With copper at $6.85 per pound, the melt value of a pre-1982 penny is 4.46 cents. Even modern pennies, made mostly of zinc, have a current melt value of 1.07 cents. Pennies are a much better investment than Treasuries. They're not only risk-free, but the upside potential is huge.
Gold and silver became legal tender in Texas yesterday under HB 1056.
Only privately produced specie marked with weight and purity. Nothing that looks government issued.
And nobody has to accept it. Businesses, agencies, individuals, all optional.
The part that actually matters starts May 2027.
That’s when the Comptroller can run an electronic payment system backed by bullion held in the Texas Bullion Depository.
Deposit metal, get a card, spend it anywhere. The merchant sees a normal transaction.
So the legal tender bit is mostly symbolic. The real move is a US state building the rails to make metal spendable.
Florida, Arkansas and Missouri are working on similar laws.
Same year gold overtook Treasuries as the largest reserve asset globally.
Interesting.
Fed Governor Waller said if there's "continued progress toward our 2 per cent goal," he'd support keeping interest rates on hold. But inflation has made no progress in returning to 2% in years. Warsh said inflation has been too high, and Waller seems OK with letting it stay high.
Instead of changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America, the president should focus on actually doing something constructive to deliver on his campaign promise to make America great again. The problem isn't branding, but too much government spending. Do something about that!
Inflation-sensitive markets are ripping because the Trump Administration pulled the rug out from under Warsh. No matter what he says about fighting inflation, investors now realize the Fed won't undermine Treasury by actually doing anything about it. Commodities now, CPI later.
This morning Trump proudly announced a deal to lower beef prices by reducing quotas and tariffs on imported beef. But that's also an admission that tariffs increased prices paid by American consumers. If removing tariffs lowers prices, then imposing them must have raised prices.
Gold hitting $4,600, silver near $70, oil over $87, and Bitcoin's earlier spike above $79K show the Fed has lost all credibility on its commitment to returning inflation to 2%. Treasury made it clear the Fed will choose inflation, so investors are choosing their preferred hedge.
The U.S. national debt is over $40 trillion, with $11.58 trillion added on Trump's watch, the most of any president. Obama is in second place with $9.32 trillion, but Trump has almost 2.5 years left to add to his lead. Biden still holds the single-term record with $8.47 trillion.
On our national debt, the average coupon on maturities beyond ten years is 3.44%. That's way below current long-term rates. Buying that debt back now is like a homeowner refinancing a 3.44% 30-year fixed-rate mortgage into a 4% one-year ARM. Who would be dumb enough to do that?
Treasury just announced that it will buy more long-term Treasuries private investors no longer want to hold to try to keep yields from rising. The money to pay for it will ultimately be created by the Fed, sending inflation soaring. That's why gold is already up $125 on the news!
$40 TRILLION US NATIONAL soon!!
Q: What are you doing about it?
Friends who are much smarter than me, such as Jim Rickards are predicting $200 an ounce for silver and $10,000 an ounce gold soon.
Of the two…. I think silver is the best choice in August 2026.
Q: What do you think….or more importantly what are you doing ?
Actions speak louder than words!!!
Take care:
Remember: Savers of cash are the BIGGEST LOSERS!!!!
The national debt is above $39.9 trillion. So there is less than $100 billion to go to hit $40 trillion, which will happen by month-end, if not sooner. As the debt spirals out of control, the Fed will crank up the printing press to buy Treasuries, sending consumer prices soaring.
Gold and silver rallied today, along with oil's 5% rise. Metals are breaking free of the recently developed negative correlation with oil. Gold and oil should rise together, as inflation pushes the CPI and bond yields higher, while the U.S. economy weakens as more jobs disappear.