Monday Morning Wrap Up – October 5, 2020
Posted onPresident Trump hospitalized with COVID-19 infection. 
Last week President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump became infected with COVID-19.
On Friday, the president was moved to Walter Reed Medical Center and received an experimental antibody drug treatment through a “compassionate care use” request made by the biotech company Regeneron.
A Sunday press conference with White House doctors said the president “feels well” and that he could be discharged as early as Monday.
The U.S. stock market weakened on Friday, with the S&P 500 down about 1%. But the reaction was muted – suggesting that investors, for now, are not expecting President Trump to turn over powers to Vice President Pence. Heading into this week, the president’s health will remain a key market driver and it could impact the markets if his condition worsens.
Other world leaders have gotten sick with Covid-19, notably UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. In late March, Johnson announced he contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized in early April as his condition worsened. The UK stock market tumbled nearly 7% in the week following his announcement. However, the U.K. stock market rebounded as the Prime Minister recovered from this illness.
Our country has a well-established chain of succession if the president is unable to fulfill his duties. Nonetheless, concern is rising as a number of Trump’s inner circle tested positive for COVID-19 last week including:
Who has tested positive: (source: USAToday)
- President Donald Trump
- First Lady Melania Trump
- Hope Hicks, senior adviser to the President
- Bill Stepien, Trump’s campaign manager
- Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel
- Mike Lee, R-Utah
- Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina
- Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin
- Chris Christie, former New Jersey governor who helped Trump with debate prep
- Three White House reporters
- One White House staffer
- Kellyanne Conway, former White House senior adviser
- The Rev. John Jenkins, president of Notre Dame University (Jenkins was at the White House Saturday, when Trump introduced Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his Supreme Court nominee.
This, of course, remains a developing story and we will be closely watching this week and, in the weeks, leading up to the election.
We wish President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump a full and speedy recovery.
Is the bottom in for gold?
Gold climbed steadily last week and closed above the $1,900 an ounce level. Last week’s action is encouraging and suggests a bottom is in for the recent gold market pullback. The gold market remains well above its 200-day moving average, considered an indicator for the long-term trend – and that level was not even tested on the recent correction.
Now is the time to buy gold
Last week, major firms including Wells Fargo and Ray Dalio’s Bridgewater Associates said this is a good time to buy gold.
“We’re buyers of gold,” Wells Fargo head of real asset strategy John LaForge wrote last week.
“After a great seven-month run, gold cooled off in August and September. Gold spot prices today sits about $200 lower than its all-time high of $2,075, per ounce set in August.”
Here’s what Ray Dalio’s hedge fund Bridgewater Associates said in its September report:
“In a world of ongoing pressure for policymakers across the globe to print and spend, zero interest rates, tectonic shifts in where global power lies, and conflict, gold has a unique role in protecting portfolios…It’s wise to hold some of what central banks can’t create more of.”
Presidential election looms
Last week’s Presidential debate between President Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden was one of the more contentious debates in modern history. However, the debate news was quickly overshadowed by the President’s announcement that he contracted COVID-19 later in the week.
Investors and analysts are considering many different scenarios, speculating on how the President’s COVID infection could impact the November election. But the truth is – no one really knows. Voting is already underway in many states through in-person early voting and mail-in voting.
As of October 1st, two million Americans have already voted in the 2020 presidential election.
This week the vice-presidential contest will take center stage as Vice President Pence and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris will meet in a debate on Wednesday at 9 pm ET.
Jobs data shows hiring slows heading into election
The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 7.9% last month, the Labor department reported last week. However, the country added only 661,000 jobs in September, down from the 1.5 million new jobs in August and 1.8 million new jobs created in July.
Recovery has been seen in the labor market in recent months, yet economists say it could take into 2023 for the job market to fully recover.
New layoffs are underway. “Several major corporations announced huge layoffs in recent days: 28,000 at Disney. 3,600 at Ralph Lauren. 3,800 at Allstate insurance. 2,000 at Marathon Petroleum. 31,000 at American Airlines and United Airlines, combined,” Time magazine reported on Oct. 2.
The economic recovery remains fragile indeed.
Please stay safe. Until next week…
Regards,
David
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The Wreck of the Brother Jonathan Still Keeps Its Secrets
Posted onOn a Sunday morning in 1865, a paddle steamer called the Brother Jonathan departed Crescent City Harbor, California. The ship was the idea of Edward Mills from New York. His original aim was to create a route from New York to Chagres, Panama. This was to be the first of a two-leg trip. After reaching Panama travelers could continue, via another ship from Panama to California, which was attracting people from all over the country as the Gold Rush instilled a sense of promise for so many seeking riches.
