South Korean convenience store chain GS Retail is now rolling out gold bar vending machines at its locations, and they are proving to be a great hit among customers.
GS Retail, with nearly 14,000 branches all over South Korea, reported that it has already sold a total of $19 million worth of gold bars in the past nine months ending in May. The gold bars were introduced in September 2022 at five of its stores in five sizes, weighing between 0.13 ounces to 1.3 ounces.
“The most popular gold bar is the smallest, the 0.13-ounce one, which is currently priced at around $225,” said one representative of GS Retail to UPI News Korea, who added that the prices of the bars fluctuate daily in accordance with the current international valuations for gold. Nevertheless, this does not seem to deter many adult Koreans from making purchases.
“People in their 20s and 30s appear to be the main buyers, purchasing physical gold as an investment vehicle, especially in times such as these, when its value is continuing to rise,” the representative added. GS has rolled out 29 gold bar vending machines with plans to increase this number to 50 by the end of the year. (Related: Central banks continue their streak of accumulating more gold in 2023.)
Lee Eun-hee, a professor of consumer studies at the Department of Consumer Science at Inha University in Incheon, noted that the multiple economic crises occurring in the U.S. – including persistent inflation and the collapse of big banks like Signature Bank and Silicon Valley Bank – appear to have increased interest in anti-inflationary assets like gold.
“But a gold bar purchased at a convenience store seems more like something done in fun rather than as a means for serious investment,” she added. “I believe the popularity of these gold bars is mainly due to its easy accessibility, at convenience stores no less.”
SoKor’s central bank is more cautious in purchasing gold
However, the Bank of Korea (BOK) – South Korea’s central bank – is projecting a more cautious stance and has adopted a more careful approach to gold purchases, favoring the liquidity of the American dollar.
The BOK expressed concerns about the direction of gold prices, citing the potential peaking of gold values and the challenges associated with selling for liquidity purposes.
In its June report, the central bank highlighted the necessity of a cautious stance when considering an increase in the ratio of gold in foreign exchange reserves. The central bank currently holds 104.4 tons of gold in its reserves, representing approximately 1.14 percent of its total reserves.
In the early 2010s, Seoul’s central bank faced a major backlash after purchasing 90 tons of gold when prices peaked at more than $1,920 an ounce. Following years of lower prices, gold only surpassed those levels again in 2020.
At present, spot gold is trading at $1,963.20 an ounce. BOK Governor Rhee Chang-yong stated during a National Assembly session earlier this year that the bank has refrained from increasing its gold holdings since 2014 due to the prolonged low price of gold.
GoldReport.news has more stories on the growing demand for gold.
Watch the video below where ITM Trading’s Lynette Zhang talks about gold, T-bills, fraud and bartering.
This video is from the What is happening channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
- Precious metals can help make your portfolio invincible amid financial collapse, says David Morgan.
- Demand for gold surges to highest rate in over a decade as world’s central banks continue buying spree.
- Gold price jumps to 8-month high, eventually settles above $1,900 level.
- MORE METAL: China’s public gold holdings now over 2000 tons after another huge purchase in December.
- Gold prices soar to 6-month high, widely expected to go higher in coming months.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
