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Is The Fed Hiding Gold Swap Arrangements With Foreign Central Banks?

Tyler Durden's picture




There is not one asset that, over the decades and especially since the collapse of the gold standard, has received more claims of manipulation than gold. Yet evidence has always been impossible to come by. Are the interests imposing a gold price ceiling just too strong? If GATA's latest dispatch is correct, then yes, and they reach to the very pinnacle of modern financial oligarchy, represented by none other than the US Federal Reserve. GATA believes that the Fed has implicitly confirmed the existence of gold swap arrangements. As we all recall, the Fed issued nearly half a trillion in foreign CB liquidity swap lines whose primary reason was to make sure that foreign banks which were all massively short the dollar did not collapse, as the dollar skyrocketed into the end of 2008, after the capital markets became paralyzed and the dollar-short trade promptly became unwound. Could gold swaps be a comparable method for the Fed to explicitly permit foreign entities to keep gold prices low?

The other question of whether or not this confirmation needs an depth investigation over potential prior contradictory disclosure is left for the proper authorities. Of course, when it pertain to the Fed, there are no proper authorities. After all, the Fed is accountable to no one.

From GATA:

Dear Friend of GATA and Gold:

The Federal Reserve System has disclosed to GATA that it has gold swap arrangements with foreign banks that it does not want the public to know about.

The disclosure contradicts denials provided by the Fed to GATA in 2001 and suggests that the Fed is indeed very much involved in the surreptitious international central bank manipulation of the gold price particularly and the currency markets generally.

The Fed's disclosure came this week in a letter to GATA's Washington-area lawyer, William J. Olson of Vienna, Virginia (http://www.lawandfreedom.com), denying GATA's administrative appeal of a freedom-of-information request to the Fed for information about gold swaps, transactions in which monetary gold is temporarily exchanged between central banks or between central banks and bullion banks. (See the International Monetary Fund's treatise on gold swaps here:http://www.imf.org/external/bopage/pdf/99-10.pdf.)

The letter, dated September 17 and written by Federal Reserve Board member Kevin M. Warsh (see http://www.federalreserve.gov/aboutthefed/bios/board/warsh.htm), formerly a member of the President's Working Group on Financial Markets, detailed the Fed's position that the gold swap records sought by GATA are exempt from disclosure under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.

Warsh wrote in part: "In connection with your appeal, I have confirmed that the information withheld under Exemption 4 consists of confidential commercial or financial information relating to the operations of the Federal Reserve Banks that was obtained within the meaning of Exemption 4. This includes information relating to swap arrangements with foreign banks on behalf of the Federal Reserve System and is not the type of information that is customarily disclosed to the public. This information was properly withheld from you."

When, in 2001, GATA discovered a reference to gold swaps in the minutes of the January 31-February 1, 1995, meeting of the Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee and pressed the Fed, through two U.S. senators, for an explanation, Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan denied that the Fed was involved in gold swaps in any way. Greenspan also produced a memorandum written by the Fed official who had been quoted about gold swaps in the FOMC minutes, FOMC General Counsel J. Virgil Mattingly, in which Mattingly denied making any such comments. (Seehttp://www.gata.org/node/1181.)

The Fed's September 17 letter to GATA confirming that the Fed has gold swap arrangements can be found here:

http://www.gata.org/files/GATAFedResponse-09-17-2009.pdf

While the letter is far from the first official admission of central bank scheming to suppress the price of gold (for documentation of some of these admissions, see http://www.gata.org/node/6242 andhttp://www.gata.org/node/7096), it comes at a sensitive time in the currency and gold markets. The U.S. dollar is showing unprecedented weakness, the gold price is showing unprecedented strength, Western European central banks appear to be withdrawing from gold sales and leasing, and the International Monetary Fund is being pressed to take the lead in the gold price suppression scheme by selling gold from its own supposed reserves in the guise of providing financial support for poor nations.
GATA will seek to bring a lawsuit in federal court to appeal the Fed's denial of our freedom-of-information request. While this will require many thousands of dollars, the Fed's admission that it aims to conceal documentation of its gold swap arrangements establishes that such a lawsuit would have a distinct target and not be just a fishing expedition.

