Peter's Blog

American Silver Eagle Sales Break Record

US Mint set a new record for American Silver Eagle bullion coins this year. The mint sold over 44,850,000 ounces of American Silver Eagles, topping the previous record of 44,006,000 ounces set last year. Analysts expect the final sales total for 2015 to come in between 45 and 47 million ounces.

Focus on Fundamentals; Gold Supply Likely to Shrink

While analysts and investors debate the latest jobs report, or obsess over the most recent Federal Reserve announcement, it’s easy to overlook the basic fundamentals of the gold market. With that in mind, consider this recent news: one of the world’s top gold producers says market dynamics may well lead to shrinking gold supplies in […]

China Importing Silver at Record Pace; Indians Cling Tightly to Gold

Asian countries are not only buying up gold, they also have a huge appetite for silver. Chinese imports of the white metal are on a record-breaking pace this year, driven partly by strong demand for jewelry and industrial applications such as solar panels. According to the Wall Street Journal, based on the current trend, Chinese […]

Chinese Stockpile Gold at Accelerated Pace in November

China continued adding to its gold reserves and accelerated its pace in November. According to Bloomberg, the Chinese upped their stash of of gold an estimated 21 tons last month, the largest increase in at least five months. The value of gold assets was $59.52 billion at the end of last month from $63.26 billion […]

China Realizes IMF Goal; What’s Next?

After months of speculation, the Chinese yuan is now officially part of the International Monetary Fund’s benchmark currency basket, elevating it to reserve currency status. Chinese monetary policy has focused on gaining entry into this elite club for the last year or so. With its membership safely secure, it raises an interesting question. What’s next? […]

eBay Gold and Silver Sales Booming; Buyers Beware

You probably think of eBay as a good place to snag a deal on electronic gadgets, musical instruments, or sporting goods. But increasingly people are logging onto the auction site to buy gold and silver.   EBay officials told CNBC the company is touting its global user base of 150 million people to reach non-traditional […]

Black Friday: American Exceptionalism in Action (Video)

Black Friday has become an infamous holiday of American consumerism. We seem equally amused and disgusted by the inevitable news of crowds waiting through freezing nights only to trample each other on the way to a discount toaster. Many people watch a video of Black Friday fights like the one below and shake their heads […]

2015 Gold Eagles Sell Out as Demand Remains Strong

On Tuesday, the US Mint announced it has sold out of one-ounce 2015 American Gold Eagles. Mint officials say they don’t plan to produce any more at this time. Earlier this month, the mint announced it had run out of one-tenth and one-fourth ounce Gold Eagles. The tremendous demand for gold bullion coins we’ve seen […]

Student Loan Forgiveness Loophole Foreshadows Looming Crisis

A federal program that will soon forgive billions of dollars in student loans illustrates the ineptitude of government planning and foreshadows bigger problems down the road. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program erases the balance on student loans after the debtor makes 120 monthly payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer. The program […]

Solar Power Demand Forecast to Boost Silver Prices

Increased demand for solar power is forecast to put significant upward pressure on silver prices in the years to come. CNBC recently reported on the strong potential in the solar industry as governments continue a concerted drive to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions: While the solar industry just accounts for just 6% of overall physical […]