Roberts & Roberts Brokerage, Inc.

The Creature from Jekyll Island

admin — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:28:33 +0000

For years we have offered free audio recordings of G. Edward Griffin’s lecture on his book The Creature from Jekyll Island in our office. It is an excellent insight into the history of the creation of the Federal Reserve System, and chronicles the shady dealings of the prominent bankers of the day and how they deceived the public into supporting legislation that ultimately put more power into their hands. Griffin’s book is a must read, but the video is a great introduction and summary of the dangers of the Federal Reserve.

Government Bonds and Bondage

admin — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:21:19 +0000

This eye-opening article from Gary North explains the danger of trusting the government to pay back bonds. By hoodwinking the people into buying these bonds, governments are able to steal from them by paying the money back at a reduced value after inflation has hit.

Government Bonds and Bondage

Regulators: JPMorgan illegally let Lehman Bros. count customers’ funds as its own

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:11:52 +0000

In yet another instance of corrupt bankers stealing client money and gambling it away, this article from the Washington Post explains how JP Morgan Chase & Co. counted client money from Lehman Brothers as if it belonged to the firm. While JP Morgan settled out of court, there was no apology or acknowledgement of wrongdoing.

Regulators: JPMorgan illegally let Lehman Bros. count customers’ funds as its own

Turkey Once Again Proves That Gold Is First And Foremost Money

admin — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:10:13 +0000

Another country has joined the trend of protecting their currency supply with gold by announcing that lenders will now be able to keep a higher percentage of gold in their reserves. Turkey also recently released more of its personal holdings of gold in an effort to reduce a finance gap. Perhaps Fed chair Bernanke could learn something from Turkey, and realize that gold is still considered money by most countries. Learn more here:

Turkey Once Again Proves That Gold Is First And Foremost Money

Top 5 Banks Hold 95.7%, Or $221 Trillion, Of Outstanding Derivatives

admin — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:02:15 +0000

In this article from Zero Hedge, the case is made that those “Too Big to Fail” banks are getting even bigger. JP Morgan, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and HSBC hold 95.7% of all derivatives which is down from 95.9%. However, these bailed out institutions still have such a large percentage of derivatives that it is enough to cause another major financial crisis. Read more here:

Too Big to Fail Get Too Big to Fail(er): Top Five Banks Hold 95.7%, Or $221 Trillion, of Outstanding Derivatives

Palladium Could Be Set to Soar as Cars Drive Demand and Supply Is Sketchy

admin — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:50:31 +0000

Palladium is an often overlooked metal that we also have available for purchase here at Roberts and Roberts along with the more familiar gold, silver, and platinum. The metal is used for industrial purposes primarily, and analysts are predicting a possible rise for palladium as the demand is growing and the supply is limited. The Wall Street Journal has an article that explains why many analysts are bullish on the overshadowed precious metal:

Palladium Could Be Set to Soar as Cars Drive Demand and Supply Is Sketchy

Watch Bernanke’s ‘Little’ Inflation Capsize U.S.

admin — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:32:40 +0000

Whether by intention or ignorance, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has been sending out the message that a little inflation is good, a point with which author and senior fellow in economic history at the CFR Amity Schlaes takes issue. In her article, she reviews history to show that inflation is something that can come along very rapidly and warns against the Fed’s practices. To view her analysis follow the link:

Watch Bernanke’s ‘Little’ Inflation Capsize U.S.

