Breaking The Dollar - Gainesville Coins

The news media has been covering the story that the wholesale store Costco has been selling one-ounce gold bars. Although it's obviously a strange story, these news articles have missed some of the major points about the story. In this episode, Everett recaps what's going on with the Costco gold bars and sets the record straight about what everyone else is overlooking about this odd story.

What exactly is a CBDC? In this episode Everett breaks down the emerging technology of central bank digital currencies. He discusses the latest developments in the space, how CBDCs work, and -- most importantly -- the conversations that the public needs to have in order to best manage the cool benefits and grave risks of government-issued digital currencies. He also responds to a question from the audience about a rare Lincoln cent error.

This episode marks the triumphant return of Breaking the Dollar after a long hiatus. Host Everett Millman recaps the many developments in his career since the podcast last aired. He also gives a firsthand account of what has been going on in the gold and silver bullion market over the past few years to provide insight into how the industry has dramatically changed over that time.

In this episode of Breaking the Dollar, Everett examines a fascinating historical anecdote about Mansa Musa, the king of the Mali Empire in West Africa during the late-13th and early-14th centuries. Was he really the richest man of his time? How much gold did Musa have? The story also brings up interesting points about the economics of gold as money.

This episode picks up on the previous discussion of moral hazard, fraud, and accounting shenanigans on Wall St. Everett challenges the notion that small speculators and Robinhood traders are the cause of the problem. He wraps up by catching up on some questions from the audience.

A lot of outlandish frauds and comical ethical conundrums have been cropping up in the financial markets of late. Perhaps more concerning, this type of behavior on Wall St is becoming normalized -- especially with everyone distracted by covid-19. In this two-part episode, Everett walks through several of the most prominent cases of companies "gone wild" on Wall St in 2020. He explains how these unethical acts are interconnected with several economic issues that have been discussed on Breaking the Dollar in the past.

One of the unexpected side effects of the coronavirus pandemic has been a lack of coins circulating around the economy. Pocket change is at a premium as many businesses remain closed and the United States Mint operates at limited capacity. This development lends itself to a related discussion: the long-overdue elimination of the one-cent coin, which loses tens of millions of dollars for the Treasury each year, and the broader "war on cash."

For a decade, treasure hunters have been scouring the Rocky Mountains to find a chest full of gold and gemstones hidden there by an art dealer named Forrest Fenn. The treasure was finally discovered last month -- but only after many years of controversy. Find out more about the backstory of Fenn's treasure and why it stirred so much dissension in the local press.

A prominent European hedge fund manager recently predicted that governments will soon seize their citizens' privately held gold in order to stave off a financial collapse. Is gold confiscation really going to happen again, like it did in 1933? Everett confronts this ever-present bogeyman and what it can teach us about the nature of how the government controls its currency.

Why on earth did the WTI crude oil contract price go deeply negative for one day in April? What does a negative oil price even mean? In this podcast episode, Everett explains what unusual dynamics in financial markets caused futures prices to trade in negative territory. He also provides some context about the tug-of-war between Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the United States over the oil market in general.

What will the Federal Reserve buy next? The central bank has been on a shopping spree of sorts in its effort to rescue the financial system. What exactly is the Fed buying? How does this raft of stimulus measures compare to the Fed's response to past crises? What are the implications for markets?

The economic freeze due to the coronavirus has dramatically impacted financial markets. Everett explains how the pandemic has affected the gold industry.

Sometimes historical circumstances lead to unconventional proposals. Such is the case of a U.S. $50 gold coin known as a half union. Its story is filled with bureaucratic intrigue and economic transformation. Everett walks through the history of the half union and why it never gained approval for regular production.

The 2020 presidential election has been heating up as we approach Super Tuesday. While it's important to put your political biases aside when investing, that doesn't mean you shouldn't pay attention to the campaigns for president and the race for the White House. This episode focuses on some of the election dynamics and possibilities that will impact the economy (and your investment portfolio).

There has been a great deal of news coverage of the coronavirus that originated in the Wuhan province of China. The virus's impact on markets has thus far been minimal, but Everett explains some of the risks it still poses for the global economy. From generating worldwide uncertainty to possibly upending Phase 1 of the trade deal, the affect on the financial sector is unlikely to be clear for weeks and months to come.

The monetary experiments with zero interest rate policy (ZIRP) and negative interest rate policy (NIRP) continue to be overlooked as the "new normal." What are the intended—and unitended—outcomes of these unprecedented policies? In this episode, Everett summarizes the economic risks associated with persistently low and negative rates. He also examines the argument that paying negative interest is not an unusual idea or practice.

For the first time in nearly a decade, these close cousins of gold and silver have been in the news. Why are palladium and rhodium seeing their prices skyrocket? Podcast host Everett Millman explains how the industrial market for the Platinum Group Metals differs from the more familiar precious metals. He also cites historical context to illustrate their price volatility.

