740.

 

GSC Morning Call

 

The big money question is “Why?” And we at GoldSilver Central, have laid out several possible scenarios as to what might have happened.

 

Background

Coincidentally, on the 9th August, two major Asian markets were closed. Singapore was celebrating its National day and Japan was observing its Mountain Day holiday in lieu. With both markets closed, the depth of the commodities market was shallow, and liquidity obviously was not as readily available. There were probably fewer traders physically on desk as well.

 

Scenario 1:

A large legitimate sell order was placed. As traders were mostly off desk, the order could have been placed out into the market instead of a manual cover by an actual trader. And due to the lack of liquidity in the market, prices dipped accordingly to fill up the glut caused by the large sell order.

 

Of course, there are several follow-up questions in this scenario. Would prices really dip that much? Would this big dip happen again? What can I do to prevent margin calls for my account?

 

The truth is, we will never know with certainty. Unless we are the actual parties involved (The dealer who got the sell order or the actual customer with the sell order), we can only “guess” based on the available data that we have on hand. And the one thing is clear, Gold dipped by over 4.00% in an hour to hit a low of US$1684.72 between 0700 – 0800 hr local Singapore time on 9th August 2021.

 

Would it happen again?

We don’t know. From our experience, big orders are usually spread out across several days due to its sheer size to avoid large slippages and market movements. Hence, they are usually done Over-The-Counter, directly between market participants. This prevents unnecessary shocks to the markets. From the looks of the markets right now, it seems that we are out of the woods with gold prices hovering around the US$1750.00/oz levels. But can we say with certainty that prices will not cross below US$1700 in a shock dip like what we just experienced? No, we cannot be certain.

 

Scenario 2:

High-frequency trading probably exacerbated the drop triggered by stop losses.

 

Due to the prevalence of high frequency trading these days, large volumes of trades can be pushed through in a shorter span of time now. There is debate as to whether HFT ultimately contributes to increased market volatility and sharper spikes and crashes. However, we will leave that to another day for discussion.

 

What we wish to bring up here is that the quick pace at which the price dropped that morning probably didn’t even leave time for most traders to adjust their stop losses accordingly. Each lower price level would likely have triggered further stop losses, thus resulting in a negative spiral downwards until more and more traders caught wind of the situation and managed their positions accordingly.

 

 

Well, what should you do now?

 

NOTHING.

 

Ever heard of the saying “Don’t try to catch a falling knife?” The same principle applies here, you weren’t in the right position before the event occurred. So don’t try to chase after something that is just simply not meant to be.

 

Reacting to an unexpected situation is never a good thing and we won’t know for certain what is going to happen next. If anything, stick to your gameplan. There are always opportunities in the markets.

 

If your initial position was a buy position, then see this as a good chance for accumulation. And do it wisely. GoldSilver Central offers you the tools to do so. We have:

 

1. GoldSilver Central Savings Accumulation Programme

Dollar Cost Averaging Strategy is the crux here, and when you onboard the GSAP, accumulating daily is stress-free. Think of it as automated disciplined savings for your purse strings. It allows you to break up your purchase into daily smaller bite sizes, spreading out the price risk that you must bear. More discipline in your life isn’t such a bad thing.

 

2. GSC Live! Mobile platform

A mobile friendly application that is a powerful tool for investors. You now have the capability to view and transact based on live streaming market prices. Yes, that is right, you can buy / sell anytime and anywhere that you find convenient. So if prices were to crash once again, you would be able to take action immediately. And the best part? It’s 100% physically deliverable. Yes, let me repeat, 100% physically deliverable. You can exchange the pool allocated gold in your GSC Live! Account for physical bars & coins at our retail shop.

 

If you wish to learn how GoldSilver Central can add value to your portfolio, let us know and we’ll give you a call at your convenience.

 

 

 

 

Jason

You shouldn’t buy or sell Gold on the weekends. Or should you?

  • 0
GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 29 July 2021 / Published in Blog, General

It has been a busy week, you didn’t have much time to look at your Precious Metals (PM) investments during the week. Now that it is coming to the weekend, you decide to purchase some LBMA Good Delivery gold bars as prices having been dipping throughout the week.

 

BOOM. Wrong move there. You might have been better off waiting for Monday. To understand why, we first must understand the price components of a gold bar and why weekday prices are different from weekend prices.

 

If you are unfamiliar with the below equation, get familiar with it first!

Price = Physical Premiums + Spot price

(For more information, refer to “Cheaper a bit can a not?” Why your gold bar should NOT be cheaper.“ Article)

 

“Wise and successful businesses properly manage risks.”

 

For GoldSilver Central, we adopt a Hedging-based model approach where we ensure that we are not exposed to price fluctuations on our clients’ orders. This approach allows us to serve our clients without any prejudice on prices and ensures that we are not adversely affected by massive rise/drop in prices. To put things in perspective, a $200 increase in gold price will not equate a $200 increase in profits for selling a gold bar, as we do not take any positions on the gold spot price.

 

Under normal market conditions, where there is deep liquidity available and market participants aren’t afraid to quote prices for buying/selling, the difference between the selling price and buyback price (Also known as the buy-sell spread) is narrow. This is a natural function of efficient markets, where conditions for performing transactions are very fluid and has less or no friction. This is what usually transpires on a weekday where many market participants are available, and dealers are active also.

 

However, on a weekend, this is not the case. Market participants are inactive and do not quote prices. Hence a bullion dealer who deals on the weekends will instead, take the trade onto their own books. This creates exposure and a higher risk for the business itself, come Monday when markets are once again open. To deal with this increased risk, the buy-sell spread is widened to account for any possible fluctuations between the current quotes and the Monday market prices. This widening could be reflected in either the physical premiums or the spot prices itself.

 

A fun fact: Never try to compare prices of brokerages on a weekend. The adjustment of the buy-sell spread differs for each brokerage and you will end up with an inaccurate comparison.

 

How is the buy-sell spread determined on the weekends?

Reputable bullion dealers will have their own price risk assessment and structure. They consider several factors, such as the current market volatility, and price accordingly. Hence, you may observe that the buy-sell spread for the weekends may differ for different products.

 

This is also why some bullion dealers do not take in large orders on the weekend, as this increases their risks to an unacceptable level.

 

This sounds so unfair! Why should there be a wider buy-sell spread?

It is not a question of “fair / unfair”. Rather a more appropriate question to ask yourself should be “am I willing to deal at the current quoted rates?” Reputable bullion dealers widen the buy-sell spread to account for the increase in risks that they undertake. If they do not, they expose themselves to unacceptable risks and may even go out of business if the risk is not managed properly. However, if a dealer widens the buy-sell spread too widely compared to others, savvy investors know not to take it up and the dealer effectively prices himself out of the market. GSC offers services such as GSC Live! and price alerts/limits that assist our clients to monitor their desired price levels.

 

So why transact on the weekends?

It depends on your objectives!

 

If you are a regular investor and are now in the accumulation phase of your investments, you may wish to avoid placing weekend trades to avoid any major fluctuations in your accumulation. Slow and steady as some call it.

 

However, if you are a gun-slinging sniper looking for short-term opportunities from minor movements in price, and you foresee that prices are poised for a big movement come Monday, then yes transact on the weekends and lock in those prices. There are also investors who see that the current weekend prices meet their desired levels and are happy to sell at these levels. There is nothing wrong in that too.

 

Ultimately, GSC’s role is provide liquidity to our customers at fair and transparent rates. We also have value added services such as GSC Live! that make it easier for clients to achieve their objectives. The choice to transact or not, has and always will be the client’s to decide.

 

Till the next time, have a good weekend.

 

Jason

“Cheaper a bit can a not?” Why your gold bar should NOT be cheaper.

  • 0
GoldSilver Central Team
Friday, 16 July 2021 / Published in Blog, General

Have you ever wondered how do bullion dealers come up with the price of your physical gold bar? Is it true that bullion dealers make a lot of profits? Today, we look at the breakdown of a gold bar and why it is important to get a value deal instead of a cheap deal.

