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dietcolaaddict

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Posts posted by dietcolaaddict

  1. Does anyone know what happens to gold bullion coins involved in a housefire?

    I've always wondered w.r.t. my stash, but has anyone got any specific knowledge on this?

     

    Gold has a melting point of 1064 Celcius, so kruggers and britannias should be alloys that melt in that ballpark temperature range. Is that hotter than a typical housefire?

     

    Also, would smoke damage make bullion coins unidentifiable or unsellable? Could a fire-damaged coin still be sold for a decent % of spot?

     

    Thanks in advance

     

  2. In what respect has it held its value if it formerly employed a soldier for a month and now does so for a week or less?

     

    Hi nicejim , others may chip in with better answers here, but here's my understanding:

     

    Because over 450 years, a circa 4-fold change in labour value is insignificant compared to the multiple-fold loss in paper (pound/pence) value had we compared soldier's income in fiat currency.

     

    Things make even more sense when you factor in the 'productivity gain' of a modern soldier over a soldier from the 16th century. Now with armour, sophisticated weoponary, communications, tanks, aircover, healthcare, sanitation etc.......... the number of soldiers needed per war campaign is less so each can be paid a bit more in absolute value as they have 'added value' to the battlefield effort. I could suggest perhaps circa 4 times more.

  3. I'm a little busy at the moment with changing jobs etc. (and have little spare time) but let's just be careful of groupspeak people, as Dr B. once warned.

     

    A healthy debate is good for all. Don't pick on the outsider. Remember gold is the outsider as far as the MSM is concerned.

     

     

     

     

  4. I'm surprised to be first to post this. It was on Radio Five news just now - is the summer party over for the UK housebuiders?

     

    Housebuilders and property group in cash call

    http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e15870be-a809-11...144feabdc0.html

     

    Article starts:

    A trio of share issues was unveiled on Wednesday as British companies looked to the buoyant stock market for cash to reduce their borrowings and fund growth.

     

    The biggest was announced by Barratt Developments, the housebuilder, which said it was raising £721m through a placing and rights issue. It said the fundraising was designed to reduce debt, as well as finance the development of existing sites and the acquisition of new land.

  5.  

    Overall, rents are down in Northampton and Milton Keynes also.

     

    My point is that renters are now chasing affordable flats and are willing to compromise their standard of living for lower rent payments. This may create a floor at current levels in many rental markets. It will, however, murder any BTLer with a penthouse / concierge service / city views etc as nobody will pay the premium for this.

     

    People are happy with 'Tesco Value' not 'Tesco Finest' in the current rental market.

     

  6. A little bit of anecdotal......

     

    I'm moving to a new job at the end of the month and looking for a city centre flat (flat, not luxury apartment :P ) to rent for the first six months. A typical low-end BTL-athon willl do just fine while I settle in at work and decide where to live longer term in the city.

     

    However, letting agents are very busy and hard to get hold of, and indeed most flats are gone by the time I get through to them. I've checked that I am not being played by the agents (I've asked friends to make seperate enquiries), so am a little suprised at the high demand-low supply situation here as new builds are everywhere in this city.

     

    A little bit puzzled as to why this is. A temporary consequence of the dead cat bounce, or something more ?

     

    I thought I would report back my explanation for this, having been 'at the coalface' the past week while flat hunting. It's to do with the fact I want a flat at the 'low-end' of the young professionals market.

     

    My observations:

     

    + No FTBers at all - everyone under 35 is looking to rent

     

    + These people are all looking at the same segment of the rental market - basic one beds. For example, couples are looking for a one bed not something more roomy. The affluent young professionals (accountants, lawyers etc.) are not renting penthouses or top-end flats and instead are also chasing low-end one beds. People who normally favour exclusive are happy with basic at the moment.

     

    + Rich students for the new uni term are 'living out' not 'in halls'. You spot them as they tour flats with their 4x4 driving parents in tow saying "Well, its near the library" etc. What nicejim said fits here - students from 'well off' backgrounds may feel more afluent than a generation ago now they have access to student loans as well as the bank of mum and dad.

