.999 Fin Gold Bullion Bars

The precious metals market took a beating the last month of 2011.  Gold & silver, both, had corrective pull backs leading into the new year.  Many analysts speculated and reported many different scenarios on what caused the correction.  Opinions are varied as to what the causes were and where the future lies for the precious metals market.  I am not an investment broker, analyst or speculator.  All I am is a jeweler, pawnbroker and coin enthusiast. Since 1985 I have been active in the jewelry industry, designing, making a repairing fine jewelry.  In 1993, I merged my jewelry business into the pawn industry.  The pawn industry allowed me to to utilize my jewelry knowledge and also expand into buying and selling gold and silver on a daily basis.  Naturally, silver and gold coins were readily available as customers looked to either add to their collection or sell when they felt the time was right.

This myriad of resources has afforded me a first-hand look at the inner workings of the the jewelry, pawn, coin and precious metals industries.  My viewpoints on precious metals are strictly from my hand-on experience with gold and silver.  I get asked almost daily from my walk-in and email customers where I think gold and silver are heading.  Quite frankly, my guess is just as good as anyone else’s and it’s just that: a guess.  But, in my humble opinion, I think that we have not seen the all-time highs in gold and silver as we head into 2012. Let me explain.

For the past 127 months in a row, gold has been on a constant rise in value.  Silver has followed pretty close behind.  The recent increase in both of the metal’s value has been attributed to a few causes, such as the our nation’s unrealistic debt, The sub-prime mortgage collapse, ballooning unemployment, zero employment growth, European’s insolvency and the Middle East civil unrest. Each one of these unfortunate events lent their part in making world financial markets very unstable and frightening.  Investors quickly turned to the “safe haven” of the two precious metals: gold and silver.  As the boom developed, many institutional investors, fund managers and speculators jumped in and the rest is history.  Soon, the buzz around the street was gold and silver.  Many coffee clutches began discussing the new daily highs and common individuals started to jump in, mostly on emotion and panic.  This only drove the prices higher.  The problem was toward the end of the high peak of $1,900 an ounce for gold and $48.00 for silver, what was driving the prices so high was uninformed, speculative buying from average citizens.  Soon the bubble burst and both metals took a dive, leaving many bewildered.

Over the next couple of months, both metals hovered at relatively lower levels than projected.  Then both gold and silver seemed poised for a rebound, but then in December, 2011, both the metals plummeted in value and it looked like the bears were going to take over.   At this point, I advised anyone who asked my opinion to either hold on to what they had or to begin buying more at these depressed prices.  Why?  Quite simply.

Remember those world-wide disaster scenarios I mentioned above?  They all still exist today.  The U.S. debt still exists.  Governments are printing more money than their presses can handle.  Europe is still broke and no sign of recovery is on the horizon.  The Middle East is still fighting their worst civil unrest in decades.  The American people have lost all confidence in our legislative branch to accomplish anything.  The list goes on and on.  So, my point is all those factors that allowed or made gold and silver to rise are still in place.  So, until some of or all of these issues get resolved, gold and silver are still going to increase in value.

People panicked at the sudden decrease and they sold on emotion, just as they bought on emotion.  A correction was long overdue.  At year’s end, many fund managers sell funds that have realized a nice profit.  This looks good on their balance sheet.  Some of the selling was due to “margin calls.” This is when fund managers have to pay in cash for their purchases they previously made with “credit.”  In order to do this, they sometimes have to sell their precious metals holdings to cover their debt.  This is usually in the tens of millions of dollars, so if a few fund mangers do this in a short period of time, the metals will go down in value.  Why the huge swings up and down?  This is sometimes caused when “bargain hunters” start buying gold and silver when the market suddenly drops.  When purchases outnumber sellers, the market goes back up.

To put it all in perspective, one must research the causes for the rises in the precious metals market.  Once you determine what caused this, ask yourself what is the future of those causes.  Are they waning?  Are they still present?  Are solutions or peace treaties being developed?  Is this U.S. Congress helping or hurting America?  The answer lies within these questions.

I’m still buying because I know the government can print money all it wants, but it can’t print more gold and silver.  If you have questions or comments on this article, please feel free to email me at plewin@decaturjewelry.com.  Thank you for viewing my website and reading my articles.

