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Bohemia Collections: Don't let the Banks own your assets. Invest in solid Gold & Silver

9/1/2015

Dear Investor,
- This week we saw Greece effectively default on billions in debt. There is no way to predict where economies will go or how the dollar will fare in the future.

- Don’t be fooled into believing your hard earned investments cannot be affected by an economic crisis happening in another country. The US banks can freeze your cash just like the Greek banks have done.

- In the US we are faced with on-going unpredictable inflation, deflation and sky rocketing debt that could wipe out what took you a lifetime to earn. There is no end in sight.

Would you like to have something that would protect your dollars against loss in purchasing power?
“What is happening right now is a historical anomaly. Never in the thousands of years of recorded history have we had interest rates at zero or negative. We are destroying the people who save and invest for the future. They are being wiped out at the expense of the people who bought four or five houses with no money down and no job. We are destroying the people that all societies throughout history have needed the most.
When you destroy the investing and saving group, your society, economy, and country has problems. That is what we have been doing. Think of all those people who were saving for the future. They look like fools now, and feel like fools. Their friends who borrowed money are being saved at their expense…”
- Jim Rogers (Rogers Holdings)
We cannot wait for the next banking crisis to occur. This is a fraud developed by the banking industry to STEAL more of our money. Right now, you can start to accumulate gold and silver storing them with a third party vault out of the banks grasp as an insurance plan for worst case scenario.
“Gold stands in the way of this insidious process. It stands as a protector of property rights. In the absence of the gold standard, there is no way to protect savings …”
Give us a call so that we can supply you with a safe hedge of Gold & Silver. Every Blessings, David 951-265-6634

Keeping you up with the World Market

9/1/2015

Is China Lying About Its Gold Reserves?By Matt Badiali, editor, Stansberry Resource ReportWednesday, July 22, 2015
The gold sector just took a big hit…

On Friday, the People's Bank of China published its gold reserve figure for the first time since 2009. The official announcement said the country has just 53.3 million ounces of gold. That's less than half of what analysts expected.

The news sent the gold price plummeting 16% from its January high. It's now at a five-year low.

But this may be exactly what China wants. So that begs the question: Is China lying about its gold reserves?

The short answer is: probably.

China is a closed society, so information is tough to get and official numbers aren't reliable. And there are several reasons why the number should be higher.

For example, when China reported its gold reserves back in 2009, it said it held about 33.9 million ounces. In its recent announcement, it said it had about 53.3 million ounces.

That means China's reserves have grown at about 3.2 million ounces per year. At that rate, it would take China until 2079 to reach the same level of gold reserves as the U.S.

This is highly unrealistic. I don't think China wants it to take that long. For starters, the president of the China Gold Association, Song Xin, said in July 2014 that China should accumulate 273 million ounces of gold to help support the renminbi as an international currency. This is more than the U.S. claims to have now.

China is also gold crazy. In the past decade, it has ramped up domestic gold production. The country has been the world's largest gold producer for the past eight years. It should be the largest this year, too.

At the end of June, the chairman and secretary general of the China Gold Association, Zhang Bingnan, said the Chinese produced more than 90 million ounces of gold domestically from 2007 to April 2015.

And that doesn't include China's gold imports. The chairman of the Shanghai Gold Exchange, Xu Luode, said China imported nearly 50 million ounces of gold in 2013.

Overall, Bloomberg Intelligence, a market analytics group, believes China has around 112.8 million ounces of gold.

Remember, the official announcement said the country has 53.3 million ounces. So nearly 60 million ounces of gold are missing…

That's why I believe China is "sandbagging" the market. In short, by reporting low gold reserves, China has created a lower gold price. This allows the country to import gold more cheaply.

We've seen this type of move before…

The U.S. Treasury has criticized China for years for "significantly" undervaluing its currency. You see, keeping the renminbi weaker makes China's exports cheaper to the rest of the world.

We can't know for certain how much gold the Chinese hold. But regardless of whether or not China is lying, I still believe gold prices are likely headed higher. As I've shown you in these pages before, sentiment toward the metal is terrible – which points toward a bottom.

And world banks are printing massive amounts of money right now. Europe, Japan, and China have all followed the U.S.'s lead in adding money to their systems to boost their economies. By doing this, they're devaluing their currencies. For example, the euro has fallen 20% versus the dollar in the past year.

With the world's governments continuing to print more and more paper money, it will take more and more of it to buy gold.

Unlike paper currency, you can't just print more gold. There's a finite amount of it in the world. According to market research firm Thomson Reuters' 2015 GFMS Gold Survey, just 5.9 billion ounces of gold have been produced to date.

That's why I'm using the recent decline in gold prices as an opportunity to build up my personal gold holdings. You might want to do the same.

Good investing,

Matt Badiali

P.S. If you're interested in resource investing, it's not too late to join us for the Sprott-Stansberry Vancouver Natural Resource Symposium, starting July 28. We've arranged a way for you to watch the entire event LIVE from the comfort of your own home.

For a small fraction of the cost to attend in person – and with no more effort than turning on your computer – you'll have the chance to hear some of the best ideas from the "best of the best" of the resource world… like Eric Sprott, chairman and founder of Sprott Asset Management… famed speculator Doug Casey… Franco-Nevada CEO David Harquail… and many, many more.

