The Threat of Digital Currency: There’s More | The Gold Standard 2231
The threat of a digital currency issued by the Fed impacts everyone. Our democracy and the freedoms we take for granted are in danger. The human experience, from the American perspective, is about being free.
The idea of sound money supports the fellowship of common responsibilities and interest in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Our money is an extension of that idea.
Biden’s Executive Order 14067, Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets, needs discussion to establish some regulatory requirements for the emerging digital asset market. There must be a balance between privacy and the ability to gather surveillance. We focus on the possible threat to financial privacy that could become a by-product of Executive Order 14067.
Keep the Fourth Amendment in mind as you listen to our conversation. Remember that one? That’s the constitutional right requiring the government to obtain a warrant (upon showing probable cause) to access an individual’s person, house, papers, and effects. Effects should apply to individual financial records gathered by financial firms. While the order ultimately seeks answers, not action, there’s the concern that the act could lead to an economic system that robs law-abiding citizens of the freedom to engage in anonymous transactions.
The scenarios that Ken Russo illustrates are alarming. The temptation for government to control its citizens by controlling their money and how it is spent would be too great to resist. The fear of how the Fed could lord it over us is a form of tyranny of the mind.
Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence as an announcement of independence and democracy. Never before had a government instituted on the consent of the governed. The Declaration of Independence expresses the American idea, and its message speaks to us across time. It is up to us to listen, for it is the basis of our beliefs. It is what we stand for. Today, too many take for granted public schools, freedom of speech, and the freedom to live private lives.
We have been slowly conditioned to give up our privacy. New generations have never known the difference. Since the beginning of the last millennium, privacy violations have been pervasive. The mobile devices that we carry around help to keep us under surveillance. Younger generations have grown up in a world where cell phone providers can see where you’ve been, who you call, what websites you visit, and what things you buy using mobile apps.
Trends in American politics and society foreshadow George Orwell’s cautionary novel 1984. Probably because terms like “Big Brother” or “Thought Police” seem to be a part of the current conversation. Orwell’s dark story of a dystopian society warns of the dangers of totalitarianism, censorship, and government surveillance.
Doublespeak is the language that deliberately obscures, disguises, distorts, or reverses the meaning of words. Doublespeak leads to Doublethink. They can mean the opposite of what they say. Ignorance is strength. They mean slavery when they’re talking about freedom. If it’s called an Inflation Reduction Act, its effect will be inflation acceleration.
This purposefully ambiguous and confusing language restricts grammar and limits vocabulary to diminish the range of thought.
Instead of focusing on one particular bullion product, Ken Russo introduces us to the category of gold bullion bars. Gold is a private and reliable store of value. Owning physical gold is a hedge against inflation and provides a way to hold wealth without anyone else keeping tabs on it. Gold bullion bars are available in a wide range of sizes, from 1 gram to 1 kilogram.
Gold bars are ideal for those investors who want to invest in the value of gold rather than for any historical tradition or deal with the added premium that comes with minted bullion coins. All gold bars offered by the Midas Gold Group are 24-karat pure gold. The absolute purity of 24-karat gold gives the metal a rich royal yellow. Midas guarantees each bar to have no other metals mixed in with the gold.
Gold bars are inscribed with the weight, purity, metal content, and serial number (hallmark stamps) along with an identifying mint mark. Most gold bars come encased in an assay card, a certification from the producing mint that your gold bar is authentic. An assay card accompanies larger gold bars.
The Midas Gold group deals with the most reputable precious metals industry, such as Credit Suisse, PAMP Suisse, Valcambi, Canadian Royal Mint, and Australia’s Perth Mint.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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The Threat of Digital Currency | The Gold Standard 2230
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The threat of digital currency is no longer a theoretical concern. An increasing number of central banks in other countries are already issuing e-currencies. And it looks like the US is moving in that direction. What are the risks? How will it impact our society? In this episode, we discuss the threat of digital currency.
The danger of a Central Bank Digital Currency, or CBDC, is the complete control it gives the government over the money going in and out of our accounts. A Central Bank Digital Currency means the government would strengthen its authority over its citizens by taking complete control of their money.
“If you pluck a chicken one feather at a time, people don’t notice it.”
—Madeleine Albright, sounding the alarm on fascism.
Government-issued digital currencies would make it easy to enforce the monetary policy. For example, the Fed could implement negative interest rates by reducing balances in all the CBDC accounts.
A digital currency controlled by the central banks is something out of Orwell’s 1984 or Huxley’s Brave New World. Once this dystopian monetary system is operational, the government could say your money isn’t yours. Your property rights are subordinate to the “public good.”
A digital currency controlled by the central banks means the end of a free society.
The proposals and public messaging about Executive Order 14067 are innocent enough. Still, even the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, says, “There are many difficult questions to answer. We are engaged in a serious program to understand technology and policy issues.”
This document opens the doors for more government control over its citizens by controlling their money. Although the US is dragging its feet on a Federal Reserve-implemented digital currency, the die is cast. It’s just a matter of time.
A CBDC is a purely digital form of a country’s money issued by its central bank. The idea is that people would use it just like cash. But a government-issued digital currency is not just like cash.
A Central Bank Digital Currency lets the government control all aspects of your money. If the government controls your money, they control your life. The potential of fully implemented CBDC means were a few steps closer to living in a totalitarian society.
Consider the following: the next time the government issues a stimulus check, the Fed could program the funds to expire in one month. The central banks could give a food bonus which is only suitable for purchasing goods at your local grocery store. If there is a fuel shortage, the government could restrict the amount of gas you could buy. If the stock market were crashing, the Fed could issue money you could use only to buy stocks. They could terminate your spending if you were considered a criminal or even if they wanted to exert pressure on you for whatever reason.
Participants in a transaction won’t know the identity of everyone they’re interacting with; however, the central banks will have details of all the users and their purchases.
The Bahamas has already started using CBDCs, with sixty percent of central banks experimenting with rolling out CBDCs. Not surprisingly, China has wasted no time rolling out a digital yuan and will become the first major economy to use digital currency fully. The Chinese government couldn’t care less about privacy concerns. The digital yuan is one hundred percent trackable by China’s central bank. It can impact Chinese citizens and foreign companies operating in the country. The good news is that the US is behind in developing a CBDC.
Few bullion coins make the same impression as the American Gold Buffalo. The American Gold Buffalo has the distinction of being minted from the purest gold content in US history.
Conceived as an answer to other 24-karat bullion coins available worldwide, the Gold Buffalo hit the market in 2006. It’s a gold bullion coin that embodies the idea of solid money and the American frontier. Hold an American Gold Buffalo in your hand. You’ll instantly get a sense of the actual value and rustic history of American gold. It’s no wonder that the American Gold Buffalo is one of the most popular coins amongst investors, its worldwide popularity only continues to grow.
The classic rustic design of the coin comes from the iconic Buffalo nickel (debut in 1913) by Augustus Saint-Gaudens’s disciple James Earle Fraser. The American Gold Buffalo is IRA-eligible.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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How to Buy Gold & Silver? | The Gold Standard 2229
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.”
—William Shakespeare
Fine, even if you don’t use the word recession, we still record high inflation, rising interest rates, and two consecutive quarters of declining GDP in the first year. Diversifying your portfolio and protecting against market volatility is easier than most people think. Series host Dave Deno talks with Ken Russo, SVP of the Midas Gold Group, about how to begin investing in gold and silver.
The main message The Gold Standard series sends out is that there’s only one to buy gold and silver. Purchase the physical metal through bullion bars, coins, or rounds created from private mints.
Another part of the series’ ongoing message is to get out of paper assets and away from the banking system. That’s more paper. And paper, unlike gold and silver, has no intrinsic value. So stay away from gold-related securities or funds that promise to acquire gold for you.
Despite gold’s volatility and vulnerability to market manipulations, gold remains the most reliable asset class because it has always maintained its value over the long term. Gold has doubled in price every seven years since 1971.
The precious metal finishes the first half of the year six percent higher. Next year’s projections are looking tremendously favorable for the yellow metal.
Remember that two-thirds of the world’s gold supply has already been mined. The gold and silver supply is finite. The limited supply aspect of gold and silver is what keeps our government away from returning to the Gold Standard. They want to continue making loans and spending more than they have. The Fed is addicted to printing money, and they have no respect for what former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan called a “barbaric relic.”
The Fed must continue to raise the federal funds rate to balance threatening inflation. Higher interest rates mean companies spend more to borrow money. Rising interest rates for credit cards, mortgages, and auto loans, reduce disposable income. So far, that lack of spending hasn’t started to happen yet. Perhaps because it’s more pleasing to imagine rather than face the evidence of reality.
People are afraid to criticize something because the perceived wisdom of that masses means whatever is going on will ultimately work itself out. It’s a form of wishful thinking for people who don’t want to acknowledge the reality of the situation.
How else to explain positive stock market moves, solid job growth, and consumer spending despite gloomy economic indicators? Today, those in the financial system proclaim that “we are not in a recession” because people are still buying things, and many are employed.
The market and the economy are a house of cards. Each added layer at the top increases the pressure on the lower tiers. The real question is how long we can continue to kick the can further down the street before the whole thing unravels. That day will come. When it does, you’ll want to hold onto your purchasing power and protect your wealth as much as possible. Moving some of your paper assets into gold, silver, and other precious metals can help you do that.
Dave and Ken discuss the importance of not being confused by the various ways to “own” precious metals. Investing in an ETF or a mutual fund is not owning physical gold. The idea of getting away from paper and the banking system is to own a tangible asset physically. While this may seem like diversification, it’s not. ETFs, mutual funds, and mining stocks are just more paper stating that you own shares in a company and are subject to overall market conditions. They are not physical gold and silver.
The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf from the Royal Canadian Mint is a distinctive government-backed bullion coin for many reasons, not the least of which is the fantastic quality. Another remarkable quality of the Gold Maple Leaf is its purity of gold content. Since 1982, the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf is made from .9999 fine gold. The Gold Maple Leaf was the only official bullion coin minted by a government at that time (the US began offering the American Gold Buffalo in 2006, a .9999 fine 24-karat gold coin).
The Gold and Silver Maple Leaf bullion coins from the Royal Canadian Mint feature micro-engraved security features, some of which are visible only under magnification. Maple Leaf coins minted after 2015 have radial lines from behind the front and back designs. The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf is IRA-eligible.
______________________________________________________________________________
Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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The Advantages of Owning Silver | The Gold Standard 2228
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If there’s a silver lining to the gloomy forecast of our national economy, it would have to be the metal itself.
Gold and silver were circulated side-by-side as forms of money for the first two thousand years. Some investors believe that silver will perform better than gold. Others consider silver a strategic metal because it has so many industrial uses. There are many advantages of owning silver. You already own some silver because every electronic device has some silver in it. Silver is a part of our everyday lives. Modern life wouldn’t be possible without it.
The most versatile of all the elements, silver is an amazing metal with hundreds of industrial uses. Because silver is malleable, ductile, and highly reflective, it is a critical ingredient in everything from solar panels to all kinds of batteries. No other metal has silver’s high capacity to conduct electricity or heat.
