Collecting Swiss 20 Franc Gold Coins

By Christina Goldman

The Swiss 20 Franc Gold Coin, also identified as the Swiss 20 Franc Vreneli, is without doubt among the world's most elegant and classically designed Swiss gold coins. Because Switzerland has always supported its currency with gold, Switzerland has long been personified as one of the most financially sound and strong countries in the world.

The Swiss gold coin most commonly known as the Swiss 20 Franc is a well-crafted and endearing piece that exhibits the profile of a Swiss woman, more generally recognized as Vreneli, with braided hair, wearing flowers and looking left.

Above her head are the words "Helvetia", another common name for this particular coin. The opposite side of the coin displays the familiar Swiss shield over an oak branch that has been tied with ribbons and includes the denomination and the date.

The Swiss 20 Franc Gold coin was minted in Bern and consists of 90% gold. Altogether, 29 pieces were struck in 1879, a small cross imprinted in the center of the Swiss cross on the obverse side distinguishing these from others.

The coin, measuring 21 mm across, has been minted in various years, the most commonly known being:

* 1897 to 1916

* 1922

* 1925 to 1927

* 1930

* 1935

* 1945 to 1947

* 1949

When it comes to accumulating or investing in Swiss gold coins, genuine Swiss gold coins are a few of the most beautiful ever minted. The first-ever striking of gold coins in Switzerland came about in about 1492, though the Swiss 20 Franc gold coins are the most celebrated and were released in Switzerland from 1897 to 1935. - 23199

About the Author:

You can find great prices and selection and selection on the Swiss 20 Franc Gold Coin and other Swiss Gold Coins at: http://BullionBargains.com

Knowing How Penny Stocks, Pink Sheets and Micro Caps Differ Can Be A Profitable Journey

By James Brumley

Its easy to use the term penny stock interchangeably with pink sheet. The same goes for bulletin board and micro cap. Unfortunately, investors are doing themselves a great disservice by mentally lumping all four distinct descriptions into one category. More specifically, investors may be overlooking tremendous opportunities by not acknowledging their differences.

One way to educate yourself about the true definition of these terms is to use word association. Think of an aspect of the term and come up with a commonality with the actual name.

Most of the time, traders dont consider a stock that trades over $1 a penny stock. Then there are others who define any stock less than $5 as one. There arent any ramifications for using either benchmark.

If you want to short or buy a penny stock on margin, make sure you know whom youre doing business with. Some brokerages will not allow shorting of any stock under $5; others dont place a limit. So, choose wisely.

Many low-priced exchange-listed stocks are cheap due to a temporary situation that once cleared up, will send the stock higher. The company size or its exchange do not determine its status as a penny stock"which can be a pink sheet or bulletin board stock (see below).

You may have been told to steer clear of pink sheet stocks because they often hold the most risk. Maintained by Pink OTC Markets Inc., some of them dont deserve their bad reputation.

The size of a company has no bearing on whether a foreign stock is listed in the U.S. market. Many times, they just cant do it for logistical or technical reasons. Therefore, dont use this as a barometer for credibility.

On that note, however, the potential downside of pink sheet stocks appears there are essentially no reporting/disclosure requirements for companies with stocks listed as pink sheet equities. In other words, you may not be able to view any audited accounting statements for these stocks. Many pink sheet companies can and do disclose every single financial statement they produce, however. For that reason, these stocks should be considered on a case-by-case basis.

On the other hand, if a stock trades on the OTC market, or as an OTCBB stock, you can be assured that these companies have met SEC requirements.

This may come as a surprise, but the bulletin board system is not the only over-the-counter game in town. Both pink sheet and NASDAQ markets are OTC markets.

Bulletin board companies dont consider share price when determining if a stock should be listed there, but market cap may be.

Dont just assume that all bulletin board stocks lack the stability of exchange-listed stocks. You might find some hidden gems that are stronger and more productive.

Micro Cap " The standard definition of a micro cap company is any company with a market cap (issued shares multiplied by share price) of $250 million or less, though the number isnt set in stone. Note that share price has nothing to do with the determination; there are plenty of micro cap stocks with share prices well over $5.00.