999.9 Fine Gold Bars

Gold & Silver bullion is always a good choice for savvy consumers who want to put their money into very liquid assets.  As the world continues to stir in overspending, rising debt and civil unrest as a result of austerity measures being implemented, people are considering bullion as a “safety net.”

Pure bullion gold is expected to hit $2,000 an ounce by the end of the 4th. quarter or early in 2012.  All the technical data is still strong, supporting the precious metal’s rise in value in the coming months.  Recently, gold has been hovering around $1,800 an ounce.  Many analysts are supporting the theory that out of the three most hotly traded precious metals, gold will be the shining star in the near future.  Then, predictions are that once gold hits $2,000 an ounce, it will hover near that price as the markets play out and make the necessary corrections.

In the short term, the precious metal is expected to trade softly as scrap gold recently collected is returned into the market, jewelry demand remains weak during the holiday season and investors take profits on previously purchased contracts.  But, the broader factors that support $2,000 an ounce still exist. These factors include, but are not limited to,  uncertainty in the global financial markets, weak economic forecasts, European debt crisis and, of course, the poor economic climate surrounding the U.S and President Obama.

Many savvy investors, both individual and institutional, are quickly buying gold as the precious metal retreats from its previous highs near $1,900.  Right now, this is a good buying opportunity to buy gold and hold it for long term gains. Of course, there is no certainty is gains, small or large with any commodity.  I strongly urge you to consult your own personal financial adviser before spending any money to purchase precious metal or other potential investments.  My postings are merely a reflection of my own opinion of what I see as a professional in the precious metals market.

If you would like further information on the precious metals market or buying silver, gold or platinum, please do not hesitate to contact me via our website, telephone or email.  Thank you and have a great day.

Toll Free Telephone:  1-888-877-(GEMS) 4367, email us at plewin@decaturjewelry.com or click here for directions to our two locations.

Gold & silver’s recent decline have opened new buying opportunities for investors and  collectors.  As gold & silver rise and fall with the effects of world political news, nation’s debt problems and worldwide civil unrest, this provides good opportunities to buy the precious metals at bargain prices.

I’m one of those few people who try to buy more shares of stocks or more ounces of gold & silver when the market retreats a little bit.  But, I caution one not to jump in too fast and buy on emotion.  I tend to let the market “bottom out,” so to speak first before diving in.

With silver’s sudden free fall in May from its high of almost $50.00, the market reacted with volatility, rising and falling almost daily.  It took a few weeks for the dust to settle and the market to stabilize around $32.00 an ounce.  This demonstrated a great time to buy, as the technical data still supported silver in the $40’s, even in the $50’s.  Since that time, silver has been on a constant upswing with a few pullbacks caused by “profit takers.”  Currently, silver is hovering between $40. and $43. an ounce, with predictions of it hitting $50. an ounce before year’s end.  If one would have bought silver at the low of $32. an ounce in early July, you would have realized a potential gain of 26% in just a couple short months at the precious metal’s peak of $43.

If you want to begin buying gold and silver coins, bars or “rounds” make sure you select a couple of websites dedicated to providing current news, insights and analysis on the precious metals market, such as www.kitco.com or the like.  Here you will get daily, even hourly updates on the markets.  This should help you make your decisions on what and when to buy.  Please by advised, though, that you should consult your own financial consultant who knows your personal finances before buying or selling any precious metals or stocks shares.

If you would like further information on anything relating to this story or any other article on our website, please feel free to stop by either one of our locations. Click here for our locations.

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GOLD & SILVER ARE SOARING IN VALUE.  DECATUR JEWELRY & PAWN IS YOUR TRUSTED SOURCE!

For the past 125 months, gold has been on a constant upward move.  This year alone gold has gained over 40% in value.  Silver has more than doubled in value in the same time respectfully, increasing over 110%.  To put this in the simplest terms, 24k gold  in Sept 2010 was priced at $1,250.00 per ounce.  Today, one year later, gold closed at $1,825.50.  Silver in Sept. 2010 was $20.00 an ounce and today it closed at $42.00 an ounce.  In today’s uncertain economic times, nowhere else except precious metals can you find a return like that.  Once gold reaches $2,100 an ounce, which is not unheard of, this precious metal will have appreciated in value more than any other commodity in the history of commodities tracking and trading.  This historical achievement is remarkable and the trend does not seem to be close to slowing down.

