Argument: Since 1975, when Americans again were legally allowed to own such things as gold bullion coins, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has generated a greater return on investment than gold.

Response: “This is an apples-to-oranges comparison. The composition of a one-ounce gold coin doesn’t change; it remains one ounce of gold. But the composition of the Dow has changed 24 times since 1975, with 24 out of 30 companies having declined in profitability or gone out of business, being replaced by other publicly traded firms. The price of gold has increased over 500 percent since 1975. Any comparison to the frequently re-juggled components of the Dow is invalid.