Wallet Voting, Silver Dime Cards, and the Emergence of the Moneylith

admin — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:09:09 +0000

Recently, Roberts and Roberts Brokerage has been collaborating with the good people over at Freedom’s Phoenix to encourage the practice of wallet voting. Wallet voting is the idea of using silver to barter or exchange for goods and services instead of fiat paper notes in order to strengthen our local communities and wean us off dependence on a federal money system that is obviously failing. Their idea of making silver dime cards to exchange and promote wallet voting is spreading fast in the liberty community, and hopefully the enthusiasm we’ve seen when we talk about it with others is a positive forecast for the future of exchange. To learn more about the groundbreaking idea of wallet voting visit their site here:

http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Subjects/00383-LAST-wallet-voting.htm

Silver dime cards are laminated business cards with a dime made in 1964 or prior inside with a chart showing the amount the coin is worth based in the spot price of silver. To view the spot price of silver at the time of your transaction, you can download our free iPhone application. The goal is to get enough businesses on board to encourage the trading and collection of these cards as they promote the idea of wallet voting and are also excellent advertising for the businesses involved. Freedom’s Phoenix has already made several different styles of dime cards, and we are working on making some here that will be available for purchase soon. We will continue to keep our clients updated on this exciting development!

Another way to get access to these dime cards and also view who supports the idea is to purchase them from the “Moneylith.” The Moneylith is a vending machine that has been re-worked to dispense dime cards, and it going to be featured at liberty events (like the Freedom Law School Conference and Porcupine Fest) throughout the country. You can see our advertisement as well as other organizations who advocate the idea of returning to real money as currency. Check it out here:

http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Article/107515-2012-03-15-moneylith.htm

A Golden Mistake Worth Repeating

admin — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:00:53 +0000

There are some worries we have been hearing from many of our clients and friends lately about the safety of gold and silver as investments. Due to some volatility of these metals in the past couple months, many investors are concerned about the stability of investing in gold and silver. The following article explains why we are sticking to our guns about investing in gold and silver, and why now is still the time to buy because a drop in price means they’re on sale and they are already showing signs of recovering. Don’t wait until gold is over $2,000 an ounce when you can get it for a little over $1,700 right now, and remember that it is a long term investment to be used as a hedge against a paper currency that will eventually collapse regardless of how long our government and Federal Reserve try to prop it up.

A Golden Mistake Worth Repeating

Buying US 90% Silver Coinage

admin — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:00:11 +0000

US Coinage containing 90% silver minted before 1965 is commonly known as “junk” silver. Any dimes, quarters, or half dollars made 1964 and prior fall into the category of 90% silver coinage, with anything made 1965 and and after being worth only the face value with the exception of half dollars. Half dollars made from 1965-1970 have only 40% silver. These coins are far from what one might think of as junk, and have great utility as alternative currency. There are pros and cons to buying 90% silver coinage, and it all depends on your personal reasons for investing in silver.

Pros:

Most inexpensive way to buy silver. Because the coinage is only 90% silver, the calculations used are based on that percentage whereas a one ounce silver coin is more expensive due to a higher amount of silver and higher premiums charged by the mint to create the coins.

Smaller denominations. 90% silver coinage is excellent for those who are expecting a financial collapse of the dollar and are looking to use silver as a currency. With smaller denominations of quarters and dimes, these coins are great for barter because it is easier to make change or buy products more directly. For example in a post-federal reserve note world, if you wanted to buy some eggs from a local farmer, it would make more sense to use dimes instead of trying to break a one ounce coin into a bunch of tiny pieces.

Recognition. Because these coins were created by the US Mint, they are instantly recognizable as currency and therefore people are more trusting and willing to accept them in transactions. The date of the coin will validate the coin is silver (1964 and prior).

Cons:

Appearance. These coins are called junk silver because they are not deemed collectible pieces. If you are looking for a nice gift for someone, giving them a bunch of beat up quarters may not be the best idea. There are some that have not been widely circulated and look nicer, especially if they are proofs, but for the most part these coins look like regular coins we use today because that’s what they used to be.

Storage. 90% silver coinage takes up more space than for instance a silver bar for the same amount of ounces. It is easier to store a 100 oz bar rather than 100 ounces of quarters.

Purity. 90% silver coinage has only 90% silver in it, so for those who like purer forms of silver, a Silver American Eagle or Canadian Maple Leaf would be a better choice.

This article by Roberts and Roberts President Tim Frey can help elucidate on the topic of buying silver:

Should I buy silver?