Some investors are so worried about the prospect of economic collapse that they are buying gold and having it delivered to them, rather than holding the precious metal in the form of futures contracts or other securities. That’s the conclusion of a recent article in the Wall Street Journal.

Perhaps more interesting, however, was the informed discussion that followed on the WSJ’s site, in the “Comments” section.

“Why place your trust in paper that is printed by the government?” asks reader Linda Hawkins. “Gold has been serving as money much longer than governments have been printing fiat currency. The risk is that the government may print so much of it, that we end up like Germany in the 1930s, or Zimbabwe right now.”

Gold, as commenter Avery Goodman went on to explain, “is not bought for “end of the world” planning. It is bought for preserving wealth when the financial system is working incorrectly … People are buying gold to have a thing of value that has no counter-parties, and, in that manner, protect themselves from a collapsing financial system, and a probable depression and/or hyperinflation.”

I particularly liked that point about gold having no counter-parties. That is, of course, assuming we are talking about real physical gold bullion, not about paper or virtual gold like ETFs. I have blogged over on my personal site before about the dangers of investing in GLD ETF, and – for that matter – other commodity ETFs. Journal reader Alex Vasilyevich points out: “I personally believe that the gold short trades on COMEX are not backed by any physical delivery capability. If there is a sudden spike in the deliveries demanded by buyers, the game will be exposed, just like what happened with Madoff and Stanford.”

Of course, regular Q Wealth readers will see nothing new in this discussion, but sometimes it is reassuring to know that even the mainstream financial press reports and respects our views, and that onshore Gold dealers in places like London and New York City are doing a roaring trade. It follows on from the article in January in London’s Daily Telegraph about Why the Rich are Running to Gold Bullion.

We do take matters one step further, however, by suggesting international diversification for your gold bullion holdings. Why? For example, there have been many rumors that the US might once again prohibit private ownership of gold, and confiscate – or, purchase at an artificial exchange rate – existing gold bullion held by individuals onshore. The same applies to many European governments, some of which only legalized private gold ownership in the last decade or two.

There’s also the important matter of how to buy gold bullion. Most gold sales go through a cartel of international bankers and precious metal traders. It is however, possible to go direct to the source and buy pure gold direct from the producers.

All these aspects of buying gold offshore and more are covered – together with step-by-step practical instructions and contact details – in the new Gold Report – otherwise known as How to Buy and Hide Gold Bullion Offshore. Of course we must stress what we are suggesting is a perfectly legal form of offshore asset protection. Unlike bank accounts, or ETFs held through brokerage accounts, real gold bullion is not subject to reporting requirements. If you want to keep it secret you can – legally. That personal and financial privacy aspect is just one more reason why we are so bullish on gold bullion right now. It is a secure, private store of wealth management with a view not just to asset protection but to really creating wealth in a secure, offshore environment. And that is what The Q Wealth Report is all about.

Would you like to obtain your copy of The Gold Report while the unique information in it is fresh and bang up to date? Well the good news is – it’s FREE. It’s available for download right now in our Members’ Area. The bad news, of course, is that you have to be a member to access it. But a membership still costs just $87 per year and brings numerous other benefits. What are you waiting for? Join Q Wealth today!

It’s interesting (even rewarding) to see that the mainstream media is beginning to say some of the things we have been telling our readers for years. For example, an article in The Daily Telegraph of London exclaims that,

Merrill Lynch has revealed that some of its richest clients are so alarmed by the state of the financial system and signs of political instability around the world that they are now insisting on the purchase of gold bars, shunning derivatives or “paper” proxies.

Gary Dugan, the chief investment officer for the US bank, is quoted in the Telegraph article as saying that clients are “genuinely worried about what the world is going to look like in 2009. It is amazing how many clients want physical gold, not ETFs. They are so worried they want a portable asset in their house. I never thought I would be getting calls from clients saying they want a box of krugerrands,” he said.

Merrill Lynch has predicted that gold will soon surpass its all time-high of $1,030 an ounce, reaching $1,150 by June.

If deflation sets in and rocks the economic system, gold will serve as a safe-haven, explains Telegraph journalist Ambrose Evans-Pritchard. With the opposite scenario, if massive monetary stimulus sets off inflation, gold will also come into its own, as a store of value. “It’s win-win either way,” says Merrill’s Mr Dugan.

They further warned that the eurozone was likely to come under strain this year as slump deepens. “There is going to be friction as governments in the south start talking politically about coming out of the euro. I don’t see the tensions in Greece as a one-off. It is a sign of social strain in countries that have lost competitiveness.” This echoes what we have been saying for years… we would just add that the pound sterling (see my other article about the Bank of England’s new license to print money) and the US dollar look equally doomed.

Gold may be the only answer, and indeed should make up a substantial portion of any diversified investment portfolio. And I would again stress that you should be buying physical gold bullion, not exchange traded funds, gold certificates etc. Buying physical gold has actually become quite difficult of late, with long waiting lists and high premiums. But fear not – your intrepid Q Wealth Offshore Banking team are putting the final touches now to “The Gold Report” which will explain several exciting new strategies for bypassing the gold and banking cartel altogether, acquiring pure gold bullion at a reasonable price, which you then hold in a secure offshore safe deposit box to which only you or your chosen representatives hold the key. Watch this space for more details.

Additional note from the editor: While you are waiting for “The Gold Report” by Peter Macfarlane you might also enjoy our brand new five part intensive offshore course, covering topics like offshore banking, asset protection, estate planning and trusts by our very own Peter Macfarlane, plus excellent articles by Thomas Bolther and Richard Cawte with practical solutions for building wealth into the future. The question is “How do you achieve the lifestyle of complete freedom without having the first $1,000,000 in the bank?” The answers you will find in this new five part intensive course, appropriately named “Secrets of the Super Rich.” Oh and did I tell you the best thing about this course? It’s free! Sign up right now online over at QWealthReport.com