Railroad and shipping magnate Cornelius Vanderbuilt purchased the ship just a year after its completion. He repurposed it, making it larger to in order to fit more passengers and used it as a replacement for one of his previous ships which was destroyed in a wreck. He used the ship as a vessel in his agreement with the Nicaraguan government ,allowing him to transport passengers through the isthmus of the country. However, a few years later, after Vanderbuilt’s exclusive contract with the Nicaraguan government was cancelled the ship changed hands once more and operated along West Coast routes. In the following years the ship had several other owners and enjoyed a reputation for its speed.
The ship’s final voyage began when Captain Samuel DeWolf departed San Francisco Bay for Victoria, British Columbia. A fierce storm ensued and the captain docked in Crescent City Harbor. This was only a short reprieve; soon after leaving the harbor the ship encountered another dangerous storm. Facing such punishing waves the Captain was forced to turn back. He almost made it.
The ship struck a rock leaving a gash in the hull. The vessel was doomed. All passengers and crew were ordered to abandon the ship. Though there were enough lifeboats for everyone onboard, there was only enough time to properly deploy three. As a result, only 19 of the 244 passengers survived. The loss of life was devastating.
The financial loss was also considerable. The ship was carrying a current day value of $50 million in gold consisting of bars and coins. Salvage efforts began almost immediately after the sinking but the attempts ended in failure. It was not until 1993 that a successful expedition carried out by Deep Sea Research (DSR) located the ship. Much of the difficulty of finding the treasure was due to the fact that the ship in fact sank two miles from where it struck the rock. This might also explain why another three years were needed to locate the coins sitting in crates on the ocean floor. After the initial discovery, divers recovered 875 $20 Double Eagle gold coins. Further efforts yield a total of 1,207 coins.
Legal battles followed. The state of California claimed ownership of the gold. After years of fighting, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the case in 1998, deciding that the find belonged to those who salvaged the coins from the wreck. The state, however, would not relent. They made clear their intention to bring the case to the Supreme Court a second time. Though a win for the state was unlikely, the salvagers were unwilling to continue spending on legal fees. Therefore, both sides reached a settlement in which the state received 20% of the value of the find. Soon after, DSR initiated a sale of 1,006 of the coins earning a total of $6.3 million.
Despite the incredible find, many estimate that 80% of the total value of the treasure still remains undiscovered.
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“What Happens If….Biden Wins in a Landslide
Posted onBetween now and Election Day, we present to you an in-depth Blanchard exclusive Presidential Election series. Please join us each week as we cover six hypothetical scenarios and detail potential outcomes for the economy, geopolitics, the stock market and precious metals if these scenarios unfold. We invite your
comments, questions and insights below in this interactive event.
Read Part 1 here: “What happens if….” Trump Wins in a Landslide
The Blue Sweep
Election Day 2020. It’s Tuesday evening November 3rd.
7:00 pm ET. The polls are just beginning to close in a couple of states. Network news announcers quickly report that Trump won Kentucky and South Carolina. However, Biden has a commanding lead in Florida. Yet, the race in that key swing state is still too close to call, the announcers say.
Sixty minutes later, just after 8:00 pm ET, the polls are now closed in 21 states.
Just like a lottery machine registering a winner – the United States map quickly becomes a sea of blue.
It becomes quickly apparent that Biden turned out voters across the nation – with voter turnout at its highest level in 80 years. Now, the announcers are saying – the margin of error has receded – and Florida is called for Democratic candidate Joe Biden!
By 9:00 pm ET, polls in another 14 states have closed, including key battleground states of Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Ding, ding, ding – Michigan and Wisconsin go to Biden!
The Trump campaign is quiet as they know without Florida and the upper Midwest, there is no path for the president to win enough Electoral College votes. It’s still too early to call Arizona, but Biden has the lead there too.
By 10:30 pm ET, it becomes clear that Biden has delivered a sweeping victory.
He easily swept essential swing states such as Pennsylvania, Florida, Michigan, Arizona, North Carolina and Wisconsin. He even reached deep into Republican states and won electoral votes from states including Georgia, Texas, Iowa and Ohio.
By the end of the night it is clear that Trump primarily kept his base — including Appalachia, the interior West and the rural South. But the narrow base was not enough to get to even 200 Electoral College votes.
It’s a Biden blowout.
By 10:45 pm ET, Biden is declared the winner on every major news network you watch. Even conservative cable TV news networks declare Biden the winner of the 2020 election.
