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It’s been more than 170 years since the California Gold Rush, but locals are once again finding dust, flakes, and even nuggets of gold glittering in the state’s rivers.
“There’s gold everywhere,” Manny Goza, a prospector panning the Bear River, said in an interview with FOX40 News. (1) Low water levels during the fall make it easier to access stretches of the river that are normally inaccessible.
For Goza, a builder by profession, the search for gold has paid off.
“I did it every day. I’ve been here since 2005, I bought a house in 2010 because I could pay my bills with gold,” he said. “When I’m not hiring, I’m here panning for gold.”
With gold prices up more than 50% in the last 12 months, the precious metal is attracting renewed attention from locals looking for opportunities in their own backyard.
Goza said an “amateur” searcher can expect to earn around $50 a day, while a more serious searcher could generate “between $100 and $15,000.”
Like the original gold rush almost two centuries ago, achieving great success often depends on luck. One prospector recalled a time when a gold nugget “just rolled out; it was completely round like a baseball and it was half gold.”
Still, the work can be exhausting. As another prospector said, gold “doesn’t jump into the frying pan.”
And payday is never a sure thing.
“It’s emotional, some days you find $15,000, other days you find nothing,” Goza said.
Of course, not everyone has the time (or the back muscles) to dig for gold in a river bed. But you don’t need a frying pan to get into the action. Gold has long been appreciated as a store of value, and in 2025, some of the biggest names in the financial sector are urging investors to make room for it in their portfolios.
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Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, has been pounding the table on the importance of gold.
“People generally don’t have an adequate amount of gold in their portfolio,” Dalio told CNBC earlier this year. “When bad times hit, gold is a very effective diversifier.”
Gold has long been considered the ultimate safe haven. Unlike fiat currency, central banks cannot print it in unlimited quantities, making it a natural hedge against inflation. It is also not tied to any particular country, currency or economy. When markets falter or geopolitical tensions flare, investors often flock to gold, driving up prices.
Jeffrey Gundlach, founder of DoubleLine Capital and widely known as the “King of Bonds,” echoed that sentiment. He recently said that a 25% portfolio allocation to gold is “not excessive,” calling the metal “an insurance policy” that will likely remain “in winning mode” amid the current dollar weakness.
Meanwhile, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said that in this environment, gold can “easily” rise to $10,000 an ounce.
For those looking to capitalize on gold’s potential while also gaining tax advantages, one option is to open a gold IRA with the help of Goldco.
Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, combining the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold, making it an attractive option for those looking to potentially protect their retirement funds against economic uncertainties. With a minimum purchase of $10,000, Goldco offers free shipping and access to a library of retirement resources. Additionally, the company will match up to 10% of qualifying purchases in free silver.
If you’re curious about whether this is the right investment to diversify your portfolio, you can download your free informative guide to gold and silver today.
At the end of the day, the rise of gold is a reflection of the falling value of the fiat currency: the US dollar, in this case. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, $100 in 2025 will have the same purchasing power as just $12.05 in 1970. (2)
But gold is not the only asset that has helped investors preserve wealth. Real estate has also proven to be a powerful hedge.
When inflation rises, property values often rise as well, reflecting the higher costs of materials, labor and land. At the same time, rental income tends to increase, providing landlords with an income stream that adjusts for inflation.
It’s no surprise that Goza, the gold prospector, eventually bought a house after finding gold.
Over the past five years, the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller US NSA National Home Price Index has increased 49%, reflecting strong demand and limited supply of homes. (3)
Of course, high home prices can make buying a home more difficult, especially when mortgage rates are still high. And being a landlord isn’t exactly a hands-off job: Tenant management, maintenance, and repairs can quickly eat up your time (and your profits).
The good news? You don’t have to buy a property outright (or deal with leaky faucets) to invest in real estate today. Crowdfunding platforms like Arrived offer an easier way to gain exposure to this income-generating asset class.
Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived lets you invest in rental home stocks with as little as $100, all without the hassle of mowing the lawn, fixing leaky faucets, or dealing with difficult tenants.
The process is simple: browse a select selection of homes that have been vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Once you find a property you like, select the number of shares you would like to purchase and then sit back as you begin receiving positive rental income distributions from your investment.
Another option is First National Realty Partners (FNRP), which allows accredited investors to diversify their portfolio through supermarket-anchored commercial properties without taking on the responsibilities of ownership.
With a minimum investment of $50,000, investors can own a portion of properties leased by national brands like Whole Foods, Kroger and Walmart, which provide essential goods to their communities. Thanks to Triple Net Leases (NNN), accredited investors can invest in these properties without worrying about tenant costs reducing their potential returns.
Simply answer a few questions, including how much you would like to invest, to start exploring the full list of available properties.
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@fox40(1); Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis (2); S&P Global (3)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
