Newmont, the Colorado-based gold miner, was one of the worst-performing stocks in the S&P 500SPX+0.52% Friday as the price of gold slumped from its June record high.
Newmont stock, meanwhile, has risen 59% this year as of Thursday’s close, and competitors like Barrick Mining and Agnico Eagle Mines have also seen their share prices soar.
Gold fell 2% on Thursday, hitting a near one-month low, after a U.S.-China trade agreement boosted risk appetite and diminished bullion’s appeal as a safe-haven asset.
Spot gold fell 2% to $3,261.28 per ounce by 0934 a.m. EDT (1334 GMT), its lowest level since May 29. Bullion was down for a second straight week, slipping 3.2% so far
U.S. gold futures dropped 2.2% to $3,272.90.
Spot silver slipped 2% to $35.88 and was set to fall for the week.
Palladium fell 0.8% to $1,122.77, but was headed for weekly gains. Platinum eased 6.5% to $1,325.48, and headed for a fourth consecutive weekly rise.
Gold prices edged lower on Thursday, weighed down by easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and continued uncertainty over the Federal Reserve’s interest rate trajectory.
Spot gold fell 0.5% to $3,316.47 per ounce, as of 0933 a.m. EDT (1333 GMT). U.S. gold futures slipped 0.4% to $3,329.20.
Palladium lost 2.5% to $1,084.41. Platinum climbed to its highest level since September 2014, adding 1.7% to $1,377.62.
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.*
“The de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East is the primary factor that’s weighing on gold. The safe-haven bid has diminished and the market is in more of a risk-on mode,” said Peter Grant, vice president and senior metals strategist at Zaner Metals.
“We’ve got pretty good support around $3,300 and then even better support probably at $3,250.”
Global shares surged and the dollar dropped on Tuesday after news of the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, while markets shrugged off what U.S. President Donald Trump called violations by both sides.
The dollar fell to a one-week low against a basket of major currencies as oil prices declined and demand for safe havens waned. Investors can “breathe a sigh of relief that chances of a major escalation have been reduced,” Jefferies economist Mohit Kumar said. The DXY dollar index fell 0.4% to a low of 97.969.
Gold futures also fell, last down 1.8% at $3,334.50 a troy ounce, close to levels last seen before Israel launched strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities earlier this month.
Gold eased on Monday as the dollar held firm, while market participants remained cautious, watching for any potential Iranian retaliation to U.S. strikes on its nuclear sites.
Spot gold was down 0.2% at $3,359.99 an ounce, as of 0820 GMT. U.S. gold futures fell 0.3% to $3,375.20.
Higher energy prices could potentially delay a Fed rate cut and strengthen the dollar, said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.
Spot silver rose 0.4% to $36.12 per ounce, platinum was up 2.3% at $1,293.90, while palladium gained 2.5% to $1,070.33
Gold prices fell on Friday and were poised for their worst weekly performance in more than a month after the Federal Reserve tempered expectations for rate cuts and on a temporary easing of concerns about an imminent U.S. attack on Iran.
Spot gold slipped 0.7% to $3,347.80 an ounce, as of 1201 GMT, and was down 2.5% for the week so far. U.S. gold futures shed 1.3% to $3,364.00.
“Gold, silver, and platinum all suffered setbacks as traders booked profits after Wednesday’s FOMC meeting,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.
“Gold is likely to extend its current consolidation phase with support around $3,320 followed by $3,245.”
Spot gold was up 0.2% at $3,374.54 an ounce, as of 0505 GMT. U.S. gold futures eased 0.5% to $3,391.90.
“Gold has made a modest bounce as we await the next steps in the Israel-Iran conflict. If the U.S. does decide to get directly involved in the conflict this could raise the geopolitical stakes,” KCM Trade Chief Market Analyst Tim Waterer said.
“The Fed was not as dovish as some had hoped, and I’d argue Powell was a tad more hawkish than many would like. The U.S. dollar is likely at oversold levels, and that is likely to cap gains on gold over the next few weeks,” said Matt Simpson, a senior analyst at City Index.
Gold prices were little changed on Wednesday as investors waited for the Federal Reserve’s policy decision and comments from Chair Jerome Powell, while platinum surged to a more than four-year peak.
Spot gold was steady at $3,387.89 an ounce by 1145 a.m. EDT (1545 GMT).
“The prevailing trend of seeking alternative stores of value beyond the U.S. dollar remains strong, driven by a growing desire for assets that are independent of external control,” said Ryan McIntyre, Managing Partner at Sprott Inc.
Spot silver fell 1% to $36.87 per ounce
Platinum added 3.5% to $1,306.68, highest since February 2021.