Lydia, now the country of Turkey, flourished due to its natural resources and position on trading routes between the Mediterranean and Asia. They were the first to use gold and silver coins to make transactions easier and smoother.
Athen had the world’s first free-market and working tax system. Their widespread use of silver as money set the standard for centuries. Other ancient civilizations, such as Rome, Greece, and China, followed suit. When the United States formed centuries later, it was only natural for them to base the financial system on the Gold Standard.
The US dollar was defined by the weight and fineness of gold or silver. They were set in value to each other at a ratio of 15 to 1. Much of the gold left the country, and silver became the defacto standard. Later, in 1834, the situation reversed when a reduction in the dollar’s gold content made the ratio 16 to 1. Gold became the de facto standard.
The Coinage Act of 1792 established the first United States Mint in Philadelphia. As a new nation, there wasn’t a lot of silver and gold lying around in vaults. Legend has it that George and Marth Washington donated the family silverware to make the first silver coins for the country. As the Philadelphia Mint was being constructed and prepared for service, 1,500 half dismes were struck in the cellar of a nearby building owned by a saw maker named John Harper.
For more than 170 years, most US coins contained .900 fine silver. The federal government thought the precious metal became too expensive for coinage. The Mint introduced a composition of copper and nickel. By the late 1960s, there was no silver in regularly circulated coinage; however, the country held onto its massive reserves of silver.
The industrial and investment outlook of silver is extraordinarily unique. Silver is a critical ingredient for solar, electric vehicles, and new digital technologies. The global rollout of 5G requires tremendous amounts of silver in semiconductor chips, cabling, and micro-electrotechnical systems. The demand for silver can only benefit from the push for green policies and sustainability.
When the world thinks of silver bullion coins, they probably envision the American Silver Eagle. The American Silver Eagle is the most popular coin globally and has set the standard for silver-investment vehicles.
Proof Silver Eagles are highly collected. Each Silver Eagle has a one-dollar face value and delivers excellent value for the price. Unlike regular bullion counterparts, proof Silver Eagles carry a mint mark. The only exception to this is the 2011-S American Silver Eagle.
Years before, there were plans to sell off all precious metals from the Defense National Stockpile Center. The general attitude at the time was that the US production of silver far outweighed any need or demand. Fortunately, none of the attempts to sell off the stockpile were successful.
President Reagan signed the Liberty Coin Act into law during the summer of 1985. The new law authorized the Treasury to Mint and issue silver bullion coins from the national stockpile and designated each coin to have both numismatic and legal-tender status. The following year, the first American Silver Eagle hit the market.
The obverse resurrects one of August Saint-Gaudens’s proteges’ Adolph A. Weinman’s classic Liberty Walking design of the half dollar circulated between 1916 and 1947. The reverse shows John Mercanti’s contemporary vision of the heraldic eagle. Note: the American Silver Eagle is the only silver bullion coin allowed in an Individual Retirement Account (IRAs).
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Retirement Alert | The Gold Standard 2227
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
The Gold Standard series host Dave Deno and his guest Ken Russo, SVP of the Midas Gold group, sound the alarm on dwindling retirement funds. A misguided economy depletes stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or other investment vehicles. As Dave says, “That means less money for your retirement years.”
A retirement alert means different things to different people. For most people looking to retire soon, it means reassessing the lifestyle they’ll be able to afford. Or maybe they’ll have to push retirement down the road five or ten more years.
We will still be dealing with runaway inflation in 2023. That is retirement alert number one. Retirement alert number two is the growing everything bubble.
A bubble could be the stock market, real estate, or some other asset that has grown exponentially over its intrinsic value. The rapid escalation of the markets has overvalued almost every conceivable asset class by artificial means. Trade deficits continually overvalue the US dollar.
Retirees feel the pressure of expenses rising faster than their fixed incomes, forcing them to withdraw larger chunks of money from their investments.
Rising inflation, interest rates, and the monstrous everything bubble make it vital to adjust retirement plans. Inflation, one aspect of the coming financial storm, will directly impact the quality of your retirement. It may delay retirement or mean getting a part-time job.
Under normal circumstances, the cost of retirement usually exceeds expectations. Put that self-evident truth into an economic environment built on false gains, and you have an unstable environment, not the peace and comfort you’d expect from retirement. Ken says, “the audience must realize that the past decade has been fake. There has been so much money printed out of thin air. So much leverage and speculation have built the biggest bubble in the history of bubbles.”
Although Social Security is adjusted, it continually fails to keep pace with inflation. Like many government programs, Social Security has its problems. Inflation only makes them worse. Social Security will have to reduce payments during the next 10 to 15 years.
People planning to retire soon feel the additional volatility in the stock market, and they’re trying to figure out ways to reduce spending, save more money, and invest. But invest in what? You can’t keep an all-cash asset base. You have to put it into something that at least is going to hold its value over time.
Earlier, we mentioned that the rapid escalation of the markets had overvalued almost every conceivable asset class by artificial means. Ironically, precious metals aren’t one of them. Gold and silver values have been continuously manipulated so as not to sound the alarm of a shaky economy.
The US abandoned the Gold Standard in 1971. Ever since the financial institutions have worked overtime to suppress the value of gold to allow the US dollar to maintain its supremacy, the powers that be cannot suppress the price of gold and silver much longer. Other countries are shaping the dynamics of the global economy.
We’re fighting a financial war. Countries have become increasingly competitive amidst the straining of relationships. The sanctions against Russia are an example. A US spot price for gold at $3,000 would signal a problem.
Nevertheless, that fact remains, the soundest money in history is gold and silver. The stability of these precious metals is especially true during times of tumult and uncertainty.
We’ve been forecasting several financial storms for some time. Recent developments such as record high inflation, rising interest rates, supply chain issues, and Russia’s war in Ukraine only add to a global slowdown in economic growth.
Ken introduces the audience to the bullion bar’s most affordable way to hold gold and silver. At .9999 fine gold, the PAMP Gold Bar is one of the highest quality bullion bars on the market. The one-ounce bars are the most popular, but the PAMP Suisse bars are available in different sizes from 1 gram to 2.5 grams, 5 grams, 10 grams, and 20 grams.
An example of the PAMP Suisse craftsmanship is their unique microscopic topographic security technology, Veriscan. Each gold bar, from the smallest to the largest, is imprinted with a unique identifying fingerprint at the refinery. The beautiful Fortuna etching graces the obverse of each bar is more noticeable.
Fortuna is the Roman goddess of fortune and prosperity. Her profile emerges behind an overflowing cornucopia. PAMP Suisse’s elegant design shows the alluring goddess blindfolded.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
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Privacy and Freedom | The Gold Standard 2226
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com
Privacy and freedom are essential foundations of the American idea. Unfortunately, freedom and privacy are slowly eroding, just as the US dollar value is gradually eaten away by runaway inflation. Series host Dave Deno and his guest Ken Russo, VP of the Midas Gold group, discuss privacy and freedom associated with your money.
Any proposal by lawmakers to let the IRS snoop around bank accounts is a Federal intrusion into the financial lives of everyday American citizens. In addition to hiring 80,000 new IRS agents, the Biden administration is pushing plans to add another layer of government scrutiny to everyone’s private information. Under the guise of going after criminals, Biden’s proposal is another attack on our constitutional rights.
In many ways, the digital age of hyper-connectivity has all of us living in a constant state of surveillance. What is one more violation of personal privacy?
While it’s easy to become complacent, we must guard against becoming indifferent to breaches of our privacy rights. To do so dishonors the generations of brave men and women who struggled and sacrificed to win our rights to privacy and freedom.
From the perspective of the Constitution, it’s like conducting massive searches without the need for a search warrant. It’s a disturbing trend that all of us should observe; the government is known for saying one thing even as it does something entirely different.
Setting the stage for more surveillance could be part of a broader strategy. It could be an early indicator that the Fed is purposefully manufacturing the demise of the US dollar to help reshape the global monetary system. It would be most convenient for them to know the details of everyone’s account.
Financial freedom usually means having the means to afford the lifestyle of your choosing. It might include a nest egg for retirement or the freedom to pursue your career of choice. The financial freedom discussed in this program is the liberty to use your own money without third-party monitoring and interference, perhaps telling you what to do with your money.
One of our rights as US citizens is the right to privacy. Financial institutions are required to protect the confidentiality of consumer finances under a federal law called the Financial Modernization Act of 1999.
Regardless of professional career or retirement status, there is worry about the erosive effects of runaway inflation. Everything you buy costs more while everything you own goes down in value. The Gold Standard message is about taking action to protect and preserve your wealth.
There is no substitute for “Gold you can hold.” Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), pool accounts, and certificate programs are all pieces of paper or entries in a ledger book promising to deliver precious metals someday.
This paper market could be much larger than the physical market. Customers of the paper gold market think they own gold when they don’t. How many of them will be able to access physical gold during a panic?
Gold and silver are the few financial assets you can hold outside the financial system. If you don’t have possession of the precious metals, or if there are no storage fees because there’s nothing to be stored. The gold you can hold means you have physical control of the asset.
People approaching retirement begin to ache in their stomachs, wondering if their savings and investment accounts are losing money. What are the proper steps to protecting retirement and preserving wealth? It’s a question everyone must be asking.
While contemplating the answer to that question, consider this quote from E. B. Tucker’s book WHY GOLD, WHY NOW?
“Gold is simple. It’s the only asset that doesn’t depend on something else for its value. Stocks depend on a company’s profits, bonds on a coupon payment, and apartments need tenants. Gold needs nothing. It’s pure, unadulterated wealth.”
If you’ve never seen a proof American Gold Eagle bullion coin up close, you’re missing a stunning example of American craftsmanship. The American Gold Eagle Proof coins would be an excellent addition to any precious metal bullion holdings.
Proof coins have frosted designs surrounded by stunning mirror fields. Since the mintages are much smaller than their standard issue counterparts, they demand a much higher premium. Much care and attention to detail go into creating Proof American Gold Eagles. The glossy finish and spectacular detail make them an irresistible collector’s piece and a great way to hold physical gold.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Why Gold? | The Gold Standard 2225
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
Series host Dave Deno kicks off this episode with an attention-grabbing headline from Wall Street veteran Mike Novogratz. “The economy is going to collapse, and we’re heading into a really fast recession.”
Of course, The Gold Standard has warned of a perfect storm of economic troubles from the beginning. That’s why we’ve been reminding our listeners to use gold and other precious metals to protect personal wealth and buying power. But “Why” gold? Why is gold considered a hedge against inflation and deflation? And how does gold provide financial cover during geopolitical strife and uncertainty? These questions are the heart of this episode.
Many people consider gold a unique and valuable commodity. We think of gold as money. Gold is the only real money there is. Even after policymakers’ disparagement and neglect from economists, gold has never disappeared. Savvy investors hold physical gold to protect themselves and their loved ones from complex economic forces and growing instability. The yellow metal is still in the reserves of the international monetary system. It will be more critical to global financial stability in the years to come.
