Will Gov’t Eventually Confiscate Your Gold? Probably – Here’s Why & How (+3K Views)

Lorimer Wilson February 11, 2020 2 Comments 3,834 Views

Automatically receive the internet’s most informative articles bi-weekly via our free bi-weekly Market Intelligence Report newsletter (sample here). Register in the top right hand corner of this page.

It’s an interesting thought that the greatest threat to gold and silver investment might not be the possibility of losing on the speculation, but the government taking it away from you. It’s a thought that I’ve found few want to even think about, let alone discuss. [Let’s take this opportunity to do just that.] Words: 1800

So writes Jeff Thomas (www.caseyresearch.com) in edited excerpts from his original article* entitled Don’t Dismiss the Possibility of Gold Confiscation.

[The following article is presented by Lorimer Wilson, editor of www.munKNEE.com and may have been edited ([ ]), abridged (…) and/or reformatted (some sub-titles and bold/italics emphases) for the sake of clarity and brevity to ensure a fast and easy read. This paragraph must be included in any article re-posting to avoid copyright infringement.]

Thomas goes on to say in further edited excerpts:

If you hold precious metals in your portfolio, there is a good chance you fear hyperinflation and the crash of fiat currencies. You probably distrust governments in general and believe they are self-serving and have no interest in your economic well-being. It is likely that your holdings in gold are your lifeline – your hope to get you through these times while holding on to your wealth – but have you ever given any thought to the possibility of having this lifeline confiscated by the authorities?

In my conversations with friends and associates, I have often raised this question. The typical responses:

“They’d never do that.”
“I’ll deal with that if and when it happens.”
“I just wouldn’t give it to them.”

I consider these “wishful thinking” responses. If you fall into this camp, you’re in good company. Some of the forecasters whom I respect most highly also treat it either as unlikely or at best, “something we may need to look at in the future.” To date, in conversing with top advisors worldwide, the two primary reasons they believe gold will not be confiscated are:

“Confiscation would mean the government acknowledges the reality of the value of gold.”

Yes, this is quite so. They would be changing their official view which, of course, they do all the time, but I submit that all that they need to do is put the proper spin on it.

“They would meet greater resistance than they did back in 1933.”

I expect that this is also true, but [believe] that a plan will be put in place to deal with that resistance. We’ll address both of the above assertions in more detail shortly, but first, a bit of history.

In 1933, Franklin Roosevelt came into office and immediately created the Emergency Banking Act, which demanded that all those who held gold (other than personal jewelry) turn it in to approved banks. Holders were given less than a month to do this. The government then paid them $20.67 per [troy] ounce – the going rate at the time. Following confiscation, the government declared that the new value of gold was $35.00/ozt. In essence, they arbitrarily increased the value of their newly purchased asset by 69%. (This alone is reason enough to confiscate.)

Today, the U.S. government is in much worse shape than it was in 1933, and it has much more to lose. The U.S. dollar is the default currency of the world, but it’s on the ropes, which means the U.S. economic power over the rest of the world is on the ropes. I think that readers will agree that they will do anything to keep from losing this all-important power.

The U.S. government has essentially run out of options. At some point, the fiat currencies of the First World will collapse, and some other form of payment will be necessary. Yes, the IMF is hoping to create a new default currency, but that, too, is to be a fiat currency. [Read: IMF Proposing New World Currency to Replace U.S. Dollar and Other National Currencies!]

If any country were to produce a gold-backed currency in sufficient supply, that currency would likely become the desired currency worldwide. Fractional backing would be expected.

As most readers will know, the Chinese, Indians, Russians, and others see the opportunity and are building up their gold reserves quickly and substantially. If these countries were to agree to introduce a new gold-backed currency, there can be little doubt that they would succeed in changing the balance of world trade. That said, the U.S. government is watching these countries just as we are, and they are aware of the threat of gold to them.

The U.S. government, ostensibly, has approximately:

8,200 tonnes of gold in Fort Knox, although this may well be partially or completely missing and
5,000 tonnes of gold in the cellar of the New York Federal Reserve building. Again, there is no certainty that it is there.

In general, the authorities don’t seem to like independent audits. In fact, there are rumors that the above vaults are nearly or completely empty and that the above quoted figures exist only on paper rather than in physical form. While there is no way to know this for sure, it’s not out of the question.

If the U.S. and the EU could come up with a large volume of gold quickly, they could issue a gold-backed currency themselves. It’s a simple equation: The more gold they have = the more gold-backed notes they can produce = the more power they continue to hold. By seizing upon the private supply of their citizens, they would increase their holdings substantially in short order. Either that or they could just give up their dominance of world trade and power… What would you guess their choice would be?