Decatur Jewelry & Pawn has been buying and selling gold and silver coins since 1993.  We’ve grown into one of central Illinois’ most respected and reputable coin dealers.  Since our inception, we’ve seen many other coin and pawn business open and close.  On the contrary, we’ve grown each year, expanded to two locations and now employ a great team of over 20 employees handling gold and silver on a daily basis.  If you are looking to buy silver or gold American Eagles Coins, bars, .9999 fine rounds, we are your source.  On the other hand, if you are selling, we are always buying.  Our prices are consistently the highest around.  Many of our customers are repeat buyers and sellers and frequent our businesses repeatedly.

Our vast worldwide network of experts in the gold and silver industry allow us to pay the highest, while maintaining a large inventory of the most sought after precious metals on the market. If you found this website as a result of you searching for a trusted and reliable source, then please take a moment to call one of our trusted staff associates.  It will be our pleasure to assist you with your transaction.  As always, all transactions are treated in the utmost privacy.  Please call.  We’d love to hear from you.

For More Information, Contact Toll Free 1-888-877-GEMS (4367) or

email here:  plewin@decaturjewelry.com

24KT Gold Bullion Bar

With all the recent Mideast turmoil, world-wide economic uncertainties and now the recent devastating tsunami in Japan, turning to Gold & Silver Bullion has never been more critical and important.  Check out this scenario:  You’re traveling abroad on business or pleasure and you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being stranded in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia or Japan.  With a natural disaster or political uprising, the banking systems we’re accustomed to come to a sudden stop.  Banks close to protect themselves or are unable to operate because the power grid is down.  ATM machines do not work, credit card machines are off line, business shut down or are unable to open.  This scenario will strand you with a credit card and a couple hundred bucks in your wallet.  If you’re one of the lucky ones that are not killed or hurt, you might try to flee the country immediately and catch an unscheduled flight to safety.  But, guess what?  It costs more than the two hundred dollars you have in your wallet and credit cards are now useless as demand shoots the price sky high.

When traveling abroad–and even in the U.S.  I always make sure I have one or two one ounce Gold American Eagle Coins in my possession.  It’s no larger than carrying a couple of Eisenhower Dollar Coins.  At today’s gold prices, this would compute to about $2,800 in liquid cash.  If I was not able to convert the gold or silver dollars into hard cash at a currency exchange, in uncertain times, most vendors would accept the gold as payment for their much-needed service(s).  An alternative would be to carry four 1/2 ounce coins that are individually valued at $700 each. This actually would give you more flexibility in the event you couldn’t convert the gold to cash.  You could use each coin as needed to broaden your reach and help deliver you to safety.

I think if I posted this column three months ago many would say “doomsdayer, paranoid, cooky”  and the like.  Frankly, I wouldn’t blame you.  We all get accustomed to our cozy way of life and block out the doomsday possibilities.  It’s a natural human response.  But, today, this scenario seems much more plausible.  There are tsunami warning all along the western shore of the U.S. from Oregon to San Diego.  I think we all agree, nothing major or very serious will happen, but, non the less, we’re all on alert.  If the predictions are wrong and a larger-than-expected wave hits downtown L.A. it could very possible shut down parts of the city, the power grid, the ATMs and many banks.  We all know that many Americans live paycheck to paycheck and have very little or no savings at all. If you are one of the better prepared ones and have a healthy checking and savings account, you might not have access to it for a frightening period of time.  If a disaster did hit L.A. I would want to have a lot of cash reserves and physical gold on hand in case I had to protect and support my family in an extended financial crisis or had to make a quick exodus  This, of course, would be if I was lucky and fortunate enough to survive being caught in an unfortunate disaster of uprising.

If this makes sense to you, i would strongly suggest to start researching the best and most cost effective ways to begin investing in gold and silver.  Investing in these precious metals is not only designed to add more wealth to you and your family, it also serves to protect you against any future perils–natural or man-made.

