Platinum is perhaps less well known than its precious metal counterparts gold and silver. Like its more popular peers, platinum is used to make jewellery (particularly rings), but this dense and durable grey-coloured metal is also found in catalytic converters on cars, and there are even traces of it in some dental fillings and mobile phones. Platinum is much rarer and harder to mine than gold and silver, which makes it a more expensive commodity to buy – whether you are a consumer, manufacturer or investor.
Find out how you can go platinum and invest in this versatile metal.
Most people think of gold when it comes to shiny chunks of bullion, but you can also buy platinum bullion.
This can come in the form of coins (usually available to purchase from official government mints) or bars.
A platinum bullion bar can weigh from one ounce up to one kilogram or more, and is usually accompanied by a form of assay card or a certificate of authenticity, which contains various details on its purity and origin.
Platinum bullion is of a finer purity than the platinum found in jewellery and should be at least 99.95% pure (also referred to in the industry as 999.5 or .9995 pure).
Remember to check that you are buying bullion from a reputable dealer, and also factor in that you will probably want to pay for the cost of secure storage.
For investors looking to the stock market to make returns from platinum, then ETFs (or exchange traded funds) are an option to consider. These are funds that invest in a basket of different things – such as equities, bonds and commodities – and you can find more detailed information on them in Finder’s ETF guide.
ETFs are a popular choice among both novice and experienced investors, because they can help diversify portfolios and reduce risk by collectively investing in a range of assets. And they also have the ability to hone in on specific industries or commodities, if that is what you’re looking for.
There are various platinum-focused funds to choose from on the world’s stock markets, which will invest in things like platinum bullion, platinum futures contracts or platinum mining companies.
Major platinum ETFs include:
But if you’d like a more limited exposure to platinum then there are also funds that include platinum as part of their wider investment portfolios, or ETFs that track the precious metals sector as a whole.
If you’re more interested in buying specific shares in platinum-related companies, then purchasing stocks in platinum mining companies could be for you.
As platinum is scarcer and more difficult to extract than gold or silver, there are fewer mining companies in this part of the precious metals sector, but some of the world’s largest platinum mining firms include Anglo American Platinum, Impala Platinum Holdings, Tharisa and Sibanye Stillwater.
The financial performance of any mining company can depend on a number of factors, such as demand for the metal being mined; a fluctuation in global prices for the raw material; availability of the raw material, for example, if certain mining seams begin to run out; environmental issues surrounding the mining process; local issues affecting the mining extraction, for example, civil unrest or a striking workforce; and wider economic global issues, such as a recession.
If you want to start investing either in EFTs or company shares, you can do so through a broker or by signing up to a share trading platform. Weigh up your options by reading our investment guides, and compare share trading platforms using the table below.
Franco-Nevada Corporation operates as a gold-focused royalty and streaming company in South America, Central America, Mexico, the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates through Mining and Energy segments. The company manages its portfolio with a focus on precious metals, such as gold, silver, and platinum group metals; and engages in the sale of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids through a third-party marketing agent.
Franco-Nevada Corporation is listed on the NYSE and has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD1.1 billion.
ASA Gold and Precious Metals Limited is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm invests in the public equity markets across the globe. It primarily invests in stocks of companies engaged in the exploration, mining or processing of gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, or other precious minerals.
ASA Gold and Precious Metals is listed on the NYSE and has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD$2 million.
Tiffany & Co. , through its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and retails jewelry and other items. The company offers jewelry collections, engagement rings, and wedding bands.
Tiffany-and-Co is listed on the NYSE, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD$3.7 billion and employs 14,100 staff.
As of June 19, 2024, Sibanye Stillwater Limited was acquired by UBS Group AG. Sibanye Stillwater Limited, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a precious metals mining company in South Africa, the United States, Europe, and Australia. The company produces gold; platinum group metals (PGMs), including palladium, platinum, rhodium, iridium, and ruthenium; chrome; nickel; and silver, cobalt, and copper.
Sibanye Gold Ltd ADR is listed on the NYSE, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD$113.7 billion and employs 63,220 staff.
Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. primarily sells precious metals in North America, Europe, and South America. It produces and sells gold, silver, palladium, and cobalt deposits.
Wheaton Precious Metals is listed on the NYSE, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD$1.2 billion and employs 42 staff.
All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
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