In pursuit of such a lawsuit and its general objective of liberating the precious metals markets and making them fair and transparent, GATA again asks for your financial support and that of all gold and silver mining companies that are not at the mercy of market-manipulating governments and banks. GATA is recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit educational and civil rights organization and contributions to it are federally tax-exempt in the United States. For information on donating to GATA, please visit here:

http://www.gata.org/node/16

You can also help GATA by bringing this dispatch to the attention of financial news organizations and urging them to investigate the Fed's involvement in gold swaps particularly and the gold (and silver) price suppression schemes generally.

CHRIS POWELL, Secretary/Treasurer

Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee Inc.

And here is the Fed's September 17 response to GATA:

 




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Wed, 09/23/2009 - 18:56 | Link to Comment lsbumblebee
lsbumblebee's picture

Is that a rhetorical question?

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:01 | Link to Comment Gordon_Gekko
Gordon_Gekko's picture

That's exactly what I thought upon reading the title.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:14 | Link to Comment SWRichmond
SWRichmond's picture

FOREX interventions are attempts at forcing and maintaining adjustments to the value of a currency, accomplished in part by central bank swaps.  The ongoing need by central banks to conduct these FOREX interventions, which are no longer formally called interventions, is a direct result of the removal of gold convertibility.  FOREX interventions were largely unheard of when the dollar was backed by gold. 

FOREX interventions are merely a substitute for gold transactions. Of course gold is a currency, and of course central banks swap gold.  They also lease it and otherwise dispose of it.

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 07:19 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 08:35 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 09:11 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 13:02 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:04 | Link to Comment What_Me_Worry
What_Me_Worry's picture

I have found the Freedom of Information Act is anything but

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:25 | Link to Comment Miles Kendig
Miles Kendig's picture

Hand in hand with the Privacy Act.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:16 | Link to Comment Dogfather
Dogfather's picture

...Truth in Lending....

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:16 | Link to Comment Dogfather
Dogfather's picture

...Truth in Lending....

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:06 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:10 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:10 | Link to Comment Village Idiot
Village Idiot's picture

I just ordered 500 rounds of 2 3/4 #4 buck and a thousand rounds of .223.  I hope I pass the background check for my weapons.  Clearly a "cart before the horse sitiation".

Sat, 11/07/2009 - 17:35 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:15 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:16 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:17 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:14 | Link to Comment LoneStarHog
LoneStarHog's picture

This example is about as factual as you can get:  The Federal Reserve leases American's physical gold for 1% APR to Goldman Sucks.  Goldman sells it and depresses the price, which makes the U.S. Peso appear stronger than it is, since the Canary in the Mine has been silenced. Goldman invests the 1% cash somewhere at a much higher return.

Eventually American's gold is gone, but it is still being carried as a PAPER ENTRY.

Now the CROOKS at the Federal Reserve do a GOLD SWAP with Germany, who has PHYSICAL gold.  Germany receives American's gold, not knowing it is only PAPER.  Goldman leases the gold - in Germany that is NOW American's gold - for 1% and sells it into the market depressing...

Problem:  Both the gold in America and Germany is nothing but PAPER, with the PROMISE by Goldman to return it.  Of course, they CAN'T since that amount of gold is not available and attempts to PURCHASE anywhere near that amount in the open markets would drive the price to the moon.

Soon it will be discovered that America has NO GOLD and the CROOKS in this country sold that of others, as well.

Some countries also shipped their gold to America for storage.  It is STRONGLY rumored that this gold was also LEASED.

Gold and silver SCAMS are going to put every other FINANCIAL SCAMS into chump change category. It is estimated that EVERY ONE OUNCE OF GOLD has as many as FIFTY TO ONE HUNDRED CLAIMS AGAINST IT, in the form of Paper Promises.

Just watch this space...

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:31 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:49 | Link to Comment andrew123
andrew123's picture

Ok, but why does GS take the risk that gold will not go higher?  My understanding is that GS makes its money on risk free trades (HFT, selling overvalued MBS, etc.).  This sounds like a huge risk. Why would they do it?

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:58 | Link to Comment lookma
lookma's picture

For one, their partner, the FED, has a printing press.

But from a larger perspective, the basic premise is fighting Gibson's paradox, or the idea that low interest rates can be maintained through supression of the price of gold. Wall Street has a huge interest in the maintenance of low interest rates.

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 01:27 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:00 | Link to Comment lsbumblebee
lsbumblebee's picture

There's no risk until investors begin demanding physical delivery of their bullion. Unless that happens JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and all the rest of Satan's little helpers can play Ponzi with gold too.

