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Showing posts from August, 2017

Gold Scores Fifth Monthly Increase; US Mint Bullion Sales Slow in August

Precious metals futures rose Thursday, padding gains in August that ranged from 3.8% for gold to 6.1% for platinum. Gold scored its fifth monthly increase and ended at a new 11-month high. Gold for... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Gold rises despite obstacles

I have mentioned repeatedly that the price of gold serves effectively as a report card on the U.S. dollar, U.S. government, and U.S. economy. For many people around the world, the choice for holding safe haven assets is between U.S. dollars and Treasury debt or gold (and, by association, silver). Estimates of how many dollars and how much U.S. Treasury debt is held by foreigners ranges from $12-$16 trillion. If the U.S. government is in trouble, or the U.S. economy is weak, foreigners tend to reduce their holding of dollars and increase their demand for gold. The U.S. government is the world’s largest beneficiary of low gold and silver prices. When precious metals prices are low, foreigners are more content to hold dollars. This helps hold down the interest rate that the federal government pays on its debt. For every 1 percent decline in the interest rate that the U.S. government has to pay on $20 trillion in outstanding debt, that reduces the federal budget deficit by $200 billion p

Mint Statistics: Time to tell the Ellis Island story again

The Ellis Island 5-ounce silver bullion coin went on the board below at 39,500. That is nearly double the number of the prior two designs. The story of Ellis Island has inspired collectors for years. Perhaps a new promotion to collectors is in the works. Or is it just silver bullion related? Silver is on the rise. I have to mention that sales of the Enhanced Uncirculated Coin Set are running backwards. This week’s number is 187,304 sold of a possible 225,000. Take a look at the story on Page 4 for further details. The set is not the only thing going backwards. The 2017-W proof platinum American Eagle coin stands at 8,779 and doesn’t look like it will get to its 10,000 maximum any time soon. New autumn offers from the Mint will soon be added to these pages. Get ready to go shopping for more 2017-S proof silver American Eagles Oct. 5 in the Limited Edition Silver Proof Set.   This article was originally printed in Numismatic News . >> Subscribe today.   More Collecting Resou

5 Financial Tips When Buying Jewelry for Mother's Day

There may be nothing sweeter than giving jewelry on Mother’s Day, but those feelings can be tarnished if it turns out you got a bad deal. That can be especially true if you are paying a lot of money. And this Mother's Day, that's more likely to be the case than in previous years. According to the National Retail Federation's annual survey, Americans plan to spend $5 billion on jewelry this Mother's Day. That's up from $4.2 billion last year.   The first thing to do when buying jewelry is to make sure you are educated about the kind of jewelry you are interested in, says NerdWallet retail and shopping expert Courtney Jespersen. Cost can depend on issues such as individual craftsmanship, but comparing prices at different retailers can help you gain a sense of what a certain diamond cut might fetch, for instance. Jespersen also recommends that novice jewelry buyers bring along a friend or relative who has more expertise for advice. Then, think about the financial a