It is entirely possible that the U.S. government (and very likely the EU) has already made a decision to confiscate. They may have carefully laid out the plan and have set implementation to coincide with a specific gold price.

How would this unfold? Let’s imagine a fairly extreme scenario and ask ourselves if it could be pulled off effectively:

The evening news programs announce that the economic recovery is being hampered by wealthy private investors who, by hoarding gold, are skewing the value of the dollar and threatening the middle and poorer classes. The little man is being made to suffer while the rich get richer. A press campaign to equate gold ownership with greed ensues.
The government announces the Second Emergency Banking Act, advising the public that “the first EBA was instituted by FDR to solve this same problem during the Great Depression. This act was instrumental in helping the little man ‘recover.'” (As the average man on the street doesn’t know his history nor how wrong this statement is, he’ll believe it. Besides, the announcement has a “feel-good” message, and that’s all that matters.)
Possessors of gold, who make up a small minority of the population, would become pariahs. It won’t matter that the guy who owns two gold Maple Leafs is not exactly a greedy, rich man. No one will wish to be seen as resisting confiscation. Neither will they wish to go to prison for resisting, no matter how remote the possibility.
The U.S. pays for the gold in US dollars, which are rapidly headed south. Yes, the Fed will need to print more fiat dollars in order to pay them off, but this suits their purpose, as it inflates the dollar even more. Those who have turned in their gold will do whatever they can to unload the US dollars as quickly as possible and will need to find another investment at a time when there are very few trustworthy investments other than gold. The stock market would likely rise, showing the public how the gold confiscation program is “working.”
One last scary possibility: The government demands that gold is turned in immediately and that settlement will occur following confiscation.
- After confiscation, it announces that, as there has been such a large number of cases of rich people ripping off the little man, processing them all could take months, possibly even a year or more.
- A further announcement states that some investors have made an unreasonable profit on the backs of the poor and that they should not be granted this profit. This profit must be returned to the people. (You can almost hear the cheers of the people.)
- Then it sets about making assessments. The bureaucrats find that most investors do not have formal, acceptable receipts for every coin in their possession so, if you paid $1,200 for a Krugerrand a couple of years ago, you get paid $1,200. If you bought it at $250 in 1999, you get paid $250. If you have no receipt in an acceptable form, you get a “fair,” median payment, say, $500, regardless of when you bought it.
Appeals: Each investor will be allowed up to one year to appeal the decision of the Treasury as to what is owed him. Of course, the investor knows that the dollar is sinking rapidly and that he would be wise to shut up and take what he is being offered.

Again, this hypothetical scenario is an extreme one. The reader is left to consider just how likely or unlikely this scenario is and what that would mean to his wealth but bear this in mind: If the above scenario were to take place soon, the average citizen would have mixed feelings. They would be glad that the “evil rich” had been taken down a peg, but they would worry about the idea of the government taking things by force, because they might be next.

It would therefore be in the government’s interests to implement confiscation only after the coming panic sets in – after the next crash in the market, after it becomes plain to the average citizen that this really is a depression and he really is in big trouble. Then he will be only too glad to see the “greedy rich” go down, and he won’t care about the details.

As terrible as the thought is, it seems unlikely to me that the government will not confiscate gold, as they have little to lose and so much to gain. Those who own gold would prefer to think that this cannot happen, but they have quite a lot riding on that hope and precious little evidence to support it.

It is entirely possible that…[the above] scenario will not take place, just as it is possible that confiscation will not take place. The purpose of this article is to spark some serious discussion – both for and against the possibility.

Investors are, by their very nature, planners. It may take a community of investors to develop a legal plan to deal with the above eventuality. Time to get started.

The government can’t easily confiscate what’s outside its own borders, which is why it’s working night and day to make it as difficult as possible for you to protect your assets abroad. This sad reality means that you need to take action before it’s too late. Start internationally diversifying your wealth – and your life – by:

investing in international markets,
opening offshore bank accounts,
setting up an offshore LLC or annuity…
getting a second passport and
choosing a good place to live.

Don’t allow yourself to be milked by your home government any more. Get started on internationalizing your life today while it’s still possible.

[Editor’s Note: The author’s views and conclusions in the above article are unaltered and no personal comments have been included to maintain the integrity of the original post. Furthermore, the views, conclusions and any recommendations offered in this article are not to be construed as an endorsement of such by the editor.]