The bet is that investors will be satisfied with a slip of paper insuring that they own physical bullion, and there is no need to personally safeguard the bulky metal.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:33 | Link to Comment Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

Of course they will accept slips of paper instead of the real thing. They also accept slips of paper for their deposited dollars, called a Certificate of Deposit.

People are so frightened that this all might be a scam that they won't accept anything less than a (Gold plated) government promise that it isn't a scam, backed by the Federal Government Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

What was that saying about one born every minute?

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:44 | Link to Comment lsbumblebee
lsbumblebee's picture

I don't think people are so frightened that this is all a scam. I think most people haven't a clue what to think.

I agree with you about the guarantee. In this country people may not trust the government, but they believe in it's authority.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:29 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:14 | Link to Comment ToNYC
ToNYC's picture

Gold is worth less than you think. There is no escape from dealing with your neighbors via gold, guns, and ammo. Cigarettes, nylons, coca-cola and batteries will warm their hearts and keep you safe.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:34 | Link to Comment lsbumblebee
lsbumblebee's picture

Okay. So should I attach the nylons to the batteries in the coca-cola to warm their hearts? When do I offer them cigarettes? Damn! it's a nuisance having to deal with my neighbors.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:23 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:30 | Link to Comment DrPsycho
DrPsycho's picture

 

    nYLONS ??!!!!!

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:14 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:49 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 03:23 | Link to Comment jg
jg's picture

Great explanation, L-S-H-; thanks much!

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:17 | Link to Comment lsbumblebee
lsbumblebee's picture

I previously posted a link to an article by Axel Merck on the consequences of permanent gold backwardation. If I can find it I'll post it again for you.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:49 | Link to Comment lsbumblebee
lsbumblebee's picture

Sorry. I meant Antal Fekete. Here's the article:

http://www.gata.org/node/7716

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:45 | Link to Comment Mr. Mandelbrot
Mr. Mandelbrot's picture

Must read article!  (I purchased more gold the week after I first read it)

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 05:13 | Link to Comment ToNYC
ToNYC's picture

A most precient argument indeed, but in practical terms, when gold becomes as important as you might think in real terms versus paper....as Nixon was forces to realize previous to August 15, 1971 when he closed the gold window, how do you protect your stash having been identified in its use? Can you afford an army to protect your interest or stay up all night with the also important guns and ammo? If gold is outlawed, only outlaws will have gold.

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 05:14 | Link to Comment ToNYC
ToNYC's picture

A most prescient argument indeed, but in practical terms, when gold becomes as important as you might think in real terms versus paper....as Nixon was forces to realize previous to August 15, 1971 when he closed the gold window, how do you protect your stash having been identified in its use? Can you afford an army to protect your interest or stay up all night with the also important guns and ammo? If gold is outlawed, only outlaws will have gold.

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 11:23 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 11:24 | Link to Comment gmrpeabody
gmrpeabody's picture

You remind me of someone who used to haunt the Yahoo financial message boards, usually among the mining stocks,..

 

he called himself Tommy Two Times..Two Times.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:41 | Link to Comment Michael
Michael's picture

We could use that bill to pay the national debt and our unfunded entitlement liabilities combined.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:23 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:24 | Link to Comment Miles Kendig
Miles Kendig's picture

Whenever the Fed discloses information it does so to obscure information. Too many secrets.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:25 | Link to Comment deadhead
deadhead's picture

i'm looking forward to gg's response.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:15 | Link to Comment Gordon_Gekko
Gordon_Gekko's picture

LOL! Well, I have nuthin' much to say since as far as I am concerned this is more like a statement of fact than a question. Seriously, does anyone expect the Fed to come out and openly acknowledge its criminal activities? The only way is to try, shame and punish the Fed members in public courts in city squares.

"Yet evidence has always been impossible to come by."

The same way that the "evidence" of AIG being bailed out to indirectly fill GS with looted taxpayer money to the gills has been impossible to come by?

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:46 | Link to Comment deadhead
deadhead's picture

+1

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 01:30 | Link to Comment Howard_Beale
Howard_Beale's picture

Hi DH and all that  helped on the Kindle book recommedations...long travels and no sleep. Miss the gang here--truly--and like you I have a real life but ZH is a family I truly enjoy being a part of. Watched the close today in the markets with 14 hours of flying to destination yesterday and 3 hours of sleep last night. And these silly west coast hours --just groggy all day. I started in the biz in LA at 5 am in the 80's. I hated it then and it sucks now. Today, I was watching after hours at 1:20 PDT and thought the market was still open. Hmph. 

