Written by Marc Courtenay

Thursday, 19 July 2012

The next revolution in buying, selling, and holding precious metals has just occurred.

SmartMetals™ is such a big step forward that the world's leading investment research firms have formed an alliance to introduce it to the world.

In a moment, you'll understand why...

Dear Reader,

No one in the world would deny that the SPDR Gold Shares ETF was the last true breakthrough in precious metals.

You probably know it by its more widely used symbol, GLD.

The first ETF allowing investors to "buy gold with a click," GLD has done the equivalent of a moon shot.

In fact, since its introduction in November of 2004, the growth of GLD has exploded from $0 to over $70,000,000,000 in assets, making it the second-largest exchange-traded fund in the world.

But there are serious concerns about the risks in GLD that, until now, have gone unaddressed.

Which brings me to the next true breakthrough in buying, selling, and holding precious metals. If you are interested in owning precious metals as a hedge against wildly out-of-control government spending, debt, and money printing, you are going to love it.

As you'll see in just a moment, the word "breakthrough" is not used casually or for dramatic effect. If anything, it's an understatement.

In fact, this giant step forward for precious metals investors is so significant that the world's most respected financial-research organizations have formed the Hard Assets Alliance with the sole purpose of bringing the breakthrough of SmartMetals to the immediate attention of their clients looking for the convenience of GLD without the structural risks.

• Specifically, SmartMetals was designed from the ground up to answer all of the concerns and controversy surrounding GLD... as well as eliminate all of the hassle, risk, and uncertainty of buying or selling metals through most precious metals dealers.

Big claims, I know, but that's what a breakthrough looks like.

In just a moment, I'll answer ALL of your questions about how SmartMetals leap-frogs GLD and all other ways of diversifying into precious metals.

But first, a bit more on the Hard Assets Alliance.

Introducing
Hard Assets Alliance

My name is Olivier Garret. You may know me as a partner in Casey Research.

I'm writing you today, however, in my role as managing director of the Hard Assets Alliance, a unique new association of many of the world's most respected independent financial and investment research firms.

Helping clients navigate the challenging global economy while uncovering the best ways to invest to protect and build wealth is a core role played by each of these organizations. In that sense, each of the members of the Hard Assets Alliance might be viewed as friendly competitors.

It's noteworthy, therefore, that these firms have come together under a single umbrella organization with the express purpose of letting their clients know about this low-cost and highly efficient breakthrough in buying, selling, and storing precious metals that, until recently, has only been available to institutional investors, hedge funds, pension funds, and high-net-worth brokerage clients.

And that brings me to SmartMetals, the reason the Hard Assets Alliance exists.

When It's Time for Precious Metals...
It's Time for SmartMetals™

Later on in this letter, you'll find a comprehensive list of questions and answers about SmartMetals.

Quickly, though, here's the big picture on this breakthrough new way to buy, sell, and hold precious metals – including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium.

• Physical metals, not paper. Unlike the "paper gold" (actually electronic) holdings offered by GLD, with SmartMetals you are buying physical bullion bars and coins.
• Online-easy. Just like GLD, once your SmartMetals account is opened, you can securely buy or sell your metals with a click... in the proverbial blink of an eye, from the convenience of your personal computer or even smartphone. (Or you can call a trader to place your order.)
• Dealer network ensures best prices. Thanks to truly breakthrough technology, each order you place – whether to buy or sell – is instantly bid on by a network of approved dealers, ensuring you always benefit from the lowest possible prices.
• International storage in a snap. You'll love this one. During the seamless and speedy ordering process, you'll be presented with the option of having your metals inexpensively stored in New York, Salt Lake City, Zurich, London, and Melbourne – with Singapore to be added soon.
• Prompt access to your metals. If you prefer to have your metals shipped directly to you – at the time of purchase or from the storage vault you choose, at any time in the future – they are guaranteed to be on their way within two business days, fully insured of course. Try that with GLD!
• Zero risk. Earlier on, I mentioned that SmartMetals was designed to answer the concerns that many investors have about GLD. Those concerns, and the SmartMetals response, follow:
• GLD offers unallocated gold holdings. With SmartMetals, you own the physical metals – complete with the distinct serial numbers on any kilo bar holdings, held in an allocated account in fully insured vaults operated by the world's most trusted vault firms and audited regularly by a Big Four accounting firm.
• Unlike GLD, with SmartMetals you have zero counterparty risk.
  The operating agreement with GLD actually grants the fund the right to lend your gold holdings – that can never happen with SmartMetals. Again, they're your metals, held in a segregated account in a fully insured and audited vault.
• GLD does not buy or sell physical metals, it creates and redeems paper shares in the company. With SmartMetals, you are buying specific coins and good-delivery bars for your account only. In order to keep things simple and to allow for low costs and easy pricing, SmartMetals sells only coins issued by major governments (e.g., US Silver Eagles) and numbered LBMA Good Delivery certified bars – the most liquid bars that exist, recognized and accepted worldwide.
  