If you would like information on how to begin, please feel free to contact me via this website, my email or telephone.  I’m more than willing to help anyone who wants to begin to protect themselves.  Have a blessed day.  Perry Lewin

Email me:  Plewin@decaturjewelry.com

Phone:        217-875-6625  (Loc #1)

Phone:        217-864-3741  (Loc #2)

Cell               217-855-9368

website:  www.decaturjewelry.com

So, you are considering selling your gold.  You’ve gone through your jewelry box, gathered all your miscellaneous gold items that have been laying around for years or months and now you’re ready to sell your treasure.  The question, now, is where do you go?  Who do you trust? How do you know you’re going to get the best deal?  Can you trust that what they offer is the best deal?  These are all legitimate questions you will and should ask yourself.  Since gold has been on the constant rise for the last 5 years, there has been an explosion of new and untested start-up gold-buying companies claiming to be the “BEST” and paying the MOST.  Is this true?  How do you know?  You see and hear commercials daily claiming this.

EXCELLENT CNN GOLD SELLING ARTICLE (01-27-10)

http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/27/pf/gold_jewelry_cash.moneymag/index.htm?hpt=Sbin

In addition to the companies listed above, you also have to contend with the “Traveling Gold Buying Companies,” or “motel” buyers.  These companies travel the U.S. from hotel to hotel, advertising “PAYING THE MOST” in local papers and other forms of advertising.  Is this true?   Are you getting the most?  Who knows?

As a third-generation jeweler and an active gold buyer and seller for the past 25 years, I am qualified to tell you the answers are a flat out NO. These start up companies, internet buyers, traveling buyers and the like are out for one thing and one thing only:  PROFIT.  Now, profit is not a bad word.  Actually it is the root goal of every business.  Profit is needed to stay in business, but how much is the root concern.

With all of this information, where do you go now to sell your jewelry?  My advice as a trusted and tried professional in the jewelry industry is this.  Do your research.  Compile a list of all the gold buyers in your area—say a 25 mile radius.  Trust me. It will be worth the travel time and gas to visit all on your list.  Next, ask a trusted source to help you “sort” your gold into the different karats—or type: i.e. 10k, 14k, 18k, platinum and so on. Now, weigh each parcel in grams or pennyweights Record this information and hit the road with your knowledge and treasures.  Once you get all of this information, you will know who is paying the most and who the most reputable source is for you to do business with.

Your best source would be a local jeweler, pawnbroker or reseller who has been in your community for many years or decades.  The reasons are obvious:  Longevity means honesty, stability and integrity.  Also, many of these companies will offer other services and products that you could take advantage of, such as jewelry repair, jewelry design, appraisals, watch battery replacement or similar. By doing so, you and that business will begin a long-term relationship that will benefit both you and them.  A successful business transaction is one that benefits both parties involved, not just one or the other.  A WIN/WIN situation is what you should be looking for.

If you have made it this far in this article and would like more information from a true and tested gold buying veteran, please feel free to call me on my toll free number. Or, stop in if you are local and I will be glad to assist you in any way to make your gold selling transaction an enjoyable one that we will both be happy with.  Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a long relationship between both of us.

Respectfully, Perry Lewin, Owner, Decatur Jewelry & Pawn.

24kt Gold Investment

Gold futures prices are trading  higher Monday morning as investors continue their move into  safe-haven investments  amid the escalating tensions in the Middle East. Also helping gold is a weakening U.S. dollar index.  Comex April gold last traded up $4.90 an ounce at $1,414.20. Spot gold last traded up $3.70 at $1,414.00.

While the civil unrest in the Middle East did not see any new, dramatic developments over the weekend, the situation is still inviting safe-haven investment demand into the precious metals markets. Crude oil futures prices have backed down from last week’s 2.5-year high of $103.41 a barrel, on ideas oil will continue to flow from Libya even during a regime change. There are technical clues crude oil prices last week did put in a near-term market top. If so, that would be at least slightly near-term bearish for the precious metals. Still, precious metals traders are keeping one eye on the crude oil market as a gauge of tensions in the Middle East.

The U.S. dollar index hit a new four-month low overnight. The technical position of the index is currently extremely weak.  The U.S. dollar has also not seen safe-haven buying interest once  enjoyed during past geopolitical uncertainty. If the U.S. dollar index continues to trade slide, which is what the technical data is currently suggesting, then investors will continue to turn to gold as their safe-haven cushion.

Worldwide inflationary price pressures  makes investors “bullish” on the precious metal.  Also  commodity prices in general are still at multi-year highs. If you combine that with the central banks’ policy  of quantitative easing (printing money)  that is a recipe for consumer price inflationary pressures.

