Stress Test: Gold

It no longer backs legal tender, but with stocks and currencies in freefall, gold has become a safe haven for investors. But is it really the wisest store of value?

To find out, Minyanville compared the yellow metal to a series of beloved collectibles in its patented Stress Test.

Rarity	Portability	Divisibility	Durability	Liquidity
Gold: Scarce, but not rare. Some New York restaurants serve it with dessert, for crying out loud.	Gold: To get a sense of its immense portability, just tune into the Source Awards.	Gold: As ancient skinflints can attest, shaving a bit off a sample won't drastically reduce the overall value.	Gold: If the precious metal can withstand the maw of an 1840s gold prospector, it can survive virtually anything.	Gold: With a simple toll-free call and pre-paid envelope, you can receive a cool 33% valuation on your goods.
Comic books: You try finding Incredible Hulk #181 at your local strip mall.	Stamps: So portable, you can get one across the country on a 3-by-5 card.	Precious Moments figurines: Oddly enough, a praying infant with a severed foot doesn't fetch nearly as much as the intact figure.	Record albums: Collections are in danger of destruction after a single "scratch-and- sample" session in the DJ booth.	Baseball cards: Readily transferable. A 1974 Pete Rose could be exchanged for a 1976 Jim Palmer and a near-mint Kiss action figure.
Edge: Comic books	Edge: Stamps	Edge: Gold	Edge: Gold	Edge: Baseball cards