  (As for GLD, the process they use is opaque, but ultimately their shares pass through a group of market makers who trade them on the NYSE, with corresponding amounts of gold in the form of 400-ounce bars then deposited or withdrawn from the HSBC vault in London.)
• GLD makes it nearly impossible to redeem your shares for precious metals. With SmartMetals, it's as easy as logging on to have your precious metals sent directly to you, anywhere in the world you want them sent. Of course, if you prefer, you can always instantly sell your metals with a click and have the resulting funds deposited into your account.

To be fair, GLD offers a very easy way to add exposure to gold prices to an investment portfolio, under normal circumstances. But don't make the mistake of confusing the GLD ETF with physical holdings – it's not.

By contrast, SmartMetals offers you the same online convenience... but only deals in physical metals that are always under your direct control, whether you opt for immediate delivery or decide to take advantage of one or more of the fully insured vaults available in New York, Salt Lake City, Zurich, London or Melbourne – with Singapore to be added in the very near future.

Simply put, SmartMetals offers a far better solution for investors looking to avoid counterparty risk by directly owning the physical metals.

(For those who prefer not to transact online, no problem – bonded traders are available 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET every business day to take your orders. There is no additional charge for live service.)

• And don't forget the advantages over holding precious metals at home or a local bank. While many people like to keep their precious metals close at hand, and this makes sense in moderate amounts, doing so gives rise to distinct risks. The obvious ones are theft and fire (yes, precious metals melt).
  
  The less obvious ones include the hassle and inconvenience of finding a trustworthy dealer to buy and sell your metals. Thanks to our network of approved wholesale dealers, you never have to wonder if you are getting the best price or execution.
  
  And if you choose the inexpensive vault storage option, when the time comes to sell, you won't have to lose time or go through the hassle of transporting your metals to a dealer... with SmartMetals, it's online quick and easy.
  
  In addition, if you choose the option to store your metals in one or more of our overseas vaults, you also enjoy the added security of internationally diversifying your holdings.

As you'll read in the Frequently Asked Questions section below, with SmartMetals, thanks to a state-of-the-art platform, the costs associated with buying, selling and storing your precious metals internationally are inexpensive and very competitive with the alternatives.

Getting Started Is Easy!

Getting started with your SmartMetals account from the Hard Assets Alliance is straightforward and simple.

1. Read through the Frequently Asked Questions below. While they should answer all of your questions about this innovative service, if we have missed anything, don't hesitate to call 1-877-727-7387 (international: 602-626-3022) between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern Time, and we'll be happy to answer your questions.
2. If you are ready to get started, click the button just below to set up your account using our ultra-secure online application.
   The process should take no more than 10 minutes, after which the information will be reviewed and you'll be notified that your account is opened. (In rare cases, approval can take up to two business days, but it is usually much, much quicker than that... even just minutes.) Regulations require we ask you mildly annoying questions to establish you are who you say you are, and you may be asked for additional documentation, depending on the type of account you're opening.

1. Fund your account. Along with the notice that your SmartMetals account is open, you will receive instructions on the ways you can fund your account, either by bank wire, PayPal, check, or even credit card. If you are planning on taking direct delivery, the minimum order size is $5,000. If you plan to use the storage option, your initial order must be $10,000.
2. You're good to go! Buy or sell at your convenience. When you are ready to make a purchase, it's as easy as logging on and selecting your desired precious metals (gold, silver, platinum, or palladium) and the approximate dollar amount you want to spend, whether you want to buy coins or bars or some of both, and whether you want direct delivery or to store your purchase in one or more of our internationally located vaults. The entire process, including the bidding by the approved wholesale-broker network, should take only a couple of minutes.
   
   Once your account is opened, we'll stay in touch with you via a monthly client-only newsletter with important updates on global precious metals trends and analysis, and other useful features related to your account.

You probably have additional questions about this precious metals breakthrough, which is why we have included a comprehensive list of questions and answers just below.

Even so, if at any time you have additional questions, don't hesitate to call us at 1-877-727-7387 (international, 602-626-3022) between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern Time. While the online-easy nature of SmartMetals is definitely a plus, we're always happy to take your call and transact over the phone if that's your preference.

A Closing Word

Breakthroughs such as SmartMetals don't just happen – solving the challenges of providing a super-efficient, super-secure alternative to the "paper gold" offered by GLD and to the uncertainties inherent in buying and selling through most dealers required a tremendous amount of time, money and concentrated effort by a very experienced team. You'll find more on the team behind SmartMetals in the Q&A below.

Speaking on behalf of all the economic and investment research organizations that make up the Hard Assets Alliance, we are very pleased to be a part of this giant step forward for precious metals buyers, and to be able to make this breakthrough new way to buy, sell, and hold physical precious metals available to you.

Feel free to let your friends and associates know about SmartMetals; they'll be glad you did.

Sincerely,

Olivier Garret
Hard Assets Alliance

P.S. Join the Alliance today, and we'll waive the one-time membership fee. Normally, there is a $35 membership fee when you join the Hard Assets Alliance. Asking new members to pay for the cost of opening their account allows us to keep the costs of buying, selling and storing their metals as low as possible. However, for a short period of time, we're waiving the one-time, initial membership fee. Joining the Alliance and benefitting from its low cost, flexibility, and convenience today will cost you nothing at all. But you must open your account now to take advantage of this savings.