JM Bullion acquires Gold.com Domain Name

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In a press release last week, A-Mark and JM Bullion announced the acquisition of the website domain Gold.com. No terms were disclosed. Following this acquisition, JM Bullion now owns both silver.com and gold.com.

The acquisition of the gold.com domain represents a significant investment in our direct-to-consumer growth strategy,” said JMB CEO Robert Pacelli. “The gold.com domain carries broad global appeal and is an extremely versatile asset that will be incorporated into our long term strategy. Prominent, single word domains are in high demand due to their scarcity, and benefits of such domains include instant brand recognition and enhanced marketability.”  

Pacelli continued, “It’s rare to have an opportunity to acquire a category defining asset such as this, and we are excited to add the domain to our expanding portfolio. All gold.com traffic is currently being redirected to the JMB website, providing visitors with seamless access to the company’s extensive range of products and services.”

JM Bullion was founded in 2011 and has grown to become one of the largest online precious metals dealers in the United States.

At the time of its founding, the spot price of silver was around $37 an ounce, while the spot price of gold was trading near $1,755 an ounce.

As JM Bullion’s sales and customer base began to skyrocket, they began acquiring other bullion dealers. The first notable acquisition came in 2019 when the company bought Provident Metals.

By 2020, JM Bullion marked a significant milestone, selling more than $1 billion dollars worth of precious metals to investors that year.

The following year, in March of 2021, JM Bullion was acquired by the industry wholesale powerhouse, A-Mark.

Following the sale to A-Mark, JM Bullion continued their acquisition spree, buying up other notable dealers including BGASC, BullionMax, Pinehurst Coin Exchanges and others, as well as buying significant portions of other vertical businesses such as Silvertowne, Sunshine Minting, Pinehurst Coins and others.

Since 2018, A-Mark has grown through the acquisition of other companies to establish itself as a leader across the entire precious metals vertical, from sourcing and refining capabilities, to direct-to-consumer retail operations, as well as wholesale investment platforms.

A partial list of acquisitions by A-Mark/JM Bullion includes:

  • Silvertowne Mint – Silvertowne was established as a local coin shop in Winchester, Indiana in 1973. In the 1980s, Silvertown expanded into minting and selling their own brand of silver bars and rounds. A-Mark acquired a majority stake in Silvertowne in 2016.
  • Goldline, LLC – Goldline was a full-service precious metals trading company and an official distributor for all the major sovereign mints. The acquisition in 2017 bolstered A-Marks ability to reach investors directly by adding an expansive direct-to-client distribution model.
  • Collateral Finance Corporation (CFC) – Collateral Finance Corporation provided a secured lending facility to consumers and institutions wishing the leverage their gold holdings as a tangible asset.
  • Sunshine Minting – Sunshine Minting was established in 1979. The company is a leading domestic and global supplier of precious metal mint products with manufacturing facilities in Nevada, Idaho, as well as a joint venture in Shanghai, China. Sunshine Minting’s primary customers include sovereign governments and major financial institutions. SMI is a notable supplier of blank planchets to the US Mint, which are utilized in the manufacturing of American Eagle Silver Coins.
  • Pinehurst Coin Exchange – As a leading precious metals broker, Pinehurst established a reputation in the coin industry for best-in-class service and offering a vast array of numismatics and precious metal products. They are a notable seller of gold and silver through the eBay marketplace.
  • Atkinsons Bullion & Coin – A-Mark purchased a 25% equity stake in UK based Atkinson’s in May 2023.
  • BGASC – Long time California based gold and silver dealer, BGASC was acquired in September 2022.
  • Silver.com – Back in their early days, JM Bullion acquired the domain of silver.com for $875,000 back at the end of 2012. It has operated as a standalone website since, with pricing that is often higher than other dealers in the portfolio.
  • Texas Precious Metals – At the start of 2023, A-Mark announced an acquisition of a 12% ownership stake in Texas Precious Metals in exchange for $5.04 million in cash.
  • Silver Gold Bull – Based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Silver Gold Bull has a large international retail presence in dozens of countries around the world. A-Mark upped their ownership stake to 47.4% in 2022 consisting of a considerable amount of cash and common stock. As part of the deal, A-Mark has the option to acquire up to 75% of the equity in the company pending a review based on Canadian Competition Laws.
  • CyberMetals – In November 2021, A-Mark and JM Bullion announced the creation of the CyberMetals Platform. The platform allows investors to buy and hold digital gold and silver in non-allocated storage with the option of converting their digital holdings into physical metals and taking fulfillment.
  • BullionMax – Fully acquired in 2023. The full terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition included BullionMax’s 20,000 customers and 100,000 newsletter subscribers.
  • LPM Precious Metals – LPM is a precious metals retailer and wholesaler based in Hong Kong. The LPM.hk acquisition is part of a strategic expansion by A-Mark into Asian markets.
  • ModernCoinMart – Included in the LPM acquisition, subsidiary Pinehurst Coin Exchange will acquire all assets of Modern Coin Mart, including the inventory.
  • Stack’s Bower Numismatics LLC – Stack’s Bower Galleries is a well-known auction house that specializes in numismatics and other collectibles.