Informative Gold History

9/1/2015

Precious Metals Preserve Wealth
When it comes to capital preservation, few resources have been able to hold value like gold. Gold and silver have staged one of the best ten year runs in history. In the early part of this century gold prices remained quite stable, but the last decade may soon be written in history as what jump started the revolution in personal finance; utilizing metals as an important hedge against economic fallout. The ability of precious metals to protect against inflation, as well as deflation, and everything in between truly shows how versatile and rewarding gold and silver are as investments.
Gold's History: Gold's 5,000 year history can be traced back to the Egyptian's in 3,000 B.C., when this ancient civilization linked the power of gold to the sun God, Ra.
In 560 B.C., King Croesus of Lydia struck the first gold coin, making gold his kingdom's "coin of the realm" or "legal tender". During the following 2,500 years in the evolution of the world trade and commerce, gold emerged as the preeminent global currency as thousands of gold coins were minted by many countries. Today, gold coins are still highly desirable by investors as a trusted store of value and recognized as a medium of exchange.
Gold's Value as an Investment:Gold is rare. During all of history less than 100,000 tons of gold have been produced. If gold production decreased or if existing gold scrap supplies were seriously reduced, even today's demand for gold could not be met. The result would be a strong upward pressure on gold prices.
The romance and allure of gold is enhanced by it's unmatched versatility as an investment vehicle.
Many of the rarer gold coins are valued at substantial premiums above their bullion value. Additionally, gold bars are held by central banks to assure their ability to make international payments.
Gold's value is intrinsic. It is a precious metal that cannot be destroyed or altered. Gold is highly liquid, has few geographic boundaries, and can be bought, sold and stored in most parts of the free world with privacy. Because of it's global market, the price of gold cannot be manipulated by a single nation.
On the contrary, gold is widely thought of as the foundation of the world's monetary system.
In a world where other assets, such as currencies, are depreciated by high inflation or interest rates, gold acts as a superior hedge against inflation. Another reason for including gold in your investment portfolio is it's diversification qualities. In other words, the price of gold frequently moves in the opposite direction from equities and fixed income securities. In addition, in times of political and economic uncertainty, gold's value traditionally rises.
What Kind of Metals Should You Invest In:The most private, liquid form possible. President Roosevelt has already proven that certain gold can become illegal over a weekend.
Don't take chances! The Fifth Amendment of The Constitution, particularly the Eminent Domain Clause, stands in the government's way of seizing collector coins. Only PRIVATE Gold Is As Good As Gold!
Numismatic Coins: There are two types of gold coins, numismatic and bullion. The chief difference between numismatic coins and bullion coins lies in how they are valued. Unlike a bullion coin, which derives its value from it's gold content, the value of a numismatic coin is determined by a combination of variables including age, rarity and its condition.
Numismatic coins, such as pre-1933 United States gold coins, are highly sought after by astute collectors and investors for their beauty, historical value and investment potential.
Bullion Coins: For investors who value the ease with which coins maybe bought, sold and converted to cash, bullion coins make an excellent choice. Guaranteed by the issuing nation, a gold bullion coin is usually a legal tender coin and may have a nominal face value.
Bullion coins are bought and sold at prices that include a small premium over their intrinsic gold value. The bullion coin usually has no collector value, with the exception of some early issue date coins, which are valued for both their bullion content and numismatic appeal.

Bohemia Collections Dave Gold – A Barbarous Relic?

9/1/2015

August 30, 2015
Gold – A Barbarous Relic?
By Doug Casey, founder, Casey Research

How many times have you heard gold described as the "barbarous relic"? It is a favorite phrase of gold-bashers everywhere who are trying to make gold the object of derision. I cringe every time I hear it, which is all too frequently, because gold is neither barbarous nor a relic.

There is indeed a barbarous relic: central banking. Central banks are barbarous, in part, because they conspired to put an end to Sir Isaac Newton's brilliant invention – the gold standard – that safeguarded sound money for 200 years. However, it is the process of central banking itself, as it has come to be practiced, that deserves the greatest public wrath.

Central banking is barbarous for the following reasons:

Corruption of Money as a Product of the Free Market

Money is a fundamental building block of our society because it allows people to interact with one another in the market process. Money existed long before governments and central banks began to "manage" it. Tragically, instead of being a neutral and unfettered tool in commerce, fair to one and all, money has now become a matter of force and decree, which is disruptive to the market process and therefore harmful to society.

Creation of Money Substitutes

Prior to the creation of the Bank of England, every exchange in the trading activity that we call "the market process" tendered value for value. In other words, gold was exchanged for land, silver for food, etc. – assets were traded for assets. The Bank of England changed this process by creating money substitutes. Banknotes are not a tangible asset, like gold or silver. Banknotes are merely money substitutes and not money itself. Money substitutes are a liability of the bank issuing that paper currency that create all sorts of payment risks that one does not have when using tangible assets as currency.

Secrecy

Because central banks act in secrecy, they are not held accountable. For example, the so-called Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve is far from open. It meets and makes decisions behind closed doors. The minutes released one month later are thoroughly redacted, leaving outsiders in the dark about the members' deliberations. Central bankers consider themselves – and act as if they are – above the law. Moreover, this secrecy favors insiders, and it is this fundamental principle upon which central banks' market intervention has been constructed, including, for example, their intervention in the gold market.

