It could be the calendar

One look at the calendar will tell you that the end of the third quarter of the year is about to arrive.

Money managers tend to sell their losers in these final days so they won’t have to report to their clients that they made some bad choices.

On the other hand, winners, like gold and silver in recent months, they tend to buy more of.

So take fluctuations in the price of precious metals during the next few days with a grain of salt.

Sure, movements could be reflective of fundamental long-term trends – or they could just be reflecting this end-of-quarter, make-the-report-look-good transactions.

In the meantime, consider the basics.

Do you have gold and silver up to 10 percent of your financial assets as prudent diversification?

Are your investments in precious metals made with money that you can afford to lose or at least hold over a prolonged period of time so there is no pressure to sell when the rent or mortgage payment comes due?

Better yet, are you using your knowledge of coins and their many forms to buy the most silver or gold for the least markup?

Unless you happen to like lighting cigars with hundred dollar bills, there is no point in paying more than you have to for your precious metals.

Buzz blogger Dave Harper is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."