I take comfort in the fact that you cant think of a way to smuggle gold on to plane. If you could smuggle large amounts of gold undetected that means you could just as easily smuggle a gun or bomb onboard and thats in no one's best interest  That's an interesting point. Maybe the time has come for this thread's comments to end. Maybe there is no good way to get the gold onto the plane. I do see your point markj113. I suppose the best solution we could hope for is gold merchants "over there" who would take Bitcoin... |
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... Now you have to remove all metal objects before you go through these scanners, and they scan your items... so there are virtually no way to get past them.  I'm not so sure.  What scanner could discern a solid Iron pen form a solid gold pen? They would both be visible as a silhouette, but the scanner operator could not tell what the object is made of. Just don't melt it into the shape of a pistol. lol I presume different metals would have a different signature under X-ray? As gold is super dense it would probably show blacker than other metals. Have you ever played with metal detectors? They have a feature called "discrimination". You can actually make it more or less sensitive to certain metals. Yep, that's my understanding as well. The gold would "glow" more (or be blacker) than anything else the TSA guys see that day. Pretty hard puzzle, eh? Like I wrote at the O/P, I have thought and thought without arriving at a good procedure. How do you get the gold onto the plane?Let's say 20 oz, a real amount. After all, I have brought about 1.25 oz in small coins w/ no problem, no detection in an old-fashioned coin-purse thing (like you see for sale at tourist traps). |
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FANBOY here  Todays MA Blog We warned that 2015.75 was the turning point to the start of BIG BANG. As we now have entered the down wave on the Economic Confidence Model, things will begin to heat up.
I have warned that our current crisis in 2016 has been created by the total mismanagement of government by politicians. This year will mark the beginning of the problem of governments NEVER paying off debt. Instead, they roll it and add to it year after year. Well, 2016 will mark an outrageous roll as the equivalent of nearly half of the USA’s national debt has to be refunded. Major economies need to raise about $7.1 trillion U.S. dollars to refinance debt. Germany alone has around €203 billion euros of new debt that it has to sell, which is a considerable challenge in view of the fragile global economy. Welcome to BIG BANG. If everyone owes money to everyone...who exactly is the primary lender? Other than indirectly, our family has very little debt. "Indirectly" means "our share" of the US National Debt ($20 tn), but everybody owes as much as we do. We (my family) are net creditors, but may not get paid (our bank account could be bailed-in)... * * * Risk Mgmt, that is one thing you can do on behalf of your children (if you have already not done so): Pay off debt! If you already have, you are in very good shape. |
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Well, BTC is up some $11 (to $442 or so), probably due to China problems, the Shanghai stock index went down another 7% (after a 7% drop a couple of days or so ago).
China CLOSED their stock market (tonight, Weds. in the USA).
If some Chinese start getting worried about their corrupt stock exchange and move to BTC, ah....
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CHINA halted trading a little while ago (tonight, Weds, night USA). Their Shanghai stock index down a little over 7% (after losing 7% a couple or so days ago). Yikes!
Dow futures down some 160 last I looked.
Big problems coming? Zero Hedge is all lit up...
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One of the reasons I started this thread was to invite lots of ideas. Armstrong HAS ideas that you do not see in very many places.
I like guys like Rickards* & Dent as well. They too have ideas.
And for me, that's what I want. After lots of reading, I will make up my own mind on whose ideas I like the best.
We all have to choose our own way.
* * *
* Rickards did make a serious error on Page 274 in his book The Death of Money.
A 747 cannot hold 150 tonnes (two 747s carrying 150 tonnes each to Japan) of gold, especially on its UPPER DECK. 3 - 5 tonnes maybe. Whoops.