Taxation without Representation

Central banks have freed governments from having to ask their citizens – through their elected representatives – for more taxes. Central banks can acquire government debt and use it to create currency out of thin air for governments to spend on their latest whims. Even worse, through their policies that create inflation, central banks enable governments to steal from their citizens.

Disinformation

There are several tools in the central banks' arsenal, and one of them is disinformation, which they regularly practice. For example, central banks have come to make people believe that inflation is "rising prices." But wet streets do not cause rain. By changing the definition of inflation to one of "rising prices" rather than what it really is – monetary debasement engineered by central banks – the true culprits (the central banks themselves) are masked.

Deception

Not only are central banks guilty of disinformation, but deception is also one of their most frequently used tools. The history of banking is replete with examples that demonstrate not just a lack of disclosure but, rather, outright deception. To give just one example, consider how central banks today account for their gold loans. They carry both gold in the vault and gold out on loan as one line item on their balance sheets. In effect, central banks are saying that they can ignore the truthful disclosure established by Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. As a result, they can report both cash and accounts receivable as one and the same thing. Accounting like that would make even the fraudsters at Enron blush.

Creation of Command and Control Economies

Central banks have, in effect, turned the market into a command (i.e., state-run) economy. The power to create money out of thin air brings with it the much greater power to control a nation's economy, and therefore the economic destiny of millions. Central bankers today act like the former Soviet Union politburo members, who pulled strings and pushed buttons to try to make the economy – which means each and every one of us who participate in the economy – bend to their control. But it is not only the economic destiny of millions that is determined by central banks. The exercise of power by central banks raises subtle, but potentially more disturbing, issues.

Propagation of Control and Restrictions

Central bankers and their comrades in government know that the command-economy power that they have claimed forces them to walk a fine line between prosperity and economic collapse, given the inherent fragility of the credit-based monetary system they operate. To try to reduce this ever-growing fragility – in a vain attempt to make it easier for central banks to control the command economy effectively and totally – governments take away peoples' freedom. Central banks usher in controls, like the reporting of bank accounts and funds transfers, and policies, such as the "too big to fail" doctrine that underwrites bad decisions at banks with taxpayers' money. Controls perpetuate a central bank's stranglehold on power regardless of whether they are doing a good or a bad job – and it is usually bad – in commanding the economy.

Debt Over Savings

The command economy that central banks operate encourages the growth of debt, rather than savings. Banks want to expand their balance sheets – i.e., to make more loans – in order to earn greater profits. Governments want central banks to accommodate this objective. The resulting credit expansion provides the public with opportunities to acquire new things, which creates an illusion of prosperity that makes people believe their wealth is rising.

The result of this debt-induced pseudo-prosperity is a complacent populace, which tends to perpetuate governmental power and politicians' perquisites. Instead of following a sound and time-tested "pay as you go" policy, consumers, businesses, and governments have adopted a new creed – "buy now and pay later." The mountain of debt that exists in the United States today, and the excessive consumption that continues to enlarge that mountain, are the direct results of central banks' activity and their need to grow more debt to avoid the inevitable bust that would follow if the debt growth were to stop. Newsletter writer Richard Russell explains it very simply in just three words: "Inflate or die." That reality explains why former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said, in effect, that he would drop $100 bills from helicopters if necessary to inflate the economy.

Not far in the future, when the U.S. dollar collapses as just one in a long list of fiat currencies that have collapsed before it, people will look back and ask themselves how it was possible that barbarous institutions like central banks could have hoodwinked so many people into thinking they were good institutions acting in the public interest. The answer is that central banks have created the illusion of prosperity. Because people think that they are well off, they have no reason to question basic tenets that they are led to believe. For this reason, people are easily cozened into believing that gold is the barbarous relic, that central banks are doing a good job, that officially measured inflation is low, and that their financial future is secure. However, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Regards,

Doug Casey

Daily Gold Report From Walsh Trading

5/27/2015

Cool Video about the Atocha Shipwreck

5/15/2015

Gold futures get a boost from a drop in global bonds

5/12/2015

Gold futures climbed on Tuesday as the U.S. dollar lost ground and government bonds in the U.S. and Europe tumbled, spurring a modicum of safe-haven demand.

Gold for June delivery on Comex GCM5, +0.86%  rose $6.10, or 0.5%, to $1,189.10 an ounce, while July silver SIN5, +1.42%   advanced 5.6 cents, or 0.3%, to $16.37 an ounce.

Read: China’s slowdown hurts now, but silver could see a 40% spike by year-end.

European government bond prices continued to retreat, pushing up yields, with U.S. Treasurys following suit. The yield on the 10-year Treasury TMUBMUSD10Y, -1.47% traded above 2.33%, its highest level in months.

Rising bonds yields are typically negative for gold, with commodities that produce no yield suffering by comparison.

But the bond market selloff has spilled over to cause weakness in world stock markets, wrote Jim Wyckoff, analyst at Kitco Metals. Indeed, U.S. equities traded sharply lower.

The dollar was also weaker, with the ICE dollar index DXY, -0.66% a measure of the U.S. currency against a basket of six major rivals, down 0.6%. A weaker dollar can be a positive for gold and other commodities priced in the U.S. unit as it makes them cheaper to users of other currencies.

In other metals trade, July platinum PLN5, +1.14%  rose $4.80, or 0.4%, to $1,132.10 an ounce, while June palladium PAM5, +0.65%  rose $1.55, or 0.2%, to $782 an ounce.

