How Faith in God Has Created One of the Most Incredible Investment Opportunities for You Today
The “NO MOTTO” $20 St. Gaudens Wells Fargo® * Nevada Gold Piece
Not too long ago, I received a phone call that got my immediate
attention!
The excited caller began to tell me about a discovery he
had just made. It seems that he had just acquired some gold
coins which were bought at private treaty.
Ordinarily, that wouldn’t excite me very much, since
this kind of thing happens all the time. But this time,
I sensed something very special.
What got my heart and mind racing was the unusual story
behind the coins.
This cache of gold coins had been stored away for more
than a half-century and were in stunning condition.
It seems these coins are of such rarity, beauty, condition
and profit potential, that in virtually no time at all,
they’ll be in the hands of serious collectors and
investors. He told me he expected these coins to be “snapped
up” in an instant.
The "Missing" Motto That Really
Caught My Attention
But what really caught my attention was that these coins
are missing the famous phrase printed on virtually all U.S.
coins, “In God We Trust.”
As you may know, any “omission” on a coin can
make it very, very valuable, as it has in this case.
You might assume that the omission of “In God We
Trust” was due to a lack of belief in God. Nothing
could be further from the truth.
“The Most Beautiful Gold Coin Ever
Minted”
This incredible story begins in 1906, when President Theodore
Roosevelt commissioned his friend and renowned artist, Augustus
St. Gaudens, to create a new $20 gold piece.
Roosevelt felt America deserved beautiful coinage akin
to other great civilizations of the past, such as Greece
and Rome. The choice of St. Gaudens for this purpose was
evidently the right one, because the resulting $20 gold
piece is still recognized as one of the world’s most
stunning examples of numismatic art.
What most people didn’t realize then, and still don’t
realize today, is that Teddy Roosevelt was a deeply religious
man. And it was because of those deep religious convictions
that he asked the artist to eliminate the “In God
We Trust” motto from the coin’s design, breaking
a tradition that was in place since the Civil War.
The reasons were simple. At the time, gold and silver
coins were used primarily in the West. Unlike people in
the East, they didn’t trust paper currency. There
was something else about the West: In 1906, it was still
wild and woolly. It was populated by men who indulged heavily
in wine, women and wagering, and paid for their vices with
gold and silver currency. President Roosevelt didn’t
want the Lord’s name profaned in this way.
He believed that placing “In God We Trust”
on buildings that housed our most valued institutions such
as courthouses, legislative halls and military academies
was more in keeping with the reverence it deserved. But
on postage stamps and coins, the sentiment was trivialized
and cheapened.
The Rare "No Motto" $20 St. Gaudens
So, beginning in late 1907, the beautiful new St. Gaudens
“No Motto” $20 gold piece was minted without
the motto.
That’s not the end of the story, however. President
Roosevelt, as all presidents, had political enemies. And
politics being what they are, his enemies made great use
of this issue.
They accused Roosevelt of being irreligious, and in 1908,
succeeded in passing a bill that returned the motto to all
our coins. For the next 24 years, the St. Gaudens $20 gold
piece was produced with “In God We Trust” prominently
displayed on the reverse side.
The result? Less than two years in which the motto was
absent. In fact, the motto was omitted on only 8% of the
total that were struck.
Something else happened over the years: Most of the St.
Gaudens coins were circulated, worn out, melted down and
made into new gold currency. Which means that only a tiny
fraction of the St. Gaudens design remains. In all, a certified
population of only 91,625 uncirculated “No Motto”
St. Gaudens gold pieces still exist in the world.
Untouched For Decades, These Coins
are in Amazing Condition
Now what made that phone call especially exciting, is that
not only were we able to acquire a large number of these
rare coins, but that they’re uncirculated.
The story of why they’re in such mint condition is
also very interesting.
A collector with the necessary foresight and means acquired
them back in 1917, and promptly hid them away for safekeeping.
There they remained for the next several decades.
Hidden away from the public, these stunning coins survived
several significant events that meant the end of many other
St. Gaudens coins—including the great gold confiscation
of 1933.
This is when Teddy Roosevelt’s cousin, Franklin Delano
Roosevelt, made it illegal for citizens to own gold in his
attempt to end The Great Depression.
But this horde of rare coins was left virtually undisturbed
until the early ’70s, when they were sorted, inventoried
and put away again.
