Free Republic

Known by the scientific name Vanilla tahitensis, Tahitian vanilla is found to exist only in cultivation; natural, wild populations of the orchid have never been encountered... "All the evidence points in the same direction," Lubinsky said. "Our DNA analysis corroborates what the historical sources say, namely, that vanilla was a trade item brought to Tahiti by French sailors in the mid-19th century. The French Admiral responsible for introducing vanilla to Tahiti, Alphonse Hamelin, used vanilla cuttings from the Philippines. The historical record tells us that vanilla – which isn't native to the Philippines – was previously introduced to the region...

Investors are pouring into silver and platinum as they seek "gold alternatives" and hedges against the U.S. dollar, sending prices for both metals soaring. With the U.S. dollar's status as a safe haven for global capital under threat, gold has enjoyed a historic rally, surging 25% since the beginning of the year as investors use it as a hedge against uncertainty. However, amid concerns that gold may now be overvalued, other precious metals such as silver and platinum are starting to catch up. Silver prices have surged to a 13-year high, and platinum prices are at their highest levels in...

Sweden's Arkeologerna announced that archaeologists working in Viggbyholm, Täby, outside of Stockholm, unearthed a stunning 1,000-year-old Viking Age treasure trove. The site was inhabited from around a.d. 400 to 1050 and contains more than 20 houses and other buildings. Beneath the flooring of one structure, former occupants concealed an array of valuables they were never able to retrieve, for reasons that are still unknown. The collection includes eight silver neck torcs, two silver armbands, one ring, two pearls, and 12 coins that were turned into pendants. These had been carefully wrapped in a cloth purse and placed in a ceramic...

In comex silver trading this week 684 new contracts (3.4 million oz) were written and 704 delivery notices were issued. News flash: NONE of those delivery notices were from the HSBC “customer” account that I have been calling out for more than a year. This HSBC account issued 94 delivery notices (470,000 oz) on first notice day for the May contract (May 29). Since then they have not sold any silver. This is far below the average 5.5 million oz per month they have issued over the prior 18 contracts. This HSBC account has sold over 100 million oz of...

The dollar keeps losing value with accelerated devaluation appearing inevitable, stocks seem inflated, and bonds don't seem good either. Gold and silver seem poised to go much higher, but the fees seem high for precious metal IRAs. Thoughts?

Gold gains some ground despite U.S. dollar’s rebound as traders focus on the continuation of the pullback in Treasury yields. From the technical point of view, gold needs to settle above the resistance at $3235 – $3245 to gain additional upside momentum in the near term. Silver remains stuck below the 50 MA at $32.51 as traders wait for additional catalysts. If silver moves back below the $32.00 level, it will head towards the nearest support at $31.45 – $31.75. Platinum tests new highs as rally continues amid tariff optimism. Platinum is heading towards the nearest resistance at $960 –...

The naked short on the March silver contract is the HSBC "customer" account. I had posted about this situation a couple of days ago on X, pointing out that the OI was one of the highest ever at this point in the delivery cycle: https://x.com/DtDS_WSS/status/1904572463012282757 Over the last two days, that HSBC "customer" account has issued delivery notices on 417 contracts (2.1 million ounces) dropping the open interest as of this morning's open to 223 (1.1 million ounces). Last notice day is tomorrow (March 28) so they have delayed to the last moment… This isn't the first time HSBC was...

Many precious metals investors have heard about silver manipulation or suspected it, but few fully understand how it works or can clearly explain it. Many also intuitively sense that silver's price is artificially low and should be much higher but struggle to identify what—or who—is keeping it suppressed. I have committed myself to studying silver price manipulation, documenting the evidence, educating others, and exposing these practices to bring them to an end and ensure justice is served. In this article, I will explain in clear and accessible terms how silver's price is systematically manipulated and suppressed. Simply put, the goal...

Is silver pricing manipulated? AI gives an answer.” How much manipulation in silver’s price can now be identified? Identifying the exact extent of manipulation in silver’s price is challenging because it involves a mix of verifiable data, allegations, and market dynamics that are not fully transparent. However, based on available evidence, expert analyses, and historical cases, we can outline some key areas where manipulation has been identified and discuss how much it might influence silver prices as of February 22, 2025. Evidence of Manipulation Historical Legal Cases: JPMorgan Chase (2020): JPMorgan paid a $920 million fine after admitting to “spoofing”...

Financial writer and precious metals broker Bill Holter is back with a new warning on the effects of the Trump DOGE team (Department of Government Efficiency). Everyone now knows of the huge unfolding fraud and waste being uncovered in federal government audits. It simply has to be done for the nation to survive, but what many are missing are the consequences of these audits that are unavoidable. Holter and his former business partner Jim Sinclair (RIP) laid out the US bankruptcy scenario nearly five years ago on USAW. The post was titled “Trump Win Offers a Way Forward After US...