July copper HGN5, +1.15%  rose 3.3 cents, or 1.1%, to $2.936 a pound.

Walsh Trading Weekly Report on Gold

5/1/2015

Great Video on How to Detect Cleaned Coins

5/1/2015

Tocqueville Gold Strategy Investor Letter — First Quarter 2015

4/14/2015

10-Apr (Tocqueville) — Gold and gold mining shares appear to be as contrarian today as in 1999, before a decade‐plus run in which bullion rose nearly seven‐fold in US dollar terms. For those who are concerned that the financial markets are overvalued, we believe that gold offers an out‐of‐favor investment strategy with asymmetric and dynamic potential. For those who see the US dollar as an overcrowded trade, gold could represent a sensible hedge against a reversal. And for those who view the practice of extreme monetary policies by world central bankers as unsustainable and laden with potential adversity, meaningful exposure to gold would now seem to be imperative.

…Strong returns in equities and bonds have been a major headwind for gold. The multiyear bull market in both has increased investor appetite for risk while disabling critical thinking that would lead to some consideration of gold. We have little doubt that a setback in the financial markets would benefit gold.

…The supply and demand flows of physical gold tell an entirely different story than the negative one portrayed by the synthetic market. Gold supply has peaked out for years to come barring higher prices, while demand shows healthy growth. The mining industry will not and cannot finance new gold mines in the current price environment. We expect global gold production to decline beyond 2015 in the absence of sustained higher prices. Demand for gold from central bank purchases, China, and India exceeds current gold production by a substantial margin. According to the World Gold Council, over the past five years, global gold demand was 20,315 metric tonnes, compared to cumulative global mine production of 14,504 metric tonnes.

…As an alternative investment to overvalued equities, or as a hedge against a reversal of the relative strength of the dollar, gold exposure has potential appeal as a tactic that may produce positive returns over the short to intermediate run. The possibility of a general loss of confidence in the policies and practices of central banking is an entirely different matter. It is this possibility that makes exposure to gold a potential game-changer.

Precious Metals Commentary

4/10/2015

2015-W Uncirculated American Silver Eagle

4/10/2015

Today, March 26, 2015 at 12:00 Noon ET, the United States Mint will start accepting orders for the 2015-W Uncirculated American Silver Eagle. This represents a collectible uncirculated version of the popular bullion coin.

The US Mint introduced the collectible uncirculated or “burnished” version of the Silver Eagle in 2006. That year the coins were first incorporated into the 20th Anniversary Set and subsequently offered individually. For the following two years, the coins were offered individually as well as within the Annual Uncirculated Dollar Coin Set. The offering was canceled in 2009 and 2010, but made a return in 2011 as an individual offering as well as within the 25th Anniversary Set. From 2012 onwards, the coins have been offered individually as well as within the Annual Uncirculated Dollar Coin Set.

The 2015-W Uncirculated Silver Eagle carries Adolph A. Weinman’s iconic design featuring a full length depiction of Lady Liberty with one hand outstretched and the other carrying branches of oak and laurel. She walks confidently forward towards the rising sun. The reverse design by John Mercanti features a heraldic eagle with a shield at its chest and an olive branch and bundle of arrows in its talons.

Each coin is struck in .999 fine silver with a weight of 1.0000 troy ounces and diameter of 40.60 mm.

The coins are offered for sale individually, packaged in a blue velvet, satin-lined presentation case and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. There are no mintage or household ordering limits established.

The price of the offering is $39.95. This compares to regular pricing of $43.95 for the prior year offering, although the coins were also available at the discounted price of $39.55 if ordered through the US Mint’s online subscription program. The subscription program discount is no longer available.

The annual sales level for the collectible uncirculated Silver Eagle seems to be bouncing back after hitting a low of 221,981 for the 2013-W issue (broken down between 178,941 individual sales and 43,040 through the Annual Uncirculated Dollar Coin Set. The 2014-W issue reached individual sales of 224,532 at the time of sell out and the 2014 Annual Uncirculated Dollar Coin Set has reached sales of 26,336 units according to this week’s sales report. Across both options, this makes for 250,868 pieces and climbing since the set option still remains available for sale.

Possible Price Increase for Numismatic Gold Coins, Product Stock Statuses

4/10/2015

Based on the available data, it is possible that the prices the United States Mint’s numismatic gold products may be increased tomorrow. The pricing change would impact the recently released 2015 Proof Gold Eagles and the set the price for the upcoming 2015 Proof Gold Buffalo.

The US Mint determines prices for numismatic gold and platinum products based on the average weekly prices of the metals. The average is calculated based on the London Fix prices from the prior Thursday AM to the current Wednesday AM. If the calculated average moves into a higher or lower tier established at $50 intervals, then a pricing change may take place. A secondary criteria requires that the Wednesday PM Fix price must agree directionally with any change.

The latest weekly period has limited data due to the recent holidays, but the average based on the available numbers falls into the $1,200 to $1,249.99 range. This is one tier higher than the range used to establish current prices.

If the weekly average remains within the higher range and the Wednesday PM Fix price is above $1,200, then a price increase would take place.

The impacted products would include the remaining available First Spouse Gold Coins, 50th Anniversary Kennedy Half Dollar Gold Proof Coin, 2015 commemorative gold products, and the 2015 Proof Gold Eagle products. A higher price of $1,590 would also be established for the 2015 Proof Gold Buffalo, due to be released on April 9.