I will be reading my Kindle book recommendations and hoping my shorts and puts get to work. Looked like a nice 2 close reversal today on the NDX.  On a serious note, I am out here for medical treatment so I will not be back on my options observations of the markets in true form unless something really changes soon healthwise. No pity please--just wish me well. Until then, best to all of you!

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 10:16 | Link to Comment MsCreant
MsCreant's picture

No pity, good luck.

Get that stuff resolved now while there is a system up and running to do so.

Fri, 09/25/2009 - 02:55 | Link to Comment Howard_Beale
Howard_Beale's picture

TY kind teacher...love your input into our freedom forum.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:32 | Link to Comment agrotera
agrotera's picture

...the evidence is there, but as usual, no one touches the scumbags...teflon scumbags.  And even before the counterparty list was released in Feb, there was such a foul odor from Paulson's claim that AIG had to be saved (not receivership aka free taxpayer money for AIG and friends) with an 85 billion immediate "loan" two days after denying Lehman of a six billion dollar loan, and knowing that AIG was the biggest writer of Lehman CDS's.

 

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 02:15 | Link to Comment Miles Kendig
Miles Kendig's picture

No doubt

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:26 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:29 | Link to Comment Pizza Delivery Man
Pizza Delivery Man's picture

I have been looking around craigslist at different areas to get a feel of what apartments/houses are going for in different parts of the country. I have no real need for this information just a kind of out of curiosity thing.

Anyways. In almost every major city I looked, I found loads of these. http://charlotte.craigslist.org/apa/1389256434.html I'm not a lawyer or real-estate expert but something about that last paragraph just doesn't jive with me.

Any thoughts?

 

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:53 | Link to Comment Mr. Mandelbrot
Mr. Mandelbrot's picture

The listing has been "flagged for removal" ?????

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:01 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:59 | Link to Comment Pizza Delivery Man
Pizza Delivery Man's picture

I found one similar not looking very long.

So, you’re looking to rent? Are you sure you want to do that?

Homes are at their cheapest prices in years, the Obama administration is offering an $8,000 tax credit, and RLSTATE.com LLC is giving 20% of the commission that they receive in representing you on your purchase right back to you (subject to your lender’s approval and Federal/State/local laws).

What can this do for you? Consider this: if you purchase a $100,000 home, you can have 8% in equity when you move in even with 100% financing!

So, how can you take advantage of this?

Call Bill Martin at RLSTATE.com. He’ll get you pre-approved for a mortgage and, then, we can go shopping for the home of your dreams.
http://charlotte.craigslist.org/apa/1389632643.html

 

The one I posted before said credit would not be checked and you could get 100% financing. I don't know if these are individuals trying to scam people or just the same irresponsibility that got us here in the first place.

Just go on craigslist like I did and look around. You'll find what I'm ttalking about.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:33 | Link to Comment lsbumblebee
lsbumblebee's picture

Pretty neat how the USD, which tanked after the FOMC, miraculously rebounded +.50 from the 76 level.

 

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:45 | Link to Comment docj
docj's picture

Indeed - neat.  Pretty much coincided with the market selling-off, swinging about 1.7% in about 90-minutes.  Also "neat".

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:57 | Link to Comment lsbumblebee
lsbumblebee's picture

Yep. God bless America and the free market capitalist system. It's what our boys are fighting for over there in Afghanstan or whatever. 

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:04 | Link to Comment Miles Kendig
Miles Kendig's picture

Too bad the leadership of our political & financial systems are unworthy of these service members commitment & sacrifices and would never answer the call to stand themselves.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:13 | Link to Comment lsbumblebee
lsbumblebee's picture

Brings to mind Rush "anal cysts" Limbaugh and Dick "five deferments" Cheney.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:20 | Link to Comment Gordon_Gekko
Gordon_Gekko's picture

Fully agree with all the statements above. BTW, manipulation can last only so long (seems like it can last only for just a few minutes/hours in case of the terminally ill USD these days) - Dollar hitting the shitter again.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:52 | Link to Comment Sqworl
Sqworl's picture

I'd take Cheney anyday over Pelosi...

