Investment in gold

Precious metals and specifically gold are profitable asset for storing and increasing income.
It does not depend on currency exchange rate, it is hard to be destroyed during global disasters.
Investment in precious metals is known as the most profitable and safe way of savings’ investments. Beginners can do everything the following way: you buy gold and wait until its price will be raised, then you sell it for more profitable price and receive income. But in reality gold investment has lots of peculiarities which every experienced or beginning investor should know by heart.
There are three main ways of investing into precious metals:

1. Bullions;
2. Investment coins;
3. Precious metals’ accounts.
   Investment into gold can help to keep investor’s money safe. In long term perspective the gold price is still raising, even if there are some temporal recessions in the dynamics of quotations. This kind of investment cannot be depreciated completely even in the result of global economical or political crashes.
   Among the disadvantages of gold investment there is price fluctuation which can lead to some financial losses in case of short term investment. Buying precious metals in comparison with other ways of investment can be less profitable in terms of the amount of income. Opening an account or buying ETF gold does not mean you will have this metal physically in your hands. Its existence can be proven only by the reputation of the organization and acting legislation.
   Buying gold is always a risk for an investor that is why you should learn the topic in details to reduce chances of the risk.
   Mayer Rothschild once told that you need to have big courage and big caution to earn big fortune.

What do you think about gold as a long term investment?