Four common options are:Physical gold Gold mining stocks Gold ETFs Gold futuresPhysical goldPhysical gold includes jewelry, gold bars, and gold coins. Physical gold pros and consThe advantages of physical gold include:Readily accessible for use: If you keep your physical gold at home, it is easily available to use as a medium of exchange in an economic emergency. Learn more: Take a deeper dive into the gold sectorThe disadvantages of physical gold include:Risk of theft or loss: Physical gold must be properly secured. Gold mining stocks pros and consThe advantages of gold mining stocks include:Greater liquidity: Large-cap gold mining stocks like Barrick Gold Corporation (B) and Franco-Nevada Corporation (FNV) generally enjoy a narrow bid-ask spread, which is a sign of liquidity. Gold futures pros and consThe advantages of gold futures are:Leverage: You can control a large amount of gold with a low capital outlay.