Gold and silver are extremely volatile commodities, and investing in them is not for the faint of heart. They are not products that you can trade day-to-day, and the severe price swings involved with gold and silver can scare anyone. Never trade over your head, and always trade for the long-term. But if you have owned gold for the last seven years or so, you’ve done well. The same goes for silver, although it’s not as popular yet among mainstream investors. The extreme volatility of worldwide markets, the European debt crisis, and the Great Recession have all contributed to a higher level of fear in the investment world than in years past. Owning gold and silver can be a valuable hedge against economic instability and can help to balance your portfolio, especially in terms of dollar risk.