Wow, gold has moved ahead of platinum tonight. :shocked004:

What do you think they will do in the long term? I expect Gold to pull ahead for a while, but will it stay ahead even after the auto industry returns? If I had $ I'd buy both but I'm broke til after xmas.

What do you think they will do in the long term? I expect Gold to pull ahead for a while, but will it stay ahead even after the auto industry returns? If I had $ I'd buy both but I'm broke til after xmas.

I think that platinum will come out ahead in the end. When is a good question.

So which is the better metal for investment? In some scenarios Gold hasn't done as well as CD's, at least according to some of the things I've read. I think Pt has a slight edge in the long term but I really think Palladium is the best way to go. Very low right now and will be for a while but I'm sure it has the most potential for upward movement. What do you think?

Well, this is a good question. I suppose it depends on what you think is going to happen in the world and why you are investing in PMs.

On one hand if you think that the US or the world for that matter is going to pull out of the slump / recession / depression we are in, and things will eventually get back to where they were then Platinum seems to be a solid investment as auto makers would eventually drive the demand back up.

On the other hand if you think we are coming into an age where we are going to see TEOTWAWKI then maybe gold and silver are going to outperform Platinum. I would say gold would most likely outperform silver in this scenario.

I'm not sure what will happen but I don't see either really being a bad investment. I am much more heavily invested in gold than either silver or platinum but I do have a little of both.

And do you have an opinion on Palladium?

And do you have an opinion on Palladium?

In the run up to 2000, Russian supply of palladium to the global market was repeatedly delayed and disrupted because the export quota was not granted on time, for political reasons. The ensuing market panic drove the palladium price to an all-time high of $1100 per ounce in January 2001. Around this time, the Ford Motor Company, fearing auto vehicle production disruption due to a possible palladium shortage, stockpiled large amounts of the metal purchased near the price high. When prices fell in early 2001, Ford lost nearly US$1 billion. World demand for palladium increased from 100 tons in 1990 to nearly 300 tons in 2000. The global production of palladium from mines was 222 metric tons in 2006 according to USGS data. Most palladium is used for catalytic converters in the automobile industry.

The above is from the Wiki site. I don't own any Palladium. I see it as more of an industrial metal. I also don't see any reason to think that there will be a shortage scare to drive the price up either in the near future, but hey I could be wrong.

I would also say it is not recognized by common folk as a precious metal. Gold, Silver, and Platinum are more widely recognized by the general public as desirable precious metals. I would also wager if you asked a group about palladium many would not even know what you were talking about.

If it's the price point that is attractive with palladium look around for 1/10 oz gold or platinum eagles. I have recently been "Replacing" my undesirable 1 oz gold pieces with fractionals. With the mint discontinuing many of the fractional coins next year I see the premium on these going up.

So Platinum has pulled ahead again but gold is chasing it. I wonder how long they will stay this close. I think Platinum's rise will slow and gold will overtake it slightly again. But when? And for how long?