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 00:03 | Link to Comment Mr. Mandelbrot
Mr. Mandelbrot's picture

Talk about choosing the lesser of two evils!!!  That's a tough one.  I'd have to hold my nose and flip a coin, praying it landed vertically.

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 02:16 | Link to Comment Miles Kendig
Miles Kendig's picture

+1

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 02:19 | Link to Comment Miles Kendig
Miles Kendig's picture

Don't forget he can run 4 miles a day on his 4D knees Pat Buchanan.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:55 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 00:31 | Link to Comment London Banker
London Banker's picture

Robin Cook died in 2005.  He suffered a massive coronary on the side of a mountain weeks after publishing a piece in the Guardian newspaper describing Al Qaeda as a creation of western intelligence.  Cook resigned as Foreign Secretary in protest at Tony Blair's complicity in the Iraq invasion.  His resignation speech in Parliament was the first to ever receive a standing ovation from all members.

Dr David Kelly revealed the WMD hoax to the BBC and was found "suicided" in the woods near his home.

It appears to be dangerous for allies of the USA to publicly question US complicity in terrorism.

In other news this week, Sibel Edmonds confirmed that the supressed testimony she provided about wiretaps involved US Pentagon and State Department officials planning with Turkish and Israeli officials the invasion and occupation of Iraq - in the summer of 2001.  That's before 9/11 gave them the excuse they needed.

 

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 01:15 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 07:08 | Link to Comment London Banker
London Banker's picture

The same.  I can't blog in my current position, but I can't resist the occasional comment on Roubini's blog and here at ZH. 

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 12:31 | Link to Comment DiverCity
DiverCity's picture

Dude, you're missed!

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 02:23 | Link to Comment Miles Kendig
Miles Kendig's picture

 

 

The Power of Nightmares....

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 01:48 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 10:43 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 13:32 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 12:17 | Link to Comment channel_zero
channel_zero's picture

It is a database of names of mujahadeen fighters used by the CIA in the 1980's Afgan war against the Soviets.

Right.  This isn't news to anyone paying attention to what used to be called 'cold war' politics.  That it never made it into American MSM is a totally different issue.  To mangle an old saying: the CIA sleeps with dogs.  Americans get fleas. 

As for the rest of what you posted,  I'm sure the CIA has lots of strange bedfellows as bad as Al-Queda. Making the leap to the CIA working Al-Queda like a finger puppet to order terrorist acts on American soil is implausible. 

Did the CIA support a system in which the on-the-ground actors would bite the hand that feeds them?  Yes.  Absolutely.  Cold war was over, CIA wasn't interested in funding wars with Russian enemies, so warriors with no prospects and their bombed-out countries are abandoned.

This is all common knowledge.  Robin Cook isn't some kind of flashpoint for this information. Responsible journalism and their tiny audience has had this information for years.

 

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:40 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:44 | Link to Comment Pimp Daddy
Pimp Daddy's picture

Ughh, what doesn't the Fed manipulate. Hope they bring down their own house. I would love love love to watch them implode themselves. Let's all file Freedom of Information Acts against them!

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:53 | Link to Comment Papa
Papa's picture

thanks for a great post...lots of questions..like one of the posts above i would really like an explanation of the mechanics of the potential market manipulation

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:02 | Link to Comment Rusty_Shackleford
Rusty_Shackleford's picture

"There is no better way to undermine confidence in government's funny money than to let real money run free."  

Robert K. Landis

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 19:59 | Link to Comment Green Sharts
Green Sharts's picture

Hasn't anybody heard, the government has a new plan to liquidate the nation's gold reserves:

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/u_s_to_trade_gold_reserves_for

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:08 | Link to Comment Uber Villian
Uber Villian's picture

At Criminal Enterprises University, we approve this message.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:16 | Link to Comment Rollerball
Rollerball's picture

ROTFLOL +10

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:01 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:03 | Link to Comment Uber Villian
Uber Villian's picture

"I have confirmed that the information withheld under Exemption 4 consists of confidential commercial or financial information relating to the operations of the Federal Reserve Banks"

Now that's my kind of criminal enterprise.

Federal Reserve = University for Criminals

Sweet, illicit profits!

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:05 | Link to Comment whopper
whopper's picture

One day I pray the US will be rid of those slimy banksters at the fed. 