Unlike the uber complex and sophisticated machinery of the global economy, gold is simple and unreactive. Gold is so unresponsive to a chemical reaction that it’s ideal for biomedical purposes. Jewelers love it because gold is durable, exquisitely malleable, and it stays nice and shiny forever.
The history of civilization shows how gold has driven the wealth of nations. The rulers of ancient Egypt were buried with their gold so they could enjoy it in the afterlife. The Roman empire used gold as money, just as we did for nearly two centuries. Spanish conquistadores stole gold from newly discovered lands. The California Gold Rush (1848 to 1855) attracted people from all over the world.
The United States grew in size and prosperity by leaps and bounds using a dollar based on gold. Between 1780 and 1971, the Gold Standard provided the foundation the US needed to become the world’s wealthiest and most prosperous country.
Gold has proved itself time and time again as a haven against uncertainty and disruptions going back thousands of years. There is no other type of investment that even comes close to beating gold’s incredible track record. Gold remains a reliable store of value because it maintains purchasing power no matter what.
More people are waking up to why gold remained popular through the ages. Out-of-control inflation and general uncertainty keep upward pressure on gold. As a fiat currency, the US dollar will decline much further than it is now.
The devaluation of paper currency is only one reason why gold appreciates. As the shrinking dollar value continues, more people will move whatever assets they have into gold. When that happens, the pint-up energy will suddenly expand like an explosion. They can hold back the spot price of gold for a time, but eventually, gold’s inimitable power forces it to move. Regardless of where the value of gold goes on any given date, the precious metal is still the best way to protect your wealth. Why? Gold is free from human intervention and manipulations.
Traditional investment choices, such as stocks and bonds, are too risky for most people. You have to be clear about your investment goals, the time you can afford to have your money tied up in an investment, and how much you could stand to lose in a market crash.
Diversification has become front and center as investors, advisors, and individuals brace themselves for the oncoming financial storm. So-called alternative asset classes are becoming less “alternative” and the more intelligent choice.
The Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 sought “to revitalize the design of United States coins and return circulating coinage to its position as an object of aesthetic beauty in its own right.” The one-ounce 24-karat American Gold Buffalo was the result. The American Gold Buffalo has the distinction of having the purest gold content of any bullion coin from the US Mint.
The Gold Buffalo is a tremendous coin that harkens back to the golden era of American coinage when Saint-Gaudens and his disciples created most of the designs. August Saint-Gaudens was America’s greatest sculptor at the turn of the century. His lifelong disciple, James Earle Fraser, designed the Indian head (obverse) and the buffalo (reverse) of the nickel that was minted between 1913 to 1938.
The Fraser nickel design became the basis for the American Gold Buffalo.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Turning Paper into Gold | The Gold Standard #2224
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
Dave Deno talks with Ken Russo, VP of the Midas Gold Group, to discuss paper assets that can be used to own physical gold. Moving paper assets to physical gold you can hold is an important topic as people worry about persistent growing inflation, interest rate hikes, and the discomfort of not knowing what will happen next.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the average change over time in the prices paid by urban customers for a market basket of consumer goods. Until now, the CPI has never gained more than eight point three percent since strangling inflation of 1982. Food prices have risen over ten percent since last year.
Since inflation is enemy number one for the Fed, though God knows why, they do everything in their power to create it, aggressive rate hikes are on the menu for the foreseeable future. Raising interest rates to control inflation without triggering a massive recession is an impossible balancing act.
Rising interest rates make it more difficult to borrow money; consequently, people make do with what they have. Most consumers start spending less because they want their money to stretch further. Spending less helps ease inflation. That’s why the Fed is getting increasingly aggressive with raising interest rates. Spurred on by higher-than-expected inflation figures in May, the Fed made the steepest rate hike since 1994. There will be more rate hikes to come.
Rising interest rates are bad: they have a huge impact on everything that involves borrowing money. People can expect higher credit card payments, higher mortgages (hopefully you have a fixed-rate mortgage), and increased worry over how to make ends meet. The average person cannot afford to think about savings and investments.
A recession is particularly harsh on people who are close to retirement or have entered retirement. Some people might have to return to work because they won’t have enough to live on.
Ken talks about the uncertainty of today’s market and the accuracy of what’s being communicated to the public. It is a mystery how the government continues to fund its deficit spending. Remember, our debt is surpassing our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and our GDP is declining. It’s one big question mark. One thing is certain, more economists are predicting the odds of a recession happening are getting higher. Billionaires like Elon Musk and Bill Gates are joining the chorus warning of a recession to hit the end of next year.
Gold has a reputation for being a safe-haven investment for good reason. You can’t compare gold and stocks, especially now that the market resembles more like a casino than a viable place to invest. There is an inverse relationship between precious metals and stocks. When stocks fall, the spot price of gold tends to rise. Gold has yet to reflect what has gone on with out-of-hand currency printing and inflation.
$1,800 is not a bad spot price for gold but you haven’t seen anything yet. There are expectations that the precious metal will make huge increases as the economy continues struggling. It’s not a surprise that gold holds its value in a recession. As a reliable store of value, there’s nothing like gold and silver to protect long-term savings and preserve wealth.
In ancient times, alchemists tried to find ways to transform base metals into gold. It never worked; an alchemist settled for someone who transforms things for the better. In that sense, we can all be an alchemist. Moving some of your paper assets into gold is a way to strengthen your portfolio through diversification. A retirement account, for example, is a paper asset that can be rolled over into a self-directed Gold IRA.
Physical gold is gold you can hold. Gold is sound money because of its long-standing value demonstrates its stability. Gold ETFs are different. They’re paper and not a tangible asset. Examples of physical gold are gold bullion bars, gold bullion coins like the Gold American Eagle, or numismatic coins like the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle.
The one-ounce Gold Canadian Maple Leaf is the second-oldest coin in the precious metals market. The first modern bullion coin released was the South African Krugerrand which debuted in 1967.
Introduced in 1979, the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf is a legal tender in Canada with a face value of 50 Canadian dollars. It’s issued annually by the Canadian Government and produced by the prestigious Royal Canadian Mint. At .9999 purity, the 24-karat gold, the Gold Maple Leaf is one the purest official bullion coins in the world, is IRA eligible.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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The Great Reset | The Gold Standard #2223
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
Massive money printing, enormous debt, runaway inflation, and record rate hikes are troubling signs of something wrong. And it’s not only happening in our country. These frightening trends are happening worldwide. With all its disturbing implications, the Great Reset is even more insidious. What is the Great Reset, and why should it concern you?
Dave Deno, the host of The Gold Standard, talks with guest Ken Russo, SVP of the Midas Gold Group, about the economic challenges ahead and the looming threat to our privacy and liberty, the cornerstones of our American way of life.
The World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum, or WEF, is an international organization based in Cologny, Switzerland. Every year the WEF hosts an annual event in Davos, a fancy ski resort. The invitation-only event is the ultimate A-list party for the business world, bank leaders, and politicians. Most of the attendees are CEOs, billionaires, and heads of state. It’s the kind of place you’d expect to run into James Bond as he fights to save the free world.
The WEF always uses hot-button issues around social activism, environmental protection, and entrepreneurship. Digital currencies are one aspect of “The Great Reset.” it’s a thinly veiled cover for their goal of controlling the world.
The Great Reset
“The Great Reset” is a plan suggested by the WEF in 2020 as an urgent response to the COVID-19 crisis, which left so much human and economic carnage. As global anxiety builds around social and economic problems, the WEF, the world “elites,” plan to act jointly and swiftly to revamp all aspects of our societies and economies, including a significant reset of capitalism. As world economies fall apart and all paper assets will become meaningless. The WEF “elites” might use this opportunity to advance their interest and destroy the American way of life because it represents sovereignty, prosperity, and freedom.
The Problem with Central Bank Digital Currency
We all have bank accounts where computer systems keep track of how much money we have. These are digital entries on commercial bank ledgers. That is a form of digital currency. The problem with Central Banks issuing digital currency is that the liability is now with the Federal Reserve. The Fed would issue the deposits as well as have oversight over withdrawals. There would be no limit to the level of control they could exert over people if money were purely electronic and provided directly by the government.
Citizens allowing control of their finances by the government is unconstitutional and against any ideas of economic and political freedom. There are vast and disturbing implications associated with the notion of the Fed issuing digital currency.
If anything, there should be less government monopoly and regulation efforts.
Another Promise from the Fed
The official word on a Federal Reserve-generated digital currency promises that such a move would never replace paper currency. They also said inflation was temporary. Do you believe them?
Featured Precious Metal Product
Over a decade before the Gold Maple Leaf, the world’s first 24-carat gold bullion coin, the South African Chamber of Mines came up with the South African Gold Krugerrand bullion coin.
To promote global attention to African Gold, the South African Gold Krugerrand was hugely successful. Back in 1980, at the peak of the gold market, South African Krugerrands were the dominant coin.
The South African Krugerrand & the American Gold Eagle
The South African Krugerrand gold coin gets its name from the South African leader Paul Kruger. A profile of Kruger is on the obverse. On the reverse of the coin is South Africa’s national animal, the Springbok. Unfortunately, the Springbok emblem was introduced during Apartheid and still carries that association. It’s interesting to note that the world response against Apartheid and the popularity of the South African Gold Krugerrand (the US was its biggest customer) inspired President Reagan to develop what became known as the Gold Bullion Act of 1985.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Recession Protection | The Gold Standard #2222
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
The timing for this episode couldn't be better. The topic of conversation is recession protection.
First, let's take a moment to consider recent events. Inflation hit record highs last May. You can feel the pressure building. Bubbles are starting to pop. The Dow, the S&P, and the NASDAQ all fell. It was the worst day since the early 2020s.
The Keynesian monetary policy playbook that lawmakers and central bankers follow ensures the boom-and-bust cycle of the economy. Current projections are that the recession will hit in the first half of 2023. Expectations are that the market will fall even further. There's no question that a recession is coming. It's just a matter of when it will happen.
In this program, we discuss practical steps you can take today to strengthen your financial position.
Major Wall Street firms Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan warn investors that the economy will worsen. They expect stocks to plunge another 20% as an inevitable recession approaches. Accelerating market selloffs and rising interest rates make a recession likely within the next 12 months.
Remember that stagflation happens when inflation continues after the economy flatlines. The environment is similar to the 1999-2000 dot-com bubble. The fate of investments and retirement accounts doesn't look good. The chances of stagflation are rising.
Ominous warning signs continue to remind us to diversify financial portfolios. Terrible news indeed, and more coming our way during the months ahead, but the message is not all about doom and gloom. There is still time to take action. Begin protecting your nest egg.
Most of us are not prepared to weather the approaching economic storm. People who have lived through economic downturns remember the pain. These survivors are more likely to have planned diversification into their portfolio early on. Investing in alternate asset classes is an excellent way to diversify because of their isolation from traditional asset classes, and they provide a reliable hedge again inflation. Precious metals are the most practical alternative asset class because there are many ways to start owning precious metals.
Typically, bullion is purchased in 1-ounce increments. Consider that the spot price of gold hovers around $1,800 while one ounce of silver is around $22. Gold, silver, or palladium these rare commodities that hold their value during economic decline. During a financial crisis, they'll hold their value and then some.