Pricing changes for numismatic gold products have typically been made effective around mid-morning Wednesday.

New Language for Product Statuses

The United States Mint has announced new language for product statuses, which will be posted on the Mint’s website on April 16. The new statuses are in addition to the product being in stock and available with the “Add to Bag” button.

This Item on Backorder – “Learn” text as follows: This item is available to be ordered now, but it is not currently in stock. Additional inventory is being made. Please add the item to your cart to see when additional inventory is expected to be available.

Currently Unavailable (with a “REMIND ME” button) – “Learn” text as follows: We are currently out of this item, but more may be available later. Provide your email using the “REMIND ME” button and we will let you know when we are taking orders again.

Sold Out (no “REMIND ME” button) – “Learn” text as follows: This item is no longer in stock and is no longer available for sale.

Call for US Coast Guard Commemorative Coins

4/10/2015

Another call has been placed to honor the Coast Guard with commemorative coins in clad, silver and gold.

On March 26, 2015, Rep. Joe Courtney [D-CT] introduced House bill H.R.1683, the United States Coast Guard Commemorative Coin Act. Bills with the same intent failed in the prior session of Congress (H.R.2932 and S.2303).

The Coast Guard (www.uscg.mil) is one of five military branches in the United States and is the only military organization within the Department of Homeland Security. Founded on Aug. 4, 1790, it now has an estimated 57,600 Active Duty, Reserve, and Civilian personnel who, each year, respond to search and rescue cases saving thousands of lives, provide security on coastal waters, and maintain tens of thousands of navigations aids.

H.R. 1683 seeks up 100,000 $5 coins; 500,000 silver dollars; and 750,000 clad half-dollars in collector qualities of proof and uncirculated and with designs emblematic of the traditions, history, and heritage of the United States Coast Guard. Should the bill become law, the Secretary of the Treasury is tasked with selecting the designs after review by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, the National Coast Guard Museum Association, and the Commission of Fine Arts.

Past bills called for commemorative coins to be issued in calendar year 2017. That has changed in this latest rendition to calendar year 2018.

Sales of the coins would include surcharges paid to the National Coast Guard Museum Association (www.coastguardmuseum.org) to help finance the design, construction, operations, and maintenance of its museum in New London, CT.

H.R. 1683 now has 106 cosponsors, and is before the House Committee on Financial Services. For legislation to become law, it must past in the House, Senate and get signed by the President.

2015-W $50 Proof American Buffalo Gold Coin Released

4/10/2015

Annually issued since 2006, the collector coin is composed of one ounce of 24-karat, 99.99% pure gold and showcases James Earle Fraser’s classic 1913 Type I Buffalo nickel design.

Coin Designs and Specifications

This coin series has retained the same obverse and reverse imagery since its program debut. Shown on the obverse or heads side is a right-facing profile portrait of a Native American. Inscriptions around the portrait are LIBERTY, 2015, F for the artist initial, and W to note the coin’s production at the United States Mint facility in West Point.

The reverse depicts an American Buffalo, or bison, standing on a mound. Encircling inscriptions read: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, IN GOD WE TRUST, the face value of $50, and the composition of 1 OZ. .9999 FINE GOLD.

American Gold Buffalo coins have a diameter of 1.287 inches, a thickness of 0.116 inches and a weight of 1.000 troy ounce.

MINT ERRORS

3/27/2015

BARBER QUARTER DOLLARS

3/27/2015

PEACE DOLLARS (1921-1964)

3/27/2015

SILVER DOLLARS - MORGAN SILVER DOLLARS - EARLY SILVER DOLLARS

3/27/2015

The Silver Dollar or unit was first authorized in 1792, but the first issues did not appear until 1794. From then until 1804, all Silver Dollars had the edge lettering ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT. Early Silver Dollar coins had several designs including the Flowing Hair Silver Dollar, issued from 1794 to 1795, the Draped Bust Silver Dollars, from 1795 to 1804, the Gobrecht Silver Dollars, from 1836 to 1839, the Liberty Seated Silver Dollars, from 1840 to 1873, and the Trade Silver Dollars, from 1873 to 1885. Following these Early Silver Dollar Coins, the popular Morgan Silver Dollars were produced. The Morgan Silver Dollar was made from 1878 to 1921. It is the most popular Collectible Silver Dollar from among these groups. For the average collector, the Early Silver Dollars are too scarce to collect; however, up until the mid twentieth century, Morgan Silver Dollars were available from banks at face value. Obviously Early Silver Dollar coins were not, but many are available today for type collectors, specialists, and investors. While many Early Silver Dollars are rare, many Morgan Silver Dollars are not. There are a few rare dates in the Morgan Silver Dollar series, but most are attainable. Even most key dates are available in circulated condition.

