Edgar Filing: Van Eck Merk Gold Trust

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Free Writing Prospectus

Van Eck Merk Gold Trust

Van Eck Corporate Profile

0001546652

Pursuant to 433/164

333-180868

Van Eck Global

Van Eck Global’s mission is to offer investors intelligently designed investment strategies that take advantage of targeted market opportunities. We seek to provide long-term, superior performance in all our offerings, giving investors a choice between active and index strategies.

1955:

Founded Van Eck Global with launch of international equity mutual fund

1968:

Created the U.S.’s first gold equity fund

1993:

Began managing emerging markets assets

1994:

Created first long-only hard assets fund

1996:

Created hedge fund subsidiary;

Launched long-short hard assets and emerging markets distressed debt strategies

2006:

Launched Market Vectors ETFs; issued first gold ETF based on miner shares

2011:

Launched index company, Market Vectors Index Solutions

2013:

Created aggregate emerging markets bond index

Investors include financial advisors and over 400 institutions globally.

Total assets under management $25.1B

34 investment professionals in the areas of emerging markets equity and debt, commodity equity, liquid alternatives, and ETFs

Sponsor of 65 Market Vectors ETFs*; among the largest ETF providers globally

230 employees, with headquarters in New York, and offices in Australia, Germany, and Switzerland

Private ownership structure allows the firm to focus on investment performance through market cycles

Assets Under Management by Asset Categories

Alternatives and Other ($2.6B)

Emerging Markets Equities and Debt ($5.5B)

Gold ($6.3B)

Natural Resource Equities

and Commodities ($6.4B)

U.S. Income ($4.3B)

All data, unless otherwise noted, as of December 31, 2015

*Market Vectors Generic Drugs ETF launched on January 13, 2016

Van Eck has dedicated teams of sales professionals--in the U.S. and abroad--covering all major distribution channels including advisory and institutions. The firm also has a dedicated team of ETF specialists, located in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Advisory Sales

Institutional Sales

ETF Sales

Sales Support: 800.826.2333

advisorservices@vaneck.com

Sales Support: 800.826.2050

institutional@vaneck.com

Sales Support: 800.826.2333

info@vaneck.com

Van Eck Funds: Investment Management

vaneck.com | 800.826.2333

Van Eck Global’s investment management team has expertise in a number of specialized areas, such as hard assets and gold equities, emerging markets equities and debt, and liquid alternative investments.

Active strategies offered via mutual funds and separate accounts

Also offer the Variable Insurance Portfolio (VIP) Trust Funds, a series of investment choices within the variable annuity contracts and variable life policies of widely known and highly regarded insurers

Portfolio managers and sector analysts with both financial, technical, and direct industry backgrounds

Van Eck Funds

Class

Ticker

Inception

Active Equity

Global Hard Assets Fund

Category: Natural Resources

GHAAX

11.02.94

GHACX

11.02.94

GHAIX

05.01.06

GHAYX

04.30.10

International Investors Gold Fund

Category: Precious Metals Equity

INIVX

02.10.56

IIGCX

10.03.03

INIIX

10.02.06

INIYX

04.30.10

Emerging Markets Fund

Category: Emerging Markets

GBFAX

12.20.921

EMRCX

10.03.03

EMRIX

12.31.07

EMRYX

04.30.10

Van Eck Funds

Class

Ticker

Inception

Acrtive Fixed Income

Unconstrained Emerging Markets Bond Fund

Category: Emerging Markets Bond

EMBAX

07.09.12

EMBCX

07.09.12

EMBUX

07.09.12

EMBYX

07.09.12

Index

Long/Short Equity Index Fund

Category: Liquid Alternatives

LSNAX

12.12.13

LSNIX

12.12.13

LSNYX

12.12.13

CM Commodity Index Fund

Category: Commodities Broad Basket

CMCAX

12.31.10

COMIX

12.31.10

CMCYX

12.31.10

Recognized as Best Funds in their respective categories for consistent risk adjusted returns relative to their peers for the periods ending December 31, 2014:

Van Eck Global Hard Assets Fund (Class A: GHAAX) - Awarded Best Fund over 10 years in the Global Natural Resources Funds Category

Van Eck International Investors Gold Fund (Class A: INIVX) - Awarded Best Fund over 10 years in the Precious Metals Equity Funds Category

Van Eck Emerging Markets Fund (Class I: EMRIX) - Awarded Best Fund over 5 years in the Emerging Markets Funds Category

Lipper has awarded the Van Eck Global Hard Assets Fund: Class A Shares Best Fund out of 16 eligible investment companies for the ten year period ending 12/31/2014 in the Global Natural Resources category; the Van Eck International Investors Gold Fund: Class A Shares Best Fund out of 18 eligible investment companies for the ten year period ending 12/31/2014 in the Precious Metals Equity category; and the Van Eck Emerging Markets Fund: Class I Shares Best Fund out of 104 eligible investment companies for the five year period ending 12/31/2014 in the Emerging Markets Funds category.