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:06 | Link to Comment cocoablini
cocoablini's picture

Nothing new here-but a good post. Everyone suspects COMEX, the FED et Al. are broke on gold. Gold paper=80. Real gold =1. Even Barrick had to shut down it's shorts after Hong Kong demanded all it's gold in Physical. China lobbed a grenade at the gold market and gold raced up to 1020 in a week.

Maybe if the dollar reboots, gold will take a swan dive for 6 months. Use that opportunity to load up on coins, bullion(if possible) and maybe goldmoney.com or something. I'm not sure what is safe, but GLD is a scam.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:14 | Link to Comment Village Idiot
Village Idiot's picture

For future reference - could I get some solid referrals for the purchase of gold coins.  Never owned any and kind of curious - do coins cost more than bars due to minting costs?  I don't have a clue, but would like to understand.  Thanks.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:47 | Link to Comment Rusty_Shackleford
Rusty_Shackleford's picture

APMEX.com

 

All you need and more.

Have run about 75K through them over the past few years over 50 seperate transactions without a single hiccup.

 

When it comes to "bullion" grade coins (NOT-numismatic/collectible) there is no significant premium over bars for the "minting" of the coins. 

Gold is gold.

 

These are a fantastic value and a really nice coin.

http://www.apmex.com/Product/157/Austria___Hungary_100_Corona_Gold_Coin_...

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:45 | Link to Comment Village Idiot
Village Idiot's picture

So these would be a "fantastic value" because of the low spread against "bullion" price?  Not sure if I am phrasing that correctly?  And one more question - does condition of coin matter?  I think I read someone post that he "was turned off by the condition of the coins when he ordered random years".  Thanks in advance.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:02 | Link to Comment Bubby BankenStein
Bubby BankenStein's picture

Retail coin / 1 oz bar purchase is widely available.  Always at a small premium over the spot metal price.

My experience with Tulving has been outstanding.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:47 | Link to Comment docj
docj's picture

Depends on what you're planning to do with it.  If you're looking for small quantities (enough to give to a farmer to feed the family for a couple of weeks if "it all comes apart") then you could try to find a local retail place.  Shop around for the markup (the place I go is 10%, not bad, you might be able to get 5%) and availability (entirely your preference, but I stick with US Eagles in various weights - 0.1, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 oz.)

 

If you're looking to buy large lots for an investment then you're out of my league entirely but the advice offered by these chaps above sounds pretty good to me.

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 01:50 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 18:18 | Link to Comment MsCreant
MsCreant's picture

Glad to know you lurk here James.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:57 | Link to Comment Mr. Mandelbrot
Mr. Mandelbrot's picture

The mint will "temporarily" suspend gold sales again until the price recovers

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 07:13 | Link to Comment Hephasteus
Hephasteus's picture

Price recovers? Ah let's sing their theme song again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry4iwzS4Na0

Gold should have been knocked down to 958 2 days ago if it was obeying it's masters.

 

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:13 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:12 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 01:52 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:20 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:32 | Link to Comment Rusty_Shackleford
Rusty_Shackleford's picture

Not so much.

 

"Revaluation of the gold certificates on the books of the Fed would result in a debit or credit to the account of the US Treasury.  Unless the law were changed, it does not appear that the Fed has the authority to revalue its gold certificates; and if they were revalued, the gain, if marked to the current market price of gold, would accrue to the Treasury and not the Fed."

http://cumber.com/print.aspx?file=/content/commentary/090809.asp

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 00:52 | Link to Comment Bruce Krasting
Bruce Krasting's picture

The point of this, true or false, is they have hocked the gold. I also wonder if this could be true. But why all the secrets if this is normal trade and business for the Fed? Every time they say no to this stuff they get three more suits. The fact is the secrecy stuff is causing the fed to lose confidence by the people. Look at these comments. You see anyone but you saying this stuff is deniable? The more they withhold the less the trust.

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 02:00 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:25 | Link to Comment RobotTrader
RobotTrader's picture

Next move to get the Robots to blow up is for gold and the dollar to rise together.

 

 

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:17 | Link to Comment Thoreau
Thoreau's picture

it will happen when the market eventually collapses.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:40 | Link to Comment DrPsycho
DrPsycho's picture

it's happened at least a few days in the past year.......

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:27 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:34 | Link to Comment waterdog
waterdog's picture

The ship is beginning to sink. Oh what will the the history books say about this matter.

GATA has a pretty good grip on this matter.