Specifications: 1794-1804 (Early Silver Dollar)
Edge: Lettered – HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT with decorations
Weight: 26.96 grams
Diameter: 39-40 millimeters
Composition: 89.24% silver, 10.76% copper
Silver Content: 24.06 grams

Specifications: 1837-1921(Gobrecht, Liberty Seated and Morgan Dollar)
Edge: reeded (The Gobrecht Silver Dollar had both plain and reeded edge.)
Weight: 26.73 grams
Diameter: 38.1 millimeters
Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper
Silver content: 24.06 grams

Specifications: Trade Dollars (1873-1885)
Edge: reeded
Weight: 27.22 grams
Diameter: 38.1 millimeters
Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper
Silver content: 24.50 grams

Three Dollar Gold CoinsIndian Princess Head (1854 - 1889)

3/27/2015

The three-dollar gold piece was authorized by the Act of February 21, 1853. First struck in 1854, the coin was never popular with the general public and saw very little circulation. Today, some numismatists theorize that the $3 denomination would have been useful for purchasing postage stamps of the day (with their face value of 3c) or for acquiring 100 silver three-cent pieces ("trimes"), which were also in circulation at the time.
These gold coins changed hands in the East and Midwest until 1861, after which they disappeared from circulation; through the 1860s, fewer than 10,000 were struck annually. In 1874 and 1878, mintages were increased significantly in anticipation of the coins going into broader circulation. On the West Coast, the three-dollar gold piece did see circulation throughout the series' minting, though they probably weren't seen in change very often after the 1860s.
The head on the obverse represents an Indian princess with hair tightly curling over the neck, her head crowned with a circle of feathers (the band of which is inscribed LIBERTY). A wreath of tobacco, wheat, corn, and cotton occupies the field of the reverse, with the denomination and date within it. The coin weighs 77.4 grains, and was struck in .900 fine gold.
In the year 1854 only, the word DOLLARS is in much smaller letters than in later years. The 1856 Proof has DOLLARS in large letters cut over the same word in small letters. Restrikes of some years were made, particularly Proofs of 1865 and 1873.
Although these coins did not see extensive day-to-day circulation, collector interest was high, and many three-dollar gold pieces were saved by speculators beginning about 1879. As a result, Mint State examples are fairly numerous today. The 1870-S coin is unique, currently residing in the Harry W. Bass Jr. Collection on loan to the American Numismatic Association.

Designer James B. Longacre; weight 5.015 grams; composition .900 gold, .100 copper (net weight .14512 oz. pure gold); diameter 20.5 mm; reeded edge; mints; Philadelphia, Dahlonega, New Orleans, San Francisco.

GOLD COINS - RARE GOLD COINS - U.S. GOLD COINS

3/27/2015

One Dollar Gold Coins
Coinage of the gold dollar was authorized by the Act of March 3, 1849. The weight was 25.8 grains, .900 fineness. The first type, struck until 1854, is known as the Liberty Head or small sized type (Type 1).

In 1854, the dollar coins were made larger in diameter and thinner. The design was changed to a feather headdress on a female, generally referred to as the Indian Princess Head or larger-sized type (Type 2). In 1856, the type was changed slightly by enlarging the size of the head (Type 3).

Designer James B. Longacre; weight 1.672 grams; composition .900 gold, .100 copper (net weight .04837 oz. pure gold); diameter 13mm; reeded edge; mints: Philadelphia, Charlotte, Dahlonega, New Orleans, San Francisco.

Quarter Eagle Gold Coins

Authorized by the Act of April 2, 1792, quarter eagle weighed 67.5 grains, .9167 fineness until the weight was changed to 64.5 grains, .8992 fineness, by the act of June 28, 1834. The Act of January 18, 1837, established fineness at .900. Most dates before 1834 are rare. The first issue was struck in 1796; most of these had no stars on the obverse. Proofs of some dates prior to 1855 are known to exist, and all are rare.

Capped Bust to Right (1796 - 1807): Designer Robert Scot; weight 4.37 grams; composition .9167 gold, .0833 silver and copper; approx. diameter 20mm; reeded edge.

Classic Head, No Motto on Reverse (1834 - 1839): Designer William Kneass; weight 4.18 grams; composition .8992 gold, .1008 silver and copper (changed to .900 gold in 1837); diameter 18.2mm; reeded edge; mints: Philadelphia, Charlotte, Dahlonega, New Orleans.

EARLY HALF DOLLARS - HALF DOLLARS

3/27/2015

The Early Half Dollar: The half dollar has been in existence since the 1790’s and are still being made today, although they see little use and are mostly made for collectors. Historically half dollars were made in fairly large quantities and were used in banking and commerce; consequently, many are available to collectors.
First authorized in 1792, the half dollar was not minted until 1794. Chief Coiner Henry Voigt and Assayer Albion Cox could not raise the $10,000 bond required to take office. For this reason, only copper coins were made in 1793. To ameliorate this situation, Thomas Jefferson wrote to President Washington asking him to request that Congress lower the bond requirement. He ultimately prevailed, and Robert Scot, the new Engraver made the dies for the half dollar.

The first half dollar was issued from 1794 to 1795. The Flowing Hair type showed Liberty facing right surrounded with 8 stars on the left of LIBERTY and 7 on the right with the date blow. The Small Eagle reverse showed a thin eagle looking right with outstretched wings. It is perched on a cloud and surrounded by a wreath tied in a bow at the bottom. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds the design with dentils on both sides. The denomination is on the edge of the coin as FIFTY CENTS OR A HALF DOLLAR. Decorations are between the words. The design next type was the Draped Bust half dollar of 1796 to 1807. It showed a new portrait of a buxom Liberty with some of her hair tied back. There are both 15 and 16 star versions of this type, which was in use until 1797. In 1801 the Heraldic Eagle Reverse was used until 1807. It showed the eagle facing left holding arrows and olive branch in the wrong talons. The eagle’s right talon should be holding the olive branch. Instead it holds the arrows. The eagle’s wings are outstretched, and above its head are 13 stars and clouds.