 

Essentially, the basic 101 formula is this:

Price = Physical Premiums + Spot price

 

Physical Premiums

Precious Metals Investors know that when they buy physical gold, they must pay a markup known as a physical premium.

For instance, on our GSC website, an Argor Heraeus Cast Gold Bar 100g is selling at S$8050.00 with the spot price of S$2450.80/oz. This translates to a physical premium of S$170.50 for the bar now.

This physical premium includes all the various costs components incurred in the minting of the gold bar. Some of these components include, but not exclusive:

  1. Refinery Minting costs
  2. Logistics Costs for delivery
  3. Insurance Costs
  4. Storage Costs
  5. Profit Markup

 

We covered this in a previous article also:

What are Physical Premiums? Why are they important?

 

You can see in the above example, it is inaccurate to say that the bullion dealer earns $170.50 from selling the Argor Heraeus Cast Gold Bar 100g. The bullion dealer incurs costs when it decides to bring in inventory stock from refineries and typically the local SEA market competition is very stiff. It is not far-fetched to say that for a 100g gold bar retailing at S$8000+, the dealer could only be making S$10+ from it.

However, it is accurate to say that the retail investor’s “additional” costs of owning the physical bar is $170.50. It is an unavoidable cost incurred for the eliminating the counterparty risks and having the additional security of the physical asset. (We will discuss this in greater details in another article. PM us for more details!)

 

Spot Price

This is commonly known as the price of gold which may be bought and sold at this moment. What determines the spot gold price? The simplest answer is demand and supply of the market participants. However, there are many alternate theories about it which we will not delve into. We must note that the spot gold price differs slightly from region to region for many practical reasons, considering the geographical location and the time lag.

 

So, why should I not want my bar to be cheaper?

The more appropriate question here would be “What’s the opportunity costs I have to forgo here?”

Just imagine this, a dealer who is solely focused on “a race to 0” as we affectionately term it, is likely not going to be focused on value adding to its customers. Its main goal would be to try and attract as many customers as possible by virtue of its “lowest prices possible” strategy and hope to attain enough market share to be a dominant player. We know that does not work in the bullion industry, as seen from the numerous players initially making a big entrance in the precious metals industry with “low premiums inventories”, only to shut down shortly after with huge losses.

 

Price should not be your only comparison.

Instead, you should be looking for a dealer who is not only price competitive, but also able to value add to your portfolio investments! We’ve spoken on the importance of having an expert to guide you in your precious metals holdings in this article here (All Precious Metals investors fall into 2 categories. Which are you?)

 

Personally, I would absolutely be willing to top up the extra $10 in premium costs if in the long run, the dealer is able to value add to my portfolio. The costs savings would be much more than the $10 I put up now. Think of it as a minor investment in ensuring you get a better deal rather than a cheaper one. As Warren Buffett says:

“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.”

 

And I would choose value over price anytime of the day.

Till the next time.

 

Jason

What is inflation and deflation? How does it affect Gold or Precious Metals?

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GoldSilver Central Team
Friday, 09 July 2021 / Published in Blog, General

Inflation refers to the rise in prices of most goods and services of daily or common use. Whenever there is a higher demand than supply, prices will be increased and therefore, leading to inflation.

Investors holding on to tangible assets, such as property(s), may like to see inflation in the Real-Estate sector, as that will cause the value of their assets to increase. On the other hand, as whenever there is a negative in the Real Rates of Return in the Equity, Bond, or Real-Estate markets, investors will purchase Gold regularly as it is an asset that maintains value. This is because Gold, Silver, and other Precious Metals have both intrinsic and industrial value, cannot be printed at will like currencies; therefore will not be affected by inflation in the same way as food or personal services

However, investors will have to take note that the volatility of these assets can turn down the benefits of their insulation from rising prices, especially if it is only used for a short-term investment.

Deflation is when the inflation rate falls below 0% (a negative inflation rate). Inflation will cause the value of the currency to decrease over time however, sudden deflation will increase the value of the currency. This will mean that more goods and services can be bought with the same amount of currency than before this sudden deflation.

Usually, deflation happens when there is a high supply (excess production) with low demand (decreased consumption), or when supply of money is decreased (sometimes in response to a contraction created from careless investment or a credit crunch), or because of a net capital outflow from the economy.

If deflation is exacerbated, it can throw an economy into a deflationary spiral. This will happen when a decrease in price leading to lower production levels, and therefore to lower wages. This will cause a lower demand by businesses and consumers, and the price will decrease further due to the lower demand. Unemployment rate will also increase if consumers delay spending in anticipation of falling prices, as it will eventually lead to a falling economic activity.

What we see today, the big increase in money supply in support of the global economies due to the effect of the pandemic, the low interest rate to spur lending and spending, inflation seem more like a plausible event moving forward. At this moment, a portfolio with a slightly higher allocation to Precious Metals might be good as we are bullish in the longer term and this period (current price levels for Precious Metals) might be a good window to enter the market and accumulate more.

Always remember that a diversified portfolio will be important to tide investors through inflation and also remember to constantly rebalance your portfolio to achieve the best results!

 

Suzane

GSC’s Commitment to Regulatory Standards

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GoldSilver Central Team
Friday, 04 June 2021 / Published in Blog, General

 

A recently reported fraud news in Singapore involving physical Gold bars unfortunately showcased the often used asset of choice by fraudsters, fake con artists and money launderers. This plagues the industry from time to time and gives a bad name to precious metals investing for serious investors and trusted dealers.

 

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), is an inter-governmental body that sets international standards aimed to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF). Similar to other important financial centers globally, Singapore is a member of FATF and has taken action to tighten regulations and reduce the harm caused by these illegal activities to society.

 

For the precious metals sector, Singapore had passed the Precious Stones and Precious Metals Act (PSPM Act) in April 2019 that introduced an anti-money laundering and countering of terrorism financing regime to strengthen Singapore’s overall efforts to counter money laundering and terrorism financing.

 

GoldSilver Central Pte Ltd (GSC), as a regulated and trusted dealer in Singapore registered under the PSPM Act, complies with and performs the required customer due diligence (CDD) and enhanced customer due diligence (ECDD) processes.

 

Regulated dealers under the PSPM Act are prohibited from performing any transaction if the required CDD process is not completed or fulfilled. And for cash transactions, regulated dealers are further required for compliance reporting for amounts above $20,000 to the related regulatory bodies.

 

All regulated dealers have also been advised to display prominently the Ministry of Law’s Notice for Customers (as shown below).

The World Gold Council (WGC) is the market development organisation for the Gold industry. The WGC recently produced the Retail Gold Investment Principles (RGIP) which provides high level, best practice guidance for providers of retail Gold products. GoldSilver Central, which is also a corporate member of the Singapore Bullion Market Association (SBMA), supports and adheres to the guidelines found in WGC’s RGIP.

You may learn more about the RGIPs here.

As a regulated and responsible dealer in our industry, we want to always support and help build trust in our precious metals community for a safe and responsible trading environment for our clients and business partners.

GSC Compliance Team

Remembering Your milestones in life

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GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 27 May 2021 / Published in Blog, General

Missing out on the joy of joining your once-in-a-lifetime graduation ceremonies in-person? Trying to reward your loyal staff but can’t hold any meaningful physical ceremonies? How about having fixed your wedding date and made all the preparations for a intimate experience only to be affected by the volatile uncertainty caused by Covid-19. That’s exactly where a gift in the form of a Gold Bar or Coin will be a memorable and significant one.

 

At GSC, we consistently source for products suitable for investors all around the world, each looking to fulfil a different need in their portfolio. During this period of Covid-19 pandemic, where we all need to be practising social responsibility and distancing, GoldSilver Central sees the need to still remember and commemorate special events in a meaningful way.  Virtual interactions and celebrations can’t be avoided, but let’s continue to celebrate that important milestone in our lives.

