Seven Ways to Tell if Your Gold is Counterfeit

I had just finished a walking tour of the Royal Canadian Mint when I saw it. Right there, out in the open, was a 400-ounce bar of pure gold. It was chained to a display table and kept safe by an armed guard. At the time, in 2005, the bar was worth $220,000. Today, the same bar is worth $667,700. In just seven years, gold prices have jumped by 203%. But it's not the eternal fascination with gold that has boosted the price. With growing levels of worldwide uncertainties, mounting inflation risks and government distrust, people are clamoring for gold primarily as insurance. According to the World Gold Council, 2011 saw gold bars and coins reach nearly $77 billion in sales, versus 2002's $3.5 billion. And in November alone, the U.S. Mint's sales of the popular American Eagle coins jumped 131% in the wake of the election.