The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM is on a banner in front of the eagle’s right wing and behind the left. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds the design. The next type of half dollar was the Capped Bust, Lettered Edge. It was minted from 1807 to 1836. It showed a portrait of Liberty wearing a LIBERTY inscribed Phrygian cap facing left. There are 7 stars on the left and 6 on the right with the date below. The reverse motif shows a heraldic eagle with wings lowered facing left. A scroll above has the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is above and the denomination, 50 C. is below. The edge is inscribed the same as the previous type. This design remained in use until 1836 when a reeded edge Reverse 50 Cents was minted. In 1838 the reverse was changed to HALF DOL. The Liberty Seated Half Dollar followed and was in use from 1839 to 1891. It showed a seated figure of Liberty facing left holding a staff and Phrygian cap in one hand and the Union shield inscribed LIBERTY in the other with the date below. The reverse shows a reverse similar to the previous type. At various times several combinations of arrows at the date and rays above the eagle were used. A banner with the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was added in 1866.

Charles Barber designed the next half which remained in use until 1915. It was followed by Weinman’s Walking Liberty Half that was used until 1947. In 1948 the Franklin Half was minted, but because of the assassination of President Kennedy, the Kennedy Half Dollar was minted in 1964 and is still being made today, with modifications in metallic content, mainly for collectors. In 1975 to 1976 the Bicentennial design replaced the regular Kennedy half, but it resumed in 1977.

Specifications: (1794-1836)
Edge: Lettered – FIFTY CENTS OR A HALF DOLLAR with decorations (1807-1814 FIFTY CENTS OR HALF DOLLAR. 1814-1831 Star added between DOLLAR and FIFTY, 1832-1836 Vertical lines between words.
Weight: 13.48 grams
Diameter: 32.5 millimeters
Composition: 89.24% silver, 10.76% copper

Specifications: (1836-1853)
Edge: Reeded
Weight: 13.36 grams
Diameter: 30 millimeters, (1839-present 30.6 millimeters)
Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper
Specifications: (1853-1964)
Edge: Reeded
Weight: 12.44 grams (12.50 grams 1873-1964)
Diameter: 30.6 millimeters
Composition: 90% silver, 10% copper

HALF CENTS

3/27/2015

Half Cents - The Half Cent is the lowest face value coin struck by the United States. The early Mint in Philadelphia had many challenges. Conditions were poor even at times chaotic. Each of the specialists, the designers, engravers, and press operators were men who had previously worked in other fields. Coin manufacturing was a new trade for them. Production was sporadic. For the new Mint to coin each of the mandated denominations, it took four years. This delay was partly because of inexperience and governmental obstacles. Bonds that were unrealistically high were impediments to engravers working with precious metals. Congress was not united on the need for a government mint since private and foreign coinage seemed to work. Because of the non-existent or low production numbers in the early years of the Mint, foreign copper, silver and gold circulated along with American made coins for many years until they were later demonetized.

Record keeping in the Mint’s early years was fairly inaccurate. At the end of the eighteenth century Philadelphia had recovered from the British occupation and Revolutionary War. It was the second largest city in the English-speaking world, but it could do nothing to protect its citizens from the mosquito-borne epidemic of yellow fever. Its wealthy citizens went to the countryside to escape, and the poor grimly waited their fate. Of course these annual epidemics caused havoc with all manufacturing that required continuity, such as a coinage sequence. The Mint shut operations during the late summer and early fall every year. In addition to yellow fever, disorder at the Mint was also caused by chronic bullion shortages and coin dies that would wear out and had to be re-engraved because they were not taken out of production until they failed completely. Often dies were locked up and later taken out of storage without great attention and care. There was also a jealous Chief Engraver, Robert Scot, who was in his seventies and had failing eyesight.

Liberty Cap Half Cent - Head Left (1793 only)

Liberty Cap Half Cent - Head Right (1794-1797)

Draped Bust Half Cent (1800-1808)

Capped Bust Half Cent (1809-1836)

1837 Half Cent Token

Braided Hair Half Cent (1840-1857)

This Precious Metal Is Gearing Up for a Breakout

3/26/2015

By Brian Weepie, analyst, Stansberry Resource.

It's time to start thinking about buying platinum.
Since its peak in 2011, the metal has fallen around 40%. It recently hit a five-and-a-half-year low. That has us interested. You see, the best time to buy an asset is when it has been "blown out and left for dead." I'm not saying we're there yet. But we're getting close. Let me explain…
As regular Growth Stock Wire readers know, commodities like platinum are tremendously cyclical. That means their prices go through big cycles of boom and bust. That's because the prices of commodities are based largely on supply and demand. If demand is rising faster than supply, prices will rise. But if supply is rising faster than demand, prices will fall.

That's what we've seen over the past few years with platinum.

Platinum is a precious metal that is incredibly useful in industrial applications. It's used in electronics, automobiles, dentistry, and jewelry. As a result, there's enormous demand for it.

To try to keep up with demand, the supply chain had to become more efficient. One way to do that has been recycling platinum. Today, recycling is a larger contributor to platinum supply than ever.

Johnson Matthey, a company that focuses on the use and recycling of precious metals, estimates recycling now makes up 31% of annual platinum supply. For comparison, recycling made up just 16% of platinum supply in 2005.