  7. agree on both points - i was thinking earlier today when ebay premiums were 100% last year when silver went below $10

     

    Just sold a bit of silver. I might regret this - but I am a forced seller at the moment and have done well out of delaying my sale as long as possible this month

     

     

  8. Very interesting. Is that Nottingham, as per your profile, or is that where you're moving from?

     

    Actually, It's your city jim - Liverpool.

    Any local factors involved here - large new employer starting up or something?

     

    What is also wierd is that I am competing with loads of students for these places (I realise that is a seasonal effect by moving now). In my day, students lived in their own part of town in 3-6 bedroom doggy digs, not one bedroom city centre flats.

     

  9.  

    A little bit of anecdotal......

     

    I'm moving to a new job at the end of the month and looking for a city centre flat (flat, not luxury apartment :P ) to rent for the first six months. A typical low-end BTL-athon willl do just fine while I settle in at work and decide where to live longer term in the city.

     

    However, letting agents are very busy and hard to get hold of, and indeed most flats are gone by the time I get through to them. I've checked that I am not being played by the agents (I've asked friends to make seperate enquiries), so am a little suprised at the high demand-low supply situation here as new builds are everywhere in this city.

     

    A little bit puzzled as to why this is. A temporary consequence of the dead cat bounce, or something more ?

     

     

  10. So although the swapping has been friutful in this bull market so far at some point the swappers who swap at say 48 or 50 (which has been good so far) will get caught out. E.g. the ratio goes to say 48:1 and silver owners swap for gold, but the ratio continues to drop which one day it will have to if it is ever to reach 20:1. If that happens they would have been better off not swapping as silver does a Mars shot while gold does only a Moon shot.

     

    :) Thanks wren, good point.

    I feel an evening of Excel lies ahead sometime looking at the G-to-S ratio and optimal historical exit/entry points

     

    Erm, I can do 8 Bob. "Two wreck"

     

    :lol: Sorry azazel, but Bubb and Steve in 'Dictionary Corner' have disallowed it for being two words.

    Thus, it remains a 6-letter day.

  11. right I am obviously not completely understanding the gold:silver ratio then. I though you would wait for silver to be a lot higher in price terms first, or does this just depend on what you bought in at & what your silver:gold split is ?

     

    so when the silver ratio is at its lowest, that's the best time to sell your silver ? am I understanding this chart below correctly ?

    so that huge spike in '79 was when the pos shot through the roof for a short time ? then you would either buy another hard asset with the currency of your choice, or buy back into gold then ?

     

    edited - I know GF has been talking a lot about this lately.

     

    GSR-SM.gif

     

    Hi GOM

     

    An old chart of mine - sorry it is not updated for the last 6 months or so - but I think this sums up my thinking

     

    I'm not so sure the price of the metals matters much, especially if you are just accumulating PMs for a future purchase (from memory, I think a house is your plan). Thinking about this with respect to my circumstances, a house will be c. $100 oz gold, a new career (medical school) about $30 oz. I'm simply using the gold-to-silver ratio as a way to get extra ounces on the way to these targets than if I converted my monthly savings to gold straight off.

     

    2qir01w.png

     

    + Notice that the ratio spends a lot of time at 50-55 - it is the largest bin size so there is no need to panic a decision to swap silver for gold in this ratio range. However, the bins below 50 are very small in size, so if the ratio falls below 50, it is likely that a spike is occuring, and so a quick decision is needed to swap.

     

    + Also - and a seperate issue I am still thinking about - I'd rather hold gold than silver during the 'April - August' doldrums as it has more of a floor (especially now China appear to be hoovering up gold every time there is a significant dip) . Silver seems to have a really low floor (around $5, where I believe it becomes unworthwhile to produce for miners), so it is more risky to hold silver during the seasonal doldrums than gold. I need to think this through more, it remains just a theory at the moment, any thoughts welcome.

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