Is the time right to buy gold and if yes how?

[Journeyman]

I am wondering other than buying stocks in a mining company that is looking for gold. Are there other ways to do it? What are the different options?

Can I buy Canadian 1 once gold coins and keep them in a safety deposit box? Are these real and worth the exact value of an internationally accepted once? Does it loose value if its scratched? If I wanted to sell them one day how and to whom would I do that?

Can I buy gold as a commodity and someone else holds onto it for me and I get paper? Where can I do this? I read around about a few places but they all charge you a storage fee... Sounds counter productive to me.

Wondering the same things about, copper, steel, silver, aluminum, platinum, titanium etc...