True, but this is not to say that the silver standard was superior. As economies developed in the West, there was a default movement away from the silver standard and towards the gold standard (until the later was destroyed by politicians). This is due to the increasing transaction volumes that accompany economic growth giving gold the edge (higher 'value density'), and the higher inflation rate of silver (easier and more voluminous mining) making it a lesser quality money.
I have spent too much time over the years pointing out to people that small product shortage is not a silver shortage.
It's true but it will be hard to convince some people of that.
When you consider the value of gold an the average wage in places like India and China I think you will see many opting for silver as the price of the metals rise. Anecdotally many Americans are making that choice despite much higher levels of income.
LOL... no you don't eat silver silly! You swap it for stuff you can eat, that is how money works
Why defending yourself is greed I will never know!
Now I will retire to my cave to chew on some Bison... CYA!
Indeed - I wasn't pointing it out as a tin foil observer crying that the world has run out of silver, just that it's indicative of a very large increase in demand for physical bullion.
No, I can't see how that parallels any current situation, assuming it was true.True, but also at the same time in history, China was running large trade surpluses, exporting goods to the West, and thus draining the world of silver. Would anyone like to parallels with the current situation?
Chuckle, 'I guess I don't need this rubbish any more' <throws out east asia history book>.In the mid 19th century, this of course ended with the Opium Wars and the collapse of Chinese society, from which they have only in recent decades recovered from.
Here we go...
Mr Z
As for the Australian government confiscating gold, the law already exists to allow for this and all that is required is the governments will to exercise it. Silver is another story but in Australia you can be asked to hand in your gold... to my knowledge it has never been done but???!
They'd need a new law to do it so it is hard to see that it would be worth it. I doubt that they'd even go for the gold these days, I think that the law is a relic from when gold played a bigger role in the system. Sure the law is there but I'd say that is the end of the story.
Mr Z, on the gold thread you made the above comment earlier this evening.
I have favoured silver for my portfolio for reasons of possible confiscation, and of course as I believe the ratio to gold and silver will reduce over time.
However I take interest in your comment above saying "Silver is another story", do you infer anything? , such as possibilites of confiscation.
Link to the confiscation post or law? Couldnt find it in the thread. Thanks
Please? and it is in the gold thread.
Somewhere in Part 4 of the Banking Act 1959 - C2011C00863
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2011C00863/Html/Text#_Toc307311846
It starts at Section 41 in Part 4, see my blog post on it and discussion of its implications http://goldchat.blogspot.com/2008/11/australian-gold-confiscation.html
My view is silver is not explicitly mentioned and I do not think it will be confiscated as the reason Govt wants gold is to use it to settle international transactions and it is impractical to transport silver around the world compared to gold. Central bankers hold gold, they don't hold silver.
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