 

Gift of Finance

Graduation ceremonies traditionally signify passing into the adulthood, so why not get a physical gold bar or coin as a first real financial investment for your graduating child? Celebrate that parental love you have with your child by imparting to them life’s eternal lesson: the importance of personal finance.

 

Gift of Loyalty

Similarly, reward your loyal staff who have been going above and beyond their roles by gifting them a gift that signifies a store of value. Show them you value their contributions and celebrate the bond you have built up over the years.

 

Gift of Value

And what else can we say about arguably the most important event in most of our lives? We should never underrate the joy of the matrimony of a couple. And a pure gold investment bar will make for a solid beginning of a relationship. Display it prominently in your new home and remind each other daily the importance and value of your marriage. Or if you are gifting it for your son and newly official daughter in law, this is a good opportunity to share with them the value of long-lasting assets in the relationship.

 

We have curated a catalogue of suitable gifts for you. Here are some of the products you can consider.

Feel free to browse the catalogue. For corporations, we are able to customize portfolios to suit your needs as well.

Thank you and lets all keep safe

 

Jason

You are buying too much Gold!

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GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 06 May 2021 / Published in Blog, General

Today, as I was sharing the merits of having Gold in your investment portfolio, a mid-30s male came up to me and asked me this, 

 

“How much should I invest in Gold? How do I even go about doing it?” 

 

A good question. 

 

We operate a precious metals business. Will we ever say  

 

“You are buying too much Gold! Stop buying!”.  

 

ABSOLUTELY, YES WE WILL SAY THAT.  

 

Because the alternative is just simply wrong. No one should ever have 100% of your assets into any 1 basket, that is a gambler’s mindset. (In which case, we can point you to the nearest Casino, they should be welcoming locals with open arms at the moment, given the lack of tourism still in Singapore.) Even Warren Buffet diversifies. So should you. Period. 

 

Hang on, did a Precious Metals Market Leader just mention not to buy Gold? YES we did! And that’s because having too much Gold weightage in your portfolio may not always be a good thing. Let’s dig deeper. 

 There are 2 main reasons investors buy into Gold as an asset. 

Capital Appreciation  

Wealth Preservation 

 

Which reason do you belong to? 

 

Lately, we hear a lot about how Gold prices have gone up more than 50% and that it will continue to have a “meteoric assent to the moon and Gold will have taken a leap for mankind” (we jest but just hear some of the stories that we have heard…) Would Gold shoot up to $10,000 per oz? MAYBE, but that will most probably not happen in 2021 or for the next 5 years for that matter. If you are investing to earn capital appreciation, you need to ask yourself THE important question. 

 

What is my timeframe? 

(We’ll discuss this in greater details next time, subscribe to us for the latest updates. Or simply call us to ask.) 

 

Once you’ve identified your reason for investing in Gold, comes the next part in deciding how much to invest. Ask yourself this very simple yet straight forward question, 

 

Can you sleep at night? 

 

Every investor’s “sleep tolerance level” is different, one may be comfortable with putting in 20% of their portfolio into Gold and possibly see it shrink by 10%. Another may be anxious with even a 5% dip when they’ve only put 10% of their portfolio. And you know what, there’s nothing wrong with it. Which is why here at GoldSilver Central, our purpose is not to sell you more gold, more silver, more platinum… Our purpose is not even to tell you “investors should put 5-10% of your portfolio into Gold. This is historically proven to be the best portfolio weightage according to experts…”  

 

Our purpose is to ask you this,  

 

“Will investing in Gold lead to better sleep for you? If so, lets discuss what is the most cost efficient way to get into it. If not, you should consider why are you even thinking about investing in Gold.”  

 

Are you buying too much gold? Speak to us to create the portfolio tailored specifically for you to have a good rest at night. 

 

Till next time. Sleep well. 

 

Jason

Looking back at 2020 Precious Metals prices, where will we go from here?

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GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 18 February 2021 / Published in Blog, General

 

2020 was the banner year for Gold, hitting US$2074.96/ounce in August 2020. Silver has hit its high since April 2011 at US$29.795/ounce and Platinum has hit US$1075.699/ounce since August 2016.

Based on the GSC 10 a.m. Reference Price, Gold has increased 24.93%, Platinum has increased 47.44% and Silver has increased 47.54% in 2020.

The lowest price for all metals occured in March for the year 2020. This is also the period when the pandemic started to proliferate globally.

The pandemic has accelerated the rally for investors who are looking to protect their wealth, and this led them to stockpile precious metals, the known safe-haven. In addition to the increase in demand, the pandemic has affected the supply chain for the precious metals due to lockdowns. All these led to an increase in the premium of physical stocks.

With the huge government debt, negative real returns on bonds, low or negative interest rates and threats of inflation and market turbulence, what would your precious metals forecast be for 2021?

Will the silver continue to outperform in 2021? Will the basis of positive blast from the green transformation driving increased industrial demand, and the expected economic recovery?

Below is the chart that shows the Gold, Silver and Platinum spot price (SGD & USD) movement line for the year 2020. Based on the charts below, it shows that Gold and Silver are in tandem and have a closer correlation as compared to Platinum hence a diversification across different precious metals might be a good idea for a more robust portfolios.

 

 

 

Price based on GSC 10am Reference Price

Suzane

#SilverSqueeze – What actually happened and why the #SilverSqueeze didn’t work out as planned

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GoldSilver Central Team
Friday, 05 February 2021 / Published in Blog, General

 

I believe most have read about the recent Reddit group that has spurred on many other retail investors to short squeeze stocks that hedge funds have big short positions in. The idea is to drive prices of the stock high enough to force the hand of these hedge funds to buy back the stocks they have borrowed to sell, at a loss.

Why didn’t this work with the Silver Market?

The commodities market doesn’t work the same way as the stock market. The shorts reported by CME or Commitment of Traders Report (COTR) does not mean that all of these shorts are speculative positions or positions that traders have placed to bet that prices will go south for them to make a profit. Most of these short future positions are to hedge physical Silver exposure or miners to secure prices in the future to deliver mined Silver against. In other words, these short future positions are being offset with physical bars and coins held in their inventory.

Another point to note, we do not know what is on the trading book of each bank and they might have positions not pushed out to the market yet as they have taken on a big position. For example, the trader in a bank has bought a sizable amount of Silver from a fund and yet to sell it out in order not to move the Silver price too drastically. This ride up in Silver prices allows them to hedge out their risk at a much higher profit and due to the larger number of buyers available, it will also allow them to get out of their positions even earlier and at a tidy profit.

Bottom line is, we do not see the full picture from the reports provided via CME or COTR.

The financial institutions raised margins to prevent Silver prices from soaring, is this true?

Margins were raised by 18% by Comex but this was not because the institutions wanted Silver prices to stay low. Many brokers followed suit. Margins for trades is a function of volatility. The higher the volatility the higher the margins required. This is for risk management and also to protect the interests of investors. This will happen for any asset class not only for Silver. This often has been misconstrued by many to think that the institutions did this on purpose for their own gains.

 

Physical Silver premiums shot up sharply, does this mean there are not enough physical Silver?

Physical Silver premiums came up at least 30% or more but it does not mean that physical Silver have all ran out. The sudden sharp increase in physical demand from clients globally due to this Silver squeeze coupled with the Covid-19 measures implemented in mints and refineries lead to a short term tightness of physical Silver bars and coins. There are still large Silver bars available in many vaults around the world but they are not the preferred choice for retail investors.

The manpower restrictions due to Covid-19 also meant that production schedules for Silver finished products have to be extended especially with this huge increase in demand. These factors led to the increase in premiums and it will ease once the Silver orders backlog has been met.

 

Brian

Investors buy into Precious Metals generally fall into 2 categories. Which category do you belong to?

