Business already is good for a Wilmington, Delaware bullion and rare coin depository that opened three years ago, but it’s expected to be even better in the weeks ahead now that a major New York City bank depository has told many of its customers to remove their valuables.

“As soon as the news broke that HSBC was kicking out individual investors and even some commercial accounts to accommodate storage for large institutional accounts at its facility in Manhattan, I started getting phone calls from worried investors and even executives of some commercial firms who suddenly need a safe place for their gold and silver coins and ingots,” said Robert L. Higgins, CEO of First State Depository Company LLC that opened in Wilmington in June 2004.

The door to the 5,000 square foot vault weighs over 5,600 pounds. The depository has up to $400 million capacity insurance with Lloyd’s of London for the gold and other valuables shipped in from investors and companies nationwide, but Higgins says that insurance coverage may have to be increased with the anticipated additional requests for secure storage.

“It was surprising to see how many people who never owned gold before started buying it this past year. We’ve had many first-timers contact us to store their coins and precious metals purchases. Many people have put gold bullion coins in their IRAs.”

Higgins advises investors facing eviction from the HSBC depository to transfer their valuables prior to January first, whether to his depository or somewhere else, as long as it’s by year’s end.

“That way, you won’t have to pay HSBC’s annual storage fee that is payable in January,” he explained. “There’s another advantage for investors to move their valuables to Delaware. Unlike New York, there is no tax imposed on the payment of depository storage fees in Delaware.” (more…)

Coin features first new reverse design in multi-year series with mintage limited to 8000

The United States Mint announced that it will begin accepting orders for the 2009 American Eagle One-Ounce Platinum Proof Coin at noon Eastern Time (ET) December 3, 2009. Orders will be limited to five units per household.

The reverse (tails side) of the 2009 American Eagle One-Ounce Platinum Proof Coin features the first design in a new six-year program that commemorates the core concepts of American democracy by featuring the six principles of the Preamble of the United States Constitution. Themes for the reverse designs in the new series of American Eagle One-Ounce Platinum Proof Coins are inspired by narratives prepared by the Chief Justice of the United States, John G. Roberts, Jr., at the request of the United States Mint. Coin designs reflecting the remaining principles of the Preamble will be released as follows: To Establish Justice (2010); To Insure Domestic Tranquility (2011); To Provide for the Common Defense (2012); To Promote General Welfare (2013); and To Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and our Posterity (2014).

The 2009 design depicts four faces representing the diversity of our Nation, with the clothing and hair weaving together symbolizing the principle, To Form a More Perfect Union. A new design element, an American Eagle “privy mark,” has been added to the reverse of the coin. The privy mark is from an original “coin punch” identified at the United States Mint at Philadelphia. The reverse was designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Master Designer Susan Gamble and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill. (more…)

This morning Gold has surged again to a record high of over $1130 per oz as safe haven buying and a continuing weak dollar fuel continued demand. But where is gold heading?

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph during a London gold conference, Barrick President Aaron Regent said that one could argue that Earth has reached “peak gold,” as new supplies of the ore are increasingly difficult to find.

“The supply crunch has helped push gold to an all-time high, reaching $1,118 an ounce at one stage yesterday,” the paper noted. “The key driver over recent days has been the move by India’s central bank to soak up half of the gold being sold by the International Monetary Fund. It is the latest sign that the rising powers of Asia and the commodity bloc are growing wary of Western paper money and debt.”

Bloomberg reported that  “The metal seems set to extend higher as record low interest rates, inflation concerns, central-bank purchases and falling mine output draws a broad spectrum of investment demand,” said James Moore, analyst at TheBullionDesk.com, in a note to clients.

“We are looking to see if the dollar index breaks lower, which could push gold above $1,150 and on towards $1,180,” he said.

Another analyst stared that “This is a different type of gold rally, with support coming from both sides of the market — investment [and] fundamental,” said Darin Newsom, a senior analyst at Telvent DTN. “A certain portion of the buying interest has come from the continued weakness of the dollar, but there is more to it than that, there is some ’safe haven’ buying as well, but with copper holding firm and the Baltic Dry Index rallying, the Chinese economy seems to be gaining strength,” boosting investor confidence, he said.

And further confirmation of the  retail demand for gold comes from Laura Sperber in her Baltimore Coin Show Market Report. Sperber observered that”if you had gold, you sold”. ALL gold, was selling briskly. The demand reminded us of 1980″.

Also, news from last week that India had purchased 200 tonnes of gold from the IMF was solid confirmation that demand may be here to stay. The view that central banks will continue to be net buyers of gold rather than net sellers (as has been the case for about the last twenty years) has many calling the Indian purchase at $1,045 an ounce the “new floor” for the gold price.

China has already doubled its gold reserves over the last six years, but the Indian move underscored how even the most traditional investors are shifting a portion of their assets into bullion.

So at this juncture, all indicators seem to point to the continued rise in gold prices, at least for the near term.