From “Why” to “Buy”: Buying Your First Ounces of Gold or Silver

Hey there real money tribe,

If you’ve been following my blog or listening to my podcast for a while, you likely already know why gold and silver matter. They’ve been real money for thousands of years — tangible wealth you can hold in your hand, not just digital promises on a screen. They protect you from inflation, currency risk, digital tracking, and those “what ifs” that keep us practical people awake at night.

Believing in physical gold and silver is easy. Actually buying your first ounces? That’s where most people freeze.

In this week's article, I get into shifting from "why" to "buy" so you can get started right now in owning your first ounces of gold and/or silver.

“Aren’t Stocks Better?” — Let’s Look at the Real Numbers

One of the biggest reasons I hear from folks is they think the stock market outperforms precious metals so they don't want to tie up their money in gold and silver. “Why buy metals that just sit there when stocks can grow your money?”

Fair enough. So let’s see what has really happened. Back in mid‑2020, gold traded around $2,400 CAD per ounce. Today, in mid‑2025, it’s about $4,482 CAD — an almost 90% gain. Silver tells a similar story: about $25–27 CAD per ounce five years ago, now nearly $50 CAD. That’s another 85 to 90% increase.

By comparison, the S&P 500 index has returned about 70–80% in the same timeframe. The Canadian TSX gained around 75%. What about a classic growth stock - Tesla? In mid‑2020 it was about $150–200 USD a share. After many wild swings, today it’s around $322 USD — so depending on when you bought, you might be up 60–100%, but with a rollercoaster of volatility and maybe a few sleepless nights along the way.

So no — gold and silver don’t promise overnight riches. They quietly protect what you’ve earned while the financial world rides waves of hype, crashes, debt and bailouts.

And look at 2025 so far: gold is up about 19%, silver 25%, the S&P 500 about 5%, TSX about 3%. Precious metals have not only kept pace with the stock market in recent years — they’ve outperformed at times and done it without the drama. In 2025, they've been the place to be for growth.

If You Believe This, Why Haven’t You Bought Yet?

If you’re nodding along thinking, “I know I should own gold and silver… so why haven’t I done it yet?” — you’re not alone.

Most people don’t put it off because they doubt these metals — they often put it off because they’re unsure how to start. So they procrastinate. Sometimes it feels "safer" to do nothing than risk buying the wrong thing, from the wrong source.

For many people who belive but still hesitate, these are the most common questions I get all the time:

• What should I buy — gold, silver, or both? How much of each?

• How do I know it’s real? Where can I buy safely?

• Where do I keep it?

• How do I sell it later? What if I need some cash?

• Isn’t it too expensive now, especially gold? Isn’t precious metals really only for the rich?

• Won’t it just sit there and collect dust?

So they wait… while inflation continues eating away at their savings/retirement, and purchasing power.

“Isn’t It Too Expensive?” — Or Is It?

“Don’t I need thousands to get started?”

Sure, a full ounce of gold today is about $4,500 CAD and that’s certainly beyond the budget of many people. But you don’t have to buy a full ounce all at once. Many people start with fractional gold — for example a 1/4 oz coin, 5 gram bar, etc., from recognized government mints like the Royal Canadian Mint, U.S. Mint, The Royal Mint (U.K.), and private mints such as Valcambi, PAMP Suisse, Asahi, Argor Hereus, IGR, etc.. Honestly, many people start with silver — like I did - which is more affordable.

People were saying the same thing years ago. When gold hit $1,000 an ounce, they said it was “too high.” When it broke $2,000, same story — “too expensive.” Now it’s pushing $4,500 CAD — and you’ll hear it again. And years from now, people will look back and say, “Wow, I wish I’d bought when it was ‘only’ $4,500 an ounce.” In my opinion, the best time to buy was yesterday and the second best time is today — because waiting only guarantees you miss the simple power of stacking real money, ounce by ounce to protect your wealth.

When I bought my first ounces of precious metals, I certainly did not have thousands of dollars to spend. I had a some money sitting in savings account and realized that trading up these fiat dollars into real money just made sense. So, I did some research and found several reputable online dealers in Canada and bought three 1-ounce Canadian silver "Maples" from an online dealer in Toronto. The shopping experience felt very normal and comfortable just like any other online shopping: I browsed the silver section, added the coins I wanted to my cart, included my shipping details, and paid by Interac e‑Transfer. About five days later, an insured courier handed me my package — it was all very easy peasy. Not only was it easy, I felt good about owning something real and tangible that I could hold, plus it was damn fun. There is nothing like holding a beautiful silver (or gold) coin or bar in your hand for the first time. It is truly something magical and, given that there is so much variety available, I was soon browsing again to see what else I could get and the whiole thing became fun and quite addictive. Since then, I have made it a regular practice to swap some fiat dollars for physical precious metals to help build and protect my wealth and purchasing power in ounces - not dollars.