However, the Trump campaign remains quiet. There is no concession call by the president. Nonetheless, Biden declares victory and delivers a heartfelt speech to the nation – promising a return to normalcy.
Biden’s resounding landslide win marked the fifth time during the 20th century that a first term president failed to win reelection. Trump joins Taft, Hoover, Carter and Bush for that footnote in the history books.
A Biden Presidency
What will it mean for the economy, key government policies, the stock market and precious metals? We explore some of those questions here with hypothetical scenarios and invite your thoughts too! Please leave a comment below.
The Stock Market
On election night, the stock market sinks – with the major averages selling off swiftly in after-hours trading as it becomes clear that the Democratic voters turned out in droves. The knee-jerk reaction lower reveals Wall Street’s worries over Biden’s proposal to increase the corporate tax rate and the likelihood that the regulatory environment will tighten once again.
Gold on Election Night
Gold surges above the $2,000 an ounce level as risk-averse investors turn to precious metals once again for safety and wealth preservation.
Digging into Biden’s policies
The Trump administration slashed the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, which boosted earnings growth and the stock market in the Trump era.
President Biden increases the corporate tax rate up to 28%, but it still remains lower than the 35% level it was prior to Trump’s tax cuts.
President Biden follows through on his pledge to fix the Social Security program. He adds new Social Security taxes for those earning above $400,000 at an even 12.4% split between workers and employers. This helps strengthen the Social Security Trust Fund.
Regulations Tightens Back Up
After the past four years, where regulations were eased across key industries like energy and the financial sector, President Biden tightens up the regulatory environment for oil and gas companies and increases consumer protections in the financial industry.
A Hands off Approach to the Federal Reserve
The Biden presidency returns to the traditional hands off approach to the Federal Reserve. While President Trump, in a highly unorthodox manner, criticized the Federal Reserve and jawboned repeatedly for lower – and even negative interest rates – President Biden respects the independence of the Federal Reserve.
Financial markets and Wall Street breathe a big sigh of relief that political influence on the Fed is once again off-limits – this preserves the Fed’s ability to protect the financial system and lowers the risk of future financial system destabilization due to a politicized Fed.
Interest rates stay low through the Biden presidency.
The Economy
As promised, President Biden rolls out greater reliance on public transportation using ‘green energy.’ He institutes manufacturing tax credits and subsidies for capital investment process upgrades to utilize low-carbon technologies and creates a carbon tax on fossil fuels.
Biden implements his 4-year $700 billion “Made in America” plan for federal procurement of U.S. manufactured goods, which helps new job creation in the wake of the COVID recession. He increases spending on infrastructure, which also creates new jobs and the unemployment rate falls quickly in 2021.
Biden allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices, which controls drug price inflation.
America’s Role in the World
Like Trump, Biden has taken a tough stance on China. However, Biden rejects the use of tariffs, which ultimately created an additional tax for U.S. consumers on imported goods from China. Inflation on consumer goods eases modestly as Biden calls a truce in the tariff trade war. His administration quickly resumes multilateral trade negotiations, pulling in key European allies, which is a dramatic turnaround from the isolated role the U.S. played in its trade war with China under the Trump era. The United States rejoins Paris Climate agreement.
Federal Deficit
Annual budget deficits likely over $1 trillion are currently forecast for a Biden presidency, which is the same as was expected under a second Trump presidency.
The United States remains on a collision course in the future regarding the supremacy of the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency. Neither President Trump nor Biden have made tackling and reducing the federal debt a priority issue. This allows gold to continue to rally and climb throughout Biden’s presidency as investors around the globe turn to precious metals in response to fiat currencies becoming increasingly indebted by their sovereign governments.
Gold over the Long Term
Gold hits $3,000 an ounce in Biden’s second year in office and continues its slow and steady uptrend – with major Wall Street firms now projecting gains to $5,000 an ounce by 2024 amid the continued and unsustainable increase in the United States government debt levels.
Stocks over the Long Term
The stock market quickly rebounded from the Election night sell-off. The traditional Santa Claus rally delivered its annual gifts to Wall Street investors in late December – as it becomes clear that Biden intends to follow through on his moderate policies, and the progressive wing of the party will remain on the outskirts of his administration.
Indeed, history reveals that the stock market typically outperforms under Democratic presidents.
From 1945-2019, the S&P 500 returned an average of 12.96% under a Democratic president and unified Congress versus a 5.70% return with a Republican president, according to Bloomberg and Wells Fargo Investment Institute.
