Investors looking for a source of gold coins, bars or nuggets to park their hard-earned wealth in should look down under for a dependable, reliable supplier of quality gold.

Of all the various precious metals investors have to choose from, gold remains king among investors. Throughout history nations and merchants have used gold as a hedge against geopolitical and economic turmoil. Savvy investors also purchase gold at the beginning of a bull run and hold it until the beginning of a bear market to realize financial gain.

While the Dow remains nearly 25 percent down from its highs in the mid-2000s, the price of gold has increased nearly threefold in the past four years, making it an attractive safe harbor for investors battered by the financial and investment market meltdown.

Why Australia?

Australia has long been a major gold producer. The first Australian gold rush occurred in 1851 when prospector Edward Hargraves found gold in New South Wales. Gold had been found in Australia before, but not in large quantities. After Hargraves’ discovery, gold was found in a variety of other places throughout Australia, causing floods of prospectors to come to Australia to seek their fortune.

Australia has been the site of some of the world’s largest gold nugget finds, and today gold production remains a major industry in the former British colony.

Because of the large prevalence of gold in Australia, it’s easy to purchase gold coins, bars, nuggets and stock from there. Australia is the site of two mints, the Perth and the Australian, and there are a variety of reputable gold dealers able to assist investors make purchases.

The two mints sell a variety of gold products, including specially minted Australian gold kangaroo coins, and gold bars and bullion. Independent gold dealers may be able to sell early Australian gold jewelry.

One of the more popular Australian gold coin products is the Australian gold sovereign. The sovereign derives value not only from its gold value, but also from the collector’s value of the coin. The sovereign is minted by the Australian Mint and the Perth Mint and has been produced for many years. The older, rarer coins are in demand and have a great degree of added value.

Gold bars are a solid investment for investors who only want to trade in the value of the metal and who do not want to research coin values or pay premiums for the coins. Bars can be obtained from the Perth Mint and dealers from all over Australia.

Australia is a major source of gold nuggets, naturally occurring pieces of gold often found in waterways. Nuggets provide added value because of their rarity and collector’s value. They can range in size from less than an ounce to 10 ounces.

For more advanced investors, Australian gold jewelry provides gold investment with a little fun for folks interested in studying history.

For investors, buying gold in Australia is a profitable and fun way of safeguarding your wealth in a tough economy.