bcr

Gold and the Dollar: Value is in the Eye of the Beholder

I agree regarding inflation but disagree that gold will fully protect. Far better to hold a basket of commodities, including things you can eat, stay warm with, transport yourself with, etc. Gold has minimal intrinsic value to most people; like bonds/equities/etc, precious metals are basically just worth what Some Other Sucker will pay for them. Disclosure: Long GLD, SLV, USO, soon DBA

Picking Apart the WSJ's Manipulative Gold Reporting

The major problem with gold is that, for most people, it does not have any inherent value, other than what Some Other Sucker will exchange for it (hmm, kind of like the USD, bonds, stocks, etc). Gold does not directly satisfy any fundamental human desire: I cannot eat or drink gold. I cannot stay warm with it. I cannot entertain or transport myself with it. I cannot protect my family with it. I cannot use it as a reproductive lure (ok, maybe).

I would prefer a custom basket of oil, wheat, maize, coffee, cocoa, etc as a USD inflation hedge. Except for oil and gold, though, most commodities are basically inaccessible. So a lot of money is chasing gold right now.