Some things never change. For the past 5,000 years, gold has served as a universal currency that delivers enhanced value over the long term-a reliable hedge against political instability, debt and inflation. Today it remains an important element in any investor's portfolio, and managing a physical gold allocation has become easier than ever before. Investment in physical gold bars and coins reached new heights in 2013, rising 28% from 2012, with 2013 gold demand valued at US$75 billion. According to the World Gold Council, that's approximately 44% of the aggregate global gold demand of US$170 billion for 2013. At the same time, exchange traded fund (ETF) outflows of US$40 billion in 2013 were taken and redistributed to physical gold bar and coin buyers by a factor of more than 180%. In fact, there has been more capital invested in physical gold bar and coin buyers than in gold ETFs by a ratio of eight to one since gold ETFs were launched in 2003.
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