Related Articles:

1. Do You Actually Own “Your” Gold Given What’s Happened in Cyprus & Proposed In Canada/E.U.?

To believe that governments…[won’t confiscate your] gold to help support their national finances… would be naïve, especially in light of past and recent events. That’s why it is now incumbent on all investors to look at the meaning of ownership in investing and investors’ vulnerability to government confiscation as well as vulnerability to exchange and capital controls. We do this below. Read More »

2. Beware: Official U.S. Government Price for Gold is Only $42.22/oz.

The United States has seen four different gold confiscations — the last of which was in 1933. Few people realize that when the freedom to own gold was restored in 1972, the President retained the power to require us to surrender our gold which he can do again any time (probably on a Friday) with the mere stroke of a pen. That means all confiscated gold could possibly be compensated at only $42.22 per 1oz. and not at the world market price. Don’t take this decision lightly. It was another blatant warning that the government may be contemplating grand larceny — AGAIN. Words: 1740

3. James Turk: Here’s the Real Reason the Gov’t Confiscated Gold in 1933

FDR confiscated American’s gold for the same reason Lenin confiscated it in Russia and Hitler confiscated it in Germany, namely, to get it out of the hands of the people. [That view is contrary to the prevailing belief that such was done] to re-establish confidence in the dollar. [Let me explain the background of this confiscation and my rationale for coming to such a conclusion.] Words: 815

4. Be Careful! Owning Gold Bullion is a Revocable Privilege in the U.S. – Not a Basic Right!

The laws of gold confiscation are very clear in the U.S.: During any time of national crisis, it becomes illegal to buy, sell, or “hoard” gold bullion in any form. It is delineated under an Executive Order and can be re-administered as quickly as the assets in your checking account can be frozen. The penalties for violation are 10 years in prison, $10,000 fine, or both. Words: 821

5. Will U.S. Government Seize Private Gold and Then Devalue Dollar – Again?

Imagine living in a country where the government suddenly decides to make it illegal to hold a certain type of asset, and goes on a systematic process to relieve its citizens of such an asset? Such actions happen in wartime and by politically-corrupt regimes but how about private-asset seizure in the good old U.S.A.? Well, it has happened before. [The 64 trillion (in keeping with the times) dollar question is: “Will it happen again?”] Words: 585

6. Economic/Currency Collapse Could Bring Martial Law and Confiscation of Your High-priced Gold! Got Silver?

Do we really honest-to-God no-fingers-crossed cherry-on-top believe that the powers-that-be will simply allow us to mosey up to the cashiers cage and redeem or convert our Gold for whatever monetary unit reigns supreme or is created [should our current financial system and currencies collapse? As such,] IF there comes a time when the best move forward is to sell most of our Gold and switch to another asset class, one more likely to survive the transition intact, will we be able to see this as obvious and a no brainer? [Let me explain what could well happen and the effect such a development would have on all things Gold.] Words: 3037

7. IF Silver Goes Too High Government Might Interfere! Here’s Why

Silver has more than doubled [in price] from its 2008 multi-year high…primarily due to demand among the industries of the developing world…and among those industries where silver is virtually irreplaceable… If silver goes too high, however, it could provoke government interference in the name of ensuring national security. Let me explain. Words: 606

8. Why Gold Confiscation Will Likely Happen & How to Protect Your’s From Such an Eventuality

There has been a persistent fear among…owners of gold that…their gold will be confiscated by their governments, as was the case in 1933. For very different reasons, we believe that that danger persists and is growing by the day. We feel that because gold is rapidly returning to an active role in the global monetary system…investors should be aware of the conditions in which this would happen. We also indicate what we feel to be a solid solution for protecting yourself against a gold confiscation. (Words: 1581: Charts: 2)

9. Nick Barisheff: Make Sure You’ll Actually OWN the Gold Bullion Before You Buy – Here’s Why and How

Worldwide economic uncertainty has created a growing interest in precious metals as a way to…protect one’s wealth from impending economic Armageddon…Unfortunately, many today don’t know how to purchase or store bullion, and consequently may find themselves as vulnerable to financial collapse as those who didn’t purchase any bullion at all. [This article outlines what rigorous due diligence is absolutely required when entering into an agreement to buy gold bullion and how it should be stored and why. Don’t buy any gold product without reading this article first.]

10. Governments Will Want – Will NEED – Much Higher Gold Prices! Here’s Why

Private investors, institutional and individual, will become wealthy simply by being invested in gold in this environment. Stupendous capital gains with gold priced at USD $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 or more per troy ounce should be expected – but should we assume that hugely indebted governments, whose citizens are struggling with ever lower living standards, will stand idly by while investors reap what will be characterized as unwarranted and unearned capital gains? Not very likely! I can already hear populist calls for a Windfall Profits Tax to confiscate these unwarranted gains in the name of fairness and equity. Owners of gold, therefore, might be wise to take appropriate evasive action which anticipates this eventuality. Words: 1300

11. Your Gold & Silver Will NEVER Be “Confiscated”! Here’s Why

People ask me on a consistent basis if I think the government will confiscate their gold and silver coins if times get rough. I feel there is little chance of this happening, and here’s why. Words: 390