What happens when the market crashes? Downturns in the market are not surprising. Historically, there's a slight downturn about every few years. Every two years, there's a correction of 10%. But what we have been discussing all this time is much more than an economic slump or downturn. The approaching storm they refer to is more like retribution for the decades of greed on Wall Street and the Fed's continuous mishandling of monetary policies.
We haven't seen such a long streak of heavy losses in decades. When there's a market correction, it's a guess how long recovery will take. On average, the end of a bear market takes 95 days. But in these uncertain times, it could take much longer. Think of a market correction in today's environment as the pin that pricks the everything bubble. It could take years for investors and retirees to recoup their losses.
Ken talks about the tremendous vision of Gold Switzerland's Egon Von Greyerz and his important message about gold. Egon von Greyerz and his associates were sounding the alarm in 2002 when global economic risks were uncomfortably high, with no remedy in sight. Ever since then, they have made substantial investments in physical gold. Even at that time, they were recommending to their client's allocations of physical gold between 25% to 50%.
Gold prices act conversely to the stock market. The precious metal has proven its stability through thousands of years of history. Investment professionals know gold as a store of reliable value with a fixed quantity. Investors will flock to gold during economic strife because of its recession-proof character.
Ken shines a spotlight on his favorite gold bullion product, the Gold American Eagle. The Gold American Eagle is one of the world's most recognized prized government-backed bullion products. The Gold American Eagle is not only a great coin but the largest gold coin also produced by the US Mint. It has an incredible history.
At the end of 1974, after 40 years of abandonment, President Ford returned us to legalized private ownership of gold. After witnessing the global successes of the Gold Krugerrand and Canada's Gold Maple Leaf programs, leadership thought the United States should have its own gold and silver bullion coins. After all, the US has the largest holdings of gold in the world. The Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985 established a truly competitive American Gold bullion product, the Gold American Eagle.
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Ominous Warnings | The Gold Standard #2221
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
Every time you look at the news media, you hear something about high inflation, job losses, rate hikes, and a fading economy. There are undoubtedly many ominous warnings that make you feel uneasy and on edge.
The Gold Standard is all about educating our listeners about the economy and ways to protect your wealth. The Gold Standard represents stability. Indeed, if our government were on the Gold Standard, we wouldn't have bouts of inflation because the government and banks wouldn't be able to manipulate the money supply. Gold is a standard of value immune to human greed. Gold is hard to beat if you're talking about stability and reliability.
Don't Panic. Learn How to Protect Your Wealth
Every creature on the planet has survival instincts. Being in survival mode makes us think twice about taking risks. We begin to think twice about buying things we don't need. A little bit of fear can be a good thing as long as you don't become like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming truck. It's important to remain responsive to changes in your environment. This episode recaps some of those changes and ominous warnings that demand attention.
The Ominous Warnings
Many economists, affiliated with a bank or not, have warned about an impending recession. Recent days have seen the Dow Jones collapse more than a thousand points in a day. The S&P Index dropped over 500 points. Goldman Sachs has become disillusioned with the S&P500 and warns that the tight labor market pushes the country closer to recession.
Golds Relationship to the Dollar
Ken Russo reminds us that the dollar has dramatically declined in value over the past few decades, losing 78% of its purchasing power since the turbulent 70s. Inflation is a decline in the value of the currency. Gold reflects the weakening dollar. The price of gold itself doesn't move.
Gold is a constant. Gold's value as an inflation hedge is because its price does not move. Don't think of the dollar price of gold. Think about the quantity of gold by weight. The dollar could collapse quickly. In such a scenario, the dollar price would no longer matter. The amount of physical gold you possess will matter.
What Percentage of Paper Assets Should be in Physical Gold
Gold and other precious metals shelters assets from stock market volatility and failing economies. The spot price of gold is something we can check throughout the day. Consider how volatile that price (the dollar's value moving up and down) has changed through the years. The conventional wisdom is to allocate 10% of your liquid assets into physical gold, silver, or Platinum. The warning signs tell us that the ratio should increase to 25%.
It's Not All About the Money
The uneasiness that comes from shaky monetary policies and unstable money impacts all of society and at different levels. Currency represents social trust. The disintegration of our currency contributes to social unrest and political polarization.
Inflation is Outpacing Wage Increases
Workers are finding their salaries are not keeping pace with inflation. They can't earn enough to cover rising prices. The lucky few who receive raises get about 1 to 5% on average. This increase is below the current rate of inflation.
Featured Precious Metal Product
Ken and Dave circle back to their earlier discussion about England's Gold Britannia. Since its debut on the world stage in 1987, the Gold Britannia remains one of the most popular gold bullion coins worldwide. The Gold Britannia is available in a range of denominations. The one-ounce Gold Britannia bullion coin has a face value of 100 pounds sterling. Since 2013, the Gold Britannia is .9999 (or 24-carat gold).
Unique features of the Gold Britannia
To commemorate the Gold Britannia's thirtieth anniversary, the artist Philip Nathan came forward to refresh the image. The new look includes a speckled radial sunburst behind Lady Britannia.
The United Kingdom's pride and glory design includes several security features in Philip Nathan's composition. There are lines within the stripes of the Union Jack flag on the shield of Britannia.
Hold a Gold Britannia in your hand, and the waves seem to move. Below Britannia's glowing gown, in the lower left of the design, is a trident that represents her prestigious naval history. As the viewer changes their perspective, the trident becomes a padlock.
Micro-text, written in Latin along the design rim, sums up the coin's modern design philosophy. The inscription translates to "an ornament and a safeguard."
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-s...
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullio...
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Wall Street Vegas | The Gold Standard #2220
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
Wall Street makes money off the investor, and Las Vegas makes money off the gambler. Today, the word “investor” is interchangeable with “gambler.” The odds are about the same. If you're gambling in Vegas, the odds are stacked against the players and favor the house.
Though most people don't realize it, the odds in many hedge funds are stacked even more heavily against the investor than in Vegas. Vegas casinos set the numbers to take about 5% of the take. That's much less than hedge funds, which generally demand 20% of the profits, share none of the losses, and the investor pays 1.5% to 2% per annum, even if they lose.
Some people know nothing about stocks. Stockbrokers who know even less are advising them. The free-for-all speculation that has become much of Wall Street is nothing less than gambling.
The stock market's plunge in March 2020 hurt countless Americans. Retirement accounts that took decades to build followed the market's performance into double-digit losses. Stock market volatility aside, the dollar's value has been consistently diminishing. What does that mean for anyone holding cash reserves in their bank? A corresponding loss in purchasing power. Precious metals, which have increased in value over the past several years, can offset that loss, with investors using the inverse relationship to protect their portfolios. Precious metals are a way to hedge against inflation and can even add stability to retirement accounts.
Buy Physical Gold. Not Paper.
Gold products offered on Wall Street are not gold. These offerings are paper contracts. The most prominent are exchange-traded funds or ETFs. They're easy to spot because the ticker symbol is "GLD." An ETF is a share of stock and not physical gold. It's not gold that you own. It's share of stock. The share itself is not even physical paper; it's digital and easily hacked or erased.
Diversifying your investments reduces the risk and maximizes your returns as much as possible. Dave Deno and Ken Russo, VP of the Midas Gold Group, discuss how easy and important it is to diversify your retirement investments. They even talk about how important it is to diversify within precious metals. For example, a well-rounded holding of precious metals might include bullion with gold and silver numismatic coins.
Throughout history, few investments have rivaled gold in popularity as a hedge against almost any trouble, from inflation to economic upheaval or currency fluctuations, to war.
Ways to Invest in Gold
Gold bars are popular for people looking to buy gold. Engraved on the face of the bar are the purity, manufacturer, and weight. Purity is essential when purchasing gold: investment-quality gold bars must be 99.5% pure gold and is the minimum purity allowed for Gold IRAs. Most gold bullion bars are .9999 percent pure. Many people purchase a gram or an ounce of bullion.
The Time to Buy Gold is Now
Our government cannot create gold out of thin air the way they print currency. There is a finite supply. There will be a point where physical gold won't be available for any price. When a buying panic erupts, it'll be too late. Dave and Ken discuss how easy diversifying into gold can be.
The Storage of Gold
There are several ways to store physical gold. Where and how to keep gold will depend on the quantity. Third-party custodial storage is available for large amounts.
Featured Gold Bullion Product
The Perth Mint first released its Gold Australian Kangaroo coins in 1987. Although presently devoted to one of the most recognizable images of Australia, the Kangaroo, the coin series originally depicted the Australian gold nugget. Three years after its inception, when designers changed the design from a nugget to the world-famous Kangaroo, the coin series took off. People worldwide took notice and began purchasing the Gold Australian Kangaroo. Since this design change, the Australian Gold Kangaroo coin series has become one of the most highly sought-after pieces of currency by both coin collectors and wildlife enthusiasts alike.
On its reverse surface, the Gold Australian Kangaroo features a kangaroo along with The Perth Mint's traditional P mintmark also appearing on the surface. On the obverse surface of the coin is a portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II along with inscriptions of the coin's face value and purity.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Gold IRAs (part 2) | The Gold Standard #2219
Now is a good time to be asking yourself how to protect some of your wealth. There has to be a more reliable shelter than stocks and bonds. Under current conditions, how dependable is holding onto paper currency in a savings account, money market fund, or stuffed under the mattress? When every day, you see stocks fall and prices rise, it’s hard to remember that the US dollar was once considered a safe haven during times of extreme uncertainty.
The Gold Standard series host Dave Deno and his guest, Ken Russo, VP of the Midas Gold Group continue their discussion about self-directed Gold IRAs and how you can get your money out of declining investments and move it into more secure financial shelters, all without paying taxes. Fortunately, there is a way to do it, and that’s what this episode is about.
You can’t say that our monetary policies have been created from common sense and logical solutions. Soaring prices are a global phenomenon. The US has the highest inflation of all the major governments of the world. Germany, the UK, and Canada are all close behind. Even though inflation is a global phenomenon, much of our inflation has been self-inflicted. The Fed has consistently made moves guaranteed to cause economic problems. There has been too much stimulus, too big of a budget deficit, too much bond-buying by the Fed, and too much money printing. These toxic ingredients are all part of an explosive brew that will soon erupt.
Ken hits the nail on the head when says, “They’re ignoring the one solution that would solve the problem.” Stable money can only be accomplished through a Gold Standard. Having the discipline to stick to a Gold Standard is the path to true and lasting recovery and a prosperous economy. Being on a Gold Standard requires discipline, stewardship, and wise use of resources. Our monetary policymakers routinely engage in abuse of public trust. Was it ignorance or greed that ended a monetary system based on fixed exchange rates, or both?
Once upon a time, the international Gold Standard was backed by state-backed central banks. Our country thrived for over a century under consistent mismanagement and abuses by the central banks caused the system to collapse.