A Piece of History From the Most
Famous Name in the Old West
Then, in 1996, they were taken out and sold. The sale took
place at a Wells Fargo bank in Nevada. Thus, they’re
given the name Wells Fargo Nevada Gold —a pedigree
carried only by this group of coins.
That’s why I was so thrilled to get that phone call.
These unique gold pieces are more than just rare—they’re
a piece of history.
No name conjures up more of the Old West and gold than
Wells Fargo…a name that implies trust, confidence
and value.
I’ve seen thousands of coins cross my desk during
the many years I’ve been in this business.
But when I recently saw the “No Motto” $20
St. Gaudens, I knew this was a special coin indeed.
By a stroke of good fortune, we have obtained a limited
number of these exquisite coins. Based on initial response,
I don’t expect our supply to last for long. And once
the last one is sold, there just won’t be any more!
There’s no question in my mind that this is one of
the most extraordinary rare coin discoveries I’ve
seen in the last 25 years!
The Ideal Crisis Hedge
One of my greatest fears is that America will be hit by
a major crisis, and investors won’t be ready for it.
Too many Americans invest in stocks as if inflation, deflation
or an international financial or political crisis won’t
impact them. They’re wrong.
Too many Americans believe the Federal Reserve System will
protect them from the effects of a crisis. Wrong again.
Key indicators suggest that the potential for a crisis
is increasing.
As I’ve said many times on my radio program, both
inflation and deflation can be devastating to those who
are not prepared for it. And usually the former follows
the latter. This is one reason rare coins are the ideal
crisis hedge.
Rare coins should not be ignored today, because they offer
you investment benefits unlike any other.
For example, I know you’ve often heard that precious
metals are a hedge against inflation.
There’s a good reason for this. Precious metals are
what we call “counter-cyclical assets.”
In other words, when the value of money is going down,
stock and bond prices drop; and when confidence in the banking
or currency markets is declining or when there’s a
threat of war, the value of precious metals often goes up.
Let me ask you: Do you think any of these conditions could
exist in the near future? We’ve seen them in the recent
past. History teaches us that we’ll see them again.
History also teaches us that, unlike paper assets, precious
metals are a universally accepted store of value. They have
intrinsic worth that maintains buying power. If you have
a $20 gold coin and $20 dollar bill, eventually the paper
money will decline in value.
This understanding helped some of the richest coin investors
in America buy—and hold—rare coins through various
economic cycles.
Will Clinton's "antics" of today
bring us a 1929-type disaster tomorrow?
by Joe Battaglia
Ominous Signs Parallel Today’s Markets With 1929.
Recently, someone called my radio program and asked me
if we could see a repeat of 1929. I said we could, but after
doing a little research, I was shocked at how closely 1929
and today are aligned.
Let’s look at a profile of 1929 and let you decide
for yourself.
1. Euphoria in the stock market.
Stocks were selling at prices that weren’t justified
by the fundamentals. At the market peak in October 1929,
stocks were trading at 35 times dividends. The classic rule
of thumb says that a market is in trouble when stocks are
trading at 32 times dividends.
Moreover, there weren’t the “pullbacks”
or corrections in stock prices that are so necessary for
a healthy bull market. Much of the bubble in stock prices
was funded by margin investments. When stocks dropped, investors
couldn’t cover their margins.
2. Corruption and malfeasance in high office.
It seemed like one scandal after another was in the news.
There was a certain arrogance that said anything was OK
as long as you got away with it.
3. Moral decay.
There was a fundamental unwillingness to accept responsibility
for personal behavior. Pleasure-seeking was the order of
the day. A “me-first” attitude prevailed.
4. Unsound economic policy.
The Federal Reserve, for example, was reluctant to intervene
in the stock market’s euphoria.
5. Nature, itself, seemed to be against continued prosperity.
The drought that created the Dust Bowl actually began in
1928.
And what’s happening today?
1. Euphoria in the stock market.
Stocks are selling at prices that aren’t justified
by the fundamentals. At this writing, stocks are now trading
at about 60 times dividends.
Remember the rule of thumb: A market is in trouble when
stocks are trading at 32 times dividends.
In the last year, we’ve been seeing a straight run-up
in stock prices without the corrections of a healthy bull
market.
While there are laws governing investing stock margins,
many investors are so euphoric about the market that they’re
financing their investments by refinancing their mortgages,
taking out seconds—even using credit cards to pay
for stock purchases.
