British Gold Coins and Capital Gains Tax

British Gold Sovereign Coin
The British Sovereign is one of the most widely traded gold coins in the World. Besides the intrinsic gold value that these coins hold, their appeal stretches beyond their weight in gold due to exemption from capital gains tax. The Full Sovereign weighs 7.9g, with the Half Sovereign weighing 3.9g, and the much more recent Quarter Sovereign weighing 1.9g. All Sovereigns are struck in .916 2/3 fineness, more commonly known as 22ct, and have been Minted by either the Royal Mint in London, or a royally sanctioned Mint in Australia, India, Canada or South America. Regardless of the country in which these coin have been minted, they all carry the British Design, and therefore remain legal tender, with a nominal value of one pound sterling. Needless to say the market value of these coins as an investment is significantly higher than their £1 face value.

Fundamentals of Private Equity Investments

In a world where everyone is looking out for himself or herself, business people are finding it hard to conduct business in a fair environment. Private equity investments are continuously finding themselves on the back foot in terms of investment. Some entrepreneurs are forced to close their businesses in order to save the little they have left. Others are not doing that badly. In fact, they would benefit a lot from selling their business while it is in its highest peak.

However, selling a business is not as easy as it sounds. It involves a long process and many complicated issues. On the other hand, some mid market investment banks are dedicated to offering the assistance that many businesses require. These private equity investments have the necessary expertise and facilities to provide the services of a private banker at the most minimal cost.

Banks Provide Convenience

Some people form a bad opinion when they think of banks. In their mind, these institutions are places that are out to rip people off. This type of mindset is usually formed when these companies begin charging fees. Many times these fees are due to people's lack of adequate funding in their account. For instance, someone may write a check worth $150, but they only have $120 in their account. Therefore, their account would be overdrawn. So, they will be charged a fee.

These aren't the only types of fees that some of these places charge. However, these charges should not be a reason that people choose not to use banks altogether. In fact, there are many different reasons that these types of businesses should be used. One of the main advantages that they offer is their convenience.

For example, most banks have locations all across the country. So, if someone were to go out of town, they wouldn't have to worry about finding a place to deposit or withdraw their money. 

Why You Need To Understand Bank Exchange Rates

In an increasingly global market place, particularly in Australia where the bulk of goods we consume come from overseas imports it has become important to understand Bank Exchange Rates and how they are calculated.

The strong Aussie dollar - near record highs - has seen the majority of Australians now buying their goods from overseas usually over the internet. The reason for this is usually two fold and comes down to ease and more competitive prices. Personally, I have traveled the world and have seen the prices paid for basic and non basic items and became somewhat disillusioned with the poor service and prices we receive in outlets across Australia. Without harping on too much, it is important to understand how the bank's come up with this rate and what you can do to achieve the best possible rate.

Check Out My New Watch

For some strange coincident, the colleagues that I'm working with right now appear to be into watches. So they wear these fabulous gleaming chronometers on their wrists while I try to hide my Casio behind my back. Fortunately, they were also kind enough to educate me - a persona non-grata when it comes to luxurious goods - about the finer points of watches. As a guy who treats watches purely as a device to tell time, and even then I wear them only when I really have to, I'm not exactly big on watches.

"So how do you keep track of the time if you don't wear a watch?" One of them asked me, after seeing nothing on my wrists. He was probably perplexed as I am always on time for all appointments.

"I don't need to wear a watch," I told him. "If I need to check the time, I can always refer to my handset."

"But what happens if you forget to bring your handset?"