The bull market in stocks continues over the next two years, with new all-time highs seen in the major stock indices. The U.S. dollar trends lower and gold and silver continue in steady and strong uptrends as well.
Now It’s Your Turn
How do you see a Biden presidency unfolding? We invite your comments below!
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Monday Morning Wrap Up – September 28, 2020
Posted on — 2 CommentsPolitical risks are rising.
The stock market sank last week as the September sell-off continues, with technology stocks leading the way down. The Nasdaq 100 has plunged 12% since September 2nd. The FAANG stocks, which include Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Alphabet (Google) have tumbled 15%. The S&P 500 has dropped 9% so far in September.
The stock market is lurching lower amid the growing uncertainty over the state of the economy, worries over the new COVID-19 outbreaks in Europe, the lack of another fiscal stimulus package and last but not least, the rising political risks that lie ahead with the contentious presidential election.
The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has shifted the Senate’s focus to swift confirmation hearings of President Trump’s chosen replacement, Amy Coney Barrett.
The upcoming battle over the Supreme Court appointment ahead of the November 3rd presidential election is decreasing the odds that Congress will pass another fiscal stimulus package to support the ailing U.S. economy.
Beyond the Supreme Court battle, this week ushers in the first scheduled debate between President Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden. You can watch that debate at 9:00 pm ET on Tuesday evening.
Tensions Are Heating Up
Last week, President Trump declined to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the November 3rd presidential election, the Associated Press and other news outlets reported.
While the temperatures outside are dropping in much of the country as fall begins to take hold, the internal temperature of the country is rising.
America cities are already on edge after protests this summer.
Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has warned there may be civil unrest and violence after the presidential election. Other experts and law enforcement officials are also warning about this possibility, as covered in a recent Time article.
Gold Breaks Down
Gold sold off last week, breaking down below the $1,900 an ounce level. The sharp jump in the U.S. dollar index was the primary factor pressing gold lower. Gold is priced in U.S. dollars and a rising dollar typically pressures gold lower. In general, this is viewed by analysts as a short-lived decline in gold.
“Further gold price weakness is possible, but U.S. election uncertainties will likely intensify and the Fed will ultimately need to expand policy. Hence, we maintain our positive view on gold,” the UBS analysts wrote in a research note to clients last week.
Also, economist Stephen Roach told CNBC last week that the US dollar is vulnerable to a crash next year and he sees double dip recession odds above 50%. He is the former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia. Roach points to the “net national savings rate” which has turned negative in the United States as an indication the U.S. dollar must adjust sharply lower.
Jobless Claims Remain High
Over a million Americans filed for initial jobless claims in the week ending September 19th, with initial claims climbing 870,000 plus an additional 630,000 self-employed workers filing for benefits through a separate Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program. These are stunning losses in the labor market nine months after the COVID-19 virus first shut down our economy.
The stock market is registering its concern that the recovery is in trouble – and the economy isn’t out of the woods yet.
A Big Week Ahead…
In addition to this week’s presidential debate, investors will be watching for key economic data on Friday – the September non-farm employment report is slated for release. This marks the last major labor market update before the November 3rd elections.
We are heading into what could be the most turbulent election in modern history. The case for owning precious metals has never been stronger. We are seeing many clients increase their holdings of silver and gold heading into this election cycle.
Last week’s drop in gold offers you the opportunity to own more gold at a lower price – if you act now. Check out the current gold price here.
Stay safe. Until next week…
Regards,
David
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“What happens if….” Trump Wins in a Landslide
Posted on — 2 CommentsOver the next six weeks, we present to you an in-depth Blanchard exclusive Presidential Election series. Please join us each week as we cover six hypothetical scenarios and detail potential outcomes for the economy, geopolitics, the stock market and precious metals if these scenarios unfold. We invite your 
comments, questions and insights below in this interactive event.
Trump Sweeps!
It’s election night November 3, 2020. Millions of Americans are anxiously glued to their television sets. Many are filled with joy at what they see, while others are dismayed.
Turn on any network TV channel, any cable TV channel or even public radio – and you see and hear the same thing – a United States map covered in red, with only a couple of scattered blue states.
“Trump wins in a landslide!” – network anchor after network anchor confirms,no matter which channel you watch.
Wanting to make sure their votes are counted, American citizens turned out to vote across the nation IN PERSON and in droves.
That meant states were able to count ALL mail in ballots on Election Day itself.
At 11:47 pm ET, Joe Biden concedes, as the sea of red is irrefutable, as shown on even on liberal cable TV channels.