2020 is off to an eventful start for financial markets. What are the major trends that investors should be paying attention to? This episode gives a general overview of what's been going on in January and what to expect during the first quarter of the year.

One of the defining features of the global economy and financial system is the central role of the U.S. dollar. This is perhaps obvious, but it is of tremendous importance nonetheless. However, it was not a foregone conclusion that the USD would come to occupy this place. How did it happen? In this episode, Everett gives a broad overview of the events, trends, and circumstances that led to the dominance of King Dollar.

There are many unavoidable realities that tie together gold, money, and the banking system. These connections are still in effect despite the end of an official gold standard. In this episode, Everett surveys some of the remnants of the gold standard and the Bretton Woods system and how they apply today.

Happy New Year from Breaking the Dollar! As we enter 2020, Everett provides his forecasts for the financial markets in the coming year. He also gives some perspective on the major themes of the last decade in order to outline general trends to expect in the 2020s.

Have you ever heard of a "Santa Claus rally"? What is this holiday phenomenon, and why does it seem to impact markets every year? Host Everett Millman goes over the causes of this seasonal trend and considers whether or not we'll see it happen this year.

This week's podcast examines the growing trend of dedollarization. First of all, what is dedollarization? Is it a big deal and a game-changer, as some suggest? Everett places this phenomenon into its proper context, explaining the unparalleled dominance of the U.S. dollar in global finance.

Platinum and palladium are often the "forgotten" precious metals, especially compared to gold and silver. In this podcast episode, Everett explains what these two metals are used for, where they come from, and why they are so valuable in modern technology and industry.

Host Everett Millman goes over some of the recent movement in financial markets, including the precious metals and U.S. stocks. He also places their performance in the context of the entire year of 2019.

Trust and confidence are especially important elements in the gold market. How does a consumer know that they can trust a gold dealer? Everett explores this widespread problem in the bullion industry. He offers some signs and practices of a trustworthy dealer as well as some red flags to be wary of.

What does it mean when someone brings up the "financialization" of the economy? Everett gives a broad definition of this trend and explains how it has progressively gotten worse since the 1980s. He explains how ever-greater financialization drains resources such as capital and brainpower from other productive areas of the economy.

We hear a lot these days about how artificial intelligence (A.I.) will transform our world. Many industries are moving toward automation and the use of robots, displacing millions of workers. There's no doubt automation is cheaper and more efficient, but will this trend destroy all of the jobs in services and manufacturing? Host Everett Millman draws from labor history and science fiction to provide some perspective on this thorny issue.

This episode of the Breaking the Dollar podcast surveys the history of different types of taxes. Although many taxes are recent inventions, some form of tax has existed since antiquity.

Join Everett Millman on this episode of Breaking The Dollar as he discusses the current state of the financial markets. After months of bearish market action, there seems to be a trend toward optimism over the last month. Everett shares his views on this development and explains what has caught his attention in the world of finance this month -- from third-quarter earnings in the stock market to the proliferation of unicorn startups.

One common question encountered in the precious metals industry is, "Where does the price of gold come from?" Moreover, why is the price fluctuating all the time? This podcast episode explores these questions and provides a framework for understanding price discovery. Topics covered include supply and demand, bids and offers, as well as the futures markets.

The success of coins and paper money in the modern world is easy to take for granted. However, the these innovations did not follow a perfectly neat progression throughout history. In this episode, Everett provides several examples of strange forms of currency used in different times and places in human history. These sometimes surprising examples help reveal some of the qualities that money needs to function as a medium of exchange.

Storing physical assets is not normally something the average investor has to consider. However, when you own precious metals, there are important things to know about how to store your gold and silver. This episode of Breaking the Dollar explores the pros and cons of a variety of different storage options. Ultimately, the ideal option for an individual investor will depend upon a trade-off between security and liability.

What is the repo market? In this episode of Breaking the Dollar, host Everett Millman explains how and why the Federal Reserve was forced to intervene in the repo market, a part of the financial system's interbank funding markets. He connects the Fed's repo operations to the broader notion that central banks will increasingly attempt to accommodate and stimulate financial markets as signs that we are late in the current economic cycle begin to multiply. However, this doesn't address underlying structural problems in the financial system.

The story of the Hunt brothers and their attempt to corner the global silver market is an oft-cited story in the precious metals community. Everett leads the audience through the high points of this fascinating story. Along the way, he explains what it means to "corner" a market in the first place, and he shows why the Hunts ultimately were unsuccessful in their gambit. This cautionary tale also helps illustrate how market manipulation still exists with gold and silver prices.

This week's podcast reviews some of the most infamous and memorable gold heists in recent history, such as the Brinks Mat operation in London (1983) and the mythology surrounding Yamashita's Gold following World War II. Host Everett Millman uses these astonishing events to illustrate some of the persistent problems with transparency and liability in the global gold market.

