The price of gold is one of the most important economic indicators on the market. While it does go up and down, the overall value has almost always gone upward. This type of investing, however, is one of the more underutilized types employed by average people. While much was said about the stock market and day trading when the Internet came of age, it was hardly mentioned that the same resources put toward that investing can be put toward investing in gold. Gold, however, has several characteristics that make it an ideal long-term investment.

One of the best actions one can take as a hedge against the forces of inflation is to buy gold bullion. Gold bars provide a means to store a lot of value in small, portable form that has a much more stable value than does currency. The gold found in any gold bar may have been recycled numerous times over thousands of years. Part of the stability inherent in gold is a result of the fact that most of the gold reserves on the planet have been discovered and, therefore, there is a fairly stable ceiling on how much gold there is to go around.

Of course, gold is famously rare. Putting gold into forms such as ingots and coinage allows the reserves to be distributed among and held onto by anyone who’s interested. This is a very easy form of investment. While there are numerous, and oftentimes confusing, things to learn with many financial products, owning gold is a very easy way to keep track of one’s wealth. The simplicity of this investment is a large part of its appeal. Gold bullion, whether in bar or coin form, is simply a valuable resource and, as the owner of that resource, the investor is free to sell it at a profit whenever it suits them.

Gold bullion can be purchased online. The standard size of gold bars is 10oz. This small size enables it to be easily shipped. It is also very easy to store. While large amounts of gold bullion are not moved when they are sold—paperwork and certificates guarantee ownership—small amounts of gold can be easily transported. For most people, a small quantity of gold represents a rather substantial investment, but one that is more likely than just about anything else to gain value over time.