How about that, there is a law under FOIA that allows the holder of the information to lie to the general public, you know, people like me.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:40 | Link to Comment whopper
whopper's picture

Yes, that would be sweet. Gold decoupling from the dollar. The boys at the FED and CRIMEX would collectively shit a brick.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:05 | Link to Comment Bubby BankenStein
Bubby BankenStein's picture

The question is how many bricks can they shit?

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:03 | Link to Comment Mr. Mandelbrot
Mr. Mandelbrot's picture

Only a fraction of what they're obligated to!!

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:43 | Link to Comment Hansel
Hansel's picture

But that's ok because they can satisfy delivery on the COMEX with GLD.

 

http://www.gata.org/node/7586

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 00:09 | Link to Comment Mr. Mandelbrot
Mr. Mandelbrot's picture

And the music keeps playing and we all keep dancing and the chairs keep disappearing and the markets keep a marching and the presses keep a printing and the Asians keep exporting and the Arabs keep drilling and the chairs keep disappearing. . .

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 18:21 | Link to Comment MsCreant
MsCreant's picture

Is that what you call "Goldbricking?"

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 20:42 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 12:42 | Link to Comment Wilderman
Wilderman's picture

Talk about freaky internet powers:

While reading this post I rec'd an email from Rep. Alan Grayson, requesting my comments on HR 1207 ahead of the hearing Friday at 9am! 

Who's running this thing?

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:04 | Link to Comment lizzy36
lizzy36's picture

Sorry for topic change. Confirming what we all knew last fall.

King Says British Banks Got Within Hours of Collapse in 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=afWmri7ru8QM

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:23 | Link to Comment lizzy36
lizzy36's picture

i like history lessons (i am being serious).

and was any firm properly positioned (o/s of jp and a couple of other hedge funds).

the funny thing is on the desk we thought we were close to a "bank holiday". 

when i told my family this they didn't thought i was more nuts than usual.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:45 | Link to Comment lizzy36
lizzy36's picture

Let me guess, he still has his job? It's hard (understatement!) when the guys you work with drink their own kool aid (and the stuff the street is dispensing)

I have read all your stuff.  You make good calls.  You are through, risk adverse and timeline is greater than t+20 mins. 

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:58 | Link to Comment lizzy36
lizzy36's picture

it was the pictures that helped me figure it out....

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 05:19 | Link to Comment Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

I have a similar story. In my case, I told everyone what was obviously coming and I was mocked and derided. When "it" happened, everyone was so embarrassed that the only thing that could be done to save face was to remove me from the picture. Can't have the evidence they were warned walking the halls.

I was pressured to leave and I eventually did. With me gone, they could fall back on the socially and corporately popular story that no one knew it was coming.

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 07:27 | Link to Comment Gunther
Gunther's picture

Lizzy,
the first reports I know of  of a bank run last fall were around christmas in Germany in the state run TV.
There and in Switzerland people emptied their accounts and within a few days the banks would have run out of paper to refill the ATM's.

At the same time all available gold bullion was bought; the coin and bar dealers I checked were out of inventory.

Officially there was no problem, than a bank rescue was pushed through the parliament in two weeks and the "non-problem" disappeared from sight.  Now German savings are guaranteed with German taxpayer's money.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:06 | Link to Comment Michael
Michael's picture

The wealthy elite of the world own almost everything. They do with it as they please and they do not care who gets hurt in the process. It's been that way for 1000 years.

2% own half of world's wealth
10% control 85% of global wealth

Yawning gap remains between assets of rich and poor, report says
The Helsinki-based institute said the study reveals the glaring gap of the wealth mass between countries.

http://www.shunpiking.com/ol0309/0309-WD-globalwealthstudy.htm

 

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:45 | Link to Comment Booger Smoot
Booger Smoot's picture

And so the poor shall remain poor. Are the poor happy?  Who needs material wealth when you are contented?  I've seen some pretty happy looking bushmen on the old TV.  They looked a whole lot better than most of the limp dicked douchebags on Wall Street.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:11 | Link to Comment capitalisa
capitalisa's picture
The Goldman Sachs Group Inc CEO Blankfein comments on the causes of the financial crisis; says the financial system needs more capital, less leverage and more transparency - Spiegel - Blankfein said he believes the era of off-balance sheet transactions by banks is over.
- Says "at our bank, every transaction is recognized on the balance sheet and the income statement because we use mark-to-market accounting and this is not the case at every bank." Guess that's all we need to know.
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:13 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:29 | Link to Comment Michael
Michael's picture