During World War II, the wheels were set in motion for a worldwide monetary order intended to govern monetary relations among independent nations. Bretton Woods required countries to guarantee the convertibility of their currencies into US dollars. The US dollar was pegged to the price of gold. At that time, the fixed exchange rate was $35 for an ounce of gold. After Bretton Woods, members redeemed their currency for US dollars. Over time, the dollar became a substitute for gold, causing the value of the dollar to rise and gain a significant foothold as the world’s reserve currency. All foreign banks must hold dollars in addition to whatever gold they had in reserves.
In August 1971, President Nixon completely severed the tie between gold and the dollar and replaced it with a currency valued by government order, or fiat money. The US dollar has enjoyed a long era of dominance. More than sixty-five countries peg their currency to the dollar, and almost all of the foreign exchange markets involve US dollars. It’s been a great ride but there are increasingly new challenges to the dollar. The sluggishness of GDP growth shows signs of the US economy slowing down. China has displaced the US as the EU’s top trade partner. China is expected to exceed the US as the world’s largest economy before 2030. Could a new global reserve currency emerge? And if so, what kind of shape will the US dollar be in at that time? These are uncomfortable questions to contemplate, but essential if you want to protect your hard-earned wealth.
Why is a Gold IRA So Important Now?
The US dollar may be the world’s reserve currency. The value of the Euro and Yen has been steadily dropping against it; the precious metal has been a reliable hedge against inflation for thousands of years.
Ken introduces listeners to a gold bullion coin that qualifies for a Gold IRA. This episode’s featured precious metal product is the main bullion coin of the United Kingdom, the Gold Britannia. At .9999 fine gold, Britannia is one of the purest gold coins on the global market. England’s prestigious contribution to the global bullion market came in 1987 just after the Chinese Gold Panda and American Gold Eagle made their debuts. The coin’s namesake, featured on the obverse, has been used on coinage since 119 AD. The Gold Britannia represents the pride of a nation, an incredibly long history, and one of the best gold values on the market.
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Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Gold IRAs | The Gold Standard #2218
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
Host Dave Deno and his guest Ken Russo, VP of the Midas Gold Group, often talk about Gold IRAs. This episode explains what a Gold IRA is and how it works.
April was a rough month for the stock market, and inflation rose. Fortunately, April is now in the rearview mirror. Unfortunately, May isn’t going to be much better. There couldn’t be a better time to talk about Gold IRAs. Even if you already know how a Gold IRA works, it’s still an excellent time to review the basics.
Current Financial Issues Impacting Investments
Dave mentions an article he read recently on prices increasing food prices worldwide. People know from experience that inflation is more significant than what the government reports. Higher food prices are just one aspect of a general increase in the cost of living. Meat and poultry are up to fifty percent. All of these conditions are further antagonized by Putin’s attack on Ukraine.
Most of us aren’t wearing masks anymore. However, the global economy is still reeling from the economic fallout of the pandemic. Prices continue to rise as the markets start winding down. As rising inflation continues to tax the middle-class, most households have to tighten their belts another notch.
The real problem with printing money like the Fed has these past years is that our economic output hasn’t grown to match it. There’s “too much money chasing too few goods.”
Our Money Does No Retain Its Value
Do you have much cash in savings? Have you considered transferring some of that into more tangible assets but haven’t done it yet? You may want to consider an example Ken Russo shares about the value of a dollar now compared to 1971 when Nixon took us off the Gold Standard. What you could have purchased in 1971 for $100 would cost $700 at today’s prices. The spot price of gold was thirty-five dollars in 1971. Today, an ounce of gold hovers around $1,900.
What is an IRA?
Traditional IRAs have tremendous advantages over brokerage accounts. In a brokerage account, the capital gains from selling at a profit and dividends earned by your investment are taxable based on current income levels. Retirement funds grow much faster over time. Regular income tax is paid only when a withdrawal from the IRA happens. An IRA has none of the tax consequences just described.
What is a Gold IRA?
A Gold IRA is a self-directed individual retirement account (IRA) that enables you to invest and hold physical gold or silver. Gold IRAs follow the same general rules as conventional IRAs regarding tax benefits.
Custodians Manage Gold IRAs
Custodians help manage the paperwork and tax reporting for gold transactions to meet the IRS requirements. Custodians can also help with any gold and silver storage needs. Under the IRS regulations of a Gold IRA, precious metals have to be stored outside the home. Your Custodian handles the transfer of gold as part of setting up your Gold IRA. When gold is delivered to you or your home, the IRS considers it a withdrawal, subject to taxation and potentially early withdrawal penalties.
How to Buy Precious Metals for a Gold IRA
Once a self-directed Gold IRA is established, physical gold can be purchased with cash transferred from other funds like a checking or savings account. You can also roll over an existing retirement account to buy precious metals. No taxes are owed on a rollover since the funds remain within a qualified retirement account.
Featured Precious Metal Product
Ken Russo treats us with one of the genuinely great gold bullion coins on the precious metals market. The Royal Canadian Mint makes some of the most popular gold and silver bullion products worldwide. Coins produced by the Royal Canadian Mint are crafted with superb attention to detail and are renowned for their quality. The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf has done a great deal in building the Royal Mints’ reputation since it first appeared on the global market in 1979. In 2005, the Royal Canadian Mint became the first to produce 99.999% pure gold. The Canadian Gold Maple Leaf is an approved gold bullion product for self-directed IRAs.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Recession (part 2) | The Gold Standard #2217
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
April started with news about the inverted yield curve, which measures the difference in interest rates between short-term and long-term bonds. An inverted yield curve almost always signals an oncoming recession. Host Dave Deno and his guest, Ken Russo, VP of the Midas Gold Group, continue their discussion on signs of a recession.
Warning signs of a recession continue to show up in many other areas, including overt warnings in the form of headlines and articles from some of the country’s leading financial authorities. These bits of rare transparency are rare.
The Bank of America Warning
An article reports that the Bank of America warns that high inflation is a credible threat to the “economic recovery” that began just two years. What economic recovery? The government printed lots of money and sent people checks. What about supply chain disruptions and plunging growth in this country and worldwide.
How does inflation Relate to Recession?
Although not the leading cause of a recession, inflation and recession are interconnected; of course, high-interest rates also play an essential role. When inflation rises higher than average wages, people start looking for ways they can cut costs. Rising inflation becomes a problem like cancer cell growth. As Ken often points out, we’re in the giant everything bubble there has ever been in the history of civilized man. Eventually, these bubbles are going to start popping. When that happens, get ready for a tsunami of financial calamities.
Aside from the uber everything bubble, central banks’ typical response to high inflation is tightening monetary policy. Usually, the opening act just before the arrival of a recession. The tightening of fiscal policy means raising the federal funds rate. While it reduces inflation, it causes lower economic growth.
A healthy economy is an ongoing balancing act. The US economy has been unbalanced for decades. The Federal Reserve manages the currency supply and uses other tools such as raising and lowering interest rates to stabilize the economy. It seems the Fed never gets the balancing act right. It’s always too much or too little. The US hasn’t had a healthy economy since before the 1970s. Growth was all but flat-lined together with runaway inflation. Between 1970 and 1980, inflation grew from five-point five percent to fourteen percent. Today we are at eight-point fifty-four percent inflation and climbing.
Rising inflation means prices are soaring because the Fed prints too much money. Of course, the problem is easy to resolve: stop printing money. But the solution also means the government will have to stop overspending and balance the budget, which they’re not willing to do for political reasons. It’s a convoluted mess, to be sure, and it’s made even more confounding because of the lies, misdirection, and misinformation.
The Bank of America article stated it’s not calling for a recession in the US but simply “raising the specter of a slowdown.” It would be better to call it an economic meltdown or a stock market collapse. As Ken mentions on this program, “Maybe someone could be transparent and truthful. When you have such a risky environment predicated on money printing, someday the chickens will come home to roost.”
Do you want the Fed controlling your bank and retirement accounts via digital currency?!
A Risky Environment
Trying to make sense of the ebb and flow of the nation’s economy is tricky stuff, and the truth be known, nobody has a crystal ball to foresee how all of this will play out. But we can do more than merely fasten our seatbelts and hold on for the ride. We can take the opportunity to diversify our holdings into precious metals, which have proven themselves throughout history to be a reliable store of value.
Featured Precious Metal Product
This episode’s featured precious metal product is the second-oldest government-backed gold bullion coin. The one-ounce Canadian Gold Maple Leaf arrived on the global marketplace in 1979, twelve years after the first South African Krugerrand debuted. Next to the Gold American Eagle, the Gold Canadian Maple Leaf is the world’s most popular gold bullion coin.
The many security features integrated into the coin’s design are the radial lines on the obverse and reverse of the coin. The obverse has a profile of Queen Elizabeth II. The reverse features Canada’s iconic national symbol, the Maple Leaf.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Recession (part 1) | The Gold Standard #2216
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
Recession is a word that stirs feelings of fear and desperation. Even now, market experts forecast a possible downturn. Politicians and financial professionals lean over backward to avoid using “recession.” Recessions are brutal because companies struggle to survive, people lose their jobs, wages fall, homes and stocks lose value, and it inevitably leads to more debt. The excellent news about recessions is that they don’t last; however, retirement goes on for decades. Keep that in mind as Dave and Ken discuss the recession and how to protect your retirement plan before it’s gone.
What is Inflation?
We’ve all seen it in action. Just go to the grocery store to stock up your pantry or drive to your favorite gas station to fill up your gas tank, and you’ll notice everything is priced noticeably higher than a few months ago. That’s inflation, or as host, Ken Russo says in the episode, “Inflation is a general increase in prices and a fall in the purchasing price of our money.”
What is a Recession?
A recession is a period of temporary economic decline that reduces trade and industrial activity, generally identified by a fall in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in two successive quarters. That’s another textbook definition. The reality of our current situation is that the country hasn’t had any real growth for a long time. Look at some of the catalysts that cause a recession and see if they sound familiar: excessive debt, asset bubbles, too much inflation, and sudden economic disturbances.
We’re living in the early stages of recession now. The powers that be don’t want to call it for what it is because they don’t want to cause a panic. But the proof is all around us. You don’t have to look too far. Investments in stocks and bonds are losing money. Even Netflix, with its upward trajectory, has turned around. The video streaming giant has begun to lose subscribers for the first time. Streaming services are not the only ones suffering setbacks. Emerging markets are facing their most significant financial challenges as well.
People are beginning to tighten their belts wherever they can. Like a school of Piranha eating a cow, rising inflation is devouring any savings you might have. Planning for a recession is scary because you must consider all the consequences. This program, indeed, this series, is all about steps you can start taking today to prepare for the unavoidable crisis that is quickly approaching.
The Dreaded Inverted Yield Curve
The economy of the United States is complex, and because some things are going on that affect the country’s economic health, many things can absorb shocks and supply pressures. The yield curve is the actual indicator of how painful things can get financially. Investors notice because they know an inverted yield curve announces a recession is coming.
The yield curve plots the yield, or market value, of a range of bonds. These are government-issued notes with a range of four months to thirty years. Under normal economic conditions, the yield is higher on longer-term bonds; however, when the “yields” are lower, investors know a recession is coming.