Costco Adds More Coins & Bars to Precious Metals Lineup

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The membership warehouse club Costco, best known for their $1.50 hotdog and soda combo, began offering precious metals last year through their website and available for sale inside some select locations.

The initial product lineup include a variety of 1 oz Gold Bars from PAMP Suisse and RAND Refinery. After initial success, they began offering American Silver Eagles in tubes of 20 coins, which certainly increased awareness and interest.

Costco is well-known for its competitive prices and customer-friendly policies and services, both of which contribute to its strong reputation and popularity among consumers.

2024 Canada 1 oz Gold Maple Leaf in Assay Card from the Royal Canadian Mint

2024 Canada 1 oz Gold Maple Leaf

The 1 oz Maple Leaf is the flagship investment-grade gold bullion coin from the Royal Canadian Mint, the official government mint of Canada.

The Gold Maple Leaf is minted with gold that is refined to a purity level of .9999 millesimal fineness (24 carats). Additionally, the Maple Leaf series includes advanced anti-counterfeiting enhancements into the coin’s design, such as radial lines and micro-engraved laser etchings.

When compared with other investment-grade coins, the premiums for Maple Leaf gold coins are extremely competitive.

Costco is known for keeping product markups low, which helps keep prices competitive and attractive to shoppers. While these coins are only available from Costco during certain times with limited quantities, dealer premiums for 1 oz Gold Maple Leaf coins range from as low as 2% to as high as 8%, depending on the seller.

2024 US 1 oz American Gold Eagle

2024 US 1 oz American Eagle Gold Coin from the US Mint

Following up on the success of the American Silver Eagles, Costco began periodically offering its gold counterpart. The 2024 1 oz American Gold Eagle is the flagship gold investment coin from the US Mint. Introduced in 1986, this coin has been a mainstay for investors for nearly 40 years.

The current obverse of the coin features a famous rendition of Lady Liberty that was originally featured on the St Gauden’s Gold coin.

The reverse of the Gold Eagle was redesigned in 2021 and features the head of a bald eagle in the center.

Around the head of the eagle, inscriptions are included for the United States of America and the notable latin phrase “E Pleribus Unum”, which translates to In God We Trust. Other inscriptions are included for the weight and $50 dollar face value.

While Costco is known for their low prices, they seem to time their offerings when the spot price of gold remains fairly stable. There have been reports on social media where Costco has increased the price of an item during the sales period. When Costco does have a gold or silver offer live on their website, the quantity available remains unknown to buyers. Though on average, the flash sales seem to average between 4 and 6 hours.

The 2024 1 oz Gold Eagle is a standard bullion issue investment coin and are readily available from most online bullion dealers and local coin shops. Premiums from local coin shops can vary greatly, while online premiums are as low as 3.5% to as high as 9% over the spot price of gold.

