"Engineering experts over at 911 Metallurgist, with some help from the designers at Neomammalian Studios, break down the innards of smartphones and how much the raw metals are worth." Continue reading →
"This week marks the 80th anniversary of FDR's decree, writes the Daily Bail. It remained the law of the land for more than four decades. Only on Dec. 31, 1974, was it finally repealed by Gerald Ford. Below is a full copy of the Executive Order." Continue reading →
"This week, a well-known Dutch bank was the first financial institution to inform its clients that their 'gold investments' are no longer physically deliverable, proving that the physical gold and 'paper gold' are different commodities with different prices. The world’s financial system is short on gold and no gold bars, except those that are kept by the owners, are safe from confiscation. ABN AMRO, the biggest Dutch bank, has sent a letter to its clients stating that they will no longer be able to take physical deliveries of the gold they have bought through ABN. Instead they are offered money at the current market rate for gold." Continue reading →
"The price of gold bullion has fallen from its 2011 highs and the prices of good junior companies have been slashed to as little as half their former valuations. All the more reason to start returning broker phone calls according to David Galland, Casey Research managing director, speaking on the Friday eve of the webinar he is moderating that features some of the biggest names in the industry. The webinar features Casey Research Founder Doug Casey, Sprott Global Resource Investments Founder Rick Rule, International Speculator Editor Louis James, 'Endgame' Author John Mauldin and Diary of a Rogue Economist Editor Bill Bonner." Continue reading →
"Italian finance police had a lucky find on Easter Sunday during a routine check of a family car crossing into Switzerland: they discovered gold ingots worth about €4.5 million concealed in false compartments. The car was driven by a 53-year-old Italian resident of the Swiss canton of Ticino, described by the police as the legal representative of a Swiss company. He was travelling with his wife and three children, apparently going for an Easter trip. The man was immediately charged with money laundering. The ingots and the car were seized. There has been an upsurge in the smuggling of gold from Italy to Switzerland in the past few months." Continue reading →
"Lawmakers in Arizona are poised to follow Utah, which authorized bullion for currency in 2011. Similar bills are advancing in Kansas, South Carolina and other states. The Utah Precious Metals Association, established after passage of the 2011 law to advocate for the use of gold and silver coins, has about two dozen members enrolled in a two month-old bill-pay service in which their accounts are held in gold, said Lawrence Hilton, the group’s chairman. Hilton envisions a future with an alternative monetary system based on precious metals in which merchants accept silver coin while gold mostly backs electronic transfers." Continue reading →
"In this documentary we have tried to capture the thoughts and feelings of ordinary Cypriots after their bank accounts got frozen in March of 2013. We've also asked them to think about alternative ways to see and use money. We'd like to thank them for their participation. We believe everyone should have the right to choose their own currency." Continue reading →
"Interest in these glittery investments – which soared five years ago – has been especially hot this year. In January, the US Mint sold 7.5 million American Eagle silver bullion coins to dealers – a monthly high, and not far from the 9.9 million silver American Eagles it sold in all of 2007. Demand was so strong that the Mint temporarily ran out of supplies and had to suspend sales for roughly 10 days. In addition, sales of American Eagle gold bullion coins hit highs not seen since June 2010." Continue reading →
"There is no reason to think that the basic relationship between the Dow stocks and gold has been altered in any fundamental or everlasting way. For practically the entire 19th century... many years of the 20th century... and as recently as the 1980s, the ratio of the Dow to gold was 1 to 5 or less. Investors paid 5 ounces of gold to buy the Dow and its earnings. Will the Dow once again trade for 5 ounces of gold or less? Almost certainly. And it will probably happen before this historic drop in the Dow/gold ratio has reached its final bottom." Continue reading →
"There are several lessons to be learned here: 1. Politicians lie. Only a few weeks ago, politicians in Cyprus promised that deposits in local banks would be backed 100% and that euro-zone taxpayers would finance any bailout. Obviously, that turned out not to be true. 2. The swift win the race. Those depositors who got their funds out of Cyprus banks before the bailout get to keep 100% of their capital. Those who delayed face losses up to 60%. 3. Cash is king. While the value of the euro has slumped in recent weeks, anyone with euros in cash form, rather than in an account, is far better off than with euros in a bank account. [..]" Continue reading →