Is This The Start Of The Bottom Falling Out On Pm?

I don't understand markets that well. But I've seen a number of articles talking about how some countries (Russia and China, among others) are aggressively buying gold. Since I assume their leaders DO understand the global market, it leads me to think that gold is a good idea.

Also, being a child of the Cold War, I've never fully accepted the notion that it's over. I don't believe it is for Putin. And recently he's been pretty brazen, doing things to influence elections in the West, testing our resolve in Syria, etc. The way Reagan broke Russia was through economic pressure, and I wouldn't put it past Putin to try to meddle with western currency and markets.

Finally, my grandparents helped raise me, and my grandpa came from a wealthy family that lost it all in the Great Depression. I grew up hearing the stories about how he asked a sheriff what he had to do to be put in jail so he could eat. As a result, I've always had in the back of my mind that every assumption about the economy can be turned on its head in a day.

Long story short, I may not have a lot of cash to drop on gold, and honestly, I'd much rather spend what I have on old coins, but I've decided to pick up SOME gold, if only a gram a month. Small potatoes to most of you guys, I'm sure, but I've never been great about saving money, and I've decided that if I'm going to spend it, better to spend it on things that ought to hold some value, even if hard times come.

Even if prices drop in the short run, the trend historically has been upwards, so I can't think it's a bad idea. The same may be true (especially now) of the stock market, but with everything in the world so unstable right now, I don't want all my money in one or two economic baskets. If I had the bucks for real estate I'd be buying that too.

Feel free to tell me where I'm missing things. I'm out to learn.

Thanks, Trout! I have picked up a few 1/10 oz rounds. And I realize that the premium on grams makes them a poor investment. Otoh, right now, a gram at $47--Thats passing up treating a friend to a nice dinner. If I have over $100 for a coin, it's hard for me to pick a gold round over something with more history, and my budget is such that it really is either/or. I figure I can go Dutch more often and pick up a little gold at a time, and still have a budget for the coins I collect for fun.

Anyway, I see the gold less as an investment than as a "preparation for the worst," if that makes sense. I just figure it might be nice to have some in case things really go south, as they did in the Depressiom. If it comes to something like that, it might also be easer to use for barter if you're working with smaller bars and rounds.

I probably heard too many horror stories as a kid. LOL.

Tobacco, booze and bullets! Now there are some commodities with legs! LOL. I hadn't thought about things going THAT far south.

Have to say that all the old coins,with their premiums above the PM content along with gold and silver. And lately the prepper vendors at gun shows are humping copper which in any form other than wire, or pipe will be worthless for trades if everything goes sideways.
When it hit the fan down in Venezuela back in the 70's or so. you couldn't give PM's away in trade for gas, or food. There was two items that were in demand ammo and guns!

Stop and think about it why would anybody give up food or gas for coins that have an inflated value put on them for condition or rarity. If things do go sideways, it will be a long time if ever that coins collecting comes back from something other than bad guns to take away from you.

Another thing is who will determine HOW MUCH the PM's are worth, other than the parties doing a swap.

As for copper bullion buy wire, or t=tubing and fittings.
Copper requires higher temps then most backyard smelting operation can generate, not to mention that wire requires a oxygen free environment during smelting when used for any electrical applications so it is the correct electrical measurements per foot. Not t including the extruding equipment. But if you still insist on hoarding metal.

Buy scrap copper it is cheaper than rounds or bars or ingots
As of this morning bare bright copper is around $2.00 per pound depend were you are located. lots better than @.00 per 1/4 ounce round the prepper vendors sell them for at the gun shows.

The finial thing is you best have enough bodies to keep a 24 hour guard once it is known that you have PM's to trade or buy food or gas, not to mention learning to reload may be a good idea

Probably not, but it might be. Coin and bar demand was increasing for 8 straight years, and finally fell back some this year.