Writes John McClain:

Dear Lew,

I was about 12 when my Unitarian church youth group went to “Old town” in Chicago and I saw a silversmith taking silver bar, cutting it to size and making rings out of it, about 1971.  I noticed most of my change from my paper route, tips was pre-64 silver and 65 to 67 looked like silver, but was silver plated sandwich coin. I began making jewelry out of silver coin and buying it for “face and a quarter” and ramped the price I paid as I began seeing actual inflation occur.

I’ve been a mechanic since my earliest years, took over from my dad in at about eight when he couldn’t figure out how to put the brakes back together on our 65 Ford, with first generation self-adjusting drum brakes.  Working in metal meant always knowing inflation because metal can’t lie.  I was angry about “35 bucks an ounce gold” that was illegal for us to own, and was happy when Nixon opened the gold window again.

Today, silver is trading up around 32 bucks an ounce, gold is selling close to three thousand, and I’m schooling my grandson and daughter on real values hoping their two children can learn early, 9 and 7, my great grandson and granddaughter.  Covid retired me, closed my machine and welding shop, I still have the shop and help people in need, teach a couple guys welding, when something is broken and I had my 30 year old niece here for a couple months to learn how to weld and work on old motorcycles.

Most folks I know realize inflation is rampant, hard to miss at the grocery store and dead accurate in my trade, electric power, gas bottles and raw materials.  Most seem to have little connection with the actual history though and often stand pat on “the official news” in the media, both my sisters included.  Your site is my morning go to precisely because it’s full of people older than me who clearly know the truth.

I’ve donated before to help support your work and would like to again, but I don’t know a real secure way to do so, any help with this would be greatly appreciated, there’s not too many places reality is showcased as well.