Date: Thu, 18 Dec 1997 03:23:04 GMT Server: WebSitePro/1.1h Accept-ranges: bytes Content-type: text/html Last-modified: Mon, 24 Nov 1997 12:11:16 GMT Content-length: 18184 Dallas Gold & Silver Exchange, Platinum











  • What is Platinum?
  • The Most Precious
  • Strategic Metal
  • Jewelry
  • What Are The Benefits of Owning Platinum?
  • Outlook for Platinum
  • Platinum: The Investment Metal
  • American Eagle Platinum
  • Australian Koala Platinum
  • Canadian Maple Leaf Platinum


    PLATINUM: THE NEW BREED OF PRECIOUS METAL

    Gold and silver have typically provided investors with an effective hedge against uncertainty. Today, platinum has become the precious metal of choice for investors.

    WHAT IS PLATINUM?

    Platinum is a multi-faceted precious metal. It is essential in providing for mankind's greatest needs: food, fuel, electonics, communications and health. The metal plays an integral role in the production of one out of every five consumer goods,including glass, paints, nitric acid, fiberoptic wires and gasoline.


    THE MOST PRECIOUS

    Platinum is the rarest precious metal:

    • The annual supply of platinum is only about 130 tons; over 20 times more gold and 125 times more silver are normally produced each year.
    • Approximately 10 tons of ore must be mined from deposits, sometimes almost a mile underground, to produce one pure ounce of platinum. This process usually takes six months.
    • All the platinum ever mined throughout history would fill a room less than 25 cubic feet.


    STRATEGIC METAL

    Platinum has been classified as a strategic metal by the US government which requires the maintenance of an official stockpile. This important designation is due to its unique physical qualities which make it irreplaceable in many defense and industrial applications and in the fight against pollution.

    • High melting point (3,215°F).
    • Excellent conductivity, ductility and durability.
    • Virtually corrosion-proof.
    • Strong catalytic properties.


    JEWELRY

    Approximately 75% of all the platinum produced each year is used by the jewelry industry. Traditionally, platinum is used as a setting for diamonds and other gems. The wide availability of affordable platinum jewelry has caused consumption to double in the past ten years.


    WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF OWNING PLATINUM

    Investor interest in platinum has been growing dramatically over the past several years as sophisticated investors learn more about platinum's unique supply and demand fundamentals.

    Portfolio perfmormance is enhanced via diversification. Historically, platinum offers not only dynamic growth potential but the ability to hedge against inflation and uncertainty.

    Owners of gold often choose to diversify their holdings with platinum to take advantage of the typical price relationship between the two metals. Platinum tends to trade at a sizable premium to gold, reflecting platinum's relative scarcity to gold and its widespread applications. The extent of the premium of platinum over gold calls attention to:

    • The underlying strength in platinum, as the premium tends to widen when platinum supplies are not able to meet demand.
    • A bull market in the precious metals; since the platinum market is the smallest, it tends to be the most volitile.


    OUTLOOK FOR PLATINUM

    The price of platinum is strongly influenced by its availability. Shifts in the balance of supply and demand are very important to platinum prices because above-ground stocks of the metal are very limited. For example, central banks do not hold platinum.

    As a precious metal, platinum tends to react to broad economic trends and events in a fashion similar to gold and silver, although possessing its own unique dynamics.


    PLATINUM: THE INVESTMENT METAL

    Many investors choose to take advatage of platinum's profit potential through the purchase of legal tender bullion coins and small bars. Bullion coins are priced on the spot price of the the metal plus a modest premium for the cost of fabrication, packaging, etc.

    Coins are available in a wide range of sizes, primarily one-ounce and fractional sizes, and have a guarantee by the country of origin of the purity (99.95%), liquidity and authenticity of each coin.

    Legal tender platinum bullion coins offered by DGSE include:

    Join our Live Precious Metals Quotes system and receive spot metal and bullion coin prices for gold, silver and platinum coins.