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GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 21 January 2021 / Published in Blog, General

If you are reading this, you are likely interested in Precious Metals. At GoldSilver Central, we take care of your needs. This means we actively find ways to value add to your portfolio. And we’ve discovered that Precious metals investors can be categorized into 2 categories:

  1. Profit & Loss
  2. Asset on your Balance Sheet

 

Let’s analyze this further.

 

  1. Profit & Loss Category

To you, gold is like any other investment, you want to achieve capital gains from it in the shortest time frame possible. Of course physical gold has additional physical premiums on top of the market spot price, but if you foresee the demand will exceed supply in the near term and given the increasing rate of uncertainty in the economic market, having exposure to gold, the world’s oldest asset and it being a safe haven, is a no brainer for you. And you will make a quick profit once prices have risen to your desired levels.

So what then?

As we said, we’re here to take care of you! Here are a few ways we can do so.

 

  • GSC Live! (Download here for Free!)

A mobile friendly application that is a powerful tool for investors. You now have the capability to view and transact based on live streaming market prices. Yes, that is right, you are able to buy / sell anytime and anywhere that you find convenient. And the best part? It’s 100% physically deliverable. Yes, let me repeat, 100% physically deliverable. You can exchange the pool allocated gold in your GSC Live! Account for physical bars & coins at our retail shop.

 

  • Retail Services

Surprise! Its not just a place for you to collect your online purchases or see what gold bling lights up your eyes. Here, we are specially trained to pinpoint weaknesses in your precious metals portfolio and identify ways to bolster up your holdings. To maximize your purchases, speak to us to see what is the best way to go about it. There’s various ways, for example from reviewing your portfolio balance, aligning your risk profile, etc.

 

  • Collateral Loan

Trust us, we mean serious business when we say you should consider utilizing Collateral Loan services. Its not just about braving occasional social stigma and “pawning” your jewellery for urgent funds, it’s all about obtaining credit lines while retaining ownership of your assets for the capital gains via price appreciations. Serious investors know what we’re talking about. If you’re not sure yet am interested to find out more, just reach out to us and we’ll help you become one.

 

 

  1. Asset on your Balance Sheet

 

You belong to a very select group of customers where it’s not always just about making money. Sometimes, you are planning for your future, or maybe even your children’s future. And you want to give them the best in their lives. Maybe even a good head start in their financial journey. Some Singaporeans buy flats under their children’s name, you buy precious metals for them. After all, its internationally recognized and much more liquid.

 

We also have ways to value add to you!

 

  • Storage

When it comes to your physical assets, we believe security concerns shouldn’t even be a pain factor. And yet, precious metals investors face issues such as insurance headaches, safety deposit boxes gross weights and size constraints. Just thinking about it gives me a headache already, how about you? That’s why our storage program is an all-in-one solution and provides the full suite of services you will need. From the day of your first purchase, till the day your grandson/granddaughter wishes to sell it off, we maintain your account and offer you a direct line to us. Especially if you are located overseas.

 

  • Perth Mint Certificate Program (PMCP)

Investing your funds in the world’s only Government Guaranteed program for Gold is a no brainer for a serious investor. Perth Mint holds itself to the highest of standards when it comes to vault security and transparency. When you choose PMCP to be part of your portfolio, you needn’t worry about not leaving behind the best legacy. It’s not just a paper certificate, it’s a mobile and internationally recognized asset you can put in your pocket wherever you travel to.

 

  • GoldSilver Central Savings Accumulation Program (GSAP)

When I purchase an investment, I face this issue. How do I know the price I purchase at is a “low price”. The truth is nobody knows. And that’s why it’s so important for you to leverage upon financial wisdom. Dollar Cost Averaging Strategy is the crux here, and when you onboard the GSAP, accumulating daily is stress-free. Think of it as automated disciplined savings for your purse strings. More discipline in your life isn’t such a bad thing.

 

Earlier, I mentioned that investors fall into the 2 above categories. Truth be told, you feel that both categories do apply to you right? And that’s so true! It all depends on your life stage and goals. So I implore you, get in touch with us to find out how we can maximize each category in your portfolio.

 

Jason

What is Support and Resistance Level?

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GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 07 January 2021 / Published in Blog, General

Technical analysts use support and resistance levels to identify price points on a chart where

  1. Buying force concentrates and exceeds selling force – Support level
  2. Selling force concentrates and exceeds buying force- Resistance level

 

The support and resistance levels can be identified on charts using trendlines and moving averages based on the historic price movements.
In terms of technical analysis, the simple resistance level can be obtained by drawing a line along the highest highs for the time period being considered. In contrast, the support level can be obtained by drawing a line along the lowest low.

 

There are 2 scenarios that may happen when the price level,

  1. Bounce; or
  2. Break through

 

During the “Bounce”, investors usually:

  • Buy when the price falls towards support.
  • Sell when the price rises towards resistance.

 

During the “Break Through”, investor usually:

  • Buy when the price breaks up through resistance.
  • Sell when the price breaks down through support.

Please feel free to speak to us at [email protected] or call us at +6562229703 to speak to our in-house analysts and they’ll be happy to share more with you!

Suzane

Get alerted on your desired Gold selling price with GSC

  • 0
GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 10 December 2020 / Published in Blog, General

Despite being the ultimate “safe haven” asset, Gold prices has been very volatile since the coronavirus outbreak. The intensifying fears over the coronavirus along with the U.S presidential Election and the highly anticipated relief bill have been the main drivers for the exacerbation of Gold’s volatility. The phenomenon of a time discrepancy between the gold price and the point in time clients receive information of the price hike has been common this year. Owing to this, clients are selling their holdings after gold prices have retreated, missing out on the best possible returns.

GoldSilver Central offers efficacious solutions for your sale of gold, ensuring you are informed of your desired price level with minimal effort. Price hikes of Gold prices are opportunities for you to benefit from and we are here to lend a helping hand.

  • Let GoldSilver Central Monitor the Prices for You

Having to take time off your busy schedule to monitor the price movement of gold prices can be a hassle, to say the least. Root out this inconvenience by making use of our price alert function and let us monitor the prices for you. Simply fill up a form, indicate the price you are looking to sell at, and we will do the rest. Once the indicated price is reached, you will be alerted with an email and you can head right over to liquidate your assets.

  • Prices at your Fingertips, Sell your Gold Holdings anytime and anywhere at your Convenience

As technology advances in this age, the approach to dealing with precious metals has changed too. By converting your gold jewellery or bullion into Pool allocated holdings on GSC Live!, you are able to breathe new life into your Gold. By doing so, it provides you with the ability to keep track of market movements and enable you to sell instantaneously at the time and place of your convenience.

Sin Pong

“Gold is Gold! That’s all you need to care about!” Is that really the case?

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GoldSilver Central Team
Tuesday, 06 October 2020 / Published in Blog, General

“Gold is Gold! Who cares about the brand, as long as its Gold, you can definitely sell it off! Don’t need to worry!”

 

Have you heard of that statement before when you purchase Gold? Perhaps a family member with good intentions was just sharing with you his/her thoughts, or a savvy sales person was pushing a seemingly cheaper product. We at GoldSilver Central have definitely heard of that before and even more so in 2020.

 

Why? Because, In 2020, Gold prices have increased by 36% since the opening price, brightening the spotlight shining upon the yellow metal. Many investors who previously bought physical gold during the last peak in 2011 have stepped forward, eager to finally sell off their holdings, having seen a dismal 8 years of decline in their precious metals portfolio. Some of them, glad to offload the metal at their initial purchase price, never mind the fact that they have lost 9 years worth of interest/opportunity costs along the way.

 

New investors on the other hand are also searching for alternative investments, with the slowdown in economy, departure from traditional assets such as shares and bonds, and also the generally dismal interest rate worldwide, as a general financial environment. The 36% increase in Gold Prices YTD 2020 , translates to 48% annualized returns, and this is assuming Gold prices remain at current levels instead of rising upwards, lending strength to investing in Gold.

