My reasons for holding physical gold and silver are:
- They have been an established monetary metal for millennia and will continue to be.
- They are both industrial commodities that can't be substituted.
- The scarcity of these noble metals will continue to rise, therefore making them more valuable.
- Gold and silver can be used in transactions any where in the world, in any country and in any city.
So it is prudent in my opinion to hold a certain percentage (at least 5%) of your portfolio in physical gold and silver.