Not only do they kill werewolves but they are great for obamzies looking obamamoney
Posted on 04/10/2010 12:07:38 AM PDT by dennisw
Why Are Silver Sales Soaring?
Jeff Clark, Senior Editor, Casey’s Gold & Resource Report
The U.S. Mint just reported another record, but this time it wasn’t for gold. The Mint sold more Silver Eagles in March and in the first quarter of the year than ever before. A total of 9,023,500 American Silver Eagles were purchased in Q110, the highest amount since the coin debuted in 1986.
While this is certainly bullish, there’s something potentially more potent developing in the background. Namely, how this matches up with U.S. silver production. Like gold, the U.S. Mint only manufactures Eagles from domestic production. And U.S. mine production for silver is about 40 million ounces. In other words, we just reached the point where virtually all U.S. silver production is going toward the manufacturing of Silver Eagles.
Yikes.
This is especially explosive when you consider that roughly 40% of all silver is used for industrial applications, 30% for jewelry, 20% for photography and other uses, and only 5% or so for coins and medals.
To be sure, mine production is not the only source of silver. In 2009, approximately 52.9 million ounces were recovered from various sources of scrap. Further, the U.S. imported a net of about 112.5 million ounces last year. (Dependence on foreign oil? How about dependence on foreign silver!) So it’s not like there’s a worry there won’t be enough silver to produce the Eagle you want next month.
Still, why so much buying? The silver price ended the quarter up 15.5% from its February 4 low – but it was basically flat for the quarter, up a measly 1.9%. We tend to see buyers clamoring for product when the price takes off, so the jump in demand wasn’t due to screaming headlines about soaring prices.
I have a theory.
For some time, silver has been known as the “poor man’s gold.” Meaning, silver demand tends to increase when gold gets too “expensive.” The gold price has stubbornly stayed above $1,000 for over six months now and spent much of that time above $1,100. You’d be lucky to pay less than $1,200 right now for a one-ounce coin (after premiums), an amount most workers can’t pluck out of their back pocket. But Joe Sixpack just might grab a “twelve-pack” of silver.
What would perhaps lend evidence to my theory is if gold sales were down in the face of these higher silver sales.
The U.S. Mint reported a decline in gold bullion sales of 20.8% this past quarter vs. the same quarter in 2009. Further, other world mints have seen sharp declines in gold bullion coin sales as well: the Austrian Mint reported an 80% drop in sales for the first two months of the year and the Royal British Mint a 50% decline in gold coin production for the first quarter.
What’s even more dramatic is the difference in the dollar value of the sales. Gold Eagle sales in the U.S. dropped $10,263,500 from a year earlier – but silver sales increased by $61,855,290. So, not only did silver sales make up the drop in gold sales, they exceeded them by $51,591,790.
Is the rush into “poor man’s gold” underway?
Why the answer to that question is significant is that a shift toward silver for this reason could signal we’re inching closer to the greater masses getting involved in the precious metals arena. And that – for those of us who’ve been invested for awhile now – would be music to the ears. Because when they start getting involved, the mania will be underway, and from that point forward, it’s game on.
I’m not saying the mania is starting, and I actually think we could see another sell-off before things take off for good. Gold could dip to $1,000 and maybe even $950, with silver going to the $14-$15 range. But as clues like these begin to build up, we’ll know we’re getting closer. (And any drop to those ranges would clearly be a major buying opportunity.)
Everyone talks about gold, myself included, but a meaningful portion of one’s precious metals portfolio should be devoted to silver. The market is tiny, making the price potentially explosive. Remember that in the ‘70s bull market gold advanced over 700%, but silver soared over 1,400%.
Don’t be a “poor man” by ignoring gold’s shiny cousin.
While buying silver is a must, it’s the silver stocks that will truly soar in a mania. And I’m convinced we recommend the two best silver producers in the world. Get their names and our suggested entry points with a risk free trial to Casey’s Gold & Resource Report... click here.
Silver has too many industrial uses, I extremely doubt it would ever be confiscated. The British had the Pound Sterling which was backed by silver. We had silver certificate currency which was backed by silver until 1962. I can’t think of other major currencies that used silver as a back up.
Our silver certificates were paper currency and did not back up the US dollar in a larger sense the way gold has in the past for many different nations. Circa 1975 the Swiss Franc was 40% backed by gold (only nation like that) so all the hard asset men liked it. I think it has no gold backing these days
More like 10% or lower. Before digital cameras it was up at 50-60% of all silver uses. Say 20 years ago
Don't forget you have many older X-ray machines and industrial photography machines that use silver based film....All over the world not just the USA
Your dentist isn't using digital photography. Mine isn't but I've been to one who did.