 

What this means is that interest in the Physical Gold market is being revitalized, as more demand, together with more aboveground supply flows back into the market. With this interest comes more “varieties” of physical gold, notably non-LBMA Bars and Coins.

 

Refer to this link to find out more about LBMA

https://www.goldsilvercentral.com.sg/blog/what-is-lbma-and-why-is-it-important/

 

 

Why do People purchase Non-LBMA Gold?

To be fair, people purchase non-LBMA Gold such as bars or coins for various reasons. They trust the seller to a certain extent or that they believe gold is gold and that its liquid everywhere. For example a popular local jewellery shop could be minting gold bars for local retail consumption. After all, its highly popular in the local populace, everyone would recognize it anyway. Or the gold coin being retailed could be a special limited edition item with a popular design, don’t miss out on getting it now while stocks last! It doesn’t matter who mints the coin, private mint or sovereign mint, Gold is Gold after all right?

 

People could also purchase non-LBMA Gold because the price discount offered is way below the general market price and it’s a “great bargain”.  In some cases even, they know that it is a “ticking time bomb” as there are schemes that guarantee a monthly return from the non-LBMA Gold they purchased but they believe that they can “exit” before they get burnt.

 

Either way, it does not necessarily always work out well.

 

Not all Gold is liquid

In the past few months, articles linking international refineries to allegations of tainted gold sourcing have surfaced. These refineries have long standing histories and have been esteemed players in the industry. In recent times, there have been increased scrutiny on refineries, as consumers of Gold are demanding to know that their purchases are ethically sourced. Refineries have thus become more strict on the above ground gold that they buy back from distributors.

 

Closer to home, a refinery that regularly purchases gold from dealers/consolidators in the region published a notice stating that it would not accept certain types of bars. As a general background, such broadcast lists are quite common and do not usually differ much. Interestingly, the brand “Genneva” is included also in this round’s broadcast. (If you are unfamiliar with Genneva, click here to read more about it.)

 

For those who previously bought Genneva branded Gold, you know that throughout the years, you may sell it and it is recognized as “Scrap Gold”, meaning you would have a higher discount on it but you still would be able to offload it. However, now with its inclusion into the Non-Approved Gold list by the refinery, metals dealers may not even wish to accept the bars, no matter the discount as they have an increased probability of being unable to sell it off. No respectable dealer operates their business this way and holds ticking time bombs in their inventory. It does not make financial sense.

 

Suddenly, we have this situation where Genneva Gold that was once accepted as “Gold” but now is no longer seen as “Acceptable Gold”. Overnight, your Gold is no longer acceptable “Gold”. (Bear in mind your Genneva Gold still has a purity of .9999 and its weight did not decrease one bit.) But now, your Gold asset is worth nothing, seeing that you can’t get a price quotation on it. I would postulate that this risk of not being able to exit your investments is too large for a savvy investor.

 

So if you are holding on to non-LBMA Gold currently, set up an appointment with us to explore your options. We’re not saying you need to sell off all your Gold as quickly as possible, but at least you will know all your options then.

 

So that’s it. A quick look into whether “Gold is really just Gold”. Stay tuned for more updates.

 

Articles on Allegations of Tainted Gold Sources

https://www.ft.com/content/4c569519-a3f2-48a7-a267-a639c450ec42

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/valcambi-refinery-denies-sourcing–dirty–gold-from-dubai/46019668

Jason

Have You Seen The “GSC Morning Call” We Shared Every Morning?

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GoldSilver Central Team
Friday, 25 September 2020 / Published in Blog, General, Precious Metals Investing 101

GSC shares Gold price chart to provide daily bite-size technical analysis on Gold market direction in the morning. What can you see from the GSC Morning Call?

Below is a summary of the guidelines to the GSC Morning Call:

  1. The Open Price for the day
  2. The High Price as at the time when chart snapshot was captured
  3. The Low Price as at the time when chart snapshot was captured
  4. The Close / Current Price as at the time when chart snapshot was captured
  5. Moving average is a technical analysis tool that smooths out price data by creating a constantly updated average price. On a price chart, a moving average creates a single, flat line that effectively eliminates any variations due to random price fluctuations.
  6. A Resistance Level is the point on a price chart at which an upward price trajectory is impeded by an overwhelming inclination to sell the asset.
  7. The Current Price Level
  8. A Support Level is the point on a price chart at which a downward price trajectory is impeded by an overwhelming inclination to buy the asset.
  9. Cyclical market are volatile and tend to follow trends in the economy, while non-cyclical market outperform the market during an economic slowdown.
  10. Market cycle refers to trends or patterns that emerge during different business environments.

Suzane

 

Fractional Ownership in Precious Metals

  • 2
GoldSilver Central Team
Wednesday, 08 July 2020 / Published in Blog, General

Today, we briefly explore a different topic – the merits of Fractional Ownership in Precious Metals

 

Do you legally own half a home with your spouse? Do you have friends “co-owning” a private yacht? That is fractional ownership, where the ownership of an asset is shared by several parties. This form of partial ownership allows them to share the benefit that comes with the asset. Typically, this occurs most often when a sole owner does not require usage of the asset 24/7. Simply think of “your yacht” in Singapore, it’s highly unlikely you will wish to sail 24/7. Of course, there are other reasons to pursue fractional ownership, such as inability / reluctance to own the full asset.

 

The application of Fractional Ownership to Physical Precious Metals (PM) is not new. A common form would be Pool Allocated Gold where the physical gold is set aside in a segregated pool and clients have the option to purchase smaller denominations. A group of PM investors coming together to co-own a pool of physical Gold. Sounds like Fractional Ownership doesn’t it? For eg, clients can purchase 0.1oz Pool Allocated Gold on our GSC Live! Platform and they will own 0.1oz worth of physical Gold (either bars or coins) within our GSC Vault Network.

 

So, if the concept of Fractional Ownership in PM isn’t new, what is the big deal then?  Well, the key is seeing how we can apply the concept of Fractional Ownership to our PM strategies. How does Fractional Ownership help a PM investor achieve his objectives? It is simple. By converting a specific piece of physical gold to a pool allocated format, we have taken that first step (and arguably a tough one) of converting your inflexible gold to a form that offers more flexibility. And this flexibility brings about more options. Let us explain what we mean.

 

Imagine being able to sell 0.1oz of gold at a time instead of the whole 1oz gold bar; and being able to set aside funds on a monthly basis to accumulate your gold bit by bit, without incurring the huge markup premiums of small denominated physical gold. (Of course, one can argue that you can achieve the same results and receive gold exposure by going into ETFs but that depends on its structure. You may not be really holding Gold after all. This is an exciting topic for another time!) Fractionalizing your Gold allows you to “enter/exit” the market at multiple price points and that itself opens a lot of options.

 

Clients multiply their single traditional option of “buy low sell high” to many more options on what to do with their PM assets. For instance, instead of only being able to sell 100% of my Gold bar at the current price, I could instead opt to sell 50% of my Pool Allocated Gold and leave the remaining 50% for continued price exposure. If I am on a monthly budget (setting aside $200 every month), I could also be applying a strategy to buy $200 worth of Gold monthly and accumulate up to 100g worth before taking delivery of 1 x 100g gold bar. This allows a PM investor to stack up their purchases at minimal costs. Previously, an alternative would be to buy a physical 2g gold bar monthly and incur huge premiums. (If you are interested, check out our GSC Savings Accumulation Programme where our clients perform minimal-premiums accumulations automatically on a DAILY basis!)

 

One thing to note though, just by fractionalizing your gold into tiny bits does nothing for you. It’s about how you use that ability of fractionally dividing up your assets that makes it powerful.

 

So that is it, a short discussion on Fractional Ownership in Gold. We have only touched the tip of the iceberg here. Stay tuned for more updates and discussions.

