Coin Grading: The Sheldon Scale & NGCX
Learn how the Sheldon Scale revolutionized coin grading and discover how NGCX is reshaping modern numismatics. Understand grading for Pre-1933 Gold Coins and why it matters.
News
Breaking news from the precious metals industry. Gold, silver and platinum group mining, refineries and refining technologies, minting and distribution.
News and information about the global drivers of prices in the precious metals markets. Including central banks, interest rates, industrial manufacturing, electronics and investors.
SEC Tightens Crackdowns on Crypto Exchanges as Federal Reserve Forces Banks to Adopt FedNow CBDC
The Securities and Exchange Commission launched another attack on crypto exchanges Coinbase and Binance this week, a move that had been expected. Given the overlap with the timeline of the Federal Reserve forcing banks across the country to implement FedNow as part of the backbone of an ongoing effort to implement a central bank digital currency.
Understanding Silver Eagle Premiums
The US Mint is one of the oldest continually operating minting operations in the world and all other mints use variants of the Mint’s processes. The Mint remains one of the world’s largest producer of coins today. Issues related to the production of bullion coins have led to huge increases in Silver Eagle premiums in recent years.
Many investors are looking to buy sovereign bullion coins from other mints. While many are still buying 1 oz silver eagles, some are concerned that the Mint suppliers are also making huge profits from the record high premiums caused by the shortages.
HSBC, Bank of Nova Scotia & Deutsche Bank Win Dismissal of Silver Price Manipulation Litigation
The litigation began in 2014 with the government accusing the banks of being involved in a multi-bank trading conspiracy to manipulate the price of silver. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan dismissed the case against HSBC and Bank of Nova Scotia. In 2016, Deutsche Bank settled with the government for $38M in … Read moreHSBC, Bank of Nova Scotia & Deutsche Bank Win Dismissal of Silver Price Manipulation Litigation
China Adds Gold to Reserves for Sixth Consecutive Month
China’s central bank continues its buying spree that has so far spanning six months. In April, the bank added an additional 8.09 tons of gold to its reserves, now topping 2,076.47 tons.
Russian Agents Detain Man Smuggling 25 kg of Gold Bars in Luggage
A video circulating on social media shows what appears to be a man in custody in an office with authorities photographing two LBMA-style 12.5 kg gold bars laying out on a desk.
American Palladium Eagle Coins From The US Mint
The American Palladium Eagle is the United States Mint’s official palladium bullion coin. The obverse contains a modernized design of Weitsman’s famous Mercury Dime, with Liberty portrayed with her hair tucked back like wings
Florida and Indiana Ban Use of CBDC
Both Florida and Indiana have recently passed laws banning the use of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) as money in those states.
These laws explicitly exclude a CBDC from the definition of money in Florida and Indiana, effectively banning its use as such in these states.
Zimbabwe Sells $14 Million in Gold-Backed Digital Tokens
The token’s initial offering is backed by 140 kilogram gold bars that have been allocated from central bank reserves
The offering from Zimbabwe is causing a ruckus with the IMF that is reminiscent of the outrage posited against El Salvador when it established bitcoin as a legal currency and began issuing bitcoin bonds.
Investors Losing Confidence in the US Mint, while Coin Minting Reports $171 Million Net Loss
Keeping up with investors demand has been a difficult task for the US Mint. The pandemic lockdowns caused a total shut down of mint operations, forced mine closures and caused other widespread disruptions throughout industrial supply chains.
Problems for the Mint only got worse as investor demand for bullion investment coins skyrocketed because of the pandemic. For a few months, the minting of Silver Eagle coins was secretly shifted to the Philadelphia Mint for the first time in history as backorders began to pile up.