Gold: Past, Present, and Future

+1 regarding gold coins
Also, just a heads-up—the price spread on American bullion bars is way wider than what you'll see with gold coins.

So, where would actually be the best place to pick up some gold? Like, which state should I look at? And if I do buy some, how does crossing state lines work—is it just a matter of carrying the receipt and being totally fine? Oh, and what if someone else is buying it on my behalf? How does the ownership transfer actually happen... I mean, does the receipt or the bill of sale show the actual buyer's name?
When you guys mention jewelry stores, is it really just any shop, or are there certain ones that are way more reliable and safer than others? Maybe some are better for this kind of thing?
And thanks, seriously, to everyone out there! Whether you're trying to steer me wrong or genuinely helping me out, I guess I don't mind... because honestly, any info is better than that pathetic 0% interest rate my bank is offering on my kid's savings account right now.

Jeremy Jackson2 said:So, where would actually be the best place to pick up some gold? Like, which state should I look at? And if I do buy some, how does crossing state lines work—is it just a matter of carrying the receipt and being totally fine? Oh, and what if someone else is buying it on my behalf? How does the ownership transfer actually happen... I mean, does the receipt or the bill of sale show the actual buyer's name?
When you guys mention jewelry stores, is it really just any shop, or are there certain ones that are way more reliable and safer than others? Maybe some are better for this kind of thing?
And thanks, seriously, to everyone out there! Whether you're trying to steer me wrong or genuinely helping me out, I guess I don't mind... because honestly, any info is better than that pathetic 0% interest rate my bank is offering on my kid's savings account right now.

Just a heads-up: if that money is officially in the child's name (which it has to be if it's a dedicated savings account), making any investment from that account larger than $3.25 a month is going to cause you a massive headache later on..

Henry Robinson3 said:Just a heads-up: if that money is officially in the child's name (which it has to be if it's a dedicated savings account), making any investment from that account larger than $3.25 a month is going to cause you a massive headache later on..

I've definitely seen that happen, unfortunately, but there's actually another issue here. Honestly, when money is in someone else's name—whether it's John Doe or my own flesh and blood—I just don't view it as "my" money, even though I was the one who deposited it. Once that cash hits a child's account, I basically stop counting it as part of my budget and try not to think about it too much. It’s not money meant for buying a nursery set, a new kitchen, kids' clothes, school supplies, or medical bills... no, that money is a gift specifically for the child. It belongs to them. Whether they choose to invest it wisely once they turn 18 or just blow it all on something silly? I guess I don't really care, because, well, it isn't mine anymore! My only real concern is making sure the value doesn't just evaporate, which feels like what's happening right now. So, my plan is to take my own separate money and buy gold equal to the value of what's in her account. Then I'll keep pulling from my own funds to buy more gold, because I want to keep saving for her, maybe so she can start a small business after high school or help pay for college.

So, yeah, this whole "buying gold" thing is kind of a relative concept... I really just need to find a way to ensure that the savings I'm building up for her over the years won't lose its value and just wither away.

Jeremy Jackson2 said:I've definitely seen that happen, unfortunately, but there's actually another issue here. Honestly, when money is in someone else's name—whether it's John Doe or my own flesh and blood—I just don't view it as "my" money, even though I was the one who deposited it. Once that cash hits a child's account, I basically stop counting it as part of my budget and try not to think about it too much. It’s not money meant for buying a nursery set, a new kitchen, kids' clothes, school supplies, or medical bills... no, that money is a gift specifically for the child. It belongs to them. Whether they choose to invest it wisely once they turn 18 or just blow it all on something silly? I guess I don't really care, because, well, it isn't mine anymore! My only real concern is making sure the value doesn't just evaporate, which feels like what's happening right now. So, my plan is to take my own separate money and buy gold equal to the value of what's in her account. Then I'll keep pulling from my own funds to buy more gold, because I want to keep saving for her, maybe so she can start a small business after high school or help pay for college.

So, yeah, this whole "buying gold" thing is kind of a relative concept... I really just need to find a way to ensure that the savings I'm building up for her over the years won't lose its value and just wither away.

Bravo. I totally get where you're coming from, and I'm 100% behind you on this.
Best,

Jeremy Jackson2 said:So, where would actually be the best place to pick up some gold? Like, which state should I look at? And if I do buy some, how does crossing state lines work—is it just a matter of carrying the receipt and being totally fine? Oh, and what if someone else is buying it on my behalf? How does the ownership transfer actually happen... I mean, does the receipt or the bill of sale show the actual buyer's name?
When you guys mention jewelry stores, is it really just any shop, or are there certain ones that are way more reliable and safer than others? Maybe some are better for this kind of thing?
And thanks, seriously, to everyone out there! Whether you're trying to steer me wrong or genuinely helping me out, I guess I don't mind... because honestly, any info is better than that pathetic 0% interest rate my bank is offering on my kid's savings account right now.

Ownership isn't some complicated legal hurdle here. You buy it, grab your receipt, and walk out.
If you’re buying in Austria (which is what I’d suggest), for amounts over $10,000, you’ll need to show ID, so your name will be on the paperwork, but you don't actually need that receipt when it comes time to sell it later.
Personally, I always go for http://smh.net/at/01101801-philharmo...gold-2018.html
That said, you can't really go wrong with an American Eagle Gold Coin, an American Eagle Outfitters piece, or pretty much anything else they have in stock—even though the Philharmonic Orchestra stuff is .999 fine while the American Eagle Gold Coin is .916.
Just scroll back through this thread; you'll find plenty of posts with more granular details.
I’m not in the mood to type the same thing all over again.🙂
You could buy locally, sure, but if you're looking at 500g chunks, it makes way more sense to make the trip down to Austin.
Crossing the border is standard procedure; you aren't required to report cash or gold, and frankly, nobody is going to bother asking you about it.