    AMERICAN EAGLE-AMERICA'S OFFICIAL PLATINUM BULLION COINS

  • American Eagle Platinum Bullion Coins give investors an easy way to take advantage of platinum as a precious metal investment.

  • Authorized by Congress in 1996 and first issued in 1997, they are the first and only official investment-grade platinum coins from the United States Mint.

  • American Eagle Platinum Bullion Coins give American investors an alternative to foreign bullion coins and provide a complete precious metals portfolio from the United States Mint.

  • The American Eagle is the only platinum bullion coin whose weight, content and .9995 purity are guaranteed by the United States Government.

  • All American Eagles are legal tender coins, with their "face" value imprinted in U.S. Dollars. Although their face value is largely symbolic, it provides proof of their authenticity as official U.S. coinage. The one ounce platinum coin displays the highest face value ($100) ever to appear on a U.S. coin.

  • American Icons.The obverse (front) bears John Mercanti's "Portrait of Liberty,"with the Statue of Liberty looking confidently toward the future. The reverse design, "Eagle Soaring Above America," by Thomas D. Rogers Sr., depicts America's symbol of freedom proudly spreading its wings at sunrise.

    Platinum Content Weight Diameter Thickness Face Value
    One Ounce
    .9995
    Fine Platinum
    1.0005 Troy Ounces
    31.120 grams
    1.287"
    32.70 mm
    0.094"
    2.38 mm
    $100.00
    One-Half Ounce
    .9995
    Fine Platinum
    0.5003 Troy Ounces
    15.560 grams
    1.063"
    27.00 mm
    0.069"
    1.75 mm
    $50.00
    One-Quarter Ounce
    .9995
    Fine Platinum
    0.2501 Troy Ounces
    7.780 grams
    0.866"
    22.00 mm
    0.052"
    1.32 mm
    $25.00
    One-Tenth Ounce
    .9995
    Fine Platinum
    0.10005 Troy Ounces
    3.112 grams
    0.650"
    16.50 mm
    0.037"
    0.94 mm
    $10.00


    AUSTRALIAN KOALA

    The Australian Koala is the only legal tender, pure platinum bullion coin to carry a different design each year, as well as, have a pre-announced limited mintage.

    Platinum Content Weight Diameter Face Value
    1 Kilo
    .9995 Fine
    1001 grams 75.30 mm AUD$3,000.00
    10 Ounce
    .9995 Fine
    311.691 grams 60.30 mm AUD$1,000.00
    2 Ounce
    .9995 Fine
    62.313 grams 40.6 mm AUD$200.00
    1 Ounce
    .9995 Fine
    31.185 grams 32.1 mm AUD$100.00
    1/2 Ounce
    .9995 Fine
    15.605 grams 25.1 mm AUD$50.00
    1/4 Ounce
    .9995 Fine
    7.815 grams 20.1 mm AUD$25.00
    1/10
    .9995 Fine
    3.137 grams 16.1 mm AUD$15.00
    1/20 Ounce
    .9995 Fine
    1.571 grams 14.1 mm AUD$5.00


    CANADIAN MAPLE LEAF

    The platinum Maple Leaf is a member of the Maple Leaf family of coins. Coins are available in a wide variety of sizes and are legal tender bullion coins.

    Platinum Content Weight Diameter Face Value
    1 Ounce
    .9995 Fine
    31.160 grams 30 mm C$50.00
    1/2 Ounce
    .9995 Fine
    15.590 grams 25 mm C$20.00
    1/4 Ounce
    .9995 Fine
    7.800 grams 20 mm C$10.00
    1/10
    .9995 Fine
    3.132 grams 16 mm C$5.00
    1/15 Ounce
    .9995 Fine
    2.100 grams 15 mm C$2.00
    1/20 Ounce
    .9995 Fine
    1.581 grams 14.1 mm C$1.00


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