A Gold and Silver Shortage!

The US Mint has officially stopped all sales of the popular one-ounce American Gold Eagle coins. Rumors abound of scuffles at London gold dealer's sales rooms, traffic jams in Saigon Vietnam on roads leading to gold dealer establishments there, and even Indian Banks not being able to get delivery of any gold from New York bullion banks.

American Silver Eagles are likewise out. Nobody can get any, and popular alternatives like Canadian Silver Maple Leafs are getting harder and harder to find. Yet, the "price" of gold and silver has hit horrendous lows in mid-August 2008.