Silver Outpacing Gold in Growth

I have said for a while now that Silver is a better investment vehicle than gold.  Well with silver's wild run that prognostication is coming true.  When the month of August started both silver and gold were not doing spectacular compared to some of the previous months. Silver was vacillating around $18 an ounce and Gold had dropped to $1190 an ounce.

Now, almost two months later both silver and gold are at new highs.  Silver closed today at $21.46 an ounce and gold at $1297 an ounce. Albeit $1297 is a big number and is a big gain for gold, it is only an increase of 7%. Whereas, silver's increase from $18 to $21.46 represents a gain of more than 19%. 

If silver were to continue at this rate, we could see silver prices over $30 an once by the beginning of next year. 

Of course there are a lot of factors that influence the price of silver, one of those being the value of the dollar.  However, the way the current administration is spending our tax money like it is there own piggy bank to do with as they wish, I do not see our fiat currency gaining value. But, if in the midterm elections, the people get out of their recliners and vote the tax and spend incumbents out of office, it may instill hope in the citizens of this great nation and may reinstate belief in the almighty dollar and slow the rate of growth of precious metals. 

I still see the price of silver growing, maybe at a lesser pace; however, it would be a win win situation. either higher silver prices or lower taxes.  I will take either one!

Resource Prospector In Agreement On Why Owning Silver Is Critical

Kevin McElroy, Editor of Resource Prospector is long- term bullish on PMs and commodities, but for the past 6 months he has been loading up on silver. His reasons for doing so are almost identical to mine. One reason to buy silver is that it is still cheap. Today, silver sells for under $19 an ounce. If silver catches up to its historic, inflation adjusted highs, it would sell for over $300 an ounce. Also we both believe that silver is undervalued relative to gold, and it's nowhere near its nominal highs, let alone inflation adjusted highs.


One of the primary reasons I own silver has almost nothing to do with its current valuation. Silver has more tangible benefits in the event of a total currency meltdown because of its much lower value-per-unit than gold. If hyper-inflation is in the cards, the question of how many dollars can I get for an ounce of PMs just won't matter. The better question will be: how many gallons of gasoline can I get, or how many pounds of rice, or how many cartridges of 9mm ammunition?

This is what I tell my friends and family. Tally up your living expenses (food, water, gasoline, etc.) for six months, and buy the commensurate amount of silver. In the event that the dollar implodes, your daily expenses will likely be more easily met by silver bullion than gold. A one ounce gold coin is a large amount of money, so unless you're buying food for a dozen people, it would be tough to find daily living expenses that would require gold bullion. Silver coins are much better suited to daily expenses like food and gasoline. So, I'm buying silver for the same reason. In the event that the dollars in my bank account become worthless, or near-worthless, I want to have something that I can fall back on - as an insurance policy.

MoMoney : Silver Chart Price Predictions

I always start these posts off with my standard disclaimer, I know squat about technical analysis and reading chat trends.  However, Mo Dawoud, in his MoMoney Blog explains the charts and trends of the Little zig-zags on the chart. This months silver chart  is in and Mo stated that  it was a disappointment. After climbing above the first hurdle at $19 per ounces, it stop at nearly $19.80 before dropping down to below $18.00 per ounce. I was hoping silver would jump over the second resistance at 20, but formed a new resistance level at 19.50 instead. Nonetheless, he still believe silver will finish above $21 before the end of the year and the “big players” on wall street will join the party once quantitative easing appears. This will cause massive inflation and investors will flee to the hard asset like Precious Metals

He doesn't believe there will be a hard downtrend for silver  since the fundamentals for silver is so strong that the price of silver could reach at least the triple digit by the end of the decade.  Current prices are  being manipulated by the big banks on Wall Street. They perform naked shorts in the silver market to depress the silver price and to prevent investors from dumping the US dollar for silver.The volume is light so I don’t believe the “big players” left this game as well. As a silver investor, you will have to be patience and focus on the big picture. The big picture is the upcoming inflation and the strong industrial and investment demand for silver that will boost the price a lot!

To see the charts and read Mo's analysis go to MoMoney blog.

Silver Predicted to Outperform Gold This Year

Investors were buying PMs today seeking the safety that the shiny stuff brings over a pandemic of struggling currencies. The EU's multibillion-euro bailout for Greece is sketchy on details and now Spain is at risk for losing its triple-A credit rating from Moody's along with the U.S., U.K., France and Germany. If the EU continues to follow the precedent that no member of the eurozone can be allowed to default, many analysts are anticipating further euro debasement and subsequent inflation.

That is thought to cause today's silver price jump.  Silver increased $0.23 per Troy ounce to close at $17.34.  Also, today there was  a very interesting video on TheStreet.com that I recommend everyone watch.  In this video, Alix Steel reported that David Morgan, founder of Silver-investor.com expects that silver will outperform gold by as much as 30% this year.  The link to the video is here.



A book on silver investing by Harvey Snyder
Investors which way to go, silver: Truly one of the best hedges against inflation

How and to Whom Should You Sell Your Scrap Silver?