PAMP Suisse Gold Bars

PAMP Suisse Multigram-25 1 gram gold bars

The PAMP Suisse Lady Fortuna 1 oz gold bars was one of the initial precious metals offerings from Costco. The Lady Fortuna design is one of the most widely recognized gold bar in the world.

Lady Fortuna is the Roman goddess of luck, chance, and fortune, both good and bad. The age-old saying “Luck is blind” could probably be attributed to the story of Fortuna. She is shown blindfolded and holding a cornucopia spilling over with wealth and riches and a wheel of fortune.

PAMP Suisse has been using the design of their premier line of gold bars since the 1980s. Recently, Costco began offering other sizes of PAMP Suisse Gold Bars that include larger sizes, like the 50 gram gold bar, and even fractional 1 gram gold bars.

The PAMP Suisse 1 gram gold bars that are sold by Costco are part of the PAMP Multigram+25 set. The set includes 25 individual 1 gram gold that are each encased in their own mini assay card. The larger assay card is perforated to allow for easy divisibility should you need to gift, trade or sell a portion.

The obverse of each of the bars feature the same beautiful Lady Fortuna design as the larger bars. While the reverse each bar is emblazoned with the PAMP Suisse logo at the top. It also displays each bar’s weight, purity, and serial number.

Costco does not have a precious metals buyback program and their sale comes with special terms and conditions that explicitly state that all sales are final and not returnable.

Some local coin shops may carry some of the PAMP Suisse products, while the Multigram line of products from PAMP often has variable availability amongst online dealers. Premiums for fractional gold bars are generally higher due to the increase in manufacturing costs, with ranges from online dealers ranging from as low as 16% to as high as 30%.

Where to buy the cheapest silver rounds online?

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Most people learn about precious metals investing from family or close friends. Growing up in the 1970s and 80s, there were always older family members around that had lived through the Great Depression, the banning of gold and the demonetization of silver. Many lessons were passed along through family, such as keeping a stash of scrap gold jewelry, old Pre-1965 silver coins, and maybe some silver bars.

With a lot of generational knowledge lost to the passing of time, new investors often turn to social media looking for advice, sales, trustworthy dealers and other valuable information

One of the most frequently asked questions from first time investors is: where to buy the cheapest silver rounds online? The second most asked question: which dealer has the lowest price on silver rounds?

The first answer that most experienced silver buyers suggest is to start buying up the Silver At Spot Price deals that are offered by some of the top dealers. The availability of offers, and dealers offering them varies all the time. FindBullionPrices.com tracks the availability of silver at spot price deals from all of the dealers that offer them.

Sometimes the available offers include ten 1 oz silver rounds, other times the offers include 10 oz silver bars and other choices.

Generic Silver Rounds

Silver rounds are available in a variety of sizes, such as 1 oz , 2 oz, 5 oz and 10 oz. There are even kilogram silver rounds that are popular amongst collectors for their detailed designs and semi-numismatic value. For investors, one of the most obvious ways to get the best price possible is to buy silver rounds at the lowest premiums over spot price.

Silver rounds is manufactured and minted in multiple forms including bullion bars, rounds, coins and collectible coins. Each of these products can, however, have some significant differences when it comes to overall premiums.

Silver Round Minting and Design

Rounds are produced by private mints. They are not legal tender like coins, nor do they have no face value and they are not government backed. However, the vast majority of the private mints that issue silver rounds have affiliations and certifications with various international organizations that adhere to industry related ISO manufacturing standards. Some are even approved “Good Delivery” providers on various international exchanges such as COMEX.

When buying silver bullion rounds, the cheapest silver rounds will often be labeled as generic silver rounds or secondary market silver rounds.

