What actually holds its value?

1. What makes a good store of value?

   Salt, mackerel and gold share five traits. Knowing them lets you judge any place to keep your savings.

2. Why was gold money for thousands of years?

   Money began as a record of who owed what. Gold made those promises checkable between strangers, until 1971.

3. Everyone says a home is the safest investment. Is it?

   Nobody can print more land. But a home fails most other tests of a store of value, and it sends you bills.

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