Here are the latest items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. And it bears mention that most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of JWR. (SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor.) Today’s focus is on commemorative edition guns.
Precious Metals:
Gold Up; FOMC Minutes A Non-Event As Traders Await U.S. Jobs Report
o o o
Hubert Moolman: Silver Bull Market Is Almost Here
Cryptos:
Binance Halts Trading Over ‘Atypical’ Crypto Transactions
o o o
Crypto Exchanges Are Already Adapting to India’s Bank Account Ban
Commodities:
I missed this article when it ran in Reuters back in March: Why electric vehicles could fracture the nickel market
o o o
Commodities Daily Forecast – July 5, 2018
Economy & Finance:
Fed minutes preview: Central bank likely ignoring calls to slow interest-rate hikes
o o o
Tangibles Investing (Commemorative Edition Guns):
I generally advise folks to avoid buying commemorative edition guns. They are generally a bad investment. The sad fact is that unless it is something exceedingly scarce and desirable, then you will probably lose money, even if you have the gun’s original box and papers and keep all of it in pristine condition. There are two key problems with commemorative edition guns:
First, most people buy guns to shoot, and they rightly realize that shooting a commemorative gun will degrade its value. So that eliminates 90% of potential buyers, from the start.
The second problem is limited appeal. Who will be your secondary buyer if you buy a “Golden Spike Edition” Winchester? Would that be a railroad history buff who also happens to be a gun collector? That is a pretty small target demographic. And just how many buyers will have an interest in a Wyoming Highway Patrol Commemorative Edition of a Smith & Wesson Model 27 revolver? Probably very few, and only in Wyoming!
But I will mention one key exception: Buying under-priced secondary market commemorative edition guns to shoot. I have a friend who bought an Antlered Game commemorative edition Model 1894 Winchester .30-30 carbine that had no factory box, a scratched stock, and some surface rust–mainly on the blued magazine tube. He got it for $250 less than an otherwise identical Plain Jane model of the same vintage. Ironically, it is now his everyday carry “truck gun” that rides with a couple of desiccant bags in a soft case behind his pickup’s bench seat. He says that if the rifle’s finish ever degrades even more, he might just bead blast it, and coat it with Brownell’s Gun Kote. Does that sound like sacrilege? Not to me. He could even add a recoil pad. Any collector’s value was gone before my friend ever acquired it. He can now alter it without feeling any guilt. So his approach is actually quite practical, and he bought a bargain.
Here are couple of useful articles, on this theme:
Four Collectible Guns (that aren’t so collectible)
o o o
Can You Safely Shoot Commemorative Guns?
Provisos:
SurvivalBlog and its Editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. So please see our Provisos page for our detailed disclaimers.
News Tips:
Please send your economics and investing news tips to JWR. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact form.) These are often especially relevant, because they come from folks who particularly watch individual markets. And due to their diligence and focus, we benefit from fresh “on target” investing news. We often “get the scoop” on economic and investing news that is probably ignored (or reported late) by mainstream American news outlets. Thanks!