1The Fund began investing under its current investment objective on December 18, 2002.

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Bonds and bond funds will decrease in value as interest rates rise. The Van Eck Funds are subject to various risks, including those unique to foreign investing, non-diversification, industry concentration, emerging market securities, small-cap companies and debt securities.

Please see the prospectus and summary prospectus for information on these and other risks. An investor should consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the investment company carefully before investing. To obtain a prospectus and summary prospectus, which contain this as well as other information, call 800.826.2333 or visit vaneck.com. Please read the prospectus and summary prospectus carefully before investing.

Market Vectors Exchange-Traded Funds

vaneck.com | 800.826.2333

Market Vectors ETF business launched in 2006 with nation’s first gold-mining ETF (GDX)

Today, offerings include ETF solutions providing flexibility and access to global equity and income markets

As of December 31, 2015, managed worldwide assets totalling $19.0B

Equity ETFs2

Ticker

Index Ticker3

Commencement Date

Hard Assets

Agribusiness ETF

MOO

MVMOOTR

08.31.07

Coal ETF

KOL

MVKOLTR

01.10.08

Global Alternative Energy ETF

GEX

AGIXLT

05.03.07

Gold Miners ETF

GDX

GDMNTR

05.16.06

Junior Gold Miners ETF

GDXJ

MVGDXJTR

11.10.09

Natural Resources ETF

HAP

RVEIT

08.29.08

Oil Refiners ETF

CRAK

MVCRAKTR

08.18.15

Oil Services ETF

OIH

MVOIHTR

12.20.11

Rare Earth/Strategic Metals ETF

REMX

MVREMXTR

10.27.10

Solar Energy ETF

KWT

MVKWTTR

04.21.08

Steel ETF

SLX

STEEL

10.10.06

Unconventional Oil & Gas ETF

FRAK

MVFRAKTR

02.14.12

Uranium+Nuclear Energy ETF

NLR

MVNLRTR

08.13.07

Country/Regional

Africa Index ETF

AFK

MVAFKTR

07.10.08

Brazil Small-Cap ETF

BRF

MVBRFTR

05.12.09

ChinaAMC A-Share ETF

PEK

CSIRO300

10.13.10

ChinaAMC SME-ChiNext ETF

CNXT

SZ399611

07.23.14

Egypt Index ETF

EGPT

MVEGPTTR

02.16.10

Gulf States Index ETF

MES

MVMESTR

07.22.08

India Small-Cap Index ETF

SCIF

MVSCIFTR

08.24.10

Indonesia Index ETF

IDX

MVIDXTR

01.15.09

Indonesia Small-Cap ETF

IDXJ

MVIDXJTR

03.20.12

Israel ETF

ISRA

BLSNTR

06.25.13

Poland ETF

PLND

MVPLNDTR

11.24.09

Russia ETF

RSX

MVRSXTR

04.24.07

Russia Small-Cap ETF

RSXJ

MVRSXJTR

04.13.11

Vietnam ETF

VNM

MVVNMTR

08.11.09

Industry

Biotech ETF

BBH

MVBBHTR

12.20.11

Environmental Services ETF

EVX

AXENV

10.10.06

Gaming ETF

BJK

MVBJKTR

01.22.08

Generic Drugs ETF

GNRX

IGNRXT

01.12.16

Pharmaceutical ETF

PPH

MVPPHTR

12.20.11

Retail ETF

RTH

MVRTHTR

12.20.11

Semiconductor ETF

SMH

MVSMHTR

12.20.11

Strategic Equity

Global Spin-Off ETF

SPUN

GSPIN

06.09.15

Morningstar International Moat ETF

MOTI

MGEUMFUN

07.13.15

Morningstar Wide Moat ETF

MOAT

MWMFTR

04.24.12

Data as of January 13, 2016

Market Vectors Exchange-Traded Funds

vaneck.com | 800.826.2333

Income ETFs2

Ticker

Index Ticker3

Commencement Date

Income

BDC Income ETF

BIZD

MVBIZDTG

02.11.13

ChinaAMC China Bond ETF

CBON

CDHATRID

11.10.14

Emerging Markets Aggregate Bond ETF

EMAG

MVEMAG

05.11.11

Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF

HYEM

EMLH

05.08.12

Fallen Angel High Yield Bond ETF

ANGL

H0FA

04.10.12

International High Yield Bond ETF

IHY

HXUS

04.02.12

Investment Grade Floating Rate ETF

FLTR

MVFLTR

04.25.11

J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF

EMLC

GBIEMCOR

07.22.10

Mortgage REIT Income ETF

MORT

MVMORTTR

08.16.11

Preferred Securities ex Financials ETF

PFXF

WHPSL

07.16.12

Treasury-Hedged High Yield Bond ETF

THHY

MVTHHY

03.21.13

CEF Municipal Income ETF

XMPT

CEFMXTR

07.12.11

High-Yield Municipal Index ETF

HYD

LMEHTR4

02.04.09

Intermediate Municipal Index ETF

ITM

LMT2TR4

12.04.07

