Precious Metal & Rare Coin Market News
1936 Elgin Half Dollar
The Elgin Illinois Centennial half dollar honors the founding pioneers of Elgin, Illinois located 30 miles west of Chicago. Founded in 1835, the area eventually became a village by 1847, then finally a city in 1854. The first person to suggest commemorating the town was Trygve Rovelstad, the son of Norwegian immigrants in the U.S. As a sculptor, he decided that he would erect a statue in Elgin to remember the pioneers that settled the ... >> Read More
Gold and Silver Are Winners: Debt Ceiling Looms As another Catalyst to Keep Precious Metal Rally Going
From bank failures to rising interest rates and still high inflation, investors around the globe are rushing into precious metals for safety, portfolio diversification, and as an asset to grow their wealth. Gold is up 10% since the start of 2023 and recently raced above the $2,000 an ounce level. Silver is up 4% and looking ahead Wall Street remains positive on precious metals. Citigroup has a bullish forecast for gold climbing to the $2,300 ... >> Read More
Gold Races above $2,000: Three Reasons It Can Keep Going Higher
Gold soared through the $2,000 level yesterday fueled by steady investor buying following weaker-than-expected economic reports and a big jump in crude oil prices. The early April OPEC announcement of a planned crude oil production cut triggered a 6% jump in oil prices to $80 per barrel. And, higher crude oil prices can boost the already high levels of inflation in the economy. Investors turned to the safety of gold in recent weeks amid bank ... >> Read More
The Mercury Dime: Liberty of Thought
The Mercury dime, struck from 1916 to 1945, gets its unusual name from its depiction of a young Liberty. Her image on the obverse shows her wearing a winged Phrygian cap which gives her a look similar to that of the Roman god Mercury. While the model used as inspiration for the design is unknown, many believe that Elsie Stevens, the wife of American poet Wallace Stevens, served as the basis for the image. The ... >> Read More
Call Option Volume Offers Clues us About Future Gold Prices
Gold prices have been rising. Since the end of the third quarter of 2022, gold is up about 18% and reached a 12-month high in the last week. Many investors think it will rise even further. How do we know this? We know because the 5-day rolling trading volume of call options on the SPDR Gold Trust has risen more than five-fold in recent weeks. In fact, these inflows into bullish call options on gold ... >> Read More
Gold Soars As Bank Failures Spark Worries of Larger Crisis
In a span of 10 days in mid-March, gold surged 9.8% higher as investors parked cash in the safety of precious metals. A loss of confidence in the banking sector is spreading following the nation's second and third-largest bank failures. While the Federal Reserve pumped $300 billion in credits to banks in mid-March, investors and depositors remain skittish – and gold is shining bright in its role as a safe haven. As you know, on ... >> Read More
Silicon Valley Bank Failure Reminds Us of the Security Gold Provides
When you put your money into a bank, you expect to be able to get it back – in full, any time you want it. The shocking Silicon Valley Bank headlines and worries about contagion throughout the banking system remind many of 2008 and the Global Financial Crisis that impacted so many Americans. As news of the bank run and the subsequent failure of Silicon Valley Bank on Friday rocked the U.S. banking system, it ... >> Read More
State of the Economy and Gold: American’s Credit Card Debt Hits All-Time High
Just charge it. As high inflation squeezes consumers at the checkout line, credit card debt just hit an all-time record high at $986 billion, according to the New York Reserve Bank. Americans are drowning in credit card debt as everyday necessities like housing costs, food and interest rates on anything borrowed remain uncomfortably high. In the meantime, total U.S. household debt surged to a record $16.9 trillion during the fourth quarter, a jump of 2.4% ... >> Read More
The Transition from Large Cent to Small Cent: The 1856 Flying Eagle
The 1856 Flying Eagle Cent holds a unique place in the annals of American numismatic history. As the first small-sized cent in U.S. coinage, it marked a significant departure from the larger, copper-based coins that came before it. The Flying Eagle Cent was minted for only a short period, from 1856 to 1858, making it a rare and sought-after coin for collectors. This article will explore the design, history, and significance of the 1856 Flying ... >> Read More
Why the Shield Nickel Earned an Important Place in Numismatic History
At the start of the Civil War, the United States government halted specie payments – or the mechanism by which citizens could turn in their paper money and redeem it for gold or silver. This led to widespread hoarding of gold and silver coins during the war and these coins disappeared from circulation. In order to alleviate this crisis, Congress authorized the creation of five-cent coins made of a 75% copper-25% nickel blend. Today known ... >> Read More