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Do the investment banks really have a lot of metal?
2:10p ET Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Dear Friend of GATA and Gold (and Silver):
A fascinating little controversy has developed in our camp.
On Monday GATA's great friend David Schectman of the Miles Franklin coin and bullion dealership in Minnesota related in his blog the account of a bullion trader friend, Trader David R, who says that major investment banks are making a risk-free trade out of gold by obtaining free money from the Federal Reserve, buying real metal, selling futures against the metal, and collecting the contango. That is, the big dealers would not be naked short, or at least not as naked short as long suspected.
As Schectman did not identify his friend and the story thus rested on an anonymous source, it was less than authoritative. But it was plausible and there aren't too many people in the gold business more trustworthy than Schectman, and he wasn't attesting to the veracity of his source's account but rather just passing it along because it was so relevant. Schectman's commentary was headlined "The Cartel and Hedgies Are Short Paper but Long Physical Gold" and it's posted at the Miles Franklin Internet site here:
http://blog.milesfranklin.com/the-cartel-and-hedgies-are-short-paper-but...
Anyone following GATA closely might start questioning the trader's story by noting the disproportionate short position in silver futures of JPMorganChase. But then could Morgan be the front in silver for other investment houses?
GATA's great friend Bix Weir of the Road to Roota letters quickly put together the arguments against Trader David R's story. Those arguments include the Morgan short position. Weir's commentary is headlined "Are JPM's Comex Silver Positions Only a Hedge Against Physical in the Warehouse?" and it's posted here:
http://www.roadtoroota.com/public/1013.cfm
It's all a lot to think about and keep in mind.
CHRIS POWELL, Secretary/Treasurer
Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee Inc.
GoldMoney adds Toronto vaulting option
In addition to its precious metals storage facilities in Hong Kong, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, GoldMoney customers now can store their gold and silver in a high-security vault operated by Brink's in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
GoldMoney also has recently partnered with Rhenus Freight Logistics to offer another gold storage option in Switzerland. The Rhenus vault is in the secured zone of Zurich Airport and offers customers superb security as well as the ability to inspect their gold.
Storage at the new vaults in Canada and Switzerland is available at GoldMoney's lowest fees. Customers can select their storage location when placing their buy order.
GoldMoney customers can take delivery of any number of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bars from any GoldMoney vault, as well as personally collect their bars stored in the Hong Kong, Switzerland, and U.K. vaults.
It's easy to open an account, add funds, and liquidate your investment. For more information, visit:
http://www.goldmoney.com/?gmrefcode=gata
Join GATA here:
Toronto Resource Investment Conference
Thursday-Friday, September 27-28, 2012
Toronto Sheraton Centre Hotel
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
http://www.cambridgehouse.com/event/toronto-resource-investment-conference
New Orleans Investment Conference
Wednesday-Saturday, October 24-27, 2012
Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel
New Orleans, Louisiana
http://www.neworleansconference.com/
* * *
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http://www.goldrush21.com/order.html
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http://gata.org/node/wallstreetjournal
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Prophecy Platinum Intercepts Best Pt+Pd+Au Grades Yet
at Wellgreen Project in Yukon Territory: 5.36 g/t
Company Press Release
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Prophecy Platinum Corp. (TSX-V: NKL, OTC-QX: PNIKF, Frankfurt: P94P) announces more results of its 2012 drill program on the company's fully-owned Wellgreen platinum group metals, nickel, and copper project in southwestern Yukon Territory, Canada. Four surface holes and four underground holes all intercepted significant mineralized widths, ranging from 28.5 meters (WS12-201) and up to 459.5 metres (WS12-193). Highlights include WU12-540, which returned 8.9 metres of 5.36 grams per tonne platinum, palladium, and gold; 1.73 percent copper; and 1.01 percent nickel within 304.5 meters of 0.66 g/t platinum-palladium-gold, 0.20 percent copper, and 0.27 percent nickel.
The surface drill program started in June and has completed 16 holes (assays pending for 12 holes) with two rigs now on site. The surface program continues to progress at a steady pace.
Prophecy Chairman John Lee commented: “Wellgreen is a very large nickel, copper, and platinum group metals project with near-surface high-grade zones. High-grade intercepts will be incorporated into resource modeling and mine planning in the pre-feasibility study. We expect further positive drill results from Wellgreen shortly.”
Wellgreen features a low 2.59-to-1 strip ratio, is situated at an altitude of 1,300 meters, and is only 15 kilometers from the two-lane paved Alaska Highway. Those factors significantly minimize the project's indirect costs.
For the complete company statement with full tabulation of the drilling results, please visit:
http://prophecyplat.com/news_2012_sep11_prophecy_platinum_drill_results.php
