ECON Gold and Silver news

[Kathy in FL]

Last Thursday I introduced myself to my new bank officer at the local branch I used. She wasn't busy so I took the opportunity to give her a fun demonstration about real money. I pulled a one dollar bill out of my pocket, a real silver dollar and a one ounce gold Krugerrand from my wallet. She'd never seen a Krugerrand before.

I asked her what the teller would credit me if I sent the dollar bill across the counter. Of course she said, "One Dollar." I then asked her what credit I would receive if I deposited the Silver Dollar. Again she said, "One Dollar." I asked what credit I would receive if I deposited the Krugerrand and she said that they couldn't take it. I explained that currently, the Silver Dollar was worth around $30, which merely indicated how debased American currency had become. I also explained that the Krugerrand was a true bullion coin with no face value, but that in previous eras, banks would gladly accept gold and were able to test it on site. She was fascinated by my little demonstration, but we were not able to conclude my business that day and I'd have to return on Monday.

On Monday I placed a $20 bill on her desk, as well as a US Double Eagle ($20) gold piece. Again, I asked what credit I would receive for the twenty dollar bill and for the twenty dollar coin. Of course she said twenty dollars. She'd never seen a Double Eagle coin before, but read the "Twenty Dollars" on the coin and satisfied herself that it was real, American money. I thought her eyes would bug out of her head when I explained that the Double Eagle was worth around $2600 and that its high price was - again - the result of the ongoing debasement of US currency! She believed me, but was surprised when I explained that until 1933 bank customers could walk into the lobby and exchange a $20 bill for a gold Double Eagle or vice versa.

Other metal business I did last week was to have a tire repaired at the local tire shop and pick up a couple of 5 gallon buckets filled with wheel weights. The tire guys know me and let me have them free. Also, they are kind enough to use their dolly to load the buckets into my truck, as a five gallon bucket is way the 'ell too heavy for me to load. Years ago, the wheel weights would be 100% lead, but now I have to laboriously separate them into steel, zinc and lead. It's worth it though, to get the free lead for my bullet casting.

Gold, silver and lead...I suspect that all three will become vastly more important as we go into a problematic future.

Best
Doc

Bank managers are merely people managers these days and they no longer have hardly any ability to buck the fed overseers without losing their job or having the bank shut down. I am glad you were able to give her a history lesson, but I doubt it changes whether that bank/branch will take PMs in payments or deposits without fed oversight approving it.

In many cases the Trust and Wealth Management person at the bank (aka personal banker) has more clout to get things done for individual customers up to a certain point.

 

[BetterLateThanNever]

Meaning absolutely no offense, I don't understand how you imagine a silver dime worth $2 would have impressed her more than my Silver Dollar worth well north of $20 or my $20 gold piece worth well more than $2000 did?

Best
Doc

Maybe she would not be impressed with a silver dime either.

I imagine that quite a few people never used nor would recognize a silver dollar unless they saw it marked “One Dollar”. I’m 74 and I don’t think that I ever used a silver dollar till those Eisenhower’s came out in the 70’s

Though they are both valued 20 times their initial value I just think that these unaware folks would be more impressed that a “Dime” is worth two “One Dollar” paper bills.

But I could be wrong.

 

[West]

I have a old half dime that be worth at least $50 fiat.

 

[mikeabn]

Meaning absolutely no offense, I don't understand how you imagine a silver dime worth $2 would have impressed her more than my Silver Dollar worth well north of $20 or my $20 gold piece worth well more than $2000 did?

Best
Doc

Probably because the design is something she would be familiar with, thus introducing her to the underlying concept of precious metals.

 

[Johnny Twoguns]

Last Thursday I introduced myself to my new bank officer at the local branch I used. She wasn't busy so I took the opportunity to give her a fun demonstration about real money. I pulled a one dollar bill out of my pocket, a real silver dollar and a one ounce gold Krugerrand from my wallet. She'd never seen a Krugerrand before.

I asked her what the teller would credit me if I sent the dollar bill across the counter. Of course she said, "One Dollar." I then asked her what credit I would receive if I deposited the Silver Dollar. Again she said, "One Dollar." I asked what credit I would receive if I deposited the Krugerrand and she said that they couldn't take it. I explained that currently, the Silver Dollar was worth around $30, which merely indicated how debased American currency had become. I also explained that the Krugerrand was a true bullion coin with no face value, but that in previous eras, banks would gladly accept gold and were able to test it on site. She was fascinated by my little demonstration, but we were not able to conclude my business that day and I'd have to return on Monday.

On Monday I placed a $20 bill on her desk, as well as a US Double Eagle ($20) gold piece. Again, I asked what credit I would receive for the twenty dollar bill and for the twenty dollar coin. Of course she said twenty dollars. She'd never seen a Double Eagle coin before, but read the "Twenty Dollars" on the coin and satisfied herself that it was real, American money. I thought her eyes would bug out of her head when I explained that the Double Eagle was worth around $2600 and that its high price was - again - the result of the ongoing debasement of US currency! She believed me, but was surprised when I explained that until 1933 bank customers could walk into the lobby and exchange a $20 bill for a gold Double Eagle or vice versa.

Other metal business I did last week was to have a tire repaired at the local tire shop and pick up a couple of 5 gallon buckets filled with wheel weights. The tire guys know me and let me have them free. Also, they are kind enough to use their dolly to load the buckets into my truck, as a five gallon bucket is way the 'ell too heavy for me to load. Years ago, the wheel weights would be 100% lead, but now I have to laboriously separate them into steel, zinc and lead. It's worth it though, to get the free lead for my bullet casting.

Gold, silver and lead...I suspect that all three will become vastly more important as we go into a problematic future.

Best
Doc

A bro of mine does stuff like that all the time, and lives in a place where he grew up, smallish area, everybody knows each other etc etc etc. I stopped trying to educate people well over a decade ago.

I told him he is just letting everyone know he's got the good stuff when the good stuff finally becomes the only good stuff that is still good stuff.

Mum's the word.

If anything now, if I were to mention it, I'd just play dumb such as "have you heard anything about silver? I mean the metal? No? I heard it's going to be the next Bitcoin. I don't know why, but that's what I heard.

They will get interested, or not. They will go look, or not.