12. Internationalize to Keep Your Assets Safe From Your Out-of-control Government – Here’s How

The politicians will do whatever they find convenient, because there is no longer anything to stop them – not an electorate that is jealous of its freedoms and certainly not the Constitution, which is now just a playhouse for judicial imagineering. No one can know what’s coming next from the government and the financial system it has fostered, but for many of us there is an awful suspicion that we are not going to like it. Most Americans still have yet to stick a single financial toe across the border, but more and more are considering it [and in this article I outline 10 ways to internationalize your assets to provide you with some much needed protection as the future unfolds.] Words: 3923

13. Why It’s Exit Time – For Your Gold, Your Wealth and Your Family

The United States and most of Europe…risk an eruption and collapse of the mountain of unsustainable sovereign debt built up over the last two decades. Frankly, the U.S. dollar and national debt situation is so dire – and our means to contain a sovereign debt crisis so limited by multiple wars and Washington’s debt and political incompetence at home – that anything could happen, almost overnight. [The best] America and most European governments and the central banking elites, which created the criminal sovereign debt fiasco, [appear able to do is] try to buy more time and delay the inevitable. This inaction means the threat of an immediate US debt and dollar collapse cannot be ruled out. Therefore, readers who have not protected themselves certainly have cause to worry because now could be too late. [Let me explain further.] Words: 1689

14. A “Troy” Ounce of Gold is 10% Greater Than a Regular Ounce – True or False?

When the price of gold is mentioned as costing “x dollars per troy ounce” do you fully appreciate the signifance of the term “troy”? When looking to buy gold jewellery do you fully understand what the difference is between an item that is 10 “karat” gold and another item stamped 18 “karat” gold (other than that it is much more expensive)? Let me explain. Words: 587 Read More »

15. IMF Proposing New World Currency to Replace U.S. Dollar and Other National Currencies!

Over the past few years, there have been many rumors about a coming global currency, but at times it has been difficult to pin down evidence that plans for such a currency are actually in the works but not anymore. A shocking new report by the IMF is proposing just that – a global currency beyond national control! Words: 820 Read More »

2 comments

SeniorD
June 10, 2013 at 12:15 pm

Let me comment on the suggestions listed at the end of the article:

Start internationally diversifying your wealth – and your life – by:
investing in international markets,
==>I would add picking the Gov’t.s & Markets that are the most stable
opening offshore bank accounts,
==>I would add, after telling the IRS, in places that don”t “talk” to the IRS,
setting up an offshore LLC or annuity…
==>I would add, if it is faith based then it might be more secure, because the powerful churches.
getting a second passport and
==>I would add, in a Country that has a great track record of protecting its citizens at all costs.
choosing a good place to live.
==>I would add, in a Country with a large middle Class, good health care and mineral resources

and I would suggest adding the following to the above list:
=> Consider investing in Yourself:
=> Get a executive medical exam, don’t put it off, access to good health care may get harder.
=> Immediately maximize your personal health, it is your greatest possession.
=> Upgrade your eyesight, dental work and /or hearing aids
=> Learn a second language, that is used in a fast growing economy, then visit that Country.

Plus consider investing in Consumption Liquids
=> In large breweries, like B. Gates did in Mexico, in tough times people drink.
=> In large soft drink companies, in tough times people still drink “pop”.
=> In large water companies, in tough times people need to drink clean water.
=> In companies with large potable water rights and/or holdings
SeniorD
June 10, 2013 at 11:41 am

Great article that everyone should be encouraging others to read and comment upon!

I posted this earlier today:

The majority of the Public will soon wake up and join the rush to return to PM’s, as investors realize that they have been played by the Central Banks in the name of Fiscal Recovery (Theirs Not Ours)…

I posted this yesterday:

Beware all those that encourage you to divest your PM’s just because the Central Bankers are fiddling with the charts most use to track the relationship of PM’s to the US$.

I believe we are seeing a Global effort to drive PM’s downward so that the big Central Banks can scoop most of it up at bargain prices, so they can further promote the use of their own paper money!

The long view of PM’s is one of security, not PM bashing by those printing paper money…

and I posted this on 06/01/13:

f you don’t think that PM’s are now being manipulated by the Central Banks, then I agree that you should not be investing in PM’s!
BUT
If you believe that printing paper money cannot go on forever then what is happening now is nothing but a huge buying opportunity!

My gut feeling is that when the PM “reversal” happens, it will be so extreme that most small investors will not be able to jump on-board before the prices have skyrocketed relative to where they are currently, due to the market dynamics that favor the really big investors.

Here is a great PM question for you, Are the Central Banks still buying Gold, and if so why?
I look forward to your comments!