The price of gold is setting a string of all-time records, buoyed by strong physical demand. The rush to buy the precious metal is intensifying as investors and institutions seek to secure their assets in the face of economic uncertainty. Stress signals are multiplying on the market, with delivery times lengthening, inventories under pressure and bullion premiums soaring. This upward movement reflects a growing crisis of confidence in paper gold and official gold reserves, as market players increasingly demand physical deliveries. Cours de l'or en dollars This week, StoneX's CEO sprang a surprise by declaring on Sky News Arabia that...

The monetary metals pulled back sharply yesterday but have entered Tuesday on stable footing. Silver is trading at $29.90 –and gold is $2,674. The ongoing volatility is a reflection of uncertainty in the gold and silver markets globally, including fears of import tariffs from the incoming Trump administration. If Trump slaps a tariff of, say, 10% on precious metals coming into the U.S., that would have a huge impact. 10% on silver would amount to $3 per ounce! As a result of this worry, the price of gold and silver – as traded on the New York futures market –...

QUESTION: I made a bet that a friend was wrong that Roosevelt also confiscated silver. I never heard of that, only gold. He said I should write to you and you will decide who wins. ANSWER: Sorry, you lose. He must have been at one of my conferences when we discussed that if he told you to ask me. Most people have never heard that Roosevelt also confiscated silver – not just gold. On August 9th, 1934, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented the seizure of all silver situated in the continental United States with Executive Order 6814 – requiring...

The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. The Left doesn’t get it. They’d rather mainline whatever sludge CNN or MSNBC spews on the airwaves, but there’s no escaping this anymore: Donald J. Trump won the 2024 election. He won the Electoral College. He won the popular vote. He beat the lawfare and the media smear campaigns. He’s unstoppable, invincible, and it’s about time Democrats realize they cannot beat him. So, when you have these clown threads on Twitter claiming how Trump didn’t win the popular vote—look no further than Nate Silver, of all people, to annihilate...

It was last read by a human 1,800 years ago, when Christianity was regarded a burgeoning cult.Now, scientists have finally deciphered the 'Frankfurt silver inscription' – an 18-line engraving on a thin piece of foil, housed in a protective amulet.Measuring 1.4 inches (3.5cm) long, the 1,800-year-old silver amulet was found with the skeleton of a man at a burial site on the outskirts of Frankfurt, Germany.Researchers have used CT scans to 'digitally unroll' the 'wafer thin' foil and read the inscription within for the first time since the 3rd century AD.Incredibly, the text represents the oldest known evidence of Christianity...

If the NBA was looking to score a big ratings windfall to kick off a new season, this wasn't it. Viewership for NBA games has dropped by double-digit percentages through the opening weeks of the regular season, according to Sports Media Watch. Compared to the same juncture in the 2023-24 NBA calendar, NBA ratings on ESPN are down 28 percent year over year. Ratings for the 2024 Boston Celtics-Dallas Mavericks Finals were reportedly the lowest the league has seen in three years. Viewership for most live sporting events has tailed off in the cord-cutting era. Traditional ratings metrics are still...

Pollster Nate Silver said President Biden should resign, in a post on the social platform X on Wednesday. “Is there any particular reason to assume Biden is competent to be president right now? It’s a very difficult job,” Silver said in his post. “It’s a dangerous world. Extremely high-stakes decisions in Ukraine. He should resign and let Harris serve out the last 2 months.” Silver’s post also featured a screenshot of a report from The Washington Post and its link. The report centered around Biden’s current relationship with reporters as he prepares to exit the White House. Biden, according to...

Hey Nate, we weren't coordinating with the Trump campaign like I think an investigation could find that Selzer may have been. I control the numbers completely myself, and they are 100% a product of my own work. You should probably retract that. BTW, I refuse to pay to read this crap, but I'm pretty sure you're going to talk about the accuracy of polls on 11/4 and ignore the fact that they were manufacturing a fake Harris lead all fall (like your model also helped do by inserting additional leftward bias as compared to RCP). We, alone, showed Trump winning...

After more than a year of anticipation, the U.S. presidential election is finally upon us. News coverage is at a fever pitch, and rhetoric from both sides has turned increasingly intense. Many people are experiencing election fatigue, ready to get past the noise and move on with their lives. Naturally, precious metals investors are wondering how the election outcome will impact their holdings. Is there a simple answer, such as "Democrats boost gold and silver, while Republicans don’t" (or vice versa)? In this article, I’ll explore historical data to address that question and share additional insights that support a bullish...