 

PS:

To keep this article short, we did not discuss the various differences between Pool Allocated and Allocated Gold. There are many online articles available but if you are interested in a deeper conversation, please feel free to approach us via email ([email protected]) or phone (+65 6222 9703).

 

 

 

How can I ascertain that the bullion I bought from GSC is genuine?

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GoldSilver Central Team
Friday, 12 June 2020 / Published in Blog, General

When clients purchase bullion from GSC, they can be assured that they are buying genuine bullion as GSC acquires their bullion directly from the mints / refineries and reputable international dealers. We will then do random checks on each shipment with our various devices to confirm the authenticity.

In the very unlikely event that the bullion purchased from us is counterfeit or significantly lower purity / weight as stated on the product, we will be more than happy to provide a one to one exchange or full refund. Allow us to share with you the 3 devices we use to authenticate bullion and gold jewellery.

 

Densimeter

A densimeter evaluates the purity of precious metals (Gold, Silver and Platinum) by measuring the specific gravity of the sample and distinguish the precious metal from the other base material. Simply by measuring the weight in air and the weight in water, the programmed device will analyse and display the content of precious metals in terms of karats, purity and density. As it tests the average purity of the sample, it provides more accurate result for solid items for instance gold coins and bars.

 

Magnetic Bullion Tester

The Magnetic Bullion Tester is a magnetic scale and measures the attraction or repulsion of the bullion to magnet in the device. A metal’s magnetism cannot be manipulated, and every metal reacts in its own way to a magnetic field. Precious metals like gold and silver are not magnetic, it is weakly repulsed by a magnetic field. Bullion can remain in their packaging during testing and this is non-destructive.  Multiple objects can be tested simultaneously with this tester, for example coins in a tube and if one is counterfeit, it will be picked up immediately by the magnetic bullion tester.

 

XRF Analyzer

XRF stands for X-ray fluorescence. XRF Analyzer is a powerful, non-destructive device for measuring a wide range of elemental composition from magnesium (Mg) to uranium (U), from parts per million to 100%. It emits X-rays that hit the sample, causes the elements in the sample to fluoresce and travel back to the analyzer’s X-ray detector. The analyzer will then count them and make mathematical calculations to generate a result. Results are available immediately

The above methods are different from some traditional methods you might have heard of, for example fire assay or using a stone and acid which are somewhat destructive. The devices that GSC utilises are non-destructive, accurate and instant. You need not worry about stains or scratches left on your precious metals after testing and are definitely more accurate and transparent.

Don’t miss out on buying wisely in times of high premiums

  • 0
GoldSilver Central Team
Wednesday, 20 May 2020 / Published in Blog, General

 

Previously we published an article on being able to cash in on high precious metals prices. We thought it would be appropriate to also talk about investing wisely in times of high precious metals premiums.

 

As the current situation stands, there is no physical shortage of precious metals worldwide. However, there is a squeeze on immediate settlement of physical precious metals due to the supply chain being affected by Covid-19 measures being implemented globally. (If you are wondering what do we mean, basically no flights = no movement of goods, including precious metals) A quick side note on fundamental economics here:

 

Price = Demand & Supply. If demand exceeds supply, prices will rise. Which is the current case for premiums of precious metals. The decreasing ability to take immediate physical settlement of your precious metals coupled with increasing rumors of shortages of the physical metal worldwide has rocketed premiums upwards, especially for Silver. You can read more here.

 

Today, we will share in greater details on how you can utilize GoldSilver Central to invest wisely into Precious Metals.

 

Option A is for you if you are an investor who

  • Is new to financial investment in general
  • May prefer a low entry cost to Precious Metals (As low as $5 a day)
  • Wants an automatic arrangement for purchasing your bullion (Less Time Hassle)
  • Wishes to avoid higher-premium low denominated items
  • Wants a straightforward method with minimal effort.

 

 Here’s how it works:

  1. You may consider going for our GSC Savings Accumulation Programme.
  2. Your purchases are done automatically on a daily basis (Dollar Cost Averaging) and will be stored with us under a pooled allocated arrangement (simply means that your precious metals holdings are physically backed by our inventory)
  3. Your holdings account is updated on a daily basis and a monthly statement is sent out
  4. And it’s done! When your holdings have accumulated to your target amount, choose the physical item and top up the physical premiums to specifically allocate a bar/coin for you.
  5. You may collect your physical bullion at your convenience (Currently it would have to be after the Circuit Breaker Period)
  6. If you wish to, you may opt for our Storage Programme which keeps your physical bullion safe, while providing you the convenience of being able to sell whenever you wish to

 

Option B is for you if you are an investor who

  • Wants full control of when you wish to purchase your holdings
  • Wants to purchase your holdings bit by bit (For example, you wish to purchase a 100ozSilver Bar, but you don’t have enough funds to purchase it at one go. You may break it up into 5oz sizes to accumulate slowly)
  • Want to set your own Buy Limits (Automated Feature)
  • Buy / Sell with narrow spreads
  • May consider the option of taking physical delivery, however if you can sell off for quick profits you wouldn’t mind either

 

Here’s how it works:

  1. Unlock the Full GSC Live! Account Features.
  2. Login to your GSC Live! account and set up your Account preferences
  3. You may set Buy Limits to automatically trigger your desired buying prices or you may choose to purchase whenever your desired prices are reached

 

 

Option C is for you if you are an investor who

  • Prefers security above all else in your precious metals portfolio
  • Appreciates overseas diversification in your portfolio
  • Demands integrity and professionalism in your counterparties
  • Enjoys exclusivity

 

 

Here’s how it works:

  1. Sign up for a Perth Mint Certificate Programme.
  2. It is the only Government Guaranteed Accumulation Program in the world.
  3. The cost above Perth Mint Precious Metal prices is only 2.25% for Gold, Silver & Platinum
  4. A specialized account manager will be assigned to you throughout the entire process

 

 

In Summary, all 3 options above allow you to lock in the precious metals prices for the metal you wish to purchase and only top up the physical premiums at a later stage. When premiums are back to normal, you may then choose to take delivery of the bullion bars / coins.

 

So that’s it, a quick look into a few possible options we have here at GoldSilver Central to value add to our clients’ precious metals investment.

 

Have more questions on the arrangements?

Drop us an email at [email protected] or a call at +65 6222 9703 and we’ll be happy to share more information with you!

 

Bank Transfers

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GoldSilver Central Team
Friday, 08 May 2020 / Published in Blog, General

Today, we explore a sensitive topic – Wire Transfers.

You might ask, why is this sensitive? It’s a simple matter of transferring funds from my personal account to GoldSilver Central’s account, that’s it right? Turns out, not so. And we’ll dive deeper into this realm today to see what are the various costs associated with Wire Transfers and how do they affect you as a client.

Before we go further, lets clarify the terms first. By Wire Transfer, we are referring to an electronic transfer of money. The typical route utilizes a network such as Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications System (SWIFT) to “communicate” from one bank to another, and once the recipient bank confirms the “message”, funds are transferred over and the respective balances are updated in both sender and recipient’s accounts. The entire process takes several days on average from start till end.

But that’s not true! Bank transfers in Singapore are immediate.

That’s because Singapore uses FAST.

FAST stands for Fast and Secure Transfers (I know, the creativeness behind the naming blows me away as well). It is a electronic transfer service enables customers in participating banks to transfer Singapore Dollars from one back to another in Singapore almost instantly. It was introduced on the 17th March 2014 and is currently offered by 23 banks (Information accurate as of 13th December 2019). Personal account transfers currently have no fees attached and corporate accounts only pay a minimal transfer fee (Yes, there are costs for bank transfers also!)

 

So what are the costs involved?

