JOPLIN, Mo. — Two major banks in the U.S. have failed in recent days, as well as one other internationally.

While some say you’re money is safe up to a certain amount, it’s causing others to suggest another option.

So is now the time to consider converting some of your savings and or investments into alternative options? Say like… Precious metals?

“We buy and sell hard assets, gold, silver, platinum, palladium, diamonds, things like that,” said Eric Gerner, Gold and Silver of Joplin Owner.

Eric Gerner of Gold and Silver of Joplin says he’s seen a big jump in business in the last several weeks, but he says it actually predates the two American bank failures.

He thinks interest rate hikes are the trigger to all that precious metal trading.

“Here lately, everybody’s just been buying, buying, buying, so yeah, it’s got our inventories a little low right now and that’s what we’re here today for, typically our day off but we’re gonna drive around and see if we can pick something up at the other “we buy gold” places and things like that,” said Gerner.

In some cases, Gerner thinks the heavier the asset, the better.

“Gold and silver have always been worth something, in all of recorded history, we’ve never woke up and silver and gold are worth nothing,” said Gerner.

Generally, any time you have an increase in the number of people buying hard assets like these, if you have them, it’s a great time to sell as well.

With more and more people picking precious metals, he says you’ll get more in return if you already have them and want to liquidate them.