Going for the gold

Finance | With stocks trending down, precious metals get a fresh look | James Allen Walker

NEW YORK—Current high prices of precious metals, the weak dollar, and hard economic times are increasing public awareness that money is gold. Radio ads implore listeners to buy gold because of its steady value. Television spots hawk a gold testing kit so gold owners can test and weigh their own, taking advantage of gold's current high price. Traditionally, gold bullion (not coins) can be a stable if not dividend-paying investment.

It's not the only thing adding weight to what some observers are calling "the 21st-century gold rush." Gold parties are popping up—where charities and others raise money by recycling unneeded gold into coins or bullion for resale. Some come to buy and some come with a jewelry box full of broken necklace chains, lockets, or other gold trinkets they will never again wear. Websites advertise how to host a party and where to attend one.