A broker will provide you with access to the various investment vehicles that you can use to invest in precious metals. Brokers have the knowledge and experience  to help you make better investments. Such an account will allow you to access precious metals markets without having to pay an agent to execute trades for you. This is almost always cheaper than using a personal broker but forfeits the advice and expertise of an experienced agent. Investing in mining companies is a great way to start investing in precious metals. Invest in companies with a strong track record of earnings and those with whom you feel comfortable. Like all stock investments, the performance of the company and human error can affect the price, in addition to the general demand for the product. Exchange traded funds and exchange traded notes are active funds that are traded throughout the market day. They are similar to stocks, but they bundle equities for specific yield and risk ratios. Some ETFs are specifically set up to allow investors to "short" precious metals, meaning that the ETF's value goes up when the value of precious metals declines. This can be a good way to make money in markets that are in a downturn. Some mutual funds (including certain index funds) invest in precious metals. These funds own a variety of stocks and/or bonds related to precious metals. Instead of being traded throughout the day like ETFs, mutual funds trade only at the end of the day. The wide array of precious metals funds means there's something appropriate for just about every investor who wants to get involved. One critical aspect of investing in gold, silver, or other precious metals is whether the investor wants to invest in raw materials or prefers other items with intrinsic value, like collectibles. Some advocates for investing in certified coins argue that their value is protected from market fluctuations that affect raw gold, because there is no supply for these out-of-print coins. This provides buoyancy to a gold portfolio while the market is...

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Write a summary of the previous text in Chinese:
请一位经纪人。 利用网上经济账户。 评估矿业公司股票，投资矿业公司是一个很好的开始，要确保所投资的公司有足够的成功经验，在各个方面都合你的意。 评估珍贵金属的交易型开放式指数基金（ETFs）和交易所交易票据（ETNs）。 接触其他的贵金属基金。 比较原始数值和票据价值。 抓住接触天然金属的机会。