Investing money. Should I buy gold or art?

I don't want to put it in a bank (US$235,000). I need some liquidity so no land at this stage. Should I buy gold jewellary or art. I live in Japan and there is some wonderful art for sale here. Should I buy it and sell it when I get back to the West in a few years? I gold going up or down. I have never had excess money before and I can't just have it lying around in my apartment. Ideas please.

If you have $235,000 and wants liquidity, you should put it in HSBC online saving's account for 5.05% interest. Put some of it in GLD, gold index stock. You can buy and sell anytime. Also, it's very liquid. Art is not liquid at all, you need to buy and hold for years. Also, are you an expert in arts. If not, don't waste your time. You need to be an expert to profit from it. It's not easy finding a buyer like stocks.
If you want something to show off to your friends in your home. Then art is a good choice, just like buying a BMW car.
To get the most for your investment, invest in the following:
$50,000 in GLD stock (gold)
$50,000 in XLE stock (energy)
$50,000 in EWH stock (hong kong index) it's the heart of Asia.
$85,000 in HSBC online savings (5.05%)
Online savings is like buying a 1 year CD.
It as liquid as it gets.

gold. more the better.

ART.
FAR MORE VALUABLE THAN GOLD.

Dear Madam,
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well, Suzee. The problem with buying gold, or art, or jewelry is that their is a huge liquidity problem. Art and jewelry have a lack on seller and buyer side, as well as they are not commodities, they are unique items.

You can buy gold in the market, but it fluctuates up and down. Your sell point, may not earn you any money, may even cause a loss. Plus there is a lot of fees in trading gold directly.

You should put the money into a BANK. You should open a simple savings account and put the money there immediately. Then, you can build a c.d. ladder, which maintains liquidity but gives you a better return. Or you can buy government notes, buy corporate debt, or invest in stock. Remember that as your return increases so does your risk.

A simple no risk investment with complete liquidity is an online savings account the the rate of return is about 5% annually now which is roughly $12000/year. That's pretty good for doing nothing. Don't forget the power of compounding too, if you are not using the money.

Check out:

U have 2 choises either to buy Gold or short term investments which i think it's much better

and you can add a third option is to give it to me and it will be the most appriated

Buy Streettracks Gold on the New York Stock Exchange
The last price is $65.27. GLD is the ticker symbol.This is the most liquid instrument following the gold price dollar for dollar. Buying and selling commissions as well as safekeeping fees are very low.
Physical gold is trading at $659
Art is not liquid.

Every one in the states don't pay market value of gold. I am not sure about painting I imagine they would be hard to sell and find buyers. I think rare swords would be a good investment every man likes them. You could sell them on EBAY.com.

Investment is about strategy and the sayings goes dont put your boobs all in the same bra SORRY I mean TO SAY, dont put all your eggs in the same basket. The weighted investment portfolio should look something like this.
1. 40% [$94,000] - GOLD
2. 40% [$94,000] - ART
3. 20% [$47,000] - charlie mike

Since you are in yen. And dollar is expected to head south. You might not want too much US$ Gold exposure.
And as to Art. Its low liquidity. But if you love a painting and the subtelty of life, why not ? Consider seriously some Australia Aboriginal painting. Put maybe 10% of the 40% allocation. Its like undervalued "stock" at the moment. But the day will come for them. As it is there is already some stirring. One day it will go. Like the stock mkt, every stocks have its day when they run out of things to play. Sorry for the cynicsm but I cannot get my point across enough about Australia Aboriginal Art scene. Not that far from New Zealand by the way. Ha ha. And your Avatar really get me going. But I shall stop here.
ps juz kidding - 10 pts will do.

in the 1850's an ounce of gold would buy a nice suit. Today an ounce of gold will buy a nice suit. Gold is stable. Art. can go from a couple thousand to millions in a few years. There is a lot less valuable art than there is gold. And every day more gold is mined. Rembrandt quit painting a long time ago.