J.P. Morgan breaks down the long-term outlook for currencies and paper assets:

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-...se-omen-market

Given this 90-day tariff truce, it looks like the stage is being set—not just for now, but for a long-term slide into stagflation.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-...onger-expected

The bottom line is that China has to buy significantly more American goods. They’ve done what they can, but now those ghost cities are starting to show. Jim Sinclair noted that the internal economy in China is becoming too tough to crack, making it a prime target—and that reality is setting in. How you plan to manage that is up to you. You've done a massive job since 1960, but the West is stagnating far too much, and that needs to stop. Personally, I'm fine with it. We'll see how the numbers look over the next three to ten years. A major long-term pivot is coming.

Greg is calling a recession:



Add Mike Maloney to the mix and you get...



Historically, whenever corporate tax revenues start sliding, a recession follows. I suspect they'll try everything to force those numbers back up.

"Coming soon."

A recession? Yeah, it’s looking more than just likely at this point.
I’d say we’re looking at 2020.

But even so, we aren't about to go out and drop money on a brand-new SUV for the niece.😛

Michael Morgan5 said:A recession? Yeah, it’s looking more than just likely at this point.
I’d say we’re looking at 2020.

But even so, we aren't about to go out and drop money on a brand-new SUV for the niece.😛

Officially or unofficially, the Dow Jones is sliding dangerously—down about 1,000 points in just two days, despite a brief "truce." Looking back, recessions actually start significantly before Lehman collapses, usually about nine months prior. So, now is the perfect time to go shopping. That's my takeaway, bolstered by some insights from the national news on CNBC. If you ask me, the Chinese can't play this any smarter; they're still holding the knife, but finding a fork is going to be a struggle. Then there's Brexit, which insiders are calling a "military strike." Like I said, things could pivot anywhere.

"For peanuts"

Michael Bloomberg suggests:



"Red for now."

So, where are you guys keeping your gold? Back in a bank account? Or just stashed at home? 😲😲

Keeping it in a bank vault—or even a safe deposit box—comes with its own set of headaches. I can't help but think about natural disasters, like an earthquake hitting the coast. If everything goes sideways and the insurance company decides to bail on you...

James Rogers53 said:So, where are you guys keeping your gold? Back in a bank account? Or just stashed at home? 😲😲

Keeping it in a bank vault—or even a safe deposit box—comes with its own set of headaches. I can't help but think about natural disasters, like an earthquake hitting the coast. If everything goes sideways and the insurance company decides to bail on you...

Might as well buy an excavator while you're at it. At least you could make some money with it until the day you actually need to dig up your gold after a disaster. 😁

James Rogers53 said:So, where are you guys keeping your gold? Back in a bank account? Or just stashed at home? 😲😲

Keeping it in a bank vault—or even a safe deposit box—comes with its own set of headaches. I can't help but think about natural disasters, like an earthquake hitting the coast. If everything goes sideways and the insurance company decides to bail on you...

If an earthquake wipes everything out, including the house you're actually living in, I promise you some shiny piece of metal is going to be the absolute last thing on your mind. 😁

When I'm looking to pick up some The Philharmonic, does the manufacturing year actually matter? Does the buyback price take a hit if it isn't from 2018—or does anyone even care about that? Thanks

Megan Williams9 said:When I'm looking to pick up some The Philharmonic, does the manufacturing year actually matter? Does the buyback price take a hit if it isn't from 2018—or does anyone even care about that? Thanks

The manufacturing year makes zero difference during the buyback process. Just be careful when you're shopping. If you aren't buying from a reputable dealer, you might end up with a piece that has visible damage. In those cases, they'll value it at the scrap gold rate instead. For instance, you might expect a certain amount, but at a place like Missouri, you’d get significantly less because of the condition...

Thanks! Is "Mint condition" actually the official term used when buying or selling?

A "mint" grade is all about perfection, but honestly, it just depends on which dealer you’re dealing with and what they’ll actually accept as mint or near-mint during a buyback. Just keep one thing in mind: pure gold is incredibly soft. You can practically scratch it with a fingernail. Don't go pulling those American Eagle coins out of their protective sleeves unless you absolutely have to... and if you do, handle them with extreme care.

Melissa Sanchez17 said:If an earthquake wipes everything out, including the house you're actually living in, I promise you some shiny piece of metal is going to be the absolute last thing on your mind. 😁

An old man from San Francisco—specifically from a little town just south of Sioux Hills, tucked right against the southern edge of the Rocky Mountains—once told me a story. He claimed that in the days leading up to the fall of Nazi Germany, people were trading exclusively in gold. Apparently, nobody wanted to touch paper currency anymore! Instead, they were doing what he called "gold for gold" trades—with a bit of a smirk, too. It only clicked for me much later: they weren't just hoarding wealth; they were using actual gold jewelry to buy basic necessities like corn.

I’m struggling to wrap my head around this— https://www.goldbar.com/1-gram-gold-bar —the retail price is sitting at $25, but the buyback offer is only about $20. Does that mean I won't see a single cent of profit unless gold prices jump by at least 20%? That sounds completely absurd to me, so I must be missing something obvious here. Can someone please enlighten me?