Gold prices dropped more than 1% on Friday as markets digested the latest tariff developments, while a softer inflation report in the US kept hopes for a rate cut alive.
Spot gold fell back below $3,300 an ounce during the morning session, trading at $3,281.24 for an intraday gain of 1.1% by 10:45 a.m. ET. US gold futures also fell 1.1% to $3,307.40 an ounce in New York.
“Gold, at this point in time, is pulling back off these recent highs and is in a consolidation period,” said David Meger, director of metals trading at High Ridge Futures
“Gold is under slight pressure as we’re seeing a little lesser need for safe haven, but it does look like there is going to be significant pushback from Trump and that will eventually help prices.”
Gold prices rose on Friday as investors turned to the safe-haven asset after United States President Donald Trump imposed fresh tariffs on a broad range of countries, while the market’s focus shifted to the U.S. non-farm payrolls report.
Spot gold was up 0.3% at $3,299.54 per ounce, as of 1119 GMT. However, bullion is down 1.4% so far this week.
U.S. gold futures rose 0.1% to $3,351.40.
“The incoming US jobs report may also trigger another big move for gold. Another demonstration of resilience by the U.S. jobs market could send gold southbound towards $3,200,” Han Tan, chief market analyst at Nemo.Money.
Spot silver fell 0.7% to $36.49 per ounce, platinum lost 1.6% at $1,269.27 and palladium was down 1.7% at $1,170.35.
The Silver price (XAG/USD) attracts some sellers to around $39.00 during the early European session on Friday. Optimism surrounding the US trade deal allayed trade war concerns and dampened demand for safe-haven assets.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Friday that US President Donald Trump is now pursuing dealmaking with China. Trump might shift from a strategy of pressure to negotiation, with the goal of securing an economic agreement that will increase US access to Chinese markets, particularly in business and technology.
What are goldbacks? Well I’m happy you stumbled upon my blog to learn more about this amazing and innovative way to pay for goods and services with actual gold.
This isn’t paying with gold coins or bars but actually paying with gold bills. These bills contain gold within them and are measured on the bills itself. Gold foil if you will.
These bills are gold and have the amount of gold listed on the front of each bill from 1/2000th of a troy ounce to 1/10th of .999 fine gold (24k gold). They are beautifully decorated with art work from the Goldback artists and an added combination of anticounterfeiting features within each bill.
There are currently (as of 2025) 6 states with representation on these bills. Those states include Utah, Nevada, New Hampshire, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Florida. Florida is the newest goldback series for this year. The bills start at 1/2, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 gold bills.
I do not yet have any of the Florida or South Dakota goldbacks but I’m in the process of purchasing and I really can’t wait to have them.
As of this posting, Oklahoma will be available for preorder Aug. 1st, 2025 at various online sellers. If you’re lucky to find a vendor who is actually selling the goldbacks in person, pick them up! That’s how I learned about these, from a seller at a coin show.
Well that’s a great question! Some could argue that getting these bills is not worth purchasing because you can’t spend these anywhere you want. Or, why are you buying such a small amount of gold when you can get gold bars for a much higher trade in value?
These bills are apart of the sound money movement. Sound money means it recognizes the value in gold and silver not paper fiat. Which is basically saying that paper money does not hold value like gold. For many investors, this is a real concern and is why this movement is a big deal during these economic times.
So why should you buy goldbacks? Goldbacks, like gold, retain their value and give you more purchasing power. While these have a very small amount of gold on each bill the form factor makes it easy to use your gold for everyday purchases.
On their website they say that goldbacks are “The currency for now, Currency for the future.” I for one am very into the idea of this being a great way to use my gold for purchases and my currency. Unfortunately, this cannot be used anywhere……Yet!
Pros and Cons of Goldbacks
As you just read, you cannot use these anywhere. Which is the biggest con but only for now. But they is much more to it than just spending.
The pros:
Hedge against inflation – as gold has been known to be a safe haven against inflation
Spendable – can be spent at small businesses that accept goldbacks
Collectability – certain bills could be collectable
Privacy – allows you to spend at your own leisure and without banks
Substantial – Goldbacks are real they are physical and unlike digital currency this is in hand
The cons :
Liquidity – this product my be hard to find buyers
Volatility – this is tied to the gold prices and will
Storage – if this product will need to be taken care of properly to avoid loss or damage
Higher premiums – you will pay more than the gold value because of the cost of production to make these bills.
I feel that the pros outweigh the cons as the pros are more valuable when it comes to owning these bills. Storage and higher premiums are not that big of a deal to me. I wouldn’t not take care of my investments and I expect to pay a certain price when buying from someone anyway. Just like silver rounds. But that’s a different topic.
Are Goldbacks worth it?
In my opinion, I will not tell you to go and do something unless you feel it’s the right option for you. I believe it is worth it for those that appreciate all forms of gold and ways to spend their investments in person and upfront. This might also be right up your ally to collect these bills as they are absolutely beautiful and stunning to look at and hold in your hand
These goldbacks are still very new. They just started in 2019. I think that this will go a long way but we don’t know how long these will last. There are more and more small businesses that are accepting these as payment and that’s a good sign.
I will continue to purchase these and add to my portfolio and, as I said in previous posts, would actually use these if ever I needed or had the opportunity to do so. Even with some cons to these bills they won’t stop me or many others who are currently investing.
Make sure to do more research if you’re on the fence. Talk to dealers, get some reviews, and look up the website for more info here.
*Disclaimer: I have not received any payment, products, services, or other compensation for discussing this topic. My comments reflect my personal views only.*
Gold prices rallied above $3,100 per ounce for the first time on Monday, on course for its biggest quarterly gain in over 38 years, as global tariffs and geopolitical tensions push investors toward safe-haven bets.
“Trump’s unpredictable trade policy has been the key driver for gold so far in 2025, with prices up by more than 16% year-to-date, extending its momentum from 2024,” ING analysts said.
“We see uncertainty over trade and tariffs, along with central bank buying and inflows into ETF holdings continuing to buoy gold prices.”
“We are witnessing a resilient economy … against a backdrop of geopolitical concerns, and an expectation of some sort of chaos down the road,” said Oliver Pursche, senior vice president at Wealthspire Advisors in New York.
Gold reversed its multi-session rally, which was driven by a risk-off flight to safety that drove the precious metal to a record high.
Spot gold fell 0.3% to $2,856.40 an ounce. U.S. gold futures fell 0.39% to $2,860.50 an ounce.
“Silver is showing signs of relatively higher momentum with the price trying to breach the crucial US$ 33 level,” Emkay said
Given silver’s diverse industrial applications, its price is projected to rise from its current level, reaching $36.60, $38.70, and $39.30 on COMEX, it said.
“Investing in silver funds with a 12 to 18 months’ time horizon is likely to be a worthy proposition.”
The gold-silver ratio is currently around 90, which suggests that silver is currently undervalued.