Trump wins back the White House without question – hearkening back to the 1984 election between Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale. Then, of course, Reagan won 49 out of 50 states.
Once again, Trump surged from behind and wins the election, despite what the pollsters found in the weeks and days heading up to the election.
Trump’s Second Term
What will it mean for the economy, key government policies, the stock market and precious metals? We explore some of those questions here with hypothetical scenarios and invite your thoughts too! This election could prove to be one of the most momentous turning points in modern American history.
The Stock Market
On election night, the stock market skyrockets to new all-time record highs!
Investors pour money into risky assets with confidence that President Trump will keep in place the lower corporate tax rate, decreased financial and technology company regulations and will maintain pressure on the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates at zero percent throughout his entire term.
Gold on Election Night
On election night, gold sells-off sharply, as investors pull out of gold and pour their money into the high-flying stock market.
Investors are in a risk-on mood, and they’d rather be gold sellers, not gold buyers.
Falling Tax Rates
In a second term, President Trump could make good on his promises to make permanent the payroll tax cut after he’s reelected, which will weaken the Social Security Trust fund. (It’s the payroll tax cut that funds the nation’s Social Security program).
Trump may follow through on his plans to cut taxes on the middle class (Tax Cuts 2.0), reduce the tax rates on capital gains, create a travel tax cut, and give businesses additional tax breaks. See the proposals here. While the stock market initially climbs on news of every tax break, the government debt levels continue to rise as economic growth remains weak, and government spending remains high.
Continue to Roll Back Regulations
Corporate America cheers President Trump’s second term confident that a friendly and low-impact regulatory environment will remain in place and new easing of regulations will be seen in a second term.
Federal Deficit
Annual budget deficits of over $1 trillion are forecast in a Trump second term.
The world is turning away from the U.S. dollar as the deficit climbs well past the $26.8 trillion mark (the level seen in September 2020). The CBO warnings may come true in 2021 – as the size of the U.S. debt topped that of the economy itself.
As the U.S. dollar sinks, gold gains favor once again and increases in value – with many on Wall Street targeting the $6,500 an ounce level before the end of Trump’s second term.
America’s high and rising debt matters because it threatens our economic future, the Peterson Foundation warns. The day of reckoning lies ahead and President Trump will be faced with tough choices around cutting spending – like on key Social Security and Medicare programs or raising taxes or both – before his second term ends.
Does the Federal Reserve attempt to solve those problems by simply printing more new dollars to pay the Social Security benefits? A move like this would further erode the world’s confidence in the U.S. dollar and create an inflationary future for Americans and help gold soar sharply higher.
The Economy
Despite new tax cuts and zero percent interest rates, the U.S. economic recovery remains challenged. The recession is dragging on – as 1 in 3 Americans are unwilling to take the coronavirus vaccine, which has limited a return to airline travel and normal life. The economy limps along, as reduced consumer spending continues to restrain economic growth.
Geopolitics Heat up More
Expect continued pressure on China with tariffs and licensing restrictions. Expect continued criticism of global multi-lateral agreements and nongovernmental organizations.
The United States moves away from its previous role in the world as a superpower, as President Trump doubles down on Make America Great Again in his second term. Already having pulled the United States out of key global alliances in the first term, he pulls inward even more to focus on domestic growth.
The result is that the global power begins to tilt more towards China –as that country makes incredible investments around the world.
Heading into President Trump’s second term, China was already the world’s second largest economy and the largest exporter by value. China has aggressively expanded its influence around the globe with investments in infrastructure in countries from East Asia to Europe – in order to expand its political and economic influence. The initiative called the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) expands dramatically under Trump’s second term – as country’s in need know they can get support (both economic and militarily) from China.
The U.S. – China trade war deepens to new depths in Trump’s second term. And, China begins to pull back on buying U.S. Treasuries.
Interest rates begin to rise, as the U.S. government must offer a higher interest rate on Treasury securities to sell notes and bonds each month, which is needed to pay the interest on the ever rising debt levels.
Gold over the Long-Term
Over the medium and longer-term, the impact of rising U.S. government debt levels and slower economic growth from U.S –China trade war encourages investors to move back into tangible assets. Gold continues to advance to a new all-time high and hits the $3,000 an ounce level by the end of Trump’s first year in his second term.
Stocks over the Long-Term
In the short-term and days following the election, the stock market is ebullient and climbs in a knee-jerk reaction. Over the medium and longer-term, increasing levels of government debt, rising interest rates and falling trade levels from U.S. – China trade war weighs on economic growth here in our country – and pushes the stock market into a bear market.