Only once did an inverted yield curve not signal a recession. In 1998, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell below the line without an “economic downturn” following.
What’s the Difference Between a Recession and a Depression?
The Fed will do anything to avoid depression because its impact on the economy is worse than a recession. More people are out of work and can’t find replacement jobs. There’s an even steeper decline in GDP, and, perhaps worst of all, is a depression that lasts for years, not months. Economies struggle for a long time to recover. Fortunately, the US has only had one depression. The Great Depression lasted from 1929 to just before World War Two when President Roosevelt introduced the New Deal.
Featured Precious Metal Product
The Gold American Eagle, as host Dave Deno points out, is Ken’s favorite gold bullion coin and this episode’s featured precious metal bullion product. The American Gold Eagle hit the world bullion market like a meteor after President Reagan signed the Gold Bullion Coin Act of 1985.
The Gold American Eagle is a beautiful gold bullion coin that pays tribute to our national heritage. The obverse of the coin resurrects the iconic sculpture of Augustus Saint-Gaudens from the early twentieth century. The original Gold American Eagle reverse featured a Miley Busiek design of a female eagle tending her nest as a male eagle returns with a branch in its talons.
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Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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A Wealth Summit | The Gold Standard #2215
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
Traditional ways of investment thinking must evolve with the reality of currency devaluation. In this Gold Standard Wealth Summit, host Dave Deno, Ken Russo – VP of the Midas Gold Group, senior trader at the Midas Gold Group, and a Marin Corps veteran James Clark convene to discuss the need for every investor to protect their nest egg and diversify their portfolio. They discuss how gold and other precious metals protect your wealth during volatility and great uncertainty.
Forty-One Year High Inflation
High inflation isn’t going away. Price hikes seem to hit a new record with each passing month. March saw 8.5 percent inflation, the biggest gain since 1981. The Fed has begun raising interest rates to control inflation but has had little effect. Supply chain disruptions and consumer demand also keep prices high. Dave and Ken have talked many times on this program about how high inflation is here to stay.
The New Normal
Many business sectors, our society, and our personal lives have been impacted by the pandemic. Many things will never return to the way they were before, including the economy. We are witnessing the dismantling of the US dollar. The US dollar is losing its grip on world reserve currency status. The US dollar is a Federal Reserve note and not backed by anything except a government decree. The US dollar used to be backed by gold and silver, but no more and never again. Gold and silver remain the reliable store of value they have always been.
The window of opportunity to transfer some of your wealth into gold won’t be open indefinitely. Asset bubbles are the largest in history, and gold remains undervalued. The need has never been greater for people to take a percentage of their money out of the banking system and move it into gold or silver. Precious metals offer wealth preservation and tremendous potential for future price appreciation.
The Problems of Printing Money
The printing of money is the default response to everything, it seems. Ken describes the problem of printing money as global addiction that is spiraling out of control. It’s a huge problem compounded by the fact that government agencies are forthcoming about the truth of the situation.
For example, the New York Times reported the federal government spent $6.55 trillion in 2020, while taxes trailed at $3.42 trillion. Much of the spending came from the $2.2 trillion economic relief package Congress passed in March. The gap between what the government spends and what it earns through tax receipts and other revenue is about $2 trillion more than the White House’s budget forecast in February. It was three times as large as the previous year.
The problem with a sustained practice of printing money is the hyperinflation that arises from prices rising faster than people can earn enough money to pay for it. Poorer countries are most susceptible to hyperinflation. The United States is a wealthy nation, so it can tolerate printing more money than other countries, up to a point. We don’t yet know what that point is, but it seems the Fed is dead set on finding out.
The Coming Recession
How will we know if we are in a recession? Two successive quarters of negative economic growth is the standard definition. Remember the last Great Recession, one of the largest and deepest in modern history, lasted from December 2007 until June 2009.
There is a narrow margin for the Fed to address the problem of inflation before it pushes the economy into a recession. The economy and labor markets movement give the Fed the confidence to keep pushing the recession envelope by nudging higher and higher interest rates. You can’t help but think that it’s all an experiment. The whole country is venturing into uncharted economic territory.
High inflation and supply chain issues don’t paint an optimistic future for your personal finances. Consumers are trying to save more. This lack of spending could stall the economy.
Featured Precious Metal Product
Government minted bullion bars are rare. This episode’s featured precious metal product is the one-ounce Royal Canadian Mint Gold Bar. The Royal Canadian one-ounce gold bullion bar is made of 99.99 % fine gold. Ken points out the importance of having diversification within a portfolio of precious metals. Gold bullion bars offer a way to buy physical gold at the lowest price per ounce.
The Royal Canadian One Ounce gold bullion bar, a trusted investment piece worldwide, is an excellent way to hold minted bullion.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Advantages of Owning Gold | The Gold Standard #2214
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
The advantages of owning gold are many. Perhaps best of all, possessing physical gold gives you some peace of mind. In this episode, host Dave Deno and guest Ken Russo, VP of the Midas Gold Group, take a deep dive into the advantages of owning gold.
This program will help you understand why gold is the best store of value. Gold's spot price (price per ounce) has had an upward trajectory since the government has controlled the precious metal. There is no over-asset class that compares to its long-term track record. The spot price of gold is positioned to soar much higher in the years ahead. Gold is the world's favorite insurance against uncertainty, insecurity, economic and geopolitical upset, war, and currency devaluation.
Dave and Ken want to make sure everybody hears their message before it's too late. There's only so much gold. Once demand kicks in, the ability to purchase gold will become significantly more complicated. There could be a supply-demand issue and the erosion of the US dollar.
Rising Inflation Begins to Outpace Wages?
As inflation rages on, more Americans find it challenging to make ends meet. Although employees are asking for higher wages, only a fraction of companies increase salaries to offset the terrible impact of inflation on households.
Unfortunately, salaries are based on the cost of labor associated with the demand for talent in a given area and not the cost of living.
Not everyone is a millionaire or even close to it. Still, Ken reminds us that even modest households can convert some of their cash into a reliable store of value, namely gold. They could start with a gram of gold and slowly build up their nest egg.
Advantages of Owning Gold over Cash in the Bank
Owning gold holds your purchasing power over time far better than keeping cash in a bank account. The US dollar is declining rapidly and for several reasons. The major drawback of keeping your cash in the bank is that it won't keep pace with the cost of living. As the dollar loses its buying power, gold prices will rise the same it has done throughout the history of civilizations. In other words, gold is insurance against inflation. Other advantages of owning gold include the following:
• Gold prices increase when other investments decline
• Gold maintains your privacy
• There are no capital gains on gold until you sell it
• Gold can be used to buy and sell things when situations become dire
The Storm of Financial Crisis Will Soon Be Upon Us
The everything bubble and record levels of leverage for households, corporations, banks, and governments are about to explode. The central banks don't seem to know about it, much less prepare for it. This episode explores how you and everybody else can become more self-reliant and start preparing for the coming storm.
Stocks & Bonds
Today's risk-asset valuations are detached from any sense of reality. Putting your cash into individual stocks is risky in today's speculative climate. You have to have a long investment horizon, but you also must have the stomach for high risk. Bonds are less risky than stocks, but even that outlook has been negatively impacted by rising mortgage rates. Gold will outperform stocks and bonds as the financial storm breaks. Remember, gold prices increase when other investments decline. In the language of Wall Street, gold is a blue-chip investment.
Commercial Real Estate
Commercial real estate has always been considered a reliable hedge against inflation and the smart money choice to grow wealth. Still, these are changing times, and the climate is uncertain. As Ken always points out, gold is always reliable and does very well in times of unpredictability.
Gold is global money. Gold has been coveted and accepted for thousands of years to conduct transactions worldwide. The value of gold doesn't have to be backed by any government. The value of Gold comes from its own merit.
The Featured Gold Bullion Product
This episode's feature product is the official gold bullion coin of the modern Republic of Austria, the beautiful Austrian Gold Philharmonic.
The Austrian Gold Philharmonic is the most popular gold bullion coin series from Europe, and it's no wonder why. The Austrian Gold Philharmonic is a work of art celebrating the country's musical culture. Ken gives a vivid description of the incredible detail of the famous Pipe Organ on the obverse and the orchestra's other instruments featured on the reverse.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Financial Security in an Insecure World (part 2) | The Gold Standard #2213
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
This episode is part two of how to have financial security in an insecure world.
Inflation continues to rise, and now the Fed has introduced rising interest rates into the mix (for the first time in several years). Even for the most casual observer, it’s clear that the US economy is not as strong as it appears. As we continue to move into the third and fourth quarters of 2022, this will become more apparent. The stock market is chaotic with uncertainty driving volatility across the board.
Inflation remains a growing problem. We anticipated inflation to continue its upward trajectory. February consumer spending was below expectation because of the higher price tags on everything. Spending isn’t the only thing that’s more modest than expected. GDP growth is expected to be slow for the rest of the year.
This program reminds us that inflation erodes the value of a currency. There’s all indication that price hikes will continue into the following year. Volatility in the bond and stock markets will continue until clarity shows up on the horizon. Right now, the only clarity is in precious metals.
Precious metals derive value from their scarcity. Currencies can be printed by central governments whenever they feel like it. Consider the policies of many governments to store gold as part of their official monetary reserves. These countries use gold as an insurance policy against unforeseen events like currency collapse.
Ken talks about the quantity of gold and points out in this episode, “Supply is already at full capacity. If demand increases, there’s not enough to go around.” This will make acquiring gold much more challenging to obtain and much more expensive to buy when you do find it.
The performance of gold is a reflection of risk in the financial system. Currently, gold is tremendously undervalued compared to the amount of government debt. The good news is that this represents a good buying opportunity, but this buying opportunity will not be available indefinitely.
Even with Big Money moving into gold and various countries increasing their stockpiles of the precious metal, the spot price of gold is still within reach.
There is still time. Gold hasn’t moved to compensate for the recklessness of the world’s central banks, but gold will reconcile the accounting just as it has done for thousands of years.
One of the characteristics of gold that make it such a reliable store of value is that there is only so much of it. The spot price can be manipulated, but nobody can make more gold. There is only a finite supply of gold that comes from the Earth.
The Federal Reserve prints currency at will. While injecting a lot of cash into the economy can cause inflation, it gives federal member banks more credit and lowers the federal funds rate.
The featured gold product for this episode is a series of gold coins minted between 1907 and 1933. We’re talking about the famous Gold $20 Double Eagle designed by legendary 19th Century sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle series has tremendous numismatic importance and is considered one of the most beautiful designs in the history of United States coinage. Since twenty dollars could buy a great deal back in the early 20th Century, the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle did not see heavy use in daily transactions. More common usages included payment for large transactions, such as real estate contracts or settling international trade deals.
The production of the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle almost didn’t happen. The old guard at the US Mint, led by Charles Barber, tried everything they could to prevent its success. Never before had an artist outside the mint’s inner circle designed coinage for circulation in the US. The Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle series exists because of President Teddy Roosevelt’s determination and force of personality. President Teddy Roosevelt considered American coinage “atrociously hideous.” He meant to revitalize the whole thing with new art sculpted by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who was considered the greatest sculptor of his day. The entire project was, after all, the President’s “pet crime.”
