Ask Doc The world was on the brink of another great war... And one of America's greatest assets was looking vulnerable...
Gold.
Until the 1930s, the U.S. government kept most of its gold reserves on the East Coast... in New York and Philadelphia. No one knew yet that the coming war would avoid the U.S. mainland. The government would leave nothing to chance.
So in 1935, it began constructing a new vault in rural Kentucky called the United States Bullion Depository. The facility was built like a fortress. It was miles from the nearest highway or railroad. It was across the Appalachian Mountains, away from the ocean. And an adjacent U.S. Army post could serve as a last line of defense... Fort Knox, as most folks call the gold vault today.
But first, America's billions of dollars' worth of gold – thousands of metric tons of precious metal – had to get there... And that was a job for the U.S. Postal Service.
That first shipment of gold happened over several days – from the Philadelphia Mint and the New York Assay Office to Fort Knox, Kentucky. But the movement wasn't a secret. A headline from the January 13, 1937 edition of the New York Times read, "GOLD HOARD ON WAY TO KENTUCKY FORT – Treasury Begins Movement of Billions From East Coast to Moat-Ringed Vault."
While it wasn't a secret that the Postal Service was moving the gold, the U.S. military and Secret Service protected the mail trains. And the Postal Service sent decoy trains so would-be robbers wouldn't know which train to target. The plan went off without a hitch.
According to the U.S. Mint, about half of America's gold (about 147.3 million ounces) is stored at Fort Knox bullion depository today.
When the U.S. built the vault at Fort Knox, the dollar was still backed by gold. And as the world was on the cusp of another war, the government knew it needed to keep the country's wealth safe. Without this gold, there would be no U.S. dollar.
While the dollar isn't backed by gold anymore (that ended in 1971), it maintains its status as a way to maintain your wealth in times of chaos.
That time may be on its way back. My own outlook for stocks and the economy is gloomier than it has been in years.
And I don't say that lightly...
I'm usually an optimist... And I've spent years telling folks to ignore the latest negative hysteria – there's always something – and just invest in world-class stocks.
This has been exactly the right approach.
But today, with so much uncertainty surrounding the economy and politics, you also need to protect yourself and your money. My No. 1 recommendation: a secret currency trade that uses about $10 to harness 2 ounces of pure gold.
The last time this opportunity presented itself, it led to gains of 995% for Stansberry Research subscribers.
This is the one trade that I consider the single best opportunity in the world today... and something that I believe every American should act on right now to secure your financial future.
Click here for all of the details.
Now, let's dig into the Q&A... As always, keep sending your comments, questions, and topic suggestions to [email protected]. My team and I really do read every e-mail.
Q: Is fresh or frozen produce healthier for you? – D.S.
A: Some folks are convinced that to get the health benefits of vegetables, you must buy them fresh. The trouble is... if you end up eating something else instead that week, they might go bad before you get to them. And if you've run out of fresh veggies, you might shrug your shoulders and eat processed food.
That's why I recommend frozen produce... It might not taste as good as fresh fruits and vegetables, but it won't go bad. And according to a 2017 study, frozen produce is just as nutritious as its fresh counterpart. Here are some winners...
Spinach is full of iron, potassium, and calcium. And it won't take up much space since you can buy it in compressed packaging. Broccoli and cauliflower are high in fiber and vitamin C. Both hold their shape and texture well as long as you don't overheat them in a lot of water. And peas and edamame are packed with fiber and protein.
You can also freeze fresh veggies by blanching them first...
When I'm cooking dinner with my partner, we reserve a burner for a pot of boiling water. Leftover carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, and sugar snap peas get a quick two minutes in there before they're dunked in an ice bath.
Pat them dry, spread them out in one layer on a pan or sheet tray, and pop it all in the freezer. Once they're frozen solid, you can start bagging them. As a bonus, you can use the same boiling water to cook pasta if that's part of the dinner plan.
What We're Reading...
- Something different: Venus used to look a lot like Earth.
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
May 10, 2024