Is It Wise to Buy Gold Coins and Bars Despite Current High Prices?

The price of gold has hit a number of record highs recently. The trend started in early March when the precious metal hit a new record high of $2,160 per ounce. By April 1, the price of gold had increased to $2,259.29 per ounce. And today, gold's price is even higher at $2,334.53 per ounce. 

In turn, you may feel torn about buying gold coins and bars right now. On one hand, recent increases in the price of gold are an example of how the precious metal can grow in value over time. And, gold is easy to buy. Not only can you buy gold online or through gold dealers, but you now have the option to buy gold bars at Costco and Walmart, too. 

On the other hand, you may be wondering whether to wait for the price to fall before buying in. So, should you buy gold coins and bars while prices are high?

Compare your gold investment options now. 

Should you buy gold coins and bars while prices are high?

While it may seem advantageous to wait for prices to fall before you buy gold coins and bars, doing so could be a mistake. After all, there's no guarantee that the price of gold will fall in the future. 

But that's not the only reason it makes sense to buy gold, even at today's high prices. 

Gold is still a good hedge against ongoing inflation

Inflation may be down compared to its peak of 9.2% in June 2022, but it's still a persistent issue. And, as prices head upward, the value of the dollar falls, so it's important to protect your investment portfolio from losses due to inflation. One way to do so is to invest in gold coins and bars. 

There's a finite supply of gold, so it tends to hold its value over time. And, because investor demand tends to increase during periods of inflation, the price of gold also often climbs during these periods. In turn, if you invest in a reasonable amount of gold — typically less than 10% of the value of your portfolio — gold's price stability and potential price growth could protect your buying power during inflationary periods. 

Protect your portfolio from inflation by buying gold coins and bars today. 

You could get priced out if you wait too long

At $2,334.53 per ounce, gold's price is already higher than it was just a few months ago. And, considering how quickly the price has been growing in recent weeks, there's a chance that it could continue upward. In turn, if you wait too long to add gold to your portfolio and the upward trend continues, it may become cost-prohibitive to do so. So, it may be wise to invest in gold now, before the value of gold has the opportunity to increase further. 

Gold is a diversification tool

Gold isn't just a way to protect your investment portfolio from inflation. It's also a diversification tool. That's because the value of the precious metal has a low correlation to traditional portfolio assets like stocks and bonds. In other words, the value of gold tends to move independently from traditional investment assets during market downturns. 

And that could be a good thing. After all, it means that the uptick in gold's price could offset losses in your portfolio if other assets you've invested in fall in value. 

The bottom line

Gold's price has recently climbed to new highs, and there's a chance that the upward trend could continue. So, it may make sense to add the precious metal to your portfolio now rather than waiting for lower prices that may not materialize. The precious metal is also an effective hedge against today's persistent inflation and a valuable diversification tool. In turn, you may want to consider adding gold to your portfolio now. 

Joshua Rodriguez

Joshua Rodriguez is a personal finance and investing writer with a passion for his craft. When he's not working, he enjoys time with his wife, two kids, two dogs and two ducks.