Generic Silver Rounds - Buffalo Design

Generic Silver rounds often have simple, well known designs. There are many cases where the design of the rounds mimics those of common coins from the early 20th century. The most common generic round design is based on James Earle Fraser’s buffalo nickel, which features a standing buffalo on one side and an Indian head on the other. Generic silver rounds of this style are manufactured by virtually every private mint and available from most dealers and local coin shops. These are usually one of the lowest priced silver rounds available.

Secondary market silver rounds can be virtually anything that the dealer’s have in stock. In most cases, secondary market silver rounds have been bought over the counter from investors that are liquidating their precious metals investment. Dealers buy these in bulk, usually at a discount below spot price. As a result, the premiums on secondary market silver rounds will typically be lower than newly minted rounds. The condition of these round will vary from dealer to dealer and may be scratched, tarnished or vintage. Secondary market silver rounds will often be the cheapest silver rounds.

Discounts on Silver Rounds

Silver rounds are one of the most popular precious metals investments because they are extremely liquid and easy to store at home. The high volume of sales allows most online dealers to offer various pricing tiers. With quantity pricing, dealers offer better pricing when purchasing multiples of silver rounds, which allows for better pricing when buying in bulk.

For a given product, a dealer may set a certain price point for those buying 1-9 rounds, a slightly lower price for 10-19 rounds, and yet an even lower price for 20 rounds or more. The quantity and pricing tiers vary from dealer to dealer and sometimes from product to product. Buying coins or rounds in mint tubes or monster boxes can offer a significant savings.

Tube Silver Rounds

During the manufacturing process, the newly minted silver rounds are packaged into plastic tubes before being packed into boxes for distribution. The private mints in most countries have accepted that tubes of 20 silver rounds has become the industry standard and most common option.

Since 1 oz silver rounds are generally between 37mm and 39mm, each tubes of silver rounds is easy to store at home and they are an affordable way of stacking precious metals. The liquidity that is provided by holding tubes allows for the sale of one or more rounds, depending on the circumstances.

Large Format Silver Rounds

The pricing of silver rounds generally follows the principal that buying larger sizes results in lower premiums. While the most common size is the 1 oz silver round, larger sizes such as 5 oz and 10 oz are growing popular with investors.

These larger rounds offer a way to purchase silver in bulk, potentially reducing the premium over the spot price compared to buying the equivalent weight in smaller rounds. Many of the 5 oz silver rounds that are available carry the same design, but with much greater detail due to the larger surface area. It’s a good idea to keep these larger sizes in capsules to prevent scratches and fingerprints when handling or on display.

Compare Multiple Dealers for the Cheapest Silver Rounds

Since silver bullion is a commodity, most online dealers carry many of the same exact products. However, the price of a given product could be significantly higher from one dealer to the next. Shopping around and comparing prices along with dealer reviews is an important part of the buying process.

FindBullionPrices.com compares prices of over 1500 Silver, Gold and Platinum bullion products across dozens of online bullion dealers. Use FindBullionPrices.com to find the best prices on silver rounds.

Shipping and handling costs can be a factor in getting the lowest overall premiums for your investment. Many online bullion dealers will include free shipping with a minimum purchase. The free shipping requirements vary from dealer to dealer. There are many dealers that include free shipping with a minimum $99 purchase.

Payment Methods – Check/Wire, Credit Card, PayPal, BitCoin

Another way to save on the dealer premiums is to choose a payment method that will not include additional surcharges.



Online bullion dealers charge roughly a 4% fee for payments via Credit Card or PayPal. This is due to the transaction costs from the merchant provider that are passed through to the dealers. The dealers pass this cost through to the end buyer.

Technically, they get around this by offering a cash discount price for those wishing to pay via Check, ACH or Wire Transfer.

Many dealers now accept BitCoin for payment through the BitPay gateway service. As a result, some dealers offer an addition discount tier when payment with cryptocurrencies.

However, to get the best prices, stick with checks, wire transfers and ACH.

Visualizing the Commercial Real Estate Crisis

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In his testimony before the Senate Banking Committee, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told Senators that there will be bank failures resulting from the commercial real estate crisis.