Long Municipal Index ETF

MLN

LMT3TR4

01.02.08

Pre-Refunded Municipal Index ETF

PRB

LMPETR4

02.02.09

Short High-Yield Municipal Index ETF

SHYD

BMHYTR

01.13.14

Short Municipal Index ETF

SMB

LMT1TR4

02.22.08

Commodity ETF

Ticker

Index Ticker3

Commencement Date

Van Eck Merk Gold Trust5

OUNZ

N/A

05.16.14

Currrency ETNs6

Ticker

Index Ticker3

Commencement Date

Chinese Renminbi/USD ETN

CNY

SPCBCNY

03.14.08

Indian Rupee/USD ETN

INR

SPCBINR

03.14.08

Double Long Euro ETN

URR

DLONGEUR

05.06.08

Double Short Euro ETN

DRR

DSHRTEUR

05.06.08

Data as of January 13, 2016

2ETF shares are not individually redeemable and will be issued and redeemed at their NAV only through certain authorized broker-dealers in large, specified blocks of shares called “creation units” and otherwise can be bought and sold only through exchange trading. Creation units are issued and redeemed principally in kind and/or in cash. Shares may trade at a premium or discount to their NAV in the secondary market. 3Index providers do not sponsor, endorse, or promote the ETFs and bear no liability with respect to any such ETF or security. 4Market Vectors Municipal Bond ETFs seek to track as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, indices calculated and maintained by Barclays Capital. These indices are not publicly disseminated and therefore do not have tickers. 5The sponsor of the Trust is Merk Investments LLC (the “Sponsor”). Van Eck Securities Corpora•tion and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, provide marketing services to the Trust. The Trust is not an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 or a commodity pool for the purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act. Shares of the Trust are not subject to the same regulatory requirements as mutual funds. Because shares of the Trust are intended to reflect the price of the gold held in the Trust, the market price of the shares is subject to fluctuations similar to those affecting gold prices. 6Morgan Stanley, issuer of the Market Vectors Currency ETNs, has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents Morgan Stanley has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and the offering of the Market Vectors Currency ETNs. You may get these documents for free by visiting the Van Eck Global Web site at marketvectorsETNs.com or the EDGAR database on the SEC Web site at sec.gov. Alternatively, you may request a free copy of the prospectus by calling Van Eck Global at 800.826.2333; you may also request a copy from Morgan Stanley or any other dealer participating in this offer. Van Eck Securities Corporation is the exclusive marketer of Market Vectors Currency ETNs.

For more information on Market Vectors ETPs and their underlying indices, call 800.826.2333. Investing involves substantial risk and high volatility, including possible loss of principal. Bonds and bond funds will decrease in value as interest rates rise. Please see the prospectus and summary prospectus for more details. Market Vectors ETF shares trade like stocks, are subject to investment risk and will fluctuate in market value. The market price of a Market Vectors ETF’s shares may be more or less than the net asset value. An investor should consider the investment objective, risks, charges and expenses of Market Vectors ETFs carefully before investing. To obtain a prospectus and summary prospectus, which contains this and other information, call 800.826.2333 or visit vaneck.com. This material must be preceded or accompanied by a Van Eck Merk Gold Trust prospectus (http://www.vaneck.com/library/commodity-etfs-literature/). Before investing, you should carefully consider the Trust’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. Please read the prospectus and summary prospectus carefully before investing.

Van Eck Securities Corporation, Distributor | 666 Third Avenue | New York, NY 10017

CORPRO (12/15)