One of the perks of my job as a magazine editor is being able to interview entrepreneurs in a wide variety of industries – an opportunity for a bit of education on businesses I might not otherwise have had exposure to.
In today’s market, I’ve read my share of articles about the importance of hedging against inflation, but it wasn’t until I chatted with Ali Soltani, owner of the Dana Point-based Royal Gold Group that I learned about options and benefits in investing in gold and silver.
It doesn’t hurt that Ali waxes poetic about all kinds of currency like he was Nicholas Cage’s National Treasure character talking about the George Washington campaign buttons. Before I met him, the concept of investing in coins and precious metals seemed as fantastic as someone attempting to steal the Declaration of Independence. The more I learned though, its ties to true financial finesse are difficult to ignore.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Ali has been a personal collector of coins and currency since he was a child and it’s clear that educating clients or the lay public in general about currency is absolutely a passion for him. Much more than a hobby, Ali makes it a specialty rather than a simple customer service transaction. For the last five years, Royal Gold Group has been operating in South Orange County. Part of the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce, Royal Gold originally started as a small shop in Old Town Tustin and has recently expanded to Dana Point in a much larger space. But why coins? Why currency?
“It isn’t about the formal business for us,” says Ali. “I didn’t want to have just another old dirty coin shop. I enjoy the blend of customer service and sales in this specific arena – educating my customers and exchanging knowledge with seasoned collectors.”
Ali and his team at the Royal Gold Group cater to investors of all ages and abilities. If you are a novice investor, they can create an offering based on your specific goals. Are you looking to collect for pleasure, buy and sell for quick profit, or buy and sell for a long-term investment?
Offering private appointments for those clients who might need a little more time or privacy to look at products, “or go over valuable estate items they are looking to sell,” jewelry repair, and coin appraisals mean less time out on the market, liquidating the responsibility for a single customer to travel distance for multiple appointments. Easily booked over the phone and offered free of charge, private appointments take the pressure off for clients who need extra time to catch up in a clean, well-organized, stress-free and accessible environment.
“Coins and bullion are not for just a specific type of collector or investor anymore,” says Ali. “We see patrons ranging in age from 6 to 76 years old: parents with their kiddos, seasoned collectors who have been in the marketplace for a generation. We welcome all.”
