Giving Our Children Real Wealth
One of the current trends in baby gifts is to buy stocks or other investments for the little one. Giving a child a gift that will have value twenty years from now is not a bad idea. However, I would argue that typical investments are not the best gift that we can give children. I believe that precious metal, especially silver, is the ideal investment to give a child. There are a few reasons for this.
Silver is a good investment for anyone, adults and children. Silver is increasing in value at a better rate than other precious metals. If we look at charts illustrating how the value of silver has changed in the past thirty years, we can see what a good investment it is. If you had been given an ounce of silver when you were born, compare how much it would have increased in value over a U.S. Savings Bond. Which would you rather have in your safe?
Silver is also relatively inexpensive, making it a good choice for gifts. For the cost of an overpriced �boutique� baby gift, you can buy several ounces of silver. A five ounce bar of silver looks quite impressive, and its inherent value is unmistakable. It is also easy to add an ounce or two of silver to a gift basket of diapers or other baby items. That small amount of silver will be valued long after the baby is out of diapers!
Another excellent reason to give silver is for the educational opportunity. The more people who understand the real value of precious metals, the better our chance of seeing good economic changes. It is easy to overlook the importance of teaching our children about real wealth from an early age. This is at least partly because the economic �experts� claim that financial principles are too complex for the average person to grasp. This is nonsense. The concepts of real wealth are simple, and children are capable of understanding them earlier than you may think!
For example, my two-year-old daughter has been calling silver �real money� since she learned to talk. She can tell the difference between silver and non-silver coins; she prefers silver! We did not have to explain to her that the silver she held in her hands was worth something, it was apparent to her that it was. Interestingly enough, she places no more value on paper currency than she does a blank sheet of paper. There is no difference between a $1 FRN and a $100 FRN to her. However, show her an ounce of silver versus five ounces, and she can immediately tell which is worth more, and therefore, is more desirable. The value of silver is obvious to her.
Think beyond just baby gifts when it comes to silver. There are so many occasions in a child�s life when silver is an appropriate gift. We give our children silver on their birthdays rather than savings bonds. By doing this, we are contributing to their future financial stability, as well as taking advantage of a great teaching opportunity. Kids love to take silver out of their special bank and count it. It is something tangible that they can hold in their hands, and they recognize the value in that. Besides, whoever had fun counting their savings bonds? Shiny silver is so much more fun to count!
All parents want their children to have a good future. By giving them the gift of silver today, you are contributing to their financial health as adults. We are creating a better economic future for them.
Some mints offer engraveable silver products for special occasions. For example, Northwest Territorial Mint has one ounce bars of silver that are custom-engraveable for a variety of special occasions. These may be of interest to you, but truly, silver is a wonderful gift on its own.
So, the next time you give a gift to a child, take the opportunity to give something of real value. Take the time to teach them about the value of precious metals, and your gift will be appreciated long after the toys are forgotten!
