When & How Does Silver Go Down Or Up In Value?

As others have stated, the simple answer is a weak dollar, or perceived weak dollar.

When you have a bad economy, gold and silver go up, as it's the safer way to store your money.

In theory, if the dollar became worthless, you could still sell your metals to another country.

An Oz of gold will always be an Oz of gold, and always worth something to somebody.
A USD dollar could literally become a piece of paper.

Which would you rather have?


It is amazing to see how out of hand things have got. I am certainly no expert, but I remember watching documentaries of the development of the American monetary system. It's mind boggling to see folks making these mistakes.

The only way it came together, was when the "Federal Reserve" literally had metal to back up every single dollar. <That's what turned the USA into an economic power house. There was no "debt ceiling nonsense"
Now, they don't. It's pretty much Monopoly money, or "borrowed" money.

I don't like to be a pessimist, if it's not turned around soon it will make the great depression look like a walk in the park.

Now you know why they used to sew silver into their clothing.< Think about it, they actually even had silver, only a select few of us will be so fortunate this time around.
Stapling dollar bills to your shirt won't do you any good, although you can burn them for heat.

I agree, when/before the first 13 Colonies were formed, Spanish coins were the most trusted.

Commodities were also more valuable, like animal pelts, tobacco and even Indian beads.

The Colonies then tried to each have their own currency, which quickly depreciated, so did the currency created after revolutionary war.("Continental Currency")

To make it even more worthless, the British conterfeited the currency.(Something we do to ourselves today, not literally, but practically).


When the Constitution was ratified in 1788, individual states were no longer allowed to print their own money.

The coinage act of 1792 created the United States Mint, which finally regulated the currency for the whole country.

Here is a list I copied and pasted of the original conforming currency. Notice there is no zinc, lol.

Eagles $10 247 4/8 grain (16.0 g) pure or 270 grain (17.5 g) standard gold
Half Eagles $5 123 6/8 grain (8.02 g) pure or 135 grain (8.75 g) standard gold
Quarter Eagles $2.50 61 7/8 grain (4.01 g) pure or 67 4/8 grain (4.37 g) standard gold
Dollars or Units $1 371 4/16 grain (24.1 g) pure or 416 grain (27.0 g) standard silver
Half Dollars $0.50 185 10/16 grain (12.0 g) pure or 208 grain (13.5 g) standard silver
Quarter Dollars $0.25 92 13/16 grain (6.01 g) pure or 104 grains (6.74 g) standard silver
Dismes $0.10 37 2/16 grain (2.41 g) pure or 41 3/5 grain (2.70 g) standard silver
Half Dismes $0.05 18 9/16 grain (1.20 g) pure or 20 4/5 grain (1.35 g) standard silver
Cents $0.01 11 pennyweights (17.1 g) of copper
Half Cents $0.005 5 1/2 pennyweights (8.55 g) of copper


The "Federal reserve note" of today is no longer backed by gold and silver in the reserve bank(s)

Example: The "Obligation clause" on a 1950 note states "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private, and is redeemable IN LAWFUL MONEY AT THE UNITED STATES TREASURY, OR AT ANY FEDERAL RESERVE BANK"

The "Obligation Clause" of the current note states: "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private"

The key difference is a modern note is a piece of debt, not currency. It was created as a form of "credit" for the gubment. You can't trade it for squat, after all, it's debt, not currency, it says it right there in the clause, you can only purchase "debt" with it, it is NOT directly redeemable for "money"(metals etc.) like the last couple hundred years.

It's all in the wording, if you go to the Reserve with post 1950s money, it's worthless. I highly doubt they would honor pre 1950s money either but you could try, bring your lawyer.

It sure is silly.

I suppose the notes are not "unlawful money", because it is not money at all.

Definitions of Tender:
"Latin root is tendere (to stretch out)"
"medium of payment"
"English word- extend, to hold outward (credit)"

Technically, "In some jurisdictions legal tender can be refused as payment if no debt exists prior to the time of payment"

Wouldn't it be nice if the Government paid you interest on the debt you hold for them.