Now It’s Your Turn
How do you see a second term by President Trump playing out? We invite your comments below!
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Early Date Gold 1795-1834
Posted onBy David Zanca, Senior Portfolio Manager
Think back to the earliest days of the United States. Place yourself in the late 1700s. Imagine the excitement felt by the citizens of this young country who had just gone through the battle of their lives to establish their independence as a sovereign nation. This new nation was based on the principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Close your eyes and put yourself back in that time. Feel the pride that these new citizens of the United States must have felt in their country.
How much has changed since that time? How have we, as a country, preserved and held steadfast to those principles? Wouldn’t we all like to get in touch with that pride and actually hold and preserve that pride? Early gold (coinage minted from 1795 -1834) can do that for you.
In the twelve years I have worked in the rare coins and precious metals industry, nearly every investor or collector that I’ve spoken to has been excited about the opportunity to own something from this time period. Investment-wise, these coins have always provided them with tremendous universal appeal combined with very high rarity. These factors combine to provide investors and collectors with what has proven to be one of the strongest and most secure long-term investments available. In fact, over the past three years, gold investors, like you, have seen some of their early gold coins rise in value over 200%! There is simply no other class of coins that disappear from our available inventory faster than early gold.
The majority of these early gold coins were minted from 1795-1804 during which time the United States mint manufactured $2.50, $5.00 and $10.00 gold coins ($2.50 were first minted in 1796). Most of these coins were transported out of the country and melted down because the gold content could be sold in European commercial centers for more than face value. This fact, and the age of the coins (most are over 200 years old) create a class of investment that gives you tremendous rarity with the universal appeal of early gold and you will hold in your portfolio what has proven to be one the most consistent top performers in the gold coin market.
Call and ask your Blanchard consultant how early gold can enhance your portfolio. If you don’t currently have a personal Blanchard consultant, call us directly to discuss your options in early gold.
This article originally appeared in the September 2020 issue of PCGS Rare Coin Market Report
The 1835 Capped Bust Dime
Posted on
It would surprise many to learn that a coin designer at the US Mint in Philadelphia was, in fact, born in Germany. This unlikely origin for someone who has left such an indelible mark on US coins is only one of many unexpected sides to John Reich who, in 1800, moved to the United States after the Revolutionary War came to an end.
His early work was so striking that Thomas Jefferson recommended that Reich receive the position of engraver at the US Mint. However, despite the prestige of a recommendation from Thomas Jefferson, Reich’s first job at the mint was a small one. Disillusioned, he considered returning to Europe before finally receiving a promotion where he ascended to the role of assistant engraver in 1807.
At the time, Chief Engraver Robert Scot was 62 years old. His eyesight was beginning to fail him and he was in need of new talent. As a result, mint Director Robert M. Patterson assigned Reich the task of redesigning many existing coins. One such coin was the Capped Bust coin. The pieces, also known as the Liberty Cap coins, included the 1835 dime struck in 89.2% silver and 10.8% copper.
In time, engraver William Kneass, serving as the second Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1824 to 1840, modified the piece. The obverse depicted a left-profile portrait of Liberty in a cap surrounded by thirteen stars. The reverse shows the heraldic eagle design with a shield in the foreground with an olive branch in one of the eagle’s talons and arrows in the other.
The popularity of the 1835 dime is evidenced by the fact that it has the highest mintage of any dime before 1838. The design of the piece can also be found in an earlier gold version of the coin created in 1795 by Robert Scot. Many believed that Scot looked to Martha Washington as inspiration for the appearance of Liberty. The turban shown on Liberty’s head was considered an exotic choice at the time and became one of the most memorable features of the coin.
Other aspects of the design, however, were unpopular. The reverse image on the original design showed an eagle perched on a branch with a victory wreath in its mouth with the engraving, “The United States of America.” This imagery only lasted a few short years from 1795 to 1797. Critics believed the eagle lacked the boldness it deserved. They wanted the eagle to be more emblematic of the power and stature they believed the US represented.
Redesigns featured eagle imagery based on the United States Seal. In response to the previous criticisms, Scot placed the arrows in the eagle’s right talon because this was considered the bird’s dominant talon, thereby illustrating strength on the part of the US.
In many ways the 1835 Capped Bust Dime represents several defining characteristics of the US, from an immigrant who became an influential artist in the depiction of the US character..
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Monday Morning Wrap Up – September 21, 2020
Posted onAre you ready for October?
Crash month. It’s right around the corner. October often triggers fear and panic among investors as memories of the 1929 and 1987 market crashes come alive.
