If you find yourself considering buying gold and silver, this podcast is a must-watch. Franklin Sanders from The Moneychanger shares what’s been going on with gold and silver in the past handful of decades and what the future of gold and silver looks like.

The Moneychanger, Volunteer Precious Metals and Franklin Sanders have been very good guides to us over the years in developing our plan for physical assets. You can check out the previous podcast with Franklin on the top principles to know when buying gold and silver.
In today’s episode, we’re going to discuss the future of gold and silver and what we all need to be aware of.
About Franklin Sanders
Franklin Sanders is a precious metals expert. He’s also an author, writer, speaker, investor and army veteran. He’s been studying economics and monetary systems since the late 1960s.
Since 1980, he has operated a physical gold and silver exchange business as founder and owner of The Moneychanger.
Both Franklin and myself strongly believe in having gold and silver in hand, not on paper. The advantage of gold and silver is that it’s cash in hand. If you can’t access it when you need it, that’s problematic.
Franklin and his wife have been homesteading for years. As he puts it, they’ve learned what to do by first doing it wrong. Franklin has a fantastic book series called At Home in Dogwood Mudhole (Volumes One, Two and Three). They’re such great reads that will have you laughing out loud! I highly encourage you to check them out.

The Growth of Gold & Silver
From the end of December 2023 to the second of December 2024, gold has gained 28.2% and silver 30.3%. In the same period the Dow Industrials Average has gained 8.6% and the S&P50 26.8%.
These are some big differences, but what Franklin says is that it’s the fullness of time. The charts above and below show the cup and handle formation for the pattern in which gold and silver grow in value.
Looking at these charts and based on historical data, Franklin shares how he believes both gold and silver will continue to greatly increase in value over the next 4-5 years.
The value of gold and silver is driven by the dollar and the fundamentals (or the mismanagement) of the dollar doesn’t change. Though many people think Trump will rectify government spending, it’s just simply not possible for him (or any administration) to do so.

Government Spending
The U.S. is sitting on a huge mountain of debt. A large portion of government spending is mandatory. No new president wants to come into office announcing they’re going to cut Social Security benefits or Medicare. That’d be the kiss of death for that president.
Another large portion of spending goes to the defense fund. On top of that, there is education, transportation, interest charges, etc. All these things are mandatory and not much can be done to mitigate this.
Franklin said the last president who was actually able to reduce the US debt was Andrew Jackson. Clinton had a balanced budget that was more in control, but nearly every administration, whether left or right, has been growing the financial deficit.

Inflation
Franklin says the charts above show the distrust of the dollar. The fiscal status of the U.S. is that the federal government is constantly overspending, which means it needs to borrow money. It does this by taking a note to the Federal Reserve, and the Federal Reserve monetizes that note.
This is how we get inflation because the Federal Reserve is creating more money, reducing the value of the dollar.
The Government’s Options
Some people think the U.S. can grow their way out of this massive mountain of debt, but both Franklin and I have our doubts about that.
Franklin says the U.S. has two options:
- It can essentially go bankrupt and tell all our borrowers’ tough luck.
- Inflate the dollar. This reduces the burden of the debt over time, but this will eventually hit a wall.
According to Luke Gromen, an analyst, “The U.S. government’s debt to GDP ratio is about 120%, and its budget deficit is forecast to be about 7% of GDP this year. Since 1991, all 18 other governments with deficits exceeding 11% of GDP and debt to GDP ratios exceeding 110% defaulted in 2 years.”
It’s not “if” it’s “when” the government will default.

Gold & Silver Value
Gold and Silver are at an all-time high. When I asked Franklin what is driving this he explained that it’s who is buying silver and gold.
Since 2015, central banks have increased their buying of silver and gold because they don’t trust the dollar. Likewise, China has been buying gold and silver in large quantities. None of these entities intend to sell it anytime soon, so this has an effect on availability. When availability declines, this drives the value of gold and silver higher and higher.

What Can We Do?
Franklin states, “Convenience is the bait that they use in the trap to give up our liberty.” This podcast is not a call to panic but a call to a reality of the trajectory we’re on and the steps we must take to protect ourselves. The dollar is on a trajectory that will inevitably hit a wall. We want to be in a good place when this happens.
Buying gold and silver is just one element of homesteading. We homestead to be less reliant on the government and reduce our dependency on outside entities. Gold and silver are just one aspect of how we protect ourselves financially from the instability of the dollar.
Franklin offers a program called the Monthly Acquisition Plan. You can invest as little as $300/month and will only be charged $12 per year. This gives you the right, but not the obligation, to invest every month. You can learn more by going to the Volunteer Precious Metals Monthly Acquisition Plan page.

How to Buy Silver & Gold
If you’re ready to learn more about buying silver and gold, check out the previous podcast and blog post with Franklin Sanders. In that post, we discuss buying (whether to start with gold or silver), how to store your gold and silver (in the bank or on your person), and what forms of gold and silver to avoid.

Where to Find Franklin
You can find Franklin at The Money Changer or his sons at Volunteer Precious Metals. Both of those websites have multiple articles where you can go to learn more about investing in gold and silver. Or