Gold has increased over 30% in the past year, offering savvy investors a physical safety net against inflation, economic woes, political tensions and ill-thought government policies.  If you would like more information on how to invest in gold or silver to protect your assets and future wealth, contact us by email or call our toll free number 1-888-877-GEMS (4367)

Gold prices ended higher Monday, as the market saw  buying interest on fresh worries over the increasing debt of smaller European Union countries.

The gold market bulls were impressed with gold’s ability to increase in value despite a stronger U.S. dollar.  The dollar made steady gains throughout the day, as the Euro currency sunk on fresh  debt concerns.  The same happened during the late-spring EU debt crisis.  Both the dollar index and gold prices were able to appreciate on safe-haven investment moves.

All of this uncertainty and continuing  increases in debt of many countries around the globe have kept the precious metals market alive and thriving.  As many of my previous posts have mentioned, precious metals will continue to be a safe haven for the uncertain as long as the same market conditions continues.

Silver, actually, has increased more in value in 2010 than gold has.  The latest figures is that silver is up over 31% in value, compared to gold’s 26% rise.  Either way I still believe there is  a lot more room to move higher.

.999 Fine Gold American Eagle Coins

Gold Ends Higher, at 6-Week High, on Speculative Buying amid Weaker U.S. Dollar

Gold closed higher today and achieved another 6-weak high  on speculative buying activity due to a weakened dollar. The market has seen a resurgence of speculative buying and a lot of this is being caused by a weak U.S. Dollar index and strong technical data.  Discouraging  recent economic data from the 3 major economies: U.S., China and Japan have prompted investors to shy away from risky investments and are leaning toward the safe havens of the gold market.

As the dollar continues to slide in value against other major currencies, the value of gold investing increases.  This week should be an important barometer for the U.S. Dollar.  If it closes on Friday at or near its current low, it could prompt a continued downward slide, which, in turn, will most likely cause an upsurge in the price of gold as investors flock to the precious metal’s investment safety.

Gold’s technical data is looking bullish right now as gold is nearing a three-week uptrend in value right now.  Right now gold’s technical goal is to surpass the current resistance price of $1,250 per ounce.  If gold achieves this breakthrough price of $1,250. an ounce and can sustain this for a period of time, gold most likely will start heading toward the much-anticipated price of $1,300. per ounce.  This price has been predicted since late June and if things happen as predicted, this price should be attainable by the end of 2010.

As with any investment, you should consult the advice of your personal financial adviser.  If you would like more information on the merits of investing in gold or are interested in purchasing pure bullion gold coins, please feel free to contact me toll free at 1-888-877-GEMS (4367) or email me by clicking on the link below.

Submitted by Perry Lewin, Aug. 17, 2010

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Since I first wrote this article on July 7, 2010, when gold was at a 6-week low, gold has suddenly risen and has gained over 4% in less than one month.  There is still plenty of time to consider investing in hard gold bullion.

Here is a recent excellent article on the recent upsurge in interest in gold coins as an asset protector.  Read first before continuing with my article.  07/30/2010

GOLD COIN ARTICLE

The gold & silver markets have taken a sudden drop in value since last month.  For many, this triggers uncertainty and panic, which leads to emotional selling of your precious metals.  My advice to you is two-fold:  1)Don’t and 2) buy more.

Now that the market has taken a tumble due to various technical and fundamental factors, it is a great buying opportunity for gold and silver investors who are in  for the long-term scenario.  The fundamental strength is still present in the gold market, which, if you have the tenacity for some risk, provides a great buying opportunity if you have liquid cash.  You should be able to profit handsomely if you have cash that you will not need for one to three years and you have the patience to ride out this sudden drop in value since last week.

The summer typically is ripe for a slow gold and silver market, as most people are focused on other activities.  The analytical charts still point to gold breaking through the $1,300 mark by year’s end.

Traders and investors have stepped in to do some bargain-hunting buying at lower price levels after gold hit a fresh twelve-week low of $1,161.00 on July 27, 2010.  As of today, the federal budget deficit stands at 13 TRILLION dollars and rising.  The only way to combat this is to print new money.  With this new influx of money into our economic system, it will only create a huge run up in inflation, which in turn will lead to investors rushing into the gold market for a safe haven.  Hence, gold prices are surely to rise.

If you would like more information on purchasing gold as an investment or a hedge against inflation, please contact Perry Lewin at Decatur Jewelry & Pawn toll free at 1-888-877-4367 or email at

plewin@decaturjewelry.com