RE: Respectability! Clarification...Your comment: "EDV is not a fund - open or closed end... is a publicly traded merchant banking company"
Ok, agree EDV is not per se Closed End Fund. However, operationally EDV does in fact operate like a closed end fund. For example, over 90% of its assets are invested in gold and natural resource companies, just like a closed end fund. Likewise, over 95% of its income comes from the buying/selling of this investment portfolio (plus some dividends).
There is little difference between EDV and US Global's open end Gold Shares Fund, IMO.