Friday, July 1, 2011
The Rise of Gold- 2,200% increase in Gold Prices in 77 years
In 1934, the price of gold was $35 per ounce. This meant that a gold nugget weighing in at 10 ounces would fetch you only $350 dollars and even less than that before 1934 where the price of gold was shocking less at $20.67 where it had remained for decades. If you took that same gold nugget into the market today it would fetch you a nifty $15,000…calling that a simple “improvement” would be an incredible understatement.
The price of gold has not only flown through the roof since the 1930s, it has ripped through the clouds and is currently sky bound with the most recent price of gold at $1506 an ounce. From 1934’s price of $35 to today’s $1500 mark, the price of gold has increased 2,200%. But how did the price of gold jump to such high values in less than a century when before the 1930’s it had remained at such a steady level? The answer is in the hands of the people.
Demand is the number one source for the increased value of all things economic, and in the case of gold the power of demand is no different. After a long period in history including precious gold mining and the passing of the Gold Reserve Act on 30 January 1934(the measure nationalized all gold by ordering the Federal Reserve banks to turn over their supply to the U.S. Treasury), the already rare precious mineral started to become even scarcer, and the demand for gold sky rocketed.
Demand for gold continues to grow like wildfire in 2011 as China has shown by recently becoming the world’s largest gold consumer when the country purchased over 90 tonnnes of gold in just the first quarter of the year. If history has shown us anything with gold’s value, it is that with growing demand comes growing price, and the price of gold is due to hit new record levels before the end of the year.
Sources: http://online.wsj.com/community/groups/oil-921/topics/markets-gold-prices-rose-2200
Friday, June 17, 2011
The Nobel Prize- Real Gold?

The Nobel Prize is internationally recognized as the prestigious award for recognition in cultural and scientific advancements as well as in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology, Medicine, Literature, and Peace since 1901 . The winner of the Nobel Prize is carefully selected each year, and its winner receives the Gold Nobel Prize medal (along with a hefty sum of cash). But is the “gold” medal real gold after all?
Turns out that the Noble Prize medals of the past were made out of real gold but are not pure gold. The Nobel Prize medals were struck in 23 karat gold, just one karat short of the acceptable 24 karat limit on “pure gold” cartage. Since 1980 and up to today, however the medals consist of 18 karat “Green Gold” and are instead plated with 24 karat gold. The special “green gold” used gives the medals a special look and feel, as well as extra value. Green gold is a mixture of gold and silver that excludes copper alloys, leaving only the precious metals as the foundations of the medal.
Sources:
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/
http://chemistry.about.com/od/metalsalloys/f/nobel-prize-medal.htm