As of the end of August, the price of gold had surged 30% so far in 2019. What the heck is going on? This episode of Breaking the Dollar ties together several of the most important factors that have been driving the gold price higher this year: fear and uncertainty over the trade war; a slowdown of the global economy; extreme measures taken by central banks; "mean regression" after several years of falling or stagnant gold prices; and a general rush toward safe haven assets by investors.

This episode of Breaking the Dollar looks back at the history of gold rushes, paying particular attention to the wave of gold rush events in the 19th century. In addition to increasing the wealth available to nations, host Everett Millman connects these gold prospecting frenzies to profound transformative changes in demography, immigration, and urbanization in modern history. Gold rushes were a noteworthy manifestation of the pioneering spirit that led to the settlement of frontier regions in Canada, Australia, and the United States.

This episode introduces the story of the 1933 gold double eagle, a $20 gold coin that has attained legendary status. Host Everett Millman explains the origins of the coin's famous design by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the circumstances that led to the 1933-dated coin becoming a major rarity, as well as some fascinating stories involving the coin along the way—including one of its noteworthy owners, the eccentric King Farouk of Egypt. These narratives help illustrate what distinguishes a rare collectible from its more common counterparts.

This week's episode of Breaking the Dollar challenges the notion that the mainstream media for financial news serves as an objective source of information. All of the well-known drawbacks of the broader mass news media apply to the world of finance: persuasion, propaganda, political agendas, corporate ownership, and so on. Everett uses critical thinking to demonstrate the bias—often against gold—found in these sources of financial "infotainment."

A return of significant volatility to markets over the past several trading sessions prompted this episode's topic: the ubiquitous trade war between the United States and China. Everett walks listeners through the basics about the economic conflict, explaining how the trade war is being fought (tariffs) and what it may cause (global recession). The discussion also "connects the dots" from the spreading domino effect of trade protectionism to the various related tensions in foreign affairs and geopolitics more generally.

Why did the gold standard "fail" in the middle of the 20th century? In this podcast episode, Everett walks through some of the factors that caused governments around the world to abandon the gold standard. He ultimately connects the demise of tying money directly to gold to part of the larger trend of ever-expanding government control and concentration of economic power.

In this episode, Everett traces the history and origins of the central bank of the United States, the Federal Reserve. He explains how the Fed came to be, what roles it is supposed to serve, and why there are important criticisms of the Fed worth considering. The discussion also covers some general concepts about central banks and monetary policy.

As the name implies, shadow banking is a part of the financial system that is often hidden from view. Although shadow banking serves a purpose, it also poses major systemic risks. This episode wrestles with the concept of non-bank lending and delineates why this sector has grown so large. Host Everett Millman also points out some of the unintended consequences and overlooked risk associated with this market.

During the last financial crisis, one of the main culprits of the panic was a type of financial product known as a collateralized debt obligation, or CDO. Today the market for a similar product, CLOs, is once again growing at a rapid pace. This episode explores what CLOs are, how they deal with risk, and why it is alarming that these loan bundles are becoming increasingly popular.

This is Breaking The Dollar the podcast that dismantles some of the biggest misconceptions about money. Presented by Gainesville Coins.Hello and welcome back to Breaking The Dollar. I'm your host Everett Millman and on today's episode we will be discussing asset bubbles, how they happen, what are they, where they come from, and some of the signs you can look for to pick up on whether or not we are in a bubble in any particular market

In this episode, Everett discuss what makes gold valuable. For thousands of years, gold has functioned as a store of wealth that sees its value climb in times of economic or societal unrest. Listen in as he covers the many different factors that affect gold's value including jewelry, supply/demand, its chemical makeup, the gold standard, the US Governments Gold Reserves and much more.

In this episode, Everett continues his discussion about cryptocurrencies and expands the discussion to addressing the broader altcoin market. He explains why there are so many different cryptocurrencies and what makes this emerging sector so exciting for investors and bystanders alike.

There is quite a bit of buzz in the media about Bitcoin. More and more people are interested in finding out what Bitcoin is and how cryptocurrencies work. Will it someday replace the U.S. dollar? Everett gives some background about the Bitcoin vs. gold debate and evaluates whether or not Bitcoin is "digital gold" or "gold 2.0" yet.

Facebook recently announced that it will launch its own cryptocurrency called Libra in 2020. Join host Everett Millman as he breaks down the possible implications for the financial system and how a Libra stablecoin compares to existing government-issued currencies. He also details why the broader cryptocurrency market is likely to reject Libra due to its centralized nature and fiat currency backing.

Increasingly, the average person today understands less and less about how money works, or what our money actually is to begin with. In this brief introductory episode of Breaking the Dollar, your host Everett Millman lays out the concept for the show: dispelling some of the pernicious myths surrounding money in plain language that is easy for anyone to understand.