2. Corruption and malfeasance in high office.
It seems like one scandal after another is in the news.
There’s a certain arrogance that says anything is
OK as long as you get away with it. The public just doesn’t
seem to care about bad behavior by their public officials.
3. Moral decay.
There’s a fundamental unwillingness to accept responsibility
for personal behavior. Pleasure-seeking is the order of
the day. A “me-first” attitude prevails. Our
young people seem to have no moral compass. Witness school
shootings, young parents murdering (then disposing of) their
newborn babies, and “the abuse excuse” in our
courts.
4. Unsound economic policy.
What hath Clinton and his appointees wrought? The Federal
Reserve, for example, is reluctant to intervene in the stock
market’s euphoria.
5. Will nature be on our side? Or against us?
Only time will tell what the effect of El Niño and
global warming will be.
Of Course There Are Differences
** In 1929, the U.S. was a net creditor nation. Today,
we’re a net debtor nation.
** In 1929, the U.S. had a balance of trade surplus. Today,
we have a balance of trade deficit.
** In 1929, only 5% of American households speculated in
the stock market. Today, 43% do.
Show Me Someone Who Claim’s He Knows What Tomorrow
Brings, And I’ll Show You a Fool!
Nobody can predict exactly what will happen tomorrow.
But we can learn from history. And based on the comparisons
above, history shows that today’s market has striking
similarities with 1929.
In what basket are you putting your eggs? If you own stocks,
you should take a hard look at what you have.
If you want true diversification and protection from a
1929-type Crash, consider precious metals, and specifically,
rare coins. They have held their value in times of trouble.
Wells Fargo Taming the Wild West
To many of us, the name Wells Fargo conjures images of
stagecoaches, armed by men with shotguns, carrying valuables
and passengers over rough terrain.
To others, it means a trustworthy banking service.
Actually, it was both. In 1850, Henry Wells and William
Fargo originally founded an express delivery service by
the name of American Express. These two partners wanted
to exploit the booming business that was flourishing in
the gold fields of California, but the American Express
board of directors wouldn’t have it. They didn’t
think the bonanza would last.
The California Gold Boom
So, Mr. Wells and Mr. Fargo founded Wells Fargo &
Company in 1852.
When Wells Fargo opened their doors for business, they
soon learned that the prospectors needed more than just
a delivery service. They needed a reliable postal service,
a safe place to put their gold and a place where they could
redeem their gold for money.
So, Wells Fargo & Co. set up a system to accommodate
those needs. For instance, the U.S. Postal Service would
only deliver to certain towns in California—seldom
to the boomtowns. Even when they did, service was unreliable
at best. But if a prospector’s wife sent a letter
West via Wells Fargo, it was sure to reach its destination.
Getting gold and silver out of the ground was only the
beginning of the difficulties faced by prospectors in the
gold country. Roads were rough and undeveloped, there were
long stretches of wilderness between towns, and law enforcement
was virtually non-existent.
Riding “Shotgun” How were they to get their
hard-won earnings safely back home? Wells Fargo provided
secure transportation. Outlaws soon realized there were
two kinds of coaches that were too dangerous to rob: One
had “U.S. Federal Government” written on the
side, and the other read “Wells Fargo & Co.”
When the time was right, prospectors had gained so much
confidence in the company, that they used Wells Fargo coaches
to ship their most precious cargo out West: their families!
The banking business grew out of the service of buying
and safeguarding the prospectors’ gold.
Absolutely trustworthy Wells Fargo agents purchased gold
nuggets and dust (offering a fair price based on accurate
scales), accepted gold deposits (to prevent their clients
from being robbed by other prospectors), and issued paper
gold certificates in return (to make transporting assets
over long and dangerous distances more convenient.)
In 1859 Wells Fargo & Co. serviced the Comstock Lode
in Nevada, the source of much of the gold and silver found
in the coins of the era.
By 1918, Wells Fargo had 57 banking offices in the state,
and had merged with the Nevada Bank.
The Golden 9
9 Reasons Why Rare Coins Are a Wise Investment in Today’s
Overvalued Market
If you’ve been watching the news, I’m sure
you’ll agree: It’s a scenario with a lot of
“red flags”:
** Unbridled speculation in the stock and bond markets
** A record run-up in stock prices
** A failure of the public to build savings
** An intractable Federal deficit
** And an overall moral decay.
That’s why I’ve been advocating a course of
action that I believe will help you preserve your hard-earned
wealth for yourself and for your family.