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I was thinking the same thing. If that is true 90% must of been used for photos just a few years ago. Does not ring true.
This article is linked at zerohedge with some good comments on the possibility of confiscation being decreed and carried out (consensus is slim to none on both).
oops here’s that zerohedge link http://www.zerohedge.com/article/why-are-silver-sales-soaring
I am hoarding anything made of silver because gold isn’t available, also copper.
Exactly. I don’t view the run on silver as the author states. I believe many folks just waking up to “the party” of shenanigans in DC are realizing their dollars are worthless or are about to be.
They can’t afford gold, so silver is a way to go. Why brand new silver dollars? Because they can’t afford the bulk pricing for bags of junk silver either.
I keep bringing up the real life account from a guy in South America who had their currency collapse. It was the junk silver and jewelers quality gold that saw them through their year of turmoil.
Not only do they kill werewolves but they are great for obamzies looking obamamoney
“I’m still holding bags of junk coins bought during Jimmy Carter...”
US silver coins are a good thing to have. They are a familiar, known quantity, especially Kennedys, Washingtons and Roosevelts. People will accept these when they might not even recognize US Mint Eagles, not to mention the odder foreign stuff like Pandas or Vienna Philharmonics. And you can pick up old silver coins much easier.
That's a reason for inability to confiscate gold. Its uses are spread too widely. It has more industrial uses than in the 1930s. Back then jewelers could still use gold but electronics was nothing
thanks for the zero hedge link...always a useful website
“I am hoarding anything made of silver because gold isn’t available, also copper.”
...I was talking to a guy the other day who was salting away .30 cal ammo cans full of rolled nickels...he thinks the commodity market in nickel will go up...something to do with increased use in batteries maybe?
I would recommend reading the book “the Power Of Gold, the History of an Obsession”. You will learn that the struggle of governments to maintain a constant ratio between the prices of the two has been a problem pretty much for ever.
You will also see that the present activity might very well not be a bubble, but a reversion to the historical norm. Your time line is less than fifty years but a time line of hundreds or even thousands of years belies that reasoning. I believe our casting out the gold and silver standard is a failed experiment. The world is slowly returning to a precious metallic standard.
The book:
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Gold-History-Obsession/dp/0471003786
One other truly neat fact fro0m the book. There was a trade between the Mediterranean African cities and the Central African cities. They carried salt into the interior and traded it for gold on a one to one basis. The caravans were bullocks. There was a earth shattering innovation that forever changed the trade. Camel caravans were invented. The camel traveled faster and further than the oxen. The gold trade was revolutionized
http://seekingalpha.com/article/14922-is-the-old-gold-silver-ratio-of-16-still-alive-today
The link is the best article I’ve ever read on gold/sliver ratio. There’s much more to it than price.
Having said that, gold/silver “price” ratio is now about 60 (you can buy approx 60 ounces of silver for the price of one ounce of gold).
Over thousands of years, gold and silver have maintained a price ratio of around 15 to one. So, silver could be considered extraordinarily under-priced today. Or, gold could be correspondingly overpriced.
But, many people are betting that silver is the under-priced commodity. Fact is, at a 60 to one ratio, some-thing’s way out of whack. And, when gold and silver decide to normalize, some serious money could be made by those who guess right.
I have been betting on silver appreciation for about 10-years. And, appreciate it has. But, if I’m right, the fun is just beginning.
Good luck to all.
Actually I would prefer to collect the rare earth metals like palladium which is used in catalytic exhaust converters.
Yes I could think of nickel but its not a rare earth metal or something thats only mined in certain parts of the world.
Look for certain metals that are sourced from outside the US such as titanium. Or tungsten. Best metal to have is refined copper thats of the quality for electrical or electronic use.
To refine it would require some power, chemicals but that class of pure copper will be in HIGH demand almost immediately when electric cars start going into mass production.
And those pre-1982 pennies? save them! And also any “silver” dollars.
Once a Boy Scout, always a Boy Scout.
Be prepared. Zombie apocalypse is my best bet, YMMV.
There is a more important factor to throw in the mix. Inflation
The supply of gold is pretty much fixed. If there is a reversion to a gold standard, the supply is fixed and the demand will be great. That means the price of gold will rise until all the various currencies and vault stores stabilize around the total supply. To trade on the world market, gold will be required again.
Some will have oil and gold, others will have silver and perhaps gold. Some will have neither.
With the coming inflation the price of all three will rise until it all settles out at some presently unknown level. The process is not a bubble, but the inexorable change between events, nations and precious commodities.
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