The growth in supply from recycling has helped push platinum prices down. The entire precious metals sector entering "bust" mode in 2011 also helped drive platinum prices lower.

Recently, the strength in the U.S. dollar (it's up around 24% against other currencies since July) has caused most commodities – including platinum – to fall. Platinum prices are down around 25% since July. As I said, prices are now at a five-and-a-half-year low.

But the weakness in platinum prices is likely almost over.

You see, while recycled platinum supply has been increasing, platinum production has been dropping.

The primary culprit of falling production has been South Africa. In 2013, about 72% of the world's mined platinum came from South Africa. The country holds nearly 90% of the world's platinum reserves.

But last year, 70,000 employees went on strike for several months at three major South African platinum mines. The strike led to an 18% drop in world platinum production.

The low price of platinum has also been making production less economic worldwide. It's more difficult to mine platinum for a profit. So, many producers are cutting back production.

This has caused platinum supply to fall by 6% over the past four years – despite the increase in recycled platinum.

Meanwhile, platinum demand continues to increase.

As I said, platinum has industrial applications in electronics, automobiles, dentistry and jewelry.

For example, platinum is a main component in catalytic converters, which cut down on air pollution from vehicles.

Thanks to an increase in demand for catalytic converters from places like China, Johnson Matthey says platinum used in automobiles is up by more than 300,000 ounces over the past four years (and by 1.2 million ounces since 2009).

And platinum used in cars will continue to increase.

As I told you last year, to combat their growing pollution problems,countries like China are instituting vehicle-emission standards that require a catalytic converter in every new car and truck in the country.

And the number of new cars sold in China is increasing sharply.

Last year, automakers sold nearly 20 million passenger vehicles in China. Recently, they sold more than two million cars in China in a single month for the first time. More new cars in China means there'll be more demand for platinum.

Demand for platinum jewelry is also increasing. Since 2010, the amount of platinum used in jewelry has increased by 23%.

The increase in demand – coupled with last year's big production drop – has caused us to use 1.8 million more ounces of platinum than we produced and recycled over the past four years.

This deficit can't go on forever. Eventually, the supply/demand imbalance WILL force platinum prices much higher.

When that happens, investors holding platinum bullion or an exchange-traded fund that responds to the price movements of platinum, like the ETFS Physical Platinum Fund (PPLT), will profit.

The platinum price is still moving lower. So I don't recommend investing in the sector right now. But soon, prices should break out. Once the uptrend starts, it'll be time to buy.

People ask, "Is it illegal to melt down US coins?"

3/23/2015

How can a nickel rise in value at the same time that a dollar falls? The question may sound like a bad riddle from a Christmas cracker, but it has become a serious issue for the US Mint.

As a consequence of the soaring price of metals in recent years the metal in US nickel and cent coins is now worth more than the face value of the coins. One cent (which is almost entirely zinc) has scrap value of around 1.12 cents, while a nickel (which despite the name is 75% copper and 25% nickel) is worth 6.99 cents.
The mint realized that this discrepancy could turn into a major problem when it began getting a number of queries about the legality of melting down coins. Fearing that some smart arbitrageurs might be about to denude the country of nickels, the US government did what governments always do in these circumstances.
It changed the rules…

Until this month, melting down coins hasn't been illegal in the US. But from now on, dumping your change in the furnace and turning it into an ingot could get you up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. If you’re considering shipping coins out of the country for melting, that dodge has been kaboshed as well; henceforth, travelers can only carry $5 in nickels and cents out of the country. In the past people would send there copper pennies down to Mexico and they would return to the US with copper bars.
This story appeals to us on two levels. The first is that it’s an elegant illustration of the ‘do as I say, not as I do’ approach that governments are wont to take whenever they can get away with it. As a handful of commentators more versed in numismatic history than us have pointed out, melting down coins to make a quick buck is something that the US government has a history of doing.
Back in 1834, the gold content of coins was reduced, leaving older coins worth more than their face value. Consequentially, almost all 1795-1834 gold coins were melted down and the gold reused to make more coins with that same notional value.
More infamous was what gold bugs term ‘The Great Confiscation’ of 1933, when the Roosevelt government declared that it was no longer legal for private citizens to “hoard” gold coins and bullion. Any large holdings of gold were confiscated at a price of $20.67 an ounce and melted down into bars for the Treasury. Of course, shortly afterwards the price of gold for international transactions was raised to $35 an ounce, netting the state a decent profit.

But the second aspect is that you simply couldn't ask for a pithier encapsulation of how the dollar’s value is being eroded. When the world’s reserve currency is worth more in the vat than the till, there’s a problem somewhere.
Despite the somewhat draconian nature of the new laws, you can see why the US Mint has done it. The margins involved on the nickel look as if they may be large enough to make melting worthwhile and a shortage of small change makes life very inconvenient. But regulations such as these don’t the solution to the real problem – the debasement of the dollar.

For now, there’s no guarantee that metal prices will get stay at these levels, particularly if the global economy weakens. But should the US continue to pursue its loose money policies, the dollar will continue to lose value against commodities (and probably against other currencies as well). If melting down your change is not to be a temptation for many years to come, the Fed needs to adopt tougher, tighter monetary policies for the long run and put the dollar back on a sound base. We’re not holding our breath for that.