I thought long and hard about even writing this article. Since I buy scrap silver, and I have other friends in the business. I hope this educational piece does not come back to bite me on the rear. The answer to that question should be no one, unless you are using the proceeds to buy a better grade of silver.  I understand that most of the people who follow this blog have an understanding of the way buying and selling precious metals works. This post is not really aimed at them although it might help them if they are not familiar with the pennyweight (dwt) portion of the Troy system. This post is primarily aimed at the visitor who does not understand how to trade in precious metals. I am particularly adamant about this for two reasons. One may seem a little bit selfish, but I assure you those who know me know I am not selfish. I do believe in capitalism, and I believe that everyone who has a business is entitled to make a profit. However, when the taking of profits becomes so excessive at the expense of others who are less experienced in the business of precious metals, I just call it greed. By now I am sure you are saying to yourself “is he gong to get reason number one. Well, here it is.

I buy scrap silver and gold. I prefer silver and anyone who has read my blog knows why, but I will also buy gold. When I buy scrap silver, I will offer what I believe is a fair price for both parties. This leads me to my second reason. I do not like to see people getting ripped off by the “Cash 4 Gold” dealers or the “Gold Parties” like the Tupperware parties my mom used to host. I did market research when I got into this business to see what the competition would offer a customer for gold or silver. The first time I checked a dealer for prices, silver spot was around $18.00 a Troy ounce. There are 31.1 grams (g) in a Troy ounce. That means .999 silver was $0.58 per gram and Sterling (92.5% pure) would be around $0.54 per gram. The dealer told me that he paid $0.25 per gram, less than half price. I do not remember what his prices on gold were but similarly they were about half of the melt value for that karat. At that time I was paying anywhere from $0.41-0.45 per gram for Sterling. I figured 20-25% of the melt value was enough for me.

To make things worse, I did a little investigative reporting last nght by going into a dealers store. I took a few piece of 14k jewelry with me. To start off, they do not use grams as a unit of measurement, they use pennyweights (dwt). I am sure this is purely to confuse the customer. Few people that are not in the business know how many grams are in a troy ounce, but even less knows how to use pennyweights. A pennyweight is measurement in the Troy system equaling 24 grains or the twentieth part of a Troy ounce (there are 12 ounces in a Troy pound. One dwt is equal to 1.55517g. The price they were paying for gold was $14.00 per dwt of 14k gold and like wise10k gold wad $10.00 per dwt. The spot price for gold was $1101.50 per Troy ounce for .999 or 24k, which mean 24k gold melt value would be $35.42 per gram rounded up, and 14k gold melt value would be $20.66 per gram or $32.13 per dwt. This means that they are paying a good bit less than half of the melt value; they are paying 43.6% of the melt value.

Now, I am not telling you this to get you to sell your gold and silver to me. I am just trying to help you make an educated decision. Just because the “gold man” has a nice office in a strip mall does not mean you are going to get a good price for your PMs. Imagine what the rent on that office must be, you are paying all of his overhead expenses. You are better off finding an independent (like me) that has very little overhead expenses and can pay 70-75% of the melt value. I may even be shooting myself in the foot here but if you cannot find someone willing to pay you a fair price, sell it on Ebay. I buy scrap silver very often on Ebay, and many times I will lose an auction because, regular folk are buying up all the PMs they can, and paying very close to melt value.

I am going to leave you with one more piece of advice. Before you part with that piece of scrap silver of gold, think about our current administration that is spending us into a black hole of debt that we will never be able to get out of. The fiat currency we use now will one day be worthless, and that gold ring or silver spoon you hold in your hand may one day buy your groceries. That is all. Buy silver, buy soon!

One Reason Why Silver Prices are Manipulated

I have been saying for a while that silver is undervalued and its price is being artificially manipulated. Why would someone try to keep silver prices down, you might ask? The best example is demonstrated by industrial applications of silver, which there are many. If you use silver and its cost goes up, you will not make money if you cannot increase your selling price. When any commodity's price go up, companies who use the commodity as a non-substitutable component in their product, but cannot raise their prices to meet the commodities price increase will end up losing out (unless they are able to keep the price artificially low). "This is why gasoline stations close despite increasing oil prices. They cannot increase their prices very much, at the same time the big oil companies increase the prices to them. The reasons they cannot rais fuel prices very much is that competition between stations creates price pressure downwards and consumers are somewhat price-sensitive, even to gasoline, which doesn't have a mainstream alternative (TheStreet.com)." This is a really good example why the price of silver is being artificially held down. However, I believe there will come a day when silver becomes in such demand and becomes so scarce that the man behind the curtain will no longer be able to contain the price of silver. I just hope I live to see that day; but, at least my beneficiaries will be well taken care of. Now I will give credit where credit is due. I do not plagiarize, if I use another's article I give them full credit. I was already writing this article and saw some good examples in a general article on commodities on TheStreet.com. I did use their example and cited them as a reference. Buy silver while it is low!

Silverbugs-Group for Silver Lovers on Facebook

There is an up and coming group on Facebook called Silverbugs.  This group is primarily for interaction between people who love, buy, sell, trade and invest in silver.  People interested in any of theses things may be invited to join.  IMO it is not for the profiteering from fellow members or the advertisement of the newest get rich by making me rich scheme. 

