Perhaps using kidneys was the wrong choice of body parts. Another way to think of the core is: if you took out home insurance and at the end of 30 years you never made a claim, are you going to ask what's the use of ever taking out insurance since nothing happened? Just treat what you put into your core position to be money lost forever never to be recovered. Except that it can be recovered if you really have to. Others may disagree with my definition of core position but for me its the part of the stack that you never sell. Stackers who are prepared to trade 100% of their stack for a better investment do not have a core position. All they have is a trading position and they're only waiting for the right moment to trade it away. I emphasize on 100% as some may not trade away their whole stack but maybe 80%,60%,40%,20%. In that case what they won't trade for anything (or sell for a price) is their core position. The rest is just the trading part of their stack. Also, there's nothing wrong with not having a core position and that your whole stack is for trading at the right place and right time. All of us have different objectives.
Now you are just being sarcastic towards the Perth Mint In my opinion the best value Australian fractional gold coin to stack is the $200 Koala if you are worried about legal tender status. Some newbies avoid them because they are not 999 No real gold stacker gives a crap whether a coin is .900 .917 or 999 Bottom line is when they resell at a coin dealer, spot is about as good as they will get.
I see your point and I understand why you used the Kidneys example... I do have a question though, would you ever ever do something with your core? Or is it something that you will die and plan to pass on to others?
Now this is starting to get interesting... Few mentions to 1000 oz as a good base to a core position. This is the sort of stuff I am after, figures and ideas backing a core position. I see the value of having a hedge for bad times, and I think it is paramount to be ready so you don't suffer during hard times. My only concern is becoming a collector rather than investor. After all we are going to die and having a core just sitting there will just be a waste...
I think age has a lot to do with it as well. If you're under 25 then 1000oz is unrealistic. I think for < 30 years old then 1000oz in Silver or a Gold equivalent is a good core size. If you're above 30 and under 40 maybe 1500oz in Silver and > 40 then 2000oz. These values aren't too amazing at all, if you think about it 2000oz is only 70k. Not really. If you pass it down generation after generation it'll eventually become an antiquity and be worth heaps. You might not be able to REAP WHAT YOU SOW but your grandchildren or their grandchildren will be able to.
Thanks for your contribution... I think 25 Year olds can do the 1000 oz. I just turn 26 and I can tell you that most of people I know are in Epic debts to stupid stuff. Cars. I think the risk of taking the loan for silver in stead of a car would pay off in the long run. But hey, each to their own. Now if you have 1000 oz for just your core position as a 25 year old, I think you are doing fantastic.
Taking a loan to get silver could turn around to bite you. Pay off all debt first, then stack silver with what's left. (of course, that is my opinion and not financial advice, which I am not qualified to give) Will have to check my spreadsheets but I never had a goal in mind when stacking so I have no idea how close I am to coming to that goal. I would imagine that I would be half way there, however I have about a kilo or 2 in numismatics, so an actual value would depend on the demand for individual pieces.
Everyone has a differing perspective as to what a core position is, and is to be used for. My view is a core position is an insurance policy against expected and unexpected future events. With that in mind, I believe that the world and Australia, are heading into unchartered economic waters, which will culminate in a depression. The great depression of the 1930's effectively lasted for a decade. This current economic situation that the world is in, appears to bigger, and potentially more severe than anything we have seen previously. Whilst everyone is different, with different responsibilities, personally, I would assess how much you could live on per month and extrapolate the amount for a three (3) year time frame. That would give you a reasonable buffer, and time, to make contigency plans etc, if required.
1000 oz is a nice round figure and one that was touted in the days before silver became fashionable as the amount needed to buy a median priced house outright in the US. What Steve said earlier resonates with me. This site has a vast majority of Aussie based stackers. However if we stack with the idea of selling to other Aussies that just might not be wise. If Australia is rooted then everyone here will be in the same boat and they may well not be in a position to buy. Just thinking out aloud.
You take nothing with you when you die; be it property, cash or shares. Why should it be any different with PMs? I don't have everything in PMs, neither is all that I have in PMs considered core. Would I ever do anything with my core? I consider it as insurance paid therefore I don't expect to do anything further to it. The trading part of the stack rises and falls, the core doesn't change.
As mentioned it doesn't take much to burn through 500oz of Ag or a dozen ounces of Au for living expenses. I'm a long, long way off but would stop at Ag 1200oz; for Au no upper limit but would diversify more outside of metals if I felt I had "enough"... which may coincide around the bull market peak where I'd want to look at other assets.
1000oz would be nice. I think if one had half that, he/she would be a heck of alot better off than 99.5% of the rest of mankind. I will shoot for 1000, though I doubt I'll get there, as I see silver getting much more expensive soon.
Not only PM stuff, most 1 oz coins/bars as well! I cringe when I see ounce silver stuff going for over AU$40 here and over $44 on eBay! Sheeple are really happy to pay 25%+ over spot and more. Sheeple are even buying 1 gram silver stuff and paying AU$23.00 on eBay. That's $23 for 1 GRAM of SILVER. <------ 270913837699 I am new here, but not new in life, and I see the best value silver for me being a PM item! 10 oz dragons, kooks, or whatever. Why pay $350 - $380 for a 10 PM bar, or more for some other fancy name bar, when for the same or less currency you can own a beauitiful 10 oz PM coin? 1oz coins are pricey, 2 oz coins are pricey, 5 oz are pricey, 1 kg are pricey - 10 oz coins are just right! Plus, saw today one of the sight sponsors offering 10 oz PM's for $357! That really is a terrific buy! ======================================================================= I have no "core"! Just playing a game of buying and stacking and see where it all goes with 1000 ozs as my short term target!! I keep an eye out for bargains, and if you look around there still some real bargains out there! Life is too short! When it comes to the crunch SILVER IS SILVER, IS SILVER, IS SILVER! Some ounces may look prettier than others, but they're all still only ounces!
10oz coins take up more room that is their only downside. 1kg are nicely priced but liquidity and numismatic potential are fairly low