The 5–10% Safeguard
Of course, you know I think a significant portion of anyone’s
portfolio should be in Treasury Bills. That way, you’re
certain to get back what you put in, plus a little extra
to help ease the bite of inflation.
But I also recommend you put a minimum of 5% to 10% of
your portfolio into precious metals. But not just any precious
metals. I think that as long as you’re investing in
gold or silver, you should make sure that they’re
High-Powered — that is, precious metals that have
even more value and upside earning potential than ordinary
bullion. Specifically, rare coins.
Here now are 9 reasons why rare coins are one of the best
investments you can make at this time:
[ 1. ] You’ll protect your assets.
Rare coins have the distinct advantage of having intrinsic
value. In other words, the metal the coins are made of has
worth in and of itself. The simple truth is, precious metals
never go out of style. They’re always in demand. And
when your precious metal is in the form of an historic rare
coin, it’s even more valuable.
[ 2. ] You’ll enjoy tremendous upside potential.
Right now, precious metals are far below their historic
highs. And if history tells us anything, whatever comes
down, usually goes back up. I can only say that the potential
is definitely there. And when precious metals are in the
form of rare coins, the price tends to go up farther and
faster than just plain bullion.
[ 3. ] You’ll supercharge your investment in metals.
It’s only common sense when you think about it. Any
time the world needs more gold or silver, we can just dig
it out of the ground. But gold or silver in the form of
a rare coin is completely different. We can’t go back
in history and create more historic coins. Whatever is available
is all there is. So, your precious metal is even more precious
in the form of an historic coin.
[ 4. ] You’ll fight inflation.
Back when I was young, a $20 gold piece would buy a high-quality
men’s suit. I can now buy several high-quality suits
with the same $20 gold piece. Why is that? Because paper
money isn’t worth as much these days. But precious
metals are. They retain their value in spite of inflation.
[ 5. ] You’ll enjoy liquidity.
These assets have the rare advantage of being easily bought
and sold because standardized grading allows you to buy
coins sight unseen. And, computerized national trading networks
give you ready access to a market for your coins.
[ 6. ] You’ll protect your privacy.
I remember the time when we took our privacy for granted.
Those days are gone. But this is one investment no one but
you and your family needs to know about.
[ 7. ] You’ll protect your wealth from confiscation.
Back in 1933, the government confiscated all gold bullion
and bullion coins. Federal law gives them that power in
times of national emergency. But collectibles, such as rare
coins with recognized collector value, are exempt. So, the
next time the folks in Washington DC. start looking to regulate
or confiscate gold, your coins will not be touched!
[ 8. ] No tax consequences until liquidation.
If your coins increase in value, you won’t be taxed
on your profit until you sell them. And if you simply trade
your coins for other coins of equal or greater value, there
still are no taxes (if it’s a qualified like-kind
trade). I suggest you talk to your tax advisor about this
one.
[ 9. ] You’ll literally own a piece of history.
Many times, rare coins are beautiful works of art created
by celebrated artists. But in every case, they’re
an important part of their era. Holding one is like having
a golden or silver moment of time in your hand, passed down
from a bygone age. Because of this, they make excellent
heirlooms or mementos for you to pass on to future generations
such as your children or your grandchildren.
I suggest you look into rare coins yourself. Do your own
research. I think you’ll see the wisdom of buying
your precious metals in this form.
10 Questions to Ask Before You Buy
Rare Coins
Many folks who listen to our radio show are genuinely
excited about investing in rare coins.
But naturally, they have questions about actually buying
rare coins.
So, here are some questions you should ask before you buy:
1) How long has your company been selling and buying rare
coins?
2) What are the potential rewards—and risks—of
my investment?
3) What is the coin’s value relative to bullion prices?
4) What is the coin’s price? What is the coin’s
historic price-performance pattern?
5) What will this coin add to my portfolio?
6) How are these coins certified? Authenticated?
7) Do you have a buy-back policy?
8) What kind of guarantee do you offer?
9) Is your company audited by a Big 5 accounting firm to
verify the company’s financial strength and profitability?
10) Does your company have a verifiable net worth of a
million dollars or more?