Today, a single 1‑ounce Silver Maple Leaf is about $50 CAD. That’s the same as skipping some takeout or fancy coffees for a week. Many people I know reallocate wasteful spending — like expensive daily coffees, impulse buys, or random online shopping — and build wealth in ounces instead.

“But Isn’t It Just for the Rich?”

Gold and silver aren’t just for the wealthy. They never were. For thousands of years, ordinary people — farmers, merchants, blacksmiths, everyday families — used gold and silver as real money. Not to get rich overnight, but to hold and preserve what they earned. With fiat dollars and digital banking, we have lost this. Physical precious metals in fact are for everyone who wants to protect their savings and build true, private, tangible wealth — no matter their income or age.

🏦 Be Your Own Bank

One of the most powerful things about owning gold and silver is this: you can truly be your own bank (check out a previous article here). You don’t need permission to use it, no one can freeze it, and there’s no counterparty risk like there is with stocks, bonds, or digital bank balances. If you ever need cash for planned or unecpected expenses, simple bring enough ounces to your local coin shop where they’ll check it, weigh it, pay you market value in cash or cheque — often on the spot, with no delays or hassles. No middlemen, no waiting. Full privacy and anomymity. You’re in control.

Here’s How to Beat Some Common Fears

So let’s tackle the biggest roadblocks moving from "why" to "buy":

👉 “I don’t know what to buy.” Forget fancy collectibles. Stick with trusted bullion coins or bars: Silver or Gold "Maples" from the Royal Canadian Mint, American "Eagles" from the U.S. Mint, "Britannias" from the Royal Mint in the U.K., and/or generic silver from well-known private mints such as PAMP Suisse, Valcambi, Scottsdale Mint, Sunshine Minting just to name a few - globally recognized, high quality, easy to sell.

👉“What if I get scammed?” Only buy from reputable local coin shops or trusted online dealers — not random ads, shady marketplaces or certainly never from pawn shops . If you can, visit a couple of local shops and ask questions to build a relationships. Dealers appreciate new customers — you’ll learn a lot just by walking in and seeing what's available and asking questions.

👉 “Where do I keep it?” A sturdy, anchored TL-rated home safe works best for small to moderate stacks. Larger amounts? Consider insured, segregated vault storage that’s fully allocated in your name and accessible when you need it.

👉 “How do I sell it later? ”Reputable dealers - local coin shops or online - are ready to buy recognized gold and silver. They’ll weigh it, test it and offer you fair market value — usually in cash right there on the spot and all privately and anonymously.

👉“Won’t it just sit there? ”Exactly — and that’s the point. Real wealth should just sit there. It doesn’t need day-trading, you don't have to worry about it crashing, can’t be frozen, diluted, or deleted by a bank glitch. It’s your quiet insurance policy that holds up when the rest of the world gets shaky.

✅ A Precious Metals Plan Makes It Simple

All this is why I created my private Precious Metals Coaching service. Included is a personalized Precious Metals Plan which details — why you’re buying, what to buy and how often, where to buy it safely, how to store it, and how to sell it when you need to. It removes the guesswork so you can finally have a strategy to be on the right path to owning real money with confidence with a plan to get you there.

If you’ve ever said, “I know I should buy gold or silver, but I haven’t yet…” — this is your sign to fix that.

You don’t need thousands. You don’t need to be rich. You just need the right plan for you and the decision to start stacking ounces on a regular and consistent basis - not excuses.

Take the Next Step

👉 Book your free 15-minute Discovery Call today. Zero pressure — just real answers. If we’re a good fit, I'll help you get started in building your own custom Precious Metals Plan so you know exactly what to buy and how much, where to buy safely, how often and more - plus with me by your side so you can get started right away in acquiring your first ounces.

BOOK FREE "DISCOVERY CALL"

Remember: Gold and silver don’t just sit there collecting dust — they sit there collecting peace of mind, financial privacy and wealth protection and building. That’s how freedom is built. One ounce at a time.

To your financial health 🥂

David

Precious Metals Coach, Money Mindset Mentor "Real Money for We The People"

📧 preciousmetalscoach@proton.me

Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute personal financial advice. Always do your own homework.