Precious Metals

Jim Rogers goes Short US Treasuries, talks JP Morgan Silver and a Boom in North Korea!

"We talk to Jim Rogers, author of the book 'A Gift To My Children,' about what he thinks of the latest economic growth numbers, and his outlook for a recession after the 2012 elections. We ask our guest Jim Rogers, author and investor, about how Japan's experience fits in with forecasts of Western central bank induced inflation. We also ask him about his 2008 prediction for a 'hyper-inflationary Holocaust' and the long term implications for investors and savers. Has he been surprised by the lack of severe inflation, and the performance of the US bond market?" Continue reading →

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Uneasiness in the Netherlands about national gold reserve

"Almost 300 'concerned Netherlands citizens' have joined the German initiative for insight about the gold reserves. In a petition the citizens committee demands 'full openness on the quantity and storage location of the Netherlands' physical gold, and on the extent and nature of the gold claims.' In Germany a lot of uneasiness has risen about the quantity, value, and quality of the gold reserves, which have not been audited in many years at various storage locations. Under pressure from the German federal audit office, part of the gold stock will be repatriated from the United States to Frankfurt." Continue reading →

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Turkish gold trade booms to Iran, via Dubai

"The sums involved are enormous. Official Turkish trade data suggests nearly $2 billion worth of gold was sent to Dubai on behalf of Iranian buyers in August. The shipments help Tehran manage its finances in the face of Western financial sanctions. The sanctions, imposed over Iran's disputed nuclear program, have largely frozen it out of the global banking system, making it hard for it to conduct international money transfers. By using physical gold, Iran can continue to move its wealth across borders. Turkish trade data confirms the gold is being transported to Dubai by air." Continue reading →

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‘Liberty Dollar’ Creator Awaits His Fate Behind Bars

"His name is Bernard von NotHaus, and he is a professed 'monetary architect' and a maker of custom coins found guilty last spring of counterfeiting charges for minting and distributing a form of private money called the Liberty Dollar. Described by some as 'the Rosa Parks of the constitutional currency movement,' Mr. von NotHaus managed over the last decade to get more than 60 million real dollars’ worth of his precious metal-backed currency into circulation across the country — so much, and with such deep penetration, that the prosecutor overseeing his case accused him of 'domestic terrorism' for using them to undermine the government." Continue reading →

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Counterfeit Perth Mint gold sold in China

"An Australian mint has called in the Federal Police after being shown evidence by Seven News that its gold bars are being counterfeited. An Australian mint has called in the Federal Police after being shown evidence by Seven News that its gold bars are being counterfeited. The investigation uncovered Chinese 'forgery factories' that will churn out fake bullion and even Australian coins, for a fraction of their face value." Continue reading →

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The New Trend in Gold

"Why is this happening? And what does it mean? Certainly some of the shift stems from concerns with the funds themselves. Another reason for the shift is certainly due to global economic, fiscal, and monetary concerns. As fears of systemic risk ratchet higher, it's only natural for investors to gravitate toward the safest methods for holding physical metal. Throw in events like what happened to MF Global last year, and it's easy to understand why many investors would prefer holding their own bullion over a fund. More important, what should we do as a result of this trend?" Continue reading →

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1971: The Year That Nixon Chose Gold Over Paper

"The U.S. was now free from the shackles of that barbarous relic. It was high time for gold to get dumped into the dustbin of history. No longer were people supposed to think of it as money. And being that gold's industrial uses are minimal, its price was supposed to languish until the end of time. Also of note in 1971, Merrill Lynch went public. It was only the second brokerage firm to do so. That same year, it released its 'Merrill Lynch is bullish on America' ad during The World Series. Oh...and The Nasdaq was also launched in 1971. So as you can see, Paper Money America was about to be unleashed!" Continue reading →

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Jim Rogers on Politics, Money Metals and How to Deal With an Endless Downturn

"Be very careful. Study some history and study some economics and see how these things always play out in the end. Prepare yourself. Make sure you have a professional advisor and you should do okay. Make sure you have investments that will do okay. Move to a new country if you are worried about your own country. I own commodities and currencies. I short stocks. I teach my children Mandarin. Both of my children speak perfect Mandarin. Both English and Mandarin will be important in the 21st century, in my view. We moved to Singapore so my children could learn and speak Mandarin. That's how I'm living my life." Continue reading →

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Switzerland: the world’s gold hub

"Most of the gold produced in the world transits physically through Switzerland. Four of the world’s major refineries of gold are located on Swiss soil. In 2011, over 2,600 metric tons of raw gold were imported into the country, to a total value of SFr96 billion ($103 billion). This was a record, the quantity having more than doubled over the last ten years, not including the gold that transits through Swiss free ports. What keeps the Swiss refineries going at full pace right now is not so much the demand for semi-finished products for jewellery and watchmaking, but the demand for gold bars." Continue reading →

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