I am not the group leader, so as I said this is only my opinion; however, if this group get floooded with join my new NUMI, snowballing, pyramid or other silver business and make millions posts, I am out.  I have nothing against people in the silver NUMI business, I just do not want the group to be a place to advertise your business.  I am not trying to be a  hard ass, and if you announce that your program is looking for people once, I think that would be fine, but as of now it is fairly balanced.  It really depends on who members invite to join.  If a member constantly invites off-topic members to join, I think they should be banned.  They can always form their own group and keep me out. 

I do not advocate censorship, I just think the group should stay on topic without preying on the other members. I am not saying not to sale or trade between members or announce an ebay item that other members might be iterested in, just stop the internet marketing, pyramid, snowballing whatever you want to call them plans. 

I put this on my blog because I hope that my fellow silverbugs and other friends on FB look at what I post occasionally.  Yes, I have some ads on the page, but I am not pressuring anyone to click.  It helps me if you do but I don't care if you don't.  I just like to keep informed and when I see something that interests me, I share.  I will end my announcement/invitation/rant now.  Carry on, and I cannot stress it enough, NOW is the time to buy physical silver.

Could Explain Why Silver Prices are Dropping

We all know that their is an inverse relationship between the strength of the US dollar and Silver and Gold Prices.


From Barchart.com
Morning Call
Todays Market Focus
February 4, 2010

"The dollar index this morning is stronger and trading at a 6-1/2 month high with the dollar/yen -0.21 yen and the euro/dollar -0.50 cents. The dollar yesterday shook off early weakness as it rallied after mid-morning and closed higher. Bullish factors included (1) strong US economic data that shows improved economic conditions after the Jan ADP employment change showed the fewest amount of jobs lost in 2 years and the Jan ISM non-manufacturing index expanded at its fastest pace in 1-1/2 years, which boosted the dollar on speculation that the dollar's interest rate differentials may strengthen if the Fed hikes interest rates sooner-than-expected." Read the entire article here.

Precious Metals Investing for the Common Man

From the Silver Stock Report


By Matthew Vickers, May 3, 2009

I am going to interrupt my series of posts on the different ways to invest in silver to invite you to read an essay written by a man who started investing in silver as a teen. He came into a small amount of money in which to invest. The only reason he gives for choosing silver is that gold was too expensive and he did not fully understand the stock market. He does not mention it, but I doubt that inflation, dollar devaluation, or any of the other reasons we choose silver over paper played a role. Remember he was a teen.

One sentence sticks in my mind, and I wish I had known this when I was a teen because a lot of pocket change in circulation was still 90% silver. He states “Right now, even a kid with a weekly allowance can invest in silver.” Read the article here.

A Very Good Reason To Hold Silver and Gold

Federal Deficit in the Danger Zone - Kiplinger.com
As federal spending continues to rise, a crushing mountain of debt looms.
Posted using ShareThis

Better stock up on silver now!

Prediction: Silver at $35/oz. within 2 years

Dr. Michael Berry, former Wheat First Professor of Investments at James Madison University and an Assistant Professor of Business Administration at The University of Virginia, wrote an article on gold prices published on Forbes.com November 21, 2009. The article was primarily about the price of gold; however, he had some interesting things to say about the price of silver. Silver interests me more because I can afford to buy silver and I think it is undervalued compared to gold.

Dr. Berry has been a strong advocate of holding both gold and silver during times of economic turmoil, and that is why you must still hold core positions in gold and silver now. He stated n the piece, "The steep decline in the dollar after March 2009 appears likely to continue under the lavish spending plans of this Administration and Congress. As long as Washington attempts to print its way out of its debt-induced predicament and the Obama Administration and Speaker Pelosi’s House are determined to run multi-trillion-dollar deficits for universal health care, these scenarios are likely":

"Gold will appreciate over the next two years toward the $1500 mark.

Silver, which in his view, is particularly undervalued will appreciate toward $35.

The current eight-month bear market equity rally will stall, and

Asia, and particularly Chinese citizens, will seek safety in a dollar-for-gold and silver trade."

To read the entire article go to: http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/21/gold-bull-run-markets-commodities-michael-berry.html?

Gold Is Not Just An Inflation Hedge

In an article on Forbes.com written by Heather Struck, she postulates that that the market for the gold has changed of late. Although, much of the recent rise in the price of gold is a response to the weak dollar and to investor as well as public concerns about long-term inflation; central banks around the world are adding gold to their reserves. .

In her opinion, the bull market in gold could endure even if inflation never emerges and even if the dollar strengthens, because central banks around the world are using gold as a back-up reserve currency. She cites Daniel Brebner, a research analyst at Deutsche Bank, who concurs. He believes that the more gold the central banks accumulate, the more they will support its price. According to Brebner, Central banks are looking at gold differently. Primarily due to fears over the repayment of U.S. debt to foreign bondholders with an increasingly devalued dollar.

Read the entire article at http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/18/gold-dollar-euro-markets-commodities-inflation.