Anybody looking to invest has a wealth of options to choose from nowadays. Any investment should be as secure and straightforward as possible. One possibility – the tried-and-tested savings account – pays very little in the way of interest and won’t protect your money from inflation.
It’s a different story when it comes to precious metals: gold, for instance, is considered to be crisis-proof. Degussa Goldhandel AG, Switzerland’s leading precious metals retailer, has the country’s largest variety of investment bars and coins, accepts cryptocurrency as a modern means of payment and also provides appropriate storage solutions.
Swiss-made investment bars and coins
Additionally, Degussa has the largest portfolio of investment bars and coins and can arrange secure storage for precious metals or other valuable items. Andreas Hablützel, CEO of Degussa AG, explains the company philosophy: “In order to ensure the utmost quality from the very outset, we have our investment bars manufactured by Swiss mints that adhere to the strict requirements of the London Bullion Market Association. We believe that knowing our partner companies is vital, and over the years we have built up a relationship of trust with them. This gives us absolute certainty that our customers are offered only precious metal products of the very highest quality.”
In addition to bars, the Degussa range includes an array of coins. Among them is Switzerland’s most popular bullion coin, the 20-Franc Vreneli gold coin. As this is no longer in production, the coin has a certain value for collectors alongside its pure value as a precious metal. The Swiss Goldhans bullion coin is also exclusively available from Degussa. Of course, international investment coins such as the Krugerrand can also be purchased, completing the vast selection of over 70 bullion coins from more than 25 countries.
Payment by cryptocurrency
Degussa also offers a range of options when it comes to payment. It is in fact the first Swiss precious metals retailer to accept cryptocurrencies as a means of payment. “We decided to accept digital currencies due to numerous enquiries from family offices and asset managers interested in backing up cryptocurrency with the ‘safe haven’ of gold,” explains Andreas Hablützel. Virtual currencies and the associated sector of the economy are becoming increasingly important in Switzerland.
Storing valuable items securely, anonymously and conveniently No sooner has a valuable item been purchased than the question of a suitable place to store it arises. Keeping valuables at home has proven many times to be unreliable. If you’re looking for a secure, reasonably priced storage solution, you are bound to find it at Degussa in Geneva and Zurich, where high-security deposit boxes in seven different sizes can be rented easily.
This service includes a discreet storage option not only for precious metals, but also for other valuable items such as important documents or special jewellery. “Our safe deposit boxes allow reliable storage outside the banking sector,” says Hablützel. “We do not require you to open a customer account, and so a safe deposit box can be rented easily, and our security standards are equivalent to those of the larger banks.” There is no prior obligation to purchase gold.
The drawback of storing valuables in a safe deposit box at a bank is that, in most cases, only customers who also have an account at the bank may open a deposit box. Moreover, in the event of a financial crisis, these deposit boxes may become inaccessible for a certain period of time.
Storing white metal untaxed and duty-free
Degussa also offers various collective storage deposit for the safekeeping of larger quantities of precious metals. Given that unlike silver, platinum, palladium and rhodium, only investment gold is exempt from VAT in Switzerland, Degussa also offers an attractive storage solution for ‘white metals’ at what are known as bonded warehouses. In this case, the VAT only becomes due if the precious metal is actually delivered. Monitored and officially licensed storage facilities of this kind are located in Zurich, Geneva, London and Frankfurt, where the goods are (temporarily) stored untaxed, with the duty remaining unpaid.
High-security warehouses for larger quantities of precious metals
Degussa also offers high-security warehouses in Europe, North America and Asia for gold deposits of 5 kg and above. Customers are given the option of deciding whether they would prefer to store their precious metal bars at the US locations in Miami, New York or Los Angeles, or whether they would rather opt for Hong Kong or Singapore. All of the stored items are assigned an individual serial number.
Degussa is the partner of the warehouse in each case, so its customers remain anonymous to third parties. “We want to offer our customers the safest, most discreet and most straightforward storage options, even for larger quantities of precious metals. Our collective storage deposits allow us to do so, while providing a level of quality and a range of options that are certainly rarely to be found elsewhere,” says Hablützel.
Inherited estates and collections
Individuals who come into possession of coin collections or similar inheritances are also keen to keep them in a safe place where they will be in good hands. Yet coin-lovers and those who inherit such items may often find it difficult to gauge the value of their pieces themselves. This is where a trusted partner comes in. As an experienced precious metal specialist, Degussa helps heirs and collectors to determine the value of their articles or find financially sound buyers who are able to pay a fair price for them. In addition, Degussa experts are on hand to answer any questions relating to historic coins at the numismatic days, which take place at least once a month at the Degussa stores.
Lombard loan: new pledging option for bars and coins
A relatively new service offered at Degussa AG is ‘Gold Lending’ – an interest-bearing loan of up to 50 percent of the market value of the quantity of gold and other precious metals deposited at Degussa. This service is designed for customers who require financial resources on a temporary basis, but do not want to part from their bars and coins permanently. They can now choose to pledge their holdings to Degussa in a flexible way and at extremely favorable terms. The pieces are fully insured and stored in high-security safes at Degussa AG in Zurich and Geneva.