Support HR1207 and S604. Scroll down two posts here to find more info.

http://www.dailypaul.com/

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:08 | Link to Comment Mr. Mandelbrot
Mr. Mandelbrot's picture

I've called my congressmen . . . everyone should

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 02:03 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:42 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:12 | Link to Comment Mr. Mandelbrot
Mr. Mandelbrot's picture

Want some evidence, skeptic?  Scroll down and follow my link to a Reuters story about a class action lawsuit Morgan Stanley settled.  The truth can be seen if circled with enough circumstantial evidence. 

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:50 | Link to Comment Rusty_Shackleford
Rusty_Shackleford's picture

Right.

 

The FED is feverishly manipulating every financial market in existence, but it just so happens they have absolutely no involvement in the PM markets.  A rapidly rising gold price would not raise any concerns as to the value of the dollar and would not concern them in the slightest.

 

Yeah.  That sounds reasonable. 

Your ideas are intriguing and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 02:11 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 21:54 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:24 | Link to Comment Thoreau
Thoreau's picture

H.R. 1207; case closed. When 290 corrupt politicians co-sign on a bill, there is certain blood in the water.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:03 | Link to Comment Michael
Michael's picture

Michael Moore's new movie should be called "Capitalism a.k.a. Fuedalism: A Love Story"

Feudalism: control by an entrenched minority esp. for its own benefit : social, political, or economic oligarchy.

Feudalism aka American Capitalism

http://www.mindmined.com/public_library/nonfiction/david_f_feudalism_aka_capitalism.html

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:11 | Link to Comment Michael
Michael's picture

Skim through the chapters of this online book, especially the Chapter 6 link at the top of the page to see what the Trilateral commission has done.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:12 | Link to Comment Andrei Vyshinsky
Andrei Vyshinsky's picture

"Is The Fed Hiding Gold Swap Arrangements With Foreign Central Banks?"

Why that's just none of your business.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:56 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:15 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:27 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 02:18 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:17 | Link to Comment lsbumblebee
lsbumblebee's picture

zuit suits?

Zoot suits.

http://www.boldlyrics.com/lyrics/150846

 

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:39 | Link to Comment Mr. Mandelbrot
Mr. Mandelbrot's picture

Does anyone remember the class action lawsuit Morgan Stanley settled in 2007 where they were selling their clients "physical" silver bars stored safely in Morgan Stanley's vaults and available for delivery, but no silver was actually being bought (until delivery was requested)?  The lawsuit was spawned when Morgan Stanley repeatedly ignored an investor's request to know the serial numbers on the silver bars they were storing for him.  Although Morgan Stanley settled out of court for $4.4 million, they admitted no wrong doing citing their actions as merely the STANDARD INDUSTRY PRACTICE.  This is yet another instance of Wall Street firms engaging in tactics to keep physical demand for precious metals from being realized in the market, thus resulting in an artificially lower price than would exist if the demand were realized.  Read the reuters report here:

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/bankingfinancial-SP/idUSN1228014520070612

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 23:01 | Link to Comment lsbumblebee
lsbumblebee's picture

"Standard Industry Practice". Thank you.

Apparently the COMEX is so intrinsically corrupt that it's normal.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 22:45 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 01:00 | Link to Comment London Banker
London Banker's picture

I too have been in the gold vault of the New York Fed - as a young central banker many years ago.  Your physical description of the vault is largely correct.  It is very, very secure.

The New York Fed only holds the gold of foreign central banks and the IMF.  The gold you saw was all foreign owned, most of it lodged in the New York Fed before and during WWII.  It has been kept there because it makes international settlements in gold between nations more convenient than shipping it around the world, with the security risks involved in transport.  As I recall, the largest deposit there belonged to the Soviet Union at the time I visited.  Apparently the Fed was trusted as custodian even during the Cold War.

The New York Fed is not custodian for US gold reserves, which are held in Fort Knox. When gold was demanded under Bretton Woods, it was delivered by physical transfer from Fort Knox to the appropriate wire cage in the vault for the foreign central banks at the New York Fed.

The boots worn in moving the gold are made of titanium, which is the only metal strong enough to resist the crushing weight of a dropped ingot but light enough for freedom of movement. 

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 02:29 | Link to Comment Anonymous
Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!