Typically, we have to break it down into the Sender’s bank fees and the Recipient’s bank fees. We aren’t banking experts here, however based on our experiences, the Sender bank’s fees are typically administrative fees charged by the banks to process your transfer in a timely manner. This makes sense as verification and manual authentication still have to be performed to ensure the right “message” is being sent and received correctly. Thus, banks typically have agreed upon rates which they base on to bill their clients for the transfers, which is the same for international banks also. This is the same regardless of whether you are a “sender” bank or a “recipient” bank, although the charges probably differ slightly. Bear in mind also that depending on the route being used, there may be intermediate banks involved and these incur charges as well. (Think domestic airlines and international airlines. Domestic flights connect you to international hubs which in turn connect you to international flights)

Hence, if a sender instructs their bank to absorb all transfer fees, they should clarify whether its for both sender and recipient bank fees, or just the sender fees. The bank would then act upon the sender’s instructions accordingly. Of course there have been occasions where the unwary / forgetful have instructed wrongly and end up sending too little / too much funds, resulting in more hassle for the sender and recipient.

To be honest, we at GoldSilver Central Pte Ltd have likewise experienced the above on several occasions. Trust us, when it comes to international business dealings, the difference of US$0.01 cents could result in the delay of an entire shipment. (Not Fully paid is not fully paid, period.) And to resend the funds of US$0.01 would likely incur the same charges as before, since the process is the same. (Some banks have enacted policies like minimum and maximum fee charges to lessen the load on client transfers) Hence, it is always important to check with the recipient what kind of policies do they have when it comes to transfer fees.

 

Why can’t all recipients absorb the transfer fees then? (After all, it’s probably a small amount right?

Wrong again. Bank transfer fees can go up to hundreds of dollars for large amounts of money but do not decrease proportionally for lesser amounts of money. After all, the same administrative work is required for both US$1 and US$100,000 transfers. Hence, international bullion companies with large transaction amount but low profit margins state upfront that recipient banking fees will have to be borne by sending clients. This is akin to sending parcels out for delivery. You don’t usually expect the recipient clients to pay for delivery costs, unless under special circumstances.

Here at GoldSilver Central Pte Ltd, we emphasize on our transparent processes and take it a step further by providing our clients with the banking transaction receipt page to show the fees breakdown should they request for it. We do this to show that we do not add any further “mark-ups” for bank transfers and profit from such transfers. If you are a client who does frequent international transfers, you may wish to consider requesting for such statements as well. Already, we know of transfer platforms which have the same principles regarding transparency and show the exact breakdown of the fees involved.

So that’s it, a quick look on local and international bank transfers. Keep in tune as we continue our updates. Click here for our various Payment Methods

 

Never miss out on cashing out on high prices for your bullion

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GoldSilver Central Team
Monday, 27 April 2020 / Published in Announcements, Blog, General

One common question we have from you is if there is a solution to catch your desired price for selling your precious metals holdings to us.

Today, we will share how you can use our services to never miss out on cashing out on high prices for your bullion under a pooled allocated storage arrangement.

Investor 1

Solution A is for you if you are an investor who

  • Wants an automatic arrangement for selling your bullion
  • Knows the price level you want to sell your bullion at (Eg: I want to sell my 1kg Gold Bar at SGD 65500)
  • Wants a straightforward method with minimal effort.

 Here’s how it works:

  1. Bring your bullion you wish to sell to us during our operating hours where we will authenticate it.
  2. Your bullion will be stored with us under a pooled allocated arrangement (simply means that your bullion will be deposit into our holdings)
  3. Let us know what your specific selling price for your metals is. (For example: I want to sell my 1kg Gold Bar when it reaches SGD 65500).
  4. And it’s done! When spot BID prices have reached your desired selling price, it will automatically be sold.
  5. You will receive the proceeds via a Bank Transfer*

*we do need to onboard you as a client which means we need your NRIC and the header of your Bank Statement (reflecting the Name and Account Number). Please omit other sensitive information

Investor 2
Solution B is for you if you are an investor who
  • Wants full control of when you want to sell your holding
  • Wants to sell your holdings bit by bit (For example, if you have a 100oz Silver Bar, you don’t have to sell 100oz at one go, but you can sell in 5oz sizes
  • Want to set your own Sell Limits (Automated Feature)

Here’s how it works:

  1. Bring your bullion you wish to sell to us during our operating hours where we will authenticate it.
  2. Your bullion will be stored with us under a pooled allocated arrangement (simply means that your bullion will be deposit into our holdings)
  3. Unlock the Full GSC Live! Account Features with us by clicking here. This can be done before or during your visit.
  4. We will deposit the total weight of your metals into your GSC Live! Account.
  5. Login to your account under the “MetaTrader4” app in “GoldSilverCentral-Live” server.
  6. You can set Sell Limits to automatically trigger your desired selling prices or you can start selling your holdings whenever your desired prices are reached

Have more questions on the arrangements?

Drop us an email or a call and we’ll be happy to share more information with you!

Covid-19’s impact on Singapore’s Physical Retail Gold Market

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GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 09 April 2020 / Published in Blog, General

As we near the end of Q1 2020, the Covid-19 virus outbreak continues to dominate headlines, keeping investors and the public on tenterhooks.

Financial markets have reacted with rising volatility as investment capital continues to seek out safe haven assets for refuge while waiting for clarity on full impact from the virus to play out. Governments around the world are still grappling with this crisis and are ready to introduce additional financial measures to stave off recession fears and buffer their economies. The emergency 50 basis point rate cut on March 3, 2020 by the US Federal Reserve was dramatic. It was a magnitude not seen since the Lehman Brothers collapse in 2008, and it revealed the gravity of the situation. However, pundits were quick to note that this was a health crisis and not a financial one. Rate cuts may have limited effects as cities remain in lockdown and factories remain shut. Critics have remarked that finding a vaccination cure might be more useful than a rate cut in these times.

In precious metals, gold has been the clear winner since the start of 2020. As of March 10, 2020 year-to-date, gold is up 8.7%, silver down 5.6% and platinum down 9.49%. The rise in prices has invariably caught the attention of physical gold investors in Singapore, with many donning face masks and making their way into dealerships to sell off their gold holdings at high prices. Volatile gold prices have also caught the attention of online investors looking for opportunities in gold trading to capture directional moves via trading platforms for physical deliverable gold.

In Singapore, lessons learned from SARS were put to the test as government agencies rolled out health advisories and business continuity guides to industry bodies and players to guide them on best practices. Having personal social responsibility, especially in times like these, can go a long way to stop the spread of the virus. In our office and retail store, we have implemented temperature taking and contact detail recording, and have face masks available for symptomatic clients to use. Hand sanitizers are now a permanent fixture in our retail store. Notwithstanding the challenges of Covid-19 prevention, providing liquidity for physical gold is still key for a properly functioning physical retail gold market in Singapore.

Initially, many observers were noting a casual correlation between the uptick in gold and the Covid-19 outbreak. However, the real drivers behind this rally could lie behind the combination of the full effects from interest rate cuts filtering in, disruption of global supply chain potentially leading to unseen inflationary risks, constant zero to negative yield environment and the peak gold scenario commented by analysts over the years. All of this may add up to a resurgent positive tone for the original safe haven precious metal: gold.

The revisit to 2012 price highs of US$1,702.50/oz. on March 9, 2020 has investors wondering if this is the gold bull market that everyone has been talking about and waiting for. Stay tuned to see how the markets will unfold.

10 am GSC Reference Price

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GoldSilver Central Team
Wednesday, 01 April 2020 / Published in Blog, General

What is the 10 am GSC Reference Price? 

The 10 am GSC Reference Price is an electronic snapshot of the Gold price at 10.00 am Singapore time taken directly from our price servers. GSC also uses the reference price as a confirmed price that clients can check and refer to transparently, that was used for the dollar cost averaging for their GSC Gold Savings Accumulation Program.