A micro cap status also has nothing to do with where or how a stock trades. The New York Stock Exchanges minimum market cap requirement is only $25 million, so qualifying for an NYSE listing isnt necessarily a sign of great size or strength.

Bottom Line

As you can see, penny stocks, pink sheets, bulletin boards and micro caps all serve different purposes and play the trading game uniquely. In this instance, semantics do matter. Becoming knowledgeable about specific definitions will go a long way in making profitable investments.

Your most educational website for information regarding penny stocks to top stock picks is www.smallcapnetwork.com. We offer timely and meaningful market commentary and trading ideas. Sign up for the free e-newsletter today. - 23199

About the Author:

James Brumley is an expert in the small stock arena covering penny stocks and small cap stocks for over 10 years now. Investors with an appetite for high risk/reward investment ideas should consider getting his free newsletter publication by visiting www.smallcapnetwork.com and subscribing.

Age Related Ways to Prepare for Retirement

By Stewart Anderson

Before designing any investment strategy it is highly recommended that you consult an expert in the field. This guide is aimed at helping you to best invest your money for retirement at every stage through life.

You've heard the news, that we are about to enter a recession. Jobs may be lost, and belts will need to be tightened. During times like this, many people lose sight of the need for long-term financial plans. It is times like these, though that should heighten our awareness for the need to have sound financial goals and know how to achieve them.

It is becoming more evident that citizens can not count on governments to subsidize retirement. At least not in a way that will allow you to live a lifestyle you would want. Who, after working for 45 - 50 years, wants to go back to living week to week? I don't, and you shouldn't have to.

It is a common myth that investing requires a large amount of capital initially, don't believe this. With some careful planning anyone, regardless of income or expenses, can begin saving for comfort in their golden years.

You can read the whole article to see all of the options available to you, or you can skip to the section that deals directly with your stage of life.

If you are 20 - 30: Start right away. Capitalize on your greatest asset - time. Choose safe, long-term investments that lock up your principal. This will make sure that you don't "temporarily" withdrawal funds to finance a weekend in Vegas. Options you may want to explore are IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts) which provide valuable tax break incentives as well as compounding interest on your investment or if you'd prefer to have temptation removed you could opt for a 401k. A 401k is a savings plan that automatically takes deductions from your paycheck and can allow for the generation of a healthy nest egg later in life.

You are 30something: You are beginning to reap the rewards of your hard work with higher wages. Add to your 401k and IRA accounts gradually, slowly increasing contributions. Experts say that you should be investing about 10% of earnings by this point in life. Take the remainder of that 10% and invest in stocks. Stocks come with inherent risks, but prudence can help minimize risks.

You are 40something: Now is the time to become more aggressive with your savings. Ensure that you are filling your annual 401k and IRA allowances. You also want to shift non-liquid assets around. Remember to not place all of your eggs in any one basket. Begin to move stock investments into the bonds market for a greater level of security.

Over 50: Seek the assistance of a financial planner. They have experience and knowledge that will help you to reach your goals. Find out exactly what you are entitled to through the government and past/current employers. And be honest when assessing your financial picture. You may have to delay retirement, or look for other work if things aren't as you would like them. - 23199

About the Author:

One common theme for a perosnal finances in retirement is the preservation of capital, a fixed annuity can help with this as it can't decrease in value.

Forex Signals - Your Gateway to Earning Profits

By Bart Icles

Investing in the foreign exchange currency market can be a risky and overwhelming venture for any new, and experienced traders alike. The money trading industry can be an opportunity for anyone smart and dedicated enough to understand and comprehend its intricacies to gain unlimited profits. Operating in the Forex market requires going through all its pertinent information, and filtering all the data's in order to come up with a decision on trade deals. Managing to get all such information is relatively easy compared to the task of analyzing all of it. That's why you may want to get the services of an experienced and established individual or company to help provide you with all the vital information/s or Forex signals on certain fluctuations of the currency market at all times.

