Gold has long been the standard of wealth, so much so that the US dollar was once backed by Federal reserves of it. Today, people, often those who are skeptical of the value of the dollar, view gold as a way of securing their finances should the dollar fall. However, the financial worth of gold is much more than just a safety net. A few of the best ways gold can be traded is as a commodity (NYMEX:GC), through mining companies such as Randgold Resources (NASDAQ:GOLD), and through ETFs like SPDR Gold Trust (NYSEARCA:GLD).