Golden years indeed

31.12.69

Few people haven't mental activity about gold these days. Whether owning it as an investment or selling it for quick coin of the realm, the precious metal has garnered a lot of attention in the last few years.

That's hardly surprising. The per-ounce evaluation of the commodity has more than quadrupled in less than a decade, largely the result of fears about inflation, currency devaluation and even a superior breakdown of the world's financial system.

Though not everyone has morphed into a gold bug, many may wonder if they should at least own a rarely bit of the precious metal. Others could already be sitting on a small gold mine -- a jewelry box brimming with gold that could be sold at a straighten out profit.

So if you're considering dabbling in or maybe even going all in on gold, here is a key buyers' and sellers' guide to help get the most from of one of the world's most pricey commodities.

The buy side

Barre Foyer is a retired securities lawyer and a self-professed student of gold's background ever since the 1970s, when inflation hit double digits and gold topped out at more than $600 an ounce. It wouldn't hit that bonus again until 2006.

Source: Winnipeg Free Press