Indeed, history is littered with downright scary moves in October.
Remember the 554-point drop on October 27, 1997? Don’t forget Friday the 13th in 1989. More recently, the Dow crashed 18.2% in October 2008 (1,874 points).
Investors are rightly concerned that the recent tech-led retreat in the stock market signals an end to that sector’s outperformance. With the S&P 500 trading around its pre-pandemic levels, the idea that valuations of “risky” assets are now unsustainably high is understandable.
Risks Ahead – Buckle Up Your Portfolio
Looking ahead over the next several months, many risks abound, including a possible increase in COVID-19 cases, heightened US-China tensions, and election uncertainty.
Just as a pilot warns his passengers that turbulence lies ahead, investors should be warned that more stock market volatility is coming.
Now is the time to ‘buckle up’ your portfolio and consider increasing your exposure to tangible assets to smooth volatility and protect and preserve your wealth.
Election Jitters
Less than 50 days remain until Election Day. Voters are beginning to cast votes in some early voting states to choose the next president and determine who will control Congress. Election jitters will dominate financial markets in the weeks ahead.
Confusion over Timing of Coronavirus Vaccines
Big pharma continues to move at a furious pace, racing to roll out a vaccine to halt the deadly Covid-19 virus. American citizens received mixed messages on general availability. CDC Director Robert Redfield told ABC News that “…I think we’re probably looking at late second quarter, third quarter 2021”, compared to President Trump’s assertion that the country will have enough vaccine doses for all Americans in April.
New Covid-19 cases have generally stabilized with a majority of U.S. states reporting daily case growth under 1.0%. However, Wisconsin is an outlier as new Covid cases are spiking there.
Technology is New Geopolitical Battlefield
U.S. – Chinese tensions remain high.
Last week, the US Commerce Department began banning downloads and updates of Chinese technology companies TikTok and WeChat apps. The Trump Administration took this action because it says “the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has demonstrated the means and motives to use these apps to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and the economy of the U.S.”
Federal Reserve Makes History
At last week’s Federal Reserve meeting, the central bank came right out and said it expects to keep interest rates at 0% through the end of 2023.
That’s right. The Fed is not even thinking about raising interest rates for four years.
Gold and silver thrive and climb in zero interest rate environments and the Fed is guaranteeing that until the end of 2023.
For precious metals investors, that is excellent news. It’s no surprise that gold climbed higher after Fed officials met last week.
Bottom line: The Fed is holding course with its unprecedented display of monetary firepower, providing massive liquidity to the economy and marketplace.
However, monetary policy cannot solve the underlying cause of the recession – the pandemic and the Covid-19 virus.
Investors Pessimistic About Challenges Ahead
The economy continues to weigh on investors’ outlook, with more saying they are pessimistic (47%) about economic growth over the next 12 months than optimistic (40%), according to a new The Wells Fargo/Gallup Investor and Retirement Optimism Index released last week.
Most investors believe economic downturn is ahead, dismissing talks of V-shaped recovery.
In terms of an economic recovery, two-thirds of investors believe the road to recovery will be far from smooth. 40% of investors believe the economy will have multiple downturns before a recovery will take place, while another 23% believe the economy will have at least one other significant downturn before recovering — a so-called W-shaped recovery, the survey found.
Investors fear COVID-19 and the presidential election
Of the various challenges that could affect the stock market this year, investors worry most about the coronavirus (40% are very worried). The November election ranks a close second, at 36%, and the federal budget deficit third, at 32%, the survey also found.
Prepare Now
Investors can expect financial market volatility to remain high amid a backdrop of rising uncertainty.
Don’t count on fiscal help from Capitol Hill to support the economic recovery. With each passing day, the probability for another round of emergency stimulus falls, as lawmakers remain at an impasse. While some economic measures are improving, the risk of jeopardizing the recovery from reduced fiscal support is growing.
Gold is Range Bound
Gold investors may need to be patient as the market continues to consolidate in a neutral, sideways short-term trend. The long-term gold trend continues to point solidly higher.
The market had an incredible run throughout 2020 thus far. But, rest assured, the Fed is creating one of the most bullish backdrops for gold prices we’ve seen in modern history. Major Wall Street banks are forecasting gold $3,000.
Lloyd Blankfein, former chairman and chief executive officer at Goldman Sachs, shed light on the outlook for gold last week in a virtual fireside chat hosted by CME Group.
“It has been so long since these metals have played a role in financial markets as a store of value,” he said. “But if there was ever a time where they would, it would be now.”
