Material Gains
The clanging and clunking heard on New Year's Eve might not be just the celebratory noise of welcoming in the New Year, but rather a gathering of silver flatware, old coins, and inherited jewelry not to one's taste. 2025 saw one of the largest material gains in Gold and Silver prices in a generation. And as usual, the best investment, outside perhaps of Founders' Shares in Private Equity, were owning Gold and Silver.
The proverbial "rip your face off rally" in precious metals hinged on a long-simmering desire by large swarths of the population to own physical currency rather than "rag money." Here at ILAF, we have long championed the value of gold as a store of value and hedge against the stupidity and malfeasance of government. In fact, for some time we have tried to garner support for "The Gold Money Act" but to no avail. It is obviously far more efficient to debase a currency made of paper than gold.
Investors should be thinking long and hard about squirreling away KILOS of gold and silver. Given the run-up in prices though, it becomes increasingly dear to purchase on the open market. Fortunately for American citizens, and those intending to become citizens, there is a wonderful piece of legislation passed over 150 years ago called "The Mining Act of 1872" which shockingly is still in existence.
This law allows for those citizens and individuals wishing to become citizens to "claim" the mineral rights on Federal Land (not the land itself, but rather the gold, silver, lithium, etc) on said land for themselves. You read that correctly. It is virtually unknown outside of California, Nevada, Arizona, and Alaska. But the Mining Act is active in all 50 States. No where else in the world does something like this exist: Individuals can prospect on public land and retain ownership of unlimited found minerals.
Why is this important? Well rather than paying the spot price for Gold, say $4500 USD per troy ounce, you can file a mining claim for a couple hundred dollars and then have the rights to prospect (and keep!) for unlimited minerals on that land. For those who want to work, the gold is there. All it takes is some time to learn how to prospect, some basic equipment, the willingness to work hard.
