1st National Reserve

January 2012, Week 4 Edition

Gold 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.

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.

Michael Fuljenz Interviewed by FOX Business Network,
Honored at World's Fair of Money

(Rosemont, Illinois) - As gold prices soared, national news media obtained expert commentary and advice for investors from Michael Fuljenz, Numismatic Consultant for 1st National Reserve of Beaumont, Texas, during the Chicago World's Fair of Money(SM), August 16 - 20, 2011.

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Latest NRA News

In addition to having a booth at the 2011 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits, 1st National Reserve’s gold and rare coin expert Mike Fuljenz signed copies of his latest award-winning book, Indian Gold Coins of the 20th Century, voted “Investment Book of the Year” by the NLG. 1st National Reserve also distributed their NLG award-winning materials for free to attendees.

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Why All Your Important Coins Should Be Certified.

According to one of the former U.S. Mint Directors, in 1998, the number of coin collectors in the United States was approximately two million. By 2001, this number had exponentially exploded to an estimated 60 million and counting. Largely as a result of innovative U.S. Mint programs, like the State Quarters and the Presidential Golden Dollars, this number has continued to swell. By late 2007, the U.S. Mint estimated the number of U.S. coin collectors to be approximately 140 million, nearly half of the entire population in America. The serious collectors among this group demand that their coins be certified. If you wish know more about the certification process and why it has become so important, please call us Toll Free at (800) 321-8700 and request a FREE copy of the article "Why All Your Important Gold, Silver and Platinum Rare Coins Should Be Certified". This in depth article, written by our Chief Numismatic Consultant Mike Fuljenz, received a Numismatic Literary Guild award for Best Article in a specialized category and it is your FREE just for the asking. Order your FREE copy today!

Annual Gold & Silver Bull Market Report
Learn the 12 bullish reasons why gold prices could reach $1,600 in 2011.

$1500 Gold Matters
Our Spring 2010 newsletter explores the global events and circumstances that foreshadow the possibility for $1500 gold prices in our near future.

Identity Matters: A Coin By Any Other Name Still Shines As Brightly
Our Spring 2010 supplement explores the many different names United States coins and paper money have taken on in popular culture and how, in may cases, the popular name is used more often than the numismatically correct name.

Exploring The Device Symbology of U.S. Coins - Part III
With this issue, we complete our three-part series exploring the devices and symbols utilized on some of the most important United States coins of the last 150 plus years.

Exploring The Device Symbology of U.S. Coins - Part II
With this issue, we continue with the second installment of our three-part series exploring the devices and symbols utilized on some of the most important United States coins of the last 150 plus years.

Exploring The Device Symbology of U.S. Coins - Part I
With this first issue of 2009, we commence a three-part series exploring the devices and symbols utilized on some of the most important United States coins of the last 150 plus years.

Great Coins. Great Collector
Coin collecting used to be called “The Hobby of Kings” because primarily wealthy aristocrats pursued it. Today, it has been rechristened "The King of Hobbies" – and far from being the province of the elite, it’s a thoroughly democratic pastime enjoyed by people of all ages, social strata and income levels.

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