Recently, the folks at Visual Capitalist brought to life a report published by UBS Bank in February 2024 that shows a breakdown that shows which of the country’s banks have the greatest exposure in the commercial real estate sector.

It should be no surprise that the nation’s largest bank, JP Morgan Chase, sits at the top of the list with over $171 billion in commercial real estate loans, roughly 12.6% of their total loans and leases.

New York Community Bank (NYCB), the most recent bank to fail, reportedly held 57% commercial real estate loans.

There are some mid-size banks that are holding a significant share of commercial mortgages, which may be the ones Powell was referring to in his testimony to Congress.

In recent years, Well Fargo has paid more than $3.7 billion in fines in recent years for illegally creating new accounts for customers and other violations. Wells Fargo is holding around 21% of their loan portfolio in CRE.

Portfolio Diversity: Platinum Investment Coins

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Having a diverse investment portfolio helps spread risk while take advantage of the growth potential across different asset classes. A balanced portfolio is typically comprised of a mix of stocks, bond, cash, real estate, commodities and tangible assets.

While stocks like Nvidia are doing well, most have been down in recent months. Companies have been laying off left and right. If that wasn’t enough, we are still dealing with record high inflation and the highest interest rates in decades.

In his testimony before Congress, Fed Chairman Powell said that he believes there will be bank failures caused by the looming commercial real estate crisis.

With recent news that BRICS is creating a payment system based on blockchain and digital currencies, a growing number of affiliated countries including China and Russia have been boosting their Central Bank gold reserves.

Many investors may have some exposure to silver and gold, maybe through investments in mining stocks, ETFs or via direct investment in physical coins such as the American Eagle, Canadian Maple Leaf, and Great Britain Britannia.

Given that the global economy is dedollarizing and speeding like a freight train in the direction of a commodity backed currency for trade, it may be a good time to consider diversifying into other precious metals.

Why Platinum?

Platinum is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. It is one of the rarest elements in the Earth’s crust and is known for its remarkable resistance to corrosion, even at high temperatures. It is a vital industrial metal as well as a highly valued precious metal for investment and jewelry.

The largest platinum deposits in the world are located in South Africa and Russia. These two resource rich countries combined are responsible for producing over 80% of the world’s platinum.

A diverse precious metals portfolio is constructed to mitigate risk while aiming for growth by investing across various types of metals and investment vehicles within the precious metals category.

During the 2008 Financial Crisis, the price of platinum reached its current all time of $2176.30 per troy ounce. Since 2018, the price has been rising at a stable rate, with some short lived peaks and troughs along the way. In recent months, the price of platinum has been hovering below $900 per ounce, less than half of the current price per ounce of gold.

Some investors have been looking at this as unique opportunity to diversify further by invest some money in platinum 1 oz coins. Investment-grade platinum coins are issued by a variety of trusted and reputable governments mints, including the US Mint, the Royal Canadian Mint, the Royal Mint and the South African Mint.

Great Britain Platinum Britannia

The Platinum Britannia is a trusted investment option from the Royal Mint that offer a low premium, low risk way to diversify your physical holdings. 

The current year 2024 1 oz Platinum Britannia Coin reverse carries the infamous Philip Nathan illustration of Britannia that is shared amongst the other coins in the series.

The design captures a powerful image of the mythical female warrior protecting the southern coast, carrying a trident in her right hand to control the seas. Her left hand rests on a shield bearing the Union Jack, signifying her role in defending the British Isles.

The obverse of 2024 British Platinum Britannia Coins feature a new effigy portrait of His Majesty King Charles III.

American Platinum Eagle

First introduced in 1997, the 1 oz Platinum Eagle is the only investment-grade platinum coin from the U.S. Mint. The obverse of the coin displays the “Portrait of Liberty,” designed by John Mercanti, which symbolizes the American ideals of freedom and democracy.

The reverse features an eagle soaring above America’s landscape, designed by Thomas D. Rogers.