During the discussion, Ken draws startling parallels between what the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle could purchase when they were first circulated to what they can buy today. It’s a sobering reminder of just how much our currency has become devalued over the last hundred years.
The design of the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle series might seem somehow familiar; that’s because the obverse was reused for the 1986 Gold American Eagle program.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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The Danger of the Digital Dollar | The Gold Standard #2211
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
In this episode of The Gold Standard we discuss the danger of the digital dollar. The scariest thing about the digital dollar is that it’s being seriously considered by the Fed. The implications are disquieting.
The danger of a digital dollar is it’s an invasion of your privacy. How many of us want the government looking over our shoulder at everything we buy. There are other dangers inherent in a state-controlled digital dollar, but the invasion of privacy is a big enough issue alone to be against the idea. To say it’s un-American is an understatement. It’s downright sinister.
While it’s true that many of us get payments deposited directly into our banking accounts, and we manage them digitally, the US Government still deals with paper currency. The digital dollar would give the government ready access to every transaction. Authorities can access existing digital networks, but they need to have legal justification and procedures to do so. It’s much more of a hassle than if all those accounts were readily available on a government server.
It’s hard to buy into the economic equity argument in favor of the digital dollar. The digital dollar would not benefit anyone more than what already exists. The clear driver behind central bank-issued digital dollars is to have more surveillance over its citizens.
The Federal Reserve isn’t the only central bank considering the digital dollar. Most of the world is looking into the technology. If widely used, digital currencies give central banks incredible power over the financial system and your financial privacy. All transactions would be a matter of public record.
If widely adopted, digital dollars would give central banks extraordinary power over the financial system and the lives of its citizens. Some argue that the US Constitution protects and would prevent the Fed from abusing its newfound power with the digital dollar, but don’t believe it. Why tempt the central banks in the first place?! They’ve already proven how abusive they can be with their fiscal policies.
There are those in government who readily recognize the privacy violation dangers and oppose the creation of digital currency. There is a real danger of giving the state control over new and powerful technologies. At best, implementing a digital dollar would compromise individuality, privacy, and conformity. Once the implementation of digital dollars happens, the Fed could push and pull conditions on the digital dollar’s use. Just look at China.
China is a major proponent of using digital currency, and why wouldn’t they. It’s a great way to monitor the economic activities of its citizens and add another layer of government control over their actions.
We’ve already seen how the Fed is susceptible to political pressures. Once the Fed took complete control of our finances, we would be subject to the forces of political winds that blow during national economic efforts.
Perhaps the worst thing about the whole idea of the Fed issuing the digital dollar is that it negates our inalienable rights to endeavor dreams, survive against the odds. God did not create us to be controlled. We are individuals and have the right to pursue happiness.
It’s a bad idea to give the government more coercive powers, from mild to extreme, over our finances than it already has.
This consideration of the Fed for the digital dollar is just another sign of things trending in the wrong direction. Remember that the United States was once the world’s leader in manufacturing before we started having China manufacture everything decades ago. Now, the country is at another crossroads.
If manufacturers make bold investments in talent and technology, they can reclaim global leadership status, but it will take some work. In the same way, each of us must make an effort to ensure the state doesn’t continue to take away our privacy rights.
One way to ensure you protect your wealth and your privacy is to transfer some of your current wealth to physical stores of value like gold and silver.
Ken introduces us to the world’s most widely recognized gold coins, the Gold British Sovereign, and its rich history. The Gold British Sovereign contains .2354 ounces of gold and is the smallest government minted coin discussed in the series.
The Gold British Sovereign is also one of the oldest and most historic coins introduced on the program. All Gold British Sovereign coins feature a horse-mounted St, George battling a dragon, a design that dates back to 1817. All Gold British Sovereigns minted after 1957 feature Queen Elizabeth II. The obverse shows a profile of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom.
Unlike most forms of Gold bullion, Gold British Sovereigns are exempt from broker reporting requirements to the IRS.
______________________________________________________________________________
Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Financial Security in an Insecure World (part 1) | The Gold Standard #2212
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
This episode explores being financially secure in an insecure world. During economic uncertainty, many people struggle to become financially secure or maintain their financial security. Alarm bells are ringing, warning that now is the time to diversify some of your paper holdings into gold and silver. There's a window of opportunity that will not remain open indefinitely.
The Everything Bubble and Global Uncertainty
Today's world is full of uncertainty, not just economic uncertainty, but geopolitical uncertainty and questions over the stability of our society. Other uncertainties gnawing away at our nerves and wallets include energy shocks, high prices, the casino-stock market bubble, the real estate bubble, interest rate increases, and an unprecedented amount of debt.
Anxiety over the question of financial security impacts most Americans on some level. The gap between the middle class and the one percent of the population grows daily. And for those fortunate enough to be financially independent, there's growing unease of high inflation and rising interest rates.
The Federal Reserve
The Fed is the US central banking system. It is often blistered for not meeting its primary mission to ensure stability and low inflation. The economics we find ourselves in makes you wonder how the Fed makes decisions. Has somebody fallen asleep against the on button of the money printing machine?
"The next US recession will likely be caused by the Federal Reserve," the former US Secretary of the Treasury, Lawrence Summers.
The Message is Not All Doom & Gloom
As tumultuous as current events are, Dave and his guest, Ken Russo, VP of the Midas Gold Group, discuss things you can do now to protect yourself. A good start is to transfer some of your paper currency into physical gold or silver. These are actionable steps to immediately protect yourself and your loved ones from financial calamity.
Gold has proven itself to be a reliable source of stored value for thousands of years. Ken reminds us that back in the 1970s, an ounce of gold could be purchased for thirty-five dollars. Today an ounce of gold can be purchased for over two thousand dollars. It's not that gold has increased in value so much as the erosion of paper currency.
A Gold IRA: Steps to Protect Your Wealth
When stocks and bonds become risky, it's time to allocate some of your wealth to precious metals like gold and silver. A Self-Directed IRA enables you to invest for retirement using gold, silver, palladium, and other valuable metals.
Gold and silver will protect your spending power by reducing potential investment volatility and risk, hedging against economic downturns, and providing a tax-efficient shelter for potential gains. Precious metal IRAs are especially necessary for diversification if you are fortunate enough to have a strong portfolio.
If Self-Directed IRAs or converting some of your 401(k) to precious metals sounds unfamiliar to you, you're not alone. This episode discusses some of the processes involved with converting some of your investments into "Gold you can hold."
Featured Precious Metal Product
This episode reprises a classic favorite of the gold bullion products, the one-ounce American Gold Buffalo. The American Gold Buffalo has the distinction of having the purest gold content in US history and embodies the idea of solid money. Hold an American Gold Buffalo in your hand. You'll instantly get a sense of the actual value and rustic history of American gold. It's no wonder that it is one of the most popular coins amongst investors.
First produced by the US Mint in 2006, the American Gold Buffalo is the only 24-karat gold bullion coin created by our national mint. The rustic design revitalizes the classic Buffalo nickel design by James Earle Fraser. He was a student and apprentice to the legendary Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Warnings | The Gold Standard #2210
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
Warnings indicate impending danger, problem, or other unpleasant situation. Warnings can be helpful if people pay attention to them. The Gold Standard broadcast’s whole reason for being is to ensure our audience knows about the warning signs and understands the actions they should take to protect whatever wealth they may have accumulated.
Warning signs are all around us today and much less subtle than they were when The Gold Standard first started sounding the alarm. Just as meteorologists can predict the development of storms, Ken Russo, VP of the Midas Gold Group, draw attention to the conditions that threaten the security of your money. The mission is to make sure you know the risks and understand how to lessen your exposure to the dangers ahead.
As Ken warns in this episode, “We’re starting to see things come apart right before our eyes. It’s time for people to wake up. Protect your purchasing power and whatever financial freedoms you have left.”
From the money in your wallet to the cash at your local bank, the Federal Reserve controls all the currency in circulation. The Fed prints money to handle financial emergencies. For the last two decades, interest rates on loans have been at rock bottom. Buying bonds has flooded the markets with emergency cash. The Fed’s strategy has been to use the balance of its bond portfolio (now at an all-time high of over nine trillion dollars) to drive better outcomes like inflating the stock market.
Inflation is out-of-control with no end in sight. The central bank must dial back its bond-buying program to corral inflation and keep it under control. The Federal Reserve will reduce its bond portfolio by two to three trillion dollars over the next few years to stabilize markets, or at least try to. There’s a risk of moving too fast. If the Federal Reserve tightens monetary policy and drops its stimulus programs too quickly, the action could generate the spark needed to set off a recession. Conditions are such that this recession would not be your garden variety recession but the worst recession ever.
Communication happens quickly. Information and communication technologies have connected the world as never before. Some things, like stimulus programs, have a ripple effect that can go on for years. Investors worldwide tend to sell during times of disruption and confusion.
Current market conditions have alarming parallels with the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s. The added stresses and strains of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine have lit a fire under the prices of every major commodity.
Add to this; many countries are desperately seeking something to compete with the US dollar. Will we see the ending of the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency in our lifetime? It’s looking increasingly possible.
The common thread to all the discussions between host Dave Deno and Ken Russo is how to protect against the loss of purchasing power. Never underestimate the highly corrosive effects of inflation. Even when considering the nine percent interest paid on thirty-year treasury bonds in the 1980s, inflation eroded any gains by thirteen percent. The result was that your wealth decreased four percent a year.
The biggest stock market crashes in history were not as deep or long-lasting as the ones expected to occur any time now. The question is will you have time to let the market recuperate? The 2008 crash, the worst economic disaster so far and caused by criminal behavior by the banks, took a minimum of five and a half years to recover. There was another half year before many investors regained their pre-crash purchasing power. Once the everything bubble explodes, there will be long-term damage to stock portfolios. Most retirees won’t have the luxury of time to recover.
Having gold in place will protect your wealth and purchasing power whenever the next crash occurs, no matter how long the stock market takes to bounce back. In fact, the longer it takes to recover, the better gold and silver will perform.
The best defense against a bear market and the corrosive effects of inflation is gold and silver.
One of the oldest and most popular gold bullion coins is the 1 oz gold Krugerrand. The gold Krugerrand, minted by the Republic of South Africa, is the first modern, government-issued gold bullion coin. It features the four-term President of the South African Republic, Paul Kruger, on the obverse. The reverse has Coert Steynberg’s design of a Springbok Antelope.
It’s no wonder South Africa was the first country to produce a gold bullion coin. The government has the largest gold reserves in the world. The South African Krugerrand gold bullion coin first hit the market in 1967; and, for more than 12 years, was the only option for private gold ownership.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Gold in Times of Crisis | The Gold Standard #2209
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
Just when you think there couldn’t be another crisis, a new one appears. More than an unpredictable economic outlook, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the world has become a dramatically more dangerous place. The time to be defensive with your buying power and privacy is here. Gold proves itself to be insurance against inflation and a geopolitical crisis asset.