 

Click here to find more about the GSC Gold Savings Accumulation Program.

https://www.goldsilvercentral.com.sg/goldsilver-central-savings-accumulation-program/

 

Are there other types of reference prices used in the Gold market

Yes, there are a few known reference prices worldwide, with the LBMA Gold Price (previously commonly known as the London Gold Fix) being the most well known in the industry. The LBMA Gold Price is now currently being administered by the ICE Benchmark Administration (IBA).

 

More information about this can be found at this link here:

http://www.lbma.org.uk/lbma-gold-price

 

The GSC Reference Price is published on GSC’s website (historical data available for download) and updated also on GSC’s Reuters page 0#PREC=GSCP.  This facilitates easy price data accessibility, transparency and provides a daily indication for Loco Singapore Gold prices.

 

Can clients use the 10am Reference Prices for their bullion purchases/sellback?

Yes you may. Please contact us to find out how can this be done.

 

Disclaimer:

In spite of GSC making every effort to ensure that the information displayed is accurate and complete, GoldSilver Central Pte Ltd is not liable for any errors, omission, inaccuracies, interruption, defect or delays in content or transmission, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Under no circumstance will GoldSilver Central be liable for any damages, including without limitation direct or indirect, special, incidental, punitive, or consequential damages, losses or expenses arising out of or relating to the use of the information, or decisions made by any persons or body based on the information provided therein.

In addition, GoldSilver Central Pte Ltd reserves the right to censor the Reference Price if GoldSilver Central Pte Ltd is of the view that the Reference Price was incorrectly, artificially or erroneously effected, obtained or manipulated to not truly reflect the true existing prevailing market prices at that point in time. Any edits done will be recorded with full data pre and post price snapshots disclosures with accompanying evidence to support this decision.

 

 

Illiquid Gold prices and wide spreads

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GoldSilver Central Team
Wednesday, 25 March 2020 / Published in Blog, General

Gold pricing has been very illiquid and spreads have been widening to unprecedented levels for the past 2 days. We received news from various banks and liquidity providers that the volatility and subsequent spread widening are due to a breakdown in Exchange for Physical (EFP) gold. Accordingly, refineries are shutting down and market makers who had short EFP positions are being adversely affected. Currently the Gold futures market is in contango and the spot and futures prices have widen as much as $70 per oz on 24th March.

Point to note, there is no shortage of Gold in the market, just that at this point of time, demand overwhelms supply and the Gold supply chain is greatly affected due to measures announced by Governments to stem the threat of Covid-19 globally.

Read more:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gold-trading-cme-idUSKBN21B3GC

GSC Live

Why You Should Swap Your Old Gold Jewellery to Gold Bullion?

  • 0
GoldSilver Central Team
Thursday, 19 March 2020 / Published in Blog, General

Why You Should Swap Your Old Gold Jewellery to Gold Bullion?

Objectives:

Bring forth a case of converting your “useless” jewellery to a form that’s more useful

I believe we have all experienced at least one of the situations below:

  • Received Gold jewellery as gifts for wedding, baby full moon shower, special events etc, but you don’t wear Gold jewellery!
  • Your current jewellery design is obsolete, or it can’t be worn anymore, broken jewellery, lost one side of the earring and etc
  • Your once beloved jewellery is sitting in a box somewhere safely stored aside, but otherwise quite useless

 

In our eyes, all these represent under-utilized assets! So begs the question, is there a way to better utilize these “old jewellery” other than exchanging new gold jewellery or encash it?

Yes, there is. You can choose to swap your old gold jewellery to LBMA Gold Bars and investment Gold bullion coins.

Why not encash it to SGD and keep it in my bank account then?

Well, that answer boils down to your personal objectives. We all know that keeping all our assets in SGD cash is not the wisest way to invest. (We’ll leave the topic of financial portfolio diversification for another day), but if you see gold as a possible asset class to hold in your portfolio, then swapping your illiquid Gold jewellery to a standardized LBMA format could be a possible way of building up your gold holdings. The general rule of thumb is to have 5-10% gold exposure in your portfolio, but this depends on individuals’ risk profiles. Contact us to speak more about this.

There are generally 2 common forms that clients swap their jewellery to and we have listed them both here for your comparison.

Costs of swapping to “New” Jewellery Costs of swapping to LBMA Gold Bullion
Tax Rate 7% GST Tax Exempted
Workmanship (Premium) High Low – Medium
Buy/Sell Spread Wider Narrower
Conversion Cost High Low – Medium

 

LBMA gold bullion are tax exempted in Singapore, you do not need to pay 7% GST for them. It is priced by spot price (market price) + premium (workmanship), which the conversion cost is relatively much cheaper compare to jewellery that has GST, marked up on gold price and workmanship.

The buy/sell spread for gold bullion is transparent as well, usually it ranges from 1% – 10%. Whereas the sellback of jewellery is normally given a discount of 15% – 18%, after adding 7% GST the spread will be more than 20%. And that does not include the different practices of different shops, such as levying additional administrative costs or having no transparency in the entire process.

An example based on indicative price:

GSC buyback price for 999 jewellery is at $70.10/g, the lowest premium 100g 999.9 gold bar is selling at S$7446.70. Jewellery shop 999 gold price is at $85.50/g. If you were to sell 100g of 999 jewellery and swap it into a 100g gold bar with GSC, you just need to top up $436.70. If you swap your jewellery to new 100g gold jewellery, considering the discount is only at 15% and you need to pay 7% GST, you need to top up $1,881 excluding the workmanship. The difference is obvious.

LBMA gold bullion has assurance of international liquidity. This is very powerful and essentially means that you are not tied to any bullion dealer should you wish to sell. (You could even bring the bar physically to an overseas country to sell if you wish to) When you do the swaps, you unlock more options in terms of how to utilise your Gold in compared to just wearing as jewellery. You won’t need to worry about fashion fads if you decide to pass your precious metals holdings to your children. Moreover, you are in the unique position of having your capital investment appreciate and being able to use that position to move to a better “investment form”, albeit the same asset class, Gold.

Wondering how much is your old gold jewellery worth now? Feel free to visit our website and retail store for free evaluation.

Will we see platinum boom in 2020?

  • 0
GoldSilver Central Team
Friday, 17 January 2020 / Published in Blog, General

It is common to mistake platinum for white gold due to their silvery white appearance. But they are distinguishable by their weight as platinum is 20% denser, weighing heavier than white gold. Scoring 3.5 on the Mohs scale, Platinum is harder than gold and more costly to produce. About 30 times rarer than gold, occurring at very low concentrations in the earth’s crust. Often the preferred choice of jewellery especially for couples as it symbolises strength, durability and endurance.

The automotive sector has the highest demand for Platinum. The metal’s active properties act as filters within catalytic converters of motor cars, helping to reduce harmful emissions. And because it does not react negatively to body tissue, they are considered biologically compatible metal and is used widely in hospitals for surgical instruments and implants. According to reports from World Platinum Investment Council, industrial demand for the metal are seeing an average 4.6% growth per annum from 1988 to 2019.

In the last 20 years, platinum reached its peak of $2,2253/oz in March 2008 and lowest of $785/oz in 2019. Interestingly, platinum backed investment jumped in the year 2019 particularly huge purchases in ETFs by large institutional investors. This maybe a hint to the market that corporate investors are speculating growth potentials. Perhaps it is time to consider diversifying your gold portfolio by buying some precious platinum.

But regardless if you are an investor looking to ride the platinum wave, a collector of platinum coins or diversify of your portfolio, GoldSilver Central is the one-stop solution that you need. Check out our website or drop-by our storefront and speak to our friendly staff. GoldSilver Central have an array of platinum bars and coins to meet your needs.

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GoldSilver Central Pte Ltd (UEN: 201107187N), a Singapore registered company since 2011 specialises in physical bullion trading in gold, silver and platinum at real-time pricing, industry bullion supply, bullion buying and selling, collateral loan and secured storage under GoldSilver Central’s Bullion Storage Program at the Le Freeport. 

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      ▼
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      ▼
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      ▼
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    ▼
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