Michael Fuljenz admits, "I love coins. From the very first Indian quarter-eagle gold piece I bought for my personal collection, to the latest batch of twenty-dollar gold pieces that I gathered together for a group of collectors, I've been hooked." Michael adds, "I worked hard, saved up to buy favorite coins and embarked on what I know now is a lifelong love affair. Coin collecting fires my imagination, and I want to pass my love of coins on to others." Numismatic Specialization: - Coin grading
- Coin authentication
- Coin appraisal
- Coin fraud concerns
- Coin fraud lawsuit help
- Coin arbitration help
- Coin attorney help
- Coin & bullion advice
Luckily, I've turned my love for coins and the glimpses of art and history they convey into a vocation. I've been privileged to share my fascination with thousands of collectors and investors, many of whom have become lifelong friends along the way.
The Michael Fuljenz Metals Market ReportJanuary 2012, Week 4 EditionGold Mining Operations are Being Resisted in Peru and Other Lands In recent years, as we have written here, there has been backlash against the raping of primitive soil for gold, especially in the Peruvian rainforest. Smithsonian magazine featured an article on "Gold Fever" in their February 2012 issue. The subhead encapsulates their view: "Rapacious mining to satisfy worldwide lust for the precious metal is destroying pristine rainforest in the Amazon." The 10-page article focuses on Peru, the world's sixth largest gold producer, where most of the mining (90% or more) is done illegally. In Peru, over 100 square miles have been razed by gold miners burning the forest and "stripping away the surface of the earth, perhaps 50 feet down. At the same time, miners are contaminating rivers and streams, as mercury, used in separating gold, leaches into the watershed. Ultimately, the potent toxin, taken up by fish, enters the food chain." Deforestation, they say, has grown six-fold from 2003 to 2009. Some common-sense restraints on gold mining would also help those of us who own gold coins and gold bars today. Since gold is becoming ever scarcer, more men will take more risks to find gold, especially if the price exceeds $2000 per ounce. Deep exploration and chemical extraction of gold may cost the earth and the nearby human settlements dearly, as the price of gold rises. With all the easy gold being already above ground in the form of jewelry, coins, bars and industrial uses, perhaps some common-sense local regulations against despoiling their neighborhood will mean that gold becomes even more rare, and more costly. Read more...
Happy New Year! China Begins the "Year of the Dragon" This Week Monday, January 23 marks the first day of China's Year of the Dragon. In the Chinese zodiac, the years named after animals (mythical or real) fall every 12 years. The Year of the Dragon has particular significance in a nation which reveres the dragon symbol. The most recent dragon years were 1964, 1976, 1988 and 2000. In preparation for the dawn of the Dragon this year, demand for gold in China has been rising over the last three months. Last November, the latest month for which we have records, China imported a record 100+ tons of gold. A key way of measuring China's gold imports is the total shipments of gold from Hong Kong to mainland China. That totaled 102 tons in November, a 20% increase over October and six times the purchases of November, 2011. This means that China is still in the gold-buying mood, even though Beijing has temporarily limited the number of retail gold shops in China. Read more...
Free Coin Expert ConsultationIf you have any concerns about your rare coin or precious metals purchases or you may be considering contacting a coin attorney, we suggest it may be in your best interest to talk for free with Award-Winning Expert Mike Fuljenz before contacting anyone else. Read more...
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