Unlike gold, markets become wildly unpredictable during times of crisis because Wall Street has a low tolerance for uncertainty. Downward trends continue during climates of fear. For example, the stocks on Wall Street have been negatively impacted since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. The S&P has lost about ten percent since the beginning of the year. The Nasdaq has lost a bit more. Overall, the markets have been declining more than advancing lately.
Before Russia’s attacks on Ukraine began, stocks were already stumbling. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will make matters worse for the general economy and the markets. There is still considerable rhetoric about the accelerating US economy. Still, as the cracks begin to show, growing uncertainty will continue to take its toll on Wall Street.
These are worrying times, and the mounting concerns go deeper than tumbling stocks. This episode will help you start thinking of things you can do to prepare.
Keep in mind that everyone’s situation is unique. The conventional wisdom of having no more than ten percent of your paper assets in precious metals. Traditional recommendations are not that useful during times of crisis. Considering the number and magnitude of risks today, people should consider having more gold than usual.
Persistently high inflation is just one of the problems. The more significant point is that these problems will not resolve quickly. The ability to ride out multiple crises will become increasingly critical.
Gold comes from the Earth and cannot be manufactured, and therefore, free from hyperinflation worries. Throughout the history of humankind, gold and silver have been the primary medium of exchange. These precious metals have survived the collapse of many governments. People in finance always refer to gold as a hedge against inflation. Still, it’s true protection against our greed and ambition.
There’s an emotional and spiritual association with gold. Gold embodies divine qualities. Gold has a shine and malleability, and indestructible nature. The color and luster of gold are symbolic of acquiring knowledge, wisdom, and faith. These are the most valuable commodities that benefit us more than anything. These are actual commodities the world needs now.
Against the backdrop of the Vietnam war, the spot price of gold rose from thirty-five dollars per ounce in 1970 to one hundred and eight dollars in 1975. Just another five years later, in 1980, gold climbed even higher to eight hundred and thirty-seven dollars.
People from old countries know that when governments are in turmoil and the economy is in free fall, the government’s currency becomes useless. The Vietnamese come from a culture of saving physical gold. They know, from experience, that gold holds their purchasing power and that it’ll always be there when they need it. As the war progressed, it became clear that Saigon would soon fall to the communist; ordinary Vietnamese citizens relied on gold for survival. Even as the fighting wanned, Vietnamese people never put their currency in banks. Instead, they continued their tradition of converting their currency (the dom) into physical gold and hiding it at home. They had no idea what the future would bring, but they knew gold would always be valuable, even during catastrophic cataclysmic events such as war. The refugees fleeing their homes knew that only gold would buy them a ticket out.
The collapse of local currency is one of the symptoms of unstable governments and countries caught in the crucible of war. Thousands of Vietnamese citizens relied on gold to help them escape the communist. Today, we’re seeing a variation of this same story being played out again.
The Valcambi Gold CombiBar was first introduced in this series a while back, but, as Dave Deno points out, the usefulness and practicality of Valcambi’s Gold Combibar have renewed significance now. Every day we hear how Ukrainians queue up in long lines hoping to get some of their cash out of ATMs.
The Valcambi Gold CombiBars are an essential ingredient for survival in desperate situations. The size of a credit card, but resembling a gold-wrapped chocolate bar, the 50-gram Gold Valcambi CombiBar is quickly snapped into one gram pieces to be used as money during times of crisis. Think how convenient they would have been for the Vietnamese fleeing their homeland after the fall of Saigon. The Gold Valcambi CombiBar will be especially useful during times of emergency, strife, and unpredictability.
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Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Everything You Wanted to Ask Your Gold Dealer (part 2) | The Gold Standard #2208
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
We continue our discussion of “Questions for Your Gold Dealer.” If anything, the topic has only gotten hotter since last week. Dave begins the conversation by asking, in no uncertain terms, is a crash coming? Ken sees overvaluations, a rising inflation crisis, and absolutely no reason why the market wouldn’t crash.
The Greatest Speculative Bubble of All Time in All Things
The years leading up to the Great Depression were full of heady speculation in the stock market and reckless abandonment of caution. The party came to a screeching halt in the fall of 1929. Even the well-to-do had to economize and tighten their belts.
Today, we have a generation of gamblers. There is more speculation than the entire decade leading up to the Great Depression. Add to this overvaluation and economic strife, and you have a toxic cocktail of tremendous instability.
Low-interest rates cause money to rush into the stock market. Combine this flood of currency with the high rise of passive investing. Wave after wave of money pours into the top 500 companies in the United States because people are just investing in the index simply because it’s on the rise, not on the company’s merit. The stock prices are not attached to anything. It’s like the value of the US dollar, by government decree.
Inflation, It Is Still with Us
Of course, it’s no surprise that inflation hasn’t gone away. We’ve been building our economy on trillions of stimulus dollars plus re-opening to boost demand as employees and costs of materials soar. How could it?
It’s time to take a portion of whatever you have and put it into gold or silver. Both precious metals will help preserve your spending or bartering power. Ken builds a solid case for an upcoming economic hardship that will upend people’s lives as well as portfolios.
The Constancy of Gold
All indications point to the dollar becoming weaker. That’s why it is so essential to own physical gold. Think of gold as money. Gold has an impressive track record that goes back five thousand years. Gold was money long before man made his first coin or printed the first paper currency, and it will remain money long after.
There is a constancy about gold that is undeniable. Think of physical gold by weight, not dollar price. Because when it’s all said and done, how much physical gold you have will matter, not the dollar price you paid for it.
The Advantages of Owning Silver
Like gold, silver has been used as money throughout the ages and offers protection against inflation and times of upheaval. Silver is much more affordable than gold, allowing everybody to convert some of the paper holdings into physical silver. Silver is much less expensive than gold and more practical when selling it. Silver is also a strategic metal. The global inventory of silver is dwindling, as are the supplies of silver being mined, while industrial usage of silver is growing. Modern life wouldn’t exist, as we know it, without silver. That’s how dependent we’ve become on the precious metal.
The Advantages of Having Physical Gold over Paper Gold
There is a physical gold market and a paper gold market. Because of its tremendous vulnerability to manipulations, the paper gold market can eclipse the physical gold market a hundred times over. There’s a fundamental problem with owning paper gold products. You don’t actually possess the gold. During times of panic and unrest, that will become an issue. Take a clue from the central banks around the world. They all demand physical delivery, which they keep deep within their vaults. As you diversify your portfolio with precious metals, do it by holding the physical metal so that you can lay your hands on it when you need it.
Ken introduces listeners to one of the more unique and practical gold bullion products. The size of a credit card, but resembling a gold-wrapped chocolate bar, the 50-Gram Gold Valcambi CombiBar are quickly snapped into one gram pieces to be used as money during times of crisis. The Gold Valcambi CombiBar will be especially useful during times of emergency, strife, and unpredictability.
Since 2011, when the 50-Gram Gold CombiBar was first introduced, investors have used it to protect against inflation and financial market turmoil. The Gold Valcambi Combibars have gained over five hundred percent since 2001. Worried investors are not the only ones buying Valcambi’s Gold CombiBars. The Gold Valcambi Combibars are also popular among grandparents wanting to give their grandchildren strips of gold rather than a gold coin.
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The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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Everything You Wanted to Ask Your Gold Dealer | The Gold Standard #2207
https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/
We focus on answering common questions people ask gold dealers. In this episode, you’ll learn the answers to questions like:
• What Does Gold Do For Financial Security?
• Does Gold Become Devalue?
• Which Gold Bullion Product Is Best For You?
• How Can I Get Started?
• How Do You Find a Good Gold Dealer?
Today is a perfect time to look for a precious metals dealer you can trust and start asking questions about gold. As Ken Russo reflects in this broadcast, “Things are coming to a point where things are going to get real nasty soon. There’s still some time, but the hourglass has tipped over.”
Take a look at any one of the headlines this month. Whatever momentum the US economy had picked up has slowed. The Jekyll and Hyde character of the Federal Reserve bears its fangs to fight rising inflation. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose .6% in January. Energy prices rose .9%, and so did electricity and fuel oil. Everything’s gone up, and it won’t be going back down. There are no good choices to head off runaway inflation. The leadership at the Federal Reserve stands between a rock and a hard place as they try to balance inflation-deflation and prevent a recession. Above all, the greatest fear is deflation, and the Fed will do whatever it has to avoid it. The Federal Reserve will be walking a tightrope throughout 2022 as they struggle to balance inflation and rising interest rates. Whatever the Fed decides to do, they’re going to have to proceed carefully. Whatever the outcome, gold will be there, as it always has, insurance against the constant tampering of monetary policies, wildly speculative markets, and the boundless greed of central banks.
What is Inflation?
The pressure to raise prices tends to come with making economic progress. A certain amount of inflation is a regular occurrence over time. Still, the levels of inflation we’re seeing now is not normal. A great deal of the inflation we’re currently experiencing is due to having too much money in the system. Overall prices have far outrun salary increases. The genuinely insidious aspects of inflation go primarily unnoticed by most people because its most damaging effects happen below the surface. Inflation’s corrosive effects slowly eat away at a savings account. You might be earning .06 percent in a standard savings account while inflation is around 7 percent.
As of this writing, the national debt is $30 trillion, and there is no end in sight. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
The national debt doesn’t have to be paid in full, but it has to be sustainable to have a sound economy. The economy must grow faster than the debt and the interest to service the debt. The only way to keep the country from going broke in such a scenario is inflation. Inflation makes this kind of debt affordable, but it isn’t good for savers and people hoping to retire.
Inflation & Preserving Our Wealth
Commodities like oil, grains, and metals tend to have price increases during prolonged periods of inflation. Gold is traded on commodity exchanges and may appear on your favorite commodity, but gold isn’t a commodity. Gold is money. Things that may impact the commodities market will never affect gold. Gold has traded more like money and less like a commodity for years now.
Gold belongs as a part of every healthy portfolio because it performs well in inflation and deflationary environments, and there is no risk. Gold is a reliable store of value, and it has proven time and again to be resilient in times of upheaval.
What Does Gold Do For Financial Security?
Whether it’s for portfolio protection or securing long-term purchasing power, gold is the only reliable constant. Gold is a global store of value that countries trade it like money. The United States has the largest gold reserves, followed by Germany and Italy. Many countries see gold as a financial cover during geopolitical and economic uncertainty, so must you.
Which is Better? Gold Coins or Gold Bars?
Ken Russo departs from the usual focus on a single gold bullion product to answer Dave Deno’s question, “Which of gold products are best to buy? Gold coins or gold bullion bars? Ken answers the question by discussing two of his favorite forms of purchasing gold bullion: The Gold American Eagle and the one-ounce Credit Suisse Gold Bar. These are two great foundational gold bullion products. Ken’s answer may surprise you.
______________________________________________________________________________
Listen to The Gold Standard: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-standard-radio-show/
Gold IRA: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/gold-ira/
Invest in Gold: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/buy-gold/
Guide to Owning Bullion & Coins: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/bullion-guide/
Read the latest precious metals news: https://www.midasgoldgroup.com/news/
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