A 747-400ERF freighter has max. payload of approx. 112 metric tons. The max. take-off weight is approx 412 metric tons. Some fuel can be substituted for additional payload depending on range required, etc. OK, I'll accept that. I stand corrected then. But, Rickards wrote on the 747's upper deck... Japan wanted 300 tonnes of gold to mint some special commemorative coin for Emperor Hirohito (in the 1980s). Rickards went on to write (after quoting Eisuke Sakakibara, "Mr. Yen") that the gold went on two shipments on the upper deck of a cargo 747. James Rickards, The Death of Money, 2014. Page 272. 150 tonnes of gold would be a dangerous cargo. It would have to be packed and loaded carefully. The upper deck (what approx. 15 rows in a passenger version) would hold 5 tonnes or so max. Any more and the weight of the gold would make the plane top-heavy, dangerous! |
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TPTB_need_war is predicting double digit bitcoin in Spring 2016, right?
Yes, something like that. Armstrong is also very bearish on gold in the short-term, that it might go to $600 or $800. Later probably take off majestically, but it's hard to pin him down. Hell I don't know! HODL (buy) some gold, HODL some BTC, and HODL some CA$H. Armstrong thinks the US$ will go up for sometime, so far he is right. * * * FOFOA ( fofoa.blogspot.com) says "paper gold" (= gold price) will go to VERY LOW ($400? even lower), but actual physical supply will DISAPPEAR at those low price levels (and soon after, the physical gold would go to "$55,000"). The GLD (etc.) would settle customer accounts in CASH at the low price upon dissolution, only those holding their physical gold would benefit... |
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DGP, an ETF that doubles the price of gold - should anyone have any interest. Silver looks nice under $14. OIL hope it stays flat Anything interesting ETF recommendations -- would be greatly appreciated. Thanks MA Fanboy If you are interested in gold as a long-term & secure investment, I do NOT recommend the gold ETFs or gold miners. I recommend physical gold itself. Hide it well. "If you can't stand in front of it, and defend it with a gun, then you don't OWN it." -- adapted from Ann Barnhardt . I'm trying to figure out best investment long-term for my kids education. From Condo to Canadian RRSP or whatnot Considering what's ahead time wise .... So confused.... You can always edge into gold, buying a little bit at a time. It's relatively easy (at a good coin shop) to buy from 0.1 oz (say $135 now) up to 1 oz ($1180 or so, note gold "spot" is at about $1090, you almost always have to pay a premium). And you do not have to go "All Inn" (buy gold only). A condo, or other real estate perfectly fine too. Farmland. There are lots of "Hard Assets", but you have to examine your own circumstances to decide. "Diversification is my middle name!" |
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Let's say 20 ounces. Just theoretically. That makes up a plastic tube of Gold Eagles (a Mint tube), and would weigh less than 2 lbs, but still is about 3" * 1.5" * 1.5" tube measurement.
The stewardess idea seems the best so far, but then you would have to trust her...
Turning them into exercise weights (painted black) would seem to be a pain in the butt, and you would then have to assay your Au upon arrival "over there". Still, that might work...
But, the weirdo/whacko I mentioned said there was a great way to get gold onto the plane, and I don't think he meant a private jet (a great idea if you are VERY RICH).
* * *
Yes, you can take ANY amount of gold (or even currency) out of the USA freely as odolvlobo mentioned. But, you do have to report it if total value of what you are taking is over $10,000.
That would attract the attention of TSA (probably Customs and other cops, who might confiscate it even though legal: "Asset Forfeiture") as well as fellow passengers, who might rat you out upon arrival. Can't be too careful.
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Here´s another very interesting chart. The mismatch between the risk-on stocks and risk-off fixed interest sector. Something´s going to give for sure. Note that the Dollar started its big run back there in the summer of 2014.  has displayed the most interesting dangerous looking chart of the day. Those big interest rate spreads breaking an apparent correlation with the S&P. My guess is that the End Result of all of this is not go to be pretty. * * * Related: I saw "The Big Short" (movie) yesterday about the Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) and related subprime sleaze of 2006 - 2008. Highly recommended. But you will NOT leave with a smile...Banksters... |
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Personally I'd be ready to pay a premium for a fresh coin, but of course if the price is no more than +10% of the regular price. This has nothing to do with illegal activities (I don't care at all about that). That's more to tell you that you own an unique coin, that will surely have a really high value in a decade or so, when there will have a lot less coins put on the market each day.
