Banks

In the U.S., sales of gold come mostly from coin dealers and Internet sites. In much of the rest of the world -- notably Germany -- your local bank teller can sell you gold bars. "Financial institutions are trying different ways to market gold," says Martin Murenbeeld, chief economist at DundeeWealth. In China and Vietnam, banks have launched innovative gold savings plans. Customers there save regularly in bank accounts backed by physical gold just as American workers invest each month in retirement plans.