Minted from .9995 pure platinum, the coin is notable for the high-quality minting and legal tender status with a face value of $100 USD.

Maple Leaf Platinum

The Platinum Maple Leaf was first introduced by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1988, following the success of the gold and silver versions. These coins are known for their purity, quality, and the iconic Canadian maple leaf design.

For the current year, 2024 Maple Leaf 1 oz Platinum Coin, the obverse features a portrait of His Majesty King Charles III. While previous issues have shown Queen Elizabeth II, with designs varying over the years as the Queen has aged. The reverse displays the signature maple leaf, a national symbol of Canada, along with the coin’s weight and purity. Each coin carries a $50 face value in Canadian dollars, though the market value of the platinum far exceeds this nominal legal tender value.

Issued by the Royal Canadian Mint, known for its high-quality minting processes and innovative security features, the Platinum Maple Leaf benefits from high liquidity and global recognition.

Philharmonic 1 oz Platinum Coin

The Platinum Philharmonic is produced by the Austrian Mint as part of the Vienna Philharmonic coin series. The series celebrates the world-renowned Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, one of Austria’s most prestigious cultural symbols.

Struck in .9995 fine platinum, the design of the 2024 Philharmonic 1 oz Platinum coin mirrors that of its gold and silver counterparts. The obverse features the great organ found in the Musikverein, the concert hall in Vienna where the orchestra performs. The reverse depicts an array of orchestral instruments, including violins, a viola, a cello, a bassoon, a harp, and a Viennese horn.

South Africa Big 5

The Big 5 platinum coin series from the South African Mint is a testament to the country’s rich wildlife heritage and the mint’s dedication to high-quality numismatic products. The “Big 5” refers to five of Africa’s most famous animals: the elephant, lion, buffalo, rhinoceros, and leopard. These animals are each renowned for their majesty, strength, and the challenge they posed to hunters, making them symbols of Africa’s rich wildlife heritage.

The 2023 1 oz Elephant Platinum coin is available with a bullion finish and the obverse displays a single elephant front profile, while the reverse shows two elephant profiles facing each other.

The South African Mint is known for its exceptional craftsmanship, and each coin in the series is struck from .9995 fine platinum with each featuring detailed and lifelike representations of the Big 5 animals.

Greatest Generation Coins Available for Preorder from the US Mint

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The United States Mint Commemorative Coin Program issues coins that celebrate and honor American people, places, events, and institutions. These coins are legal tender but are not intended for general circulation; instead, they are crafted to collector-grade quality and are often purchased by collectors and investors.

The program aims to raise public awareness about significant aspects of American heritage and history, with a portion of the proceeds from the sales of these coins typically going towards funding related projects, organizations, or memorials.

The Greatest Generation commemorative coin program honors the service and sacrifice of American soldiers and civilians during World War II, as outlined in the Greatest Generation Commemorative Coin Act. The coins are available in gold, silver and clad.

The available coins include:

  • Proof $5 Gold Coin (24CA)
  • Uncirculated Five-Dollar Gold Coin (24CB)
  • Proof Silver Dollar Coin (24CC)
  • Uncirculated Silver Dollar Coin (24CD)
  • Proof Half Dollar Coin (24CE)
  • Uncirculated Half Dollar Coin (24CF)
  • Three Coin Proof Set (24CG)

The Director of the Mint, the Honorable Ventris C. Gibson, signed 250 Certificates of Authenticity (COAs) for the 2024 Greatest Generation Three-Coin Proof Set (24CG).

These personally signed COAs will be randomly inserted into unmarked sets and will be fulfilled when shipping begins.

“The Greatest Generation Commemorative Coins serve as a heartfelt tribute to our World War II heroes and commemorate the 20th anniversary of the dedication of the remarkable World War II Memorial. We urge all Americans to obtain a coin in memory or honor of a loved one who served in this historic conflict,” said Jane Droppa, Chair, Friends of the National World War II Memorial. “We aspire to see these coins become a meaningful medium for individuals to share the extraordinary stories of those who played a pivotal role in bringing freedom to millions worldwide during the deadliest conflict in human history.”

