Precious Metal & Rare Coin Market News

You may have seen the inflation news this week. The U.S. consumer price index (CPI) climbed to 7% in December, its highest level since 1982. That marks the third month in a row with inflation above 6%. This is a direct contradiction to the Federal Reserve's prediction that "inflation would be transitory." The inflation we are seeing today is the worst in 39 years. But it's not hyperinflation. At least, not yet anyway. When we ... >> Read More        

George Washington led our nation through some of its most trying times. Born into a prosperous planting family in Virginia in 1732, Washington was named commander of the Virginia militia in 1752 and fought in the French and Indian war. As the British kept raising taxes on the American colonists, by the late 1760's, Washington believed it would be best to declare independence from England. In 1774, he served as delegate to the First Continental ... >> Read More        

Everyone wants silver these days. That includes investors just like you who want to diversify their portfolios and manufacturers of everything from health care items to lithium batteries to solar panels and more. In 2021, every key area of silver demand rose – including the total for overall demand at 1.029 billion ounces, according to the Silver Institute. Investors, including family offices who want to buy silver bars for their wealthy clients, high-net worth individuals ... >> Read More        

Investors face a diminishing list of places to park money in the low-rate environment of today. Holding cash is a losing strategy over the long-term as inflation reduces purchasing power. Bonds have little to offer as rates have remained low for a long time. Equities have soared in valuations leading to a cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings ratio (CAPE) that is at its second highest level since 1880. This elevated figure suggests that the stock market is ... >> Read More        

Diversification is not what it used to be. Investors have long understood the safety of a diversified portfolio. Over the decades, more investors have opted for low-cost mutual funds and exchange traded funds which give them exposure to hundreds of stocks in a single share. But is this strategy truly diversified? Some measurements suggest the answer is no. In recent years, a greater portion of the S&P 500’s performance has been due to a shrinking ... >> Read More        

The Flowing Hair Half Dime has the distinction of being one of the first coins issued by the US Mint. Designed by Robert Scot, this silver coin, valued at five cents, was part of the Coinage Act of 1792 which established the United States dollar as the standard unit of money in the country. The act also created a decimal system for US currency. In this early phase of the US currency system, officials decided ... >> Read More        

The Federal Reserve said today it plans to raise its benchmark interest rate at least three times in 2022, in an attempt to tame the big jump in consumer inflation that is spiraling throughout the economy. The Fed also sped up the pace of its "tapering" or reduced bond-buying spree by $30 billion per month and will end the program in March. The Fed has been buying bonds every month to support the economy after ... >> Read More        

As snow begins to blanket northern parts of our nation and holiday lights twinkle on city streets, Wall Street firms begin rolling out their forecasts, projections and economic outlooks for the next year. As the nation continues to grapple with political polarization in the wake of the 2020 presidential election, the uncertainty of a new COVID variant, Omicron, and unsettling high levels of consumer inflation, what could lie ahead? Let's take a look at a ... >> Read More        

On the American Plains in 1937, a Buffalo with three legs could easily have been shot by a rancher or eaten for dinner by a pack of wolves. In the rare coin world, however, a 1937 Nickel with a three-legged Buffalo has become a legendary numismatic prize. You've probably heard of the Indian Head or Buffalo nickel. Many Americans of a certain age remember these coins surfacing in their pocket change regularly even into the ... >> Read More        

If two separate investments deliver the exact same return over the same period which is better? The concept of risk-adjusted returns helps answer this question. An investment’s risk-adjusted return reflects the amount of risk an asset presents to deliver a particular return, or possible return. In other words, the risk-adjusted return reflects not only the assets earning power but also the potential for loss. Here is another way to think about risk-adjusted returns. Consider two ... >> Read More