The advantage that these trading signals gives you is that you are not limited to viewing and analyzing the variations in the market prices for any longer period than usual. These can be delivered to your email address or through sms on your cell phones as trade signals for a number of currency pairs and analysis indicators to give you the options to buy or sell. Forex signals can be sent as instant signals or some collected over a week's time depending on the kind of trading strategy used by the service providers.

Some Forex companies that provide such services also give you the option to let them do the trading in your behalf based on favorable trade conditions. They can also give you details and charts explaining the different trade signals and the probable directions of the market and different trades used to base the decisions on. All the clear and explained options are made available to you to help in your decision making, should you choose to have the final say.

Before getting such services, it's important that the trading strategies being implemented by these Forex companies are all understood by you and that you know that it will help you in making profits. It's smart practice to do some trials with the services before fully committing yourself to it, that way you can properly review and study the strategies being used. The strategies should be accurate and efficient enough to produce favorable and profit making results. Performance and track records should be to your satisfaction for you to sign up with your chosen Forex signal provider so that you can do your trade in peace.

With these tips at hand, you'll be able to choose the right Forex signal service provider to suit your particular wants and needs the soonest time possible. - 23199

About the Author:

When you learn forex it starts with a desire to learn and a drive to become a great trader. When you learn forex trading takes dedication and a good teacher. But once you learn how to trade and do so successfully your life will change and you have options and financial resources you never had before.

Foreign currency exchange is a very popular way to take money while you're on vacation. Many people use foreign exchange services these days.

By Amelie A Myers

Given that the world seems to have shrunk there is often an assumption that credit cards and other ways of sending money have replaced Foreign currency exchange services all over the world. Credit cards and debit cards are certainly a good replacement for Foreign currency exchange services so a lot of people don't use this old method anymore.

When life gets difficult and things just don't work out, you sometimes need to be able to get hold of money quickly, which is where Foreign currency exchange services come into their own. If you are travelling and the worst should happen and you lose your credit or debit card then you will know that bad things can happen.

What can you do? Just suppose that the traveller who is in distress is a member of your family, how can you help them? Well that is where the beauty of Foreign currency exchange services comes into its own. If you use Foreign currency exchange services then this is not a problem.

You can also use Foreign currency exchange services to buy yourself some luxury. How about buying some exquisite treasures from overseas? Using Foreign currency exchange services also gives you the opportunity to make sure that you have greater security from fraud - you don't have to give out your credit card details.

If you have family living abroad it is also a great way to send them money for their birthdays or at Christmas time. You don't have to worry about the money going missing in the post, since you know that they will get it direct using Foreign currency exchange services.

If you own property overseas, then you will also find that repairs and property taxes can be paid with Foreign currency exchange services, easing any difficulties with paying people abroad. Foreign currency exchange services are still as popular as ever and money is sent to the far reaches of our planet, every hour of every day.

Foreign currency exchange services are also very easy to organise and are not as expensive as you may have previously thought. Plus, the markets are so competitive that you can now send money very cheaply. There isn't much in the way of commissions on Foreign currency exchange services.

Foreign currency exchange services will give you security and knowledge that wherever you need to send money, it can be done incredibly easily and cost effectively. Foreign currency exchange services can also buy you some of the finer things that money can buy, so use your imagination, to see just what Foreign currency exchange services can get for you!

Foreign currency exchange services are really easy to find and you shouldn't have a problem getting Foreign currency exchange services to cover your needs. You can use your bank to process Foreign currency exchange services or if you prefer you can call a money shop such as the Western Union.

Foreign currency exchange services can be a great way to pay someone as well as being an ideal way to get money fast. All you need to make Foreign currency exchange services are your bank account number and sort code so it's pretty secure.

A lot of people use Foreign currency exchange services to get money while they're abroad and it's definitely the best way to do it. You will need to make sure that you perform proper research though to ensure that you understand the process.

All in all, Foreign currency exchange services are a great way to make sure that you have the money you need while you're abroad. Foreign currency exchange services are definitely a popular way to make sure that money arrives quickly and with little or no trouble. - 23199

About the Author:

Author Amelie A Myers talks about finding foreign exchange services for your time abroad. www.purefx.co.uk has brilliant information on currency exchange, you should definitely be able to get offers that suits you.