Initiated in 1982, the modern commemorative coin program has produced coins that honor and celebrate a wide range of subjects, from historical figures like George Washington to significant events like the moon landing and institutions such as the Smithsonian.

Some investors buy commemorative coins for their precious metal content and potential for appreciation. Gold and silver commemoratives make unique gifts for special occasions and can be attractive as tangible assets.

U.S. Mint Commemorative Coins are available directly from the Mint through pre-order. More details can be found at the US Mint website.

    PAMP Suisse Installs Solar Panels Installs at its Castel San Pietro Refinery to Accelerate Supply of Renewable Energy

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    MKS PAMP, the parent company of PAMP Suisse has announced the completion of a project to supply their Castel San Pietro refinery with renewable solar energy. The solar panel installation covers a total area 2000m² rooftop with an expected annual production of 519.7 MWh of electricity.

    In 2016, MKS PAMP entered into an agreement with the Swiss Confederation to reduce Co₂ emissions. Since then, the company has reduced its CO₂ emissions at its production site by 41%.  Moreover, they continue to source 100% renewable electricity long-term.

    “This renewable energy installation demonstrates our path to continued environmental sustainability – we are proud to achieve such objectives with the support of the Castel San Pietro municipality ”, said Phaedon Stamatopoulos, Managing Director, MKS PAMP Ticino in a press release.  

    Silver is utilized in solar panels as part of the conductive paste that is contained in photovoltaic cells. Silver is well known for its excellent electrical conductivity, which helps in efficiently collecting and transmitting the electricity generated by the solar cells.

    MKS PAMP

    MKS PAMP GROUP has a significant international footprint and is known for its commitment to sustainability and ethical business practices.

    The company’s operations span the gamut of the precious metals industry from refining and manufacturing to trading and finance across key markets worldwide while adhering to strict environmental standards.

    PAMP’s refinery is accredited as a Good Delivery provider of the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) underscoring its reputation for reliability and the high quality of its products.

    Throughout its more than 60 year history, PAMP has been at the forefront of integrating advanced security features into its products, including Veriscan® technology, which uses microscopic surface topography to register and verify the authenticity of gold bars.

    BLM Proposes Updates to Western Solar Plan

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    First proposed in 2012, the Western Solar Plan from the Bureau of Land Management aims to facilitate the development of utility-scale solar energy projects on public lands.

    The Biden administration has updated the plan, with several proposed options that would divert anywhere from 8 million to up to 55 million acres of public lands across 11 Western states to be made available for solar energy.

    For utility-scale solar installations, a commonly used estimate is that 1 acre of solar panels can accommodate about 1,000 panels, considering the necessary spacing and infrastructure. This estimate can vary based on the design and layout specifics of the installation but serves as a good baseline for calculation.

    To meet only Los Angeles’s annual electricity consumption of approximately 26 billion kWh, it would require about 42.25 million solar panels.

    A typical 300 watt solar panel uses approximately 0.1 to 0.2 grams of silver per watt of solar cell, with roughly 30 to 60 grams of silver per panel. How much silver would it take to manufacture enough solar panels to power Los Angeles? 81,502,142 troy ounces, roughly 2,535,058 kilos of silver.

    While the efficiency of solar panels has been increasing over the years, this plan from the BLM is pretty absurd.

    From the ZeroHedge Article:

    This plan is part of the Biden administration’s goal of generating 25 gigawatts (GW) of electricity from wind and solar on public lands by 2025—and generating 100 percent “renewable” electricity by 2035—solar panels would need to be sited on 700,000 acres of public land.

    The sheer scope of the BLM plan—designating tens of millions of acres for solar development when the agency says 700,000 acres would suffice to meet Biden administration goals—is a red flag for many communities.

