Using JSON to Decode and Encode tables?

Im saving tables and have done so by encoding and decoding them.

I am using

local hs = game:GetService("HttpService") local balloons = hs:JSONEncode(table)

But when I do that, I get an error: Can't parse JSON

print (game.HttpService:JSONEncode({["Gold"]=25,["XP"]=50}))

{"Gold":25,"XP":50}

print (game.HttpService:JSONDecode('{"Gold":25,"XP":50}')) 

table

print (game.HttpService:JSONDecode('{"Gold":25,"XP":50}')["Gold"])

25