Yes, Erkallys is on to something here. A scarcity value, especially after several years (after a couple of halvings, for example). Even now, some American Gold Eagle (1 oz) coins are a little more scarce than others, there are buyers who pay more for some dates even though the gold bullion value is no different. |
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... hdbuck A kilo of real gold is about 1/20th the size of that one. (My daughter gave me one of those China replicas for Christmas a bit over a year ago). Besides, were it real (and used as a doorstop), it would be stolen by your first visitor... |
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... Ruh, roh... "Venezuelan President Seizes Control of the Central Bank" http://www.gata.org/node/16064Venezuela is heading for even more of a disaster. Maduro is either the last of the true-believers in Communism, or monumentally corrupt or BOTH. |
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For the purpose of smuggling gold into India I presume?
Shh, but the big risk with that is upon arrival in INDIA... I am more interested in getting it ONTO the plane without detection. Bringing it into another country is a separate problem. |
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DGP, an ETF that doubles the price of gold - should anyone have any interest. Silver looks nice under $14. OIL hope it stays flat Anything interesting ETF recommendations -- would be greatly appreciated. Thanks MA Fanboy If you are interested in gold as a long-term & secure investment, I do NOT recommend the gold ETFs or gold miners. I recommend physical gold itself. Hide it well. "If you can't stand in front of it, and defend it with a gun, then you don't OWN it." -- adapted from Ann Barnhardt |
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... A year or two ago I was in contact (via email) a fellow fan of gold. This guy has gone on to become a whacko/weirdo, and has alienated some people in the "Physical Gold Advocates" ("PGA") community. He told me that he knew a way to get gold past the TSA (etc.) and on to an airplane flight (ah, think taking gold to another country). I asked him how much how he wanted if he would tell me, but gave me a runaround and then said $1000! I have thought and thought and thought, but I have yet to come up with such a technique. Remember, gold will show up on the TSA X-ray machines.So, I put this question out to any and all of you: How do I get gold onto the plane?* * * FYI, the most prominent "PGA" is FOFOA: fofoa.blogspot.com <=== Highly recommended! LONG posts, but most excellent, and he has a unique take on gold. FOFOA is very respected, and is NOT the weirdo whom I was emailing some time ago. |
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... My first use of Bitcoin was receiving some from someone I do not know from Zero Hedge well over a year ago (when they were following the price spike up). It was a tiny donation, but enough to get me started. My first time spending BTC was when I bought a tiny amount of gold with it. Other than that, NO ONE whom I personally know has ever used it. Do I need new friends? |
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If more merchants adopt Bitcoin, then it will probably win! I hope so. I have heard of too many problems w/ PayPal. Less private too.
I have bought gold from providentmetals.com and veldtgold.com (latter has a thread in here somewhere) with success with BTC. For the moment that is all I need.
But, for BTC to become MOAR successful, merchants need to step up and accept it.
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Here is my take on printing money.
For the short-term, I don't think that they will just yet. The FED just raised rates, so a new QE or rate-cut is not in the cards just yet.
But, 2016 has started very poorly in the stock market (-300 on the Dow as I write). If we CRASH, and if we get deflation (possible), then at some point they WILL print ("Ctrl P"). Hyperinflation has often followed deflation in financial history.
Beware. Keep some CA$H now, and if they start printing a lot more, go out and spend it on durable items or gold. And/or some BTC.
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2016 is not off to a good start. As I write (some 3:13 PM US ET), the Dow is down some 300 points (approx. 2%) just today.
As pointed out elsewhere, the Baltic Dry Index has lately cratered too to (perhaps) a record low. See for yourself at stockcharts.com, enter ticker symbol "$BDI".
About the only things UP today are gold and the US$.
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