    Silver buyers reporting issues with sales tax and order cancellations with Walmart

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    When Walmart began selling precious metals through their website marketplace last year, it became a convenient way for stackers to add some silver to their order of other household goods.

    As the popularity of buying precious metals online grows, many buyers have experienced issues with being charged sales tax in states where metals aren’t taxed. Some buyers turn to social media for advice on how to deal with customer service when resolving sales tax issues.

    Sales tax on precious metals is contentious issue, which is a complicated patchwork of outdated state laws that have created issues that online retailers must contend with since South Dakota v. Wayfair decision in 2018.

    Since that landmark decision from the Supreme Court, large online marketplace retailers like Walmart and eBay are required to collect state and local sales taxes and remit those to their respective government agencies.

    Gold and Silver Legal Tender

    Already, 11 US states have taken steps to officially recognize gold and silver as legal tender. More states have pending legislation that either eliminates sales tax on precious metals or recognizes it as currency.

    The United States was founded on sound money principles. The founding fathers included in the Constitution the rules that states must follow when issuing legal tender.

    “no state shall make any thing but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts”

    Texas was the first state to establish its own bullion depository, and there is pending legislation that aims to create the first state-issued gold-backed crypto-currency that will be redeemable to physical gold.

    While the Federal Reserve continues to battle with inflation and interest rates, Republican lawmakers have introduced new legislation titled “The CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act” to ban a CBDC in the United States.

    In a press release, Senator Ted Cruz said “The Biden administration salivates at the thought of infringing on our freedom and intruding on the privacy of citizens to surveil their personal spending habits, which is why Congress must clarify that the Federal Reserve has no authority to implement a CBDC.”

    Dedollarization and the Return to a Gold Standard

    The BRICS member nations have been making progress with developing a gold-backed common currency for trade. It’s already been reported that last year, roughly 20% of the world’s oil trade was done in non-dollar currencies, a record high since the introduction of the petrodollar in the 1970s.

    China stockpiled more than 225 tones of gold during 2023. According to central bank holdings data, China’s central bank is now holding 2,235.39 tons in gold reserves, almost on par with Russia’s holdings of 2,332.74 tons.

    Additionally, other BRICS countries are quickly accumulating more gold. Five additional countries have announced they are joining BRICS, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. While dozens of others have expressed interest.

    What is the edge notch on US Mint Gold and Silver Eagles?

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    In June 2021, the US Mint added an anti-counterfeiting notch to the edge of annually minted coins like the American Eagle Gold and Silver coins. The notches also appear also on the redesigned gold and silver American Eagles with Uncirculated (Burnished) and Proof finishes. This is one of the a“overt” security features added by the mint. Additionally, the mint has included “covert” anti-counterfeiting measures as well.

    Silver Eagle Edge Notch

    On the 2021 issue, when looking at the obverse of the coin, the notch appears to disrupt the reeding around the edge at roughly at the 6 o’clock position. Each year they move it to a new location on the edge.

    The notch was moved to a different position for the 2022 issue, with the location at approximately the 7 o’clock position.

    The anti-counterfeiting notch was added as a deterrent to thwart Chinese counterfeiters from forging fakes of these best selling bullion coins.

    Mint officials are not disclosing the coins’ new covert feature or features.

    In a statement release by Todd Martin, deputy director for the Mint’s Office of Corporate Communications, “The United States Mint has invested in developing a state of the art Anti-Counterfeiting laboratory in Philadelphia,” Martin said. “The lab will use improved testing and authentication methods to determine the genuineness of coins returned via the presently suspended Mutilated Coin Redemption Program — which accepts bent and partial coins from individuals and businesses. The lab currently processes worn coins returned by the Federal Reserve (uncurrent coins).”

    For 2024, the 1 oz Silver and 1 oz Gold American Eagle coins, the notch is at the 9 o’clock position in relation to the obverse. The edge notches are not included on fractional versions of the American Eagle gold bullion coins, nor fractional Uncirculated or Proof versions.