Answering Your Questions
Recently, a reader asked: “What will silver be worth if gold peaks at $3,000?”
Great question! The simple answer is $42.05-$50.00 an ounce.
Here’s how that is calculated:
Gold and silver tend to climb together, of course. Bigger picture, silver prices have more to go. In fact, Bank of America predicts that silver could hit $35 an ounce in 2021 and $50 an ounce over the medium term.
A simple back of the envelope calculation shows that if gold increases from its recent high to $3,000 that would mark a 45% gain from that level.
Projecting that 45% gain onto silver from its recent high equals a silver price of $42.05 per ounce.
However. History has shown that silver tends to climb at a faster percentage pace than gold. Silver has always outperformed gold and the percentage gains were stronger, according to research by CPM Group.
That is why a silver price target at $50 an ounce or more can easily be projected with gold at $3,000. That also matches Bank of America’s medium term forecast for silver prices.
Please keep your questions coming!
Until next week…
Regards,
David
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The Fed is Making History
Posted onBlanchard Fed Report: September 2020
Not only for its unprecedented 0% interest rate and money printing policies, but because it is creating one of the most positive environments for gold that we have seen in modern history.
Today, we saw another Federal Reserve meeting. And, yes, another reason to buy gold and silver.
The Fed kept its benchmark interest rate at zero percent today.
That was expected.
Yet, the more we listen to Fed officials, the more it becomes clear that the central bank is intent on leaving its easy money policies in place for a very long time.
If you were ever hoping to get a return on a CD account at a bank in the next few years, you can forget that idea.
In fact, at today’s meeting, the Fed came right out and said it expects to keep interest rates at 0% through the end of 2023.
That is worth repeating.
The Fed is not even thinking about raising interest rates for four years.
For savers in CDs or bank accounts, that’s not good news.
For precious metals investors, that is excellent news. It’s no surprise that gold climbed higher after Fed officials met today.
Gold and silver thrive and climb in zero interest rate environments and the Fed is guaranteeing that until the end of 2023.
What’s more? The Fed stated today that inflation is “on track to moderately exceed” the Fed’s target rate of 2% “for some time.”
Zero percent interest rates and rising inflation.
That is a classic textbook recipe for higher gold prices ahead. Never before in history has the Fed given the green light for gold prices to grow exponentially for a period of several years.
As the central bank continues to devalue fiat currency with its money printing policies, the stage is set for a breakout in gold back to $2,000 and beyond.
Gold investors may need to be patient.
The market had an incredible run throughout 2020 thus far. But, rest assured, the Fed is creating one of the most bullish backdrops for gold prices we’ve seen in modern history. Major Wall Street banks are forecasting gold at $3,000. It will be here sooner than you think.
You can take that to the vault.
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When San Francisco Welcomed the World
Posted onIn 1915, San Francisco welcomed the world to host the Panama Pacific International Exposition – a mere nine years after the city had been devastated by a deadly 7.9 magnitude earthquake.
The exposition celebrated the successful completion of the Panama Canal (linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans), a major American achievement of that time – and underscored the United States prominent new leadership role on the world stage.
The ability of San Francisco to recover and rebuild after the quake in time to host the Panama Pacific International Exposition is a testament to the resilience, optimism and hard-working spirit that symbolized those in the early American West.
Over nine months in 1915, more than 18 million people from around the globe visited the fair, which promoted the technological advancements of its time.
Visitors from around the world explored pavilions of exhibits, luxurious gardens, carnivals, visits by celebrities, reproductions of classic buildings, and evening fireworks on 635 magnificently landscaped acres on San Francisco Bay.
The world fair demonstrated to amazed onlookers a transcontinental telephone call and promoted the use of the automobile and wireless telegraphy.
To celebrate the milestone in San Francisco history and the first-ever world fair on the West Coast, Congress authorized the San Francisco Mint to mint one of the most magnificent gold coins in American history – the $50 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition gold piece.
The $50 gold coin was struck in limited numbers and in two versions: a round and an octagonal.
No doubt due to the hefty face value price at the time (the average American income only totaled $1,250 in 1915), only 483 of the round $50 gold coins were sold.
A total of 645 octagonals were sold.
Many of these special coins have never surfaced on the numismatic market, no doubt being passed down from generation to generation as a treasured family heirloom, or were simply lost over time.
We have just one of these truly exceptional coins from American history – a round version. The obverse features a helmeted head of Minerva, while an imperious owl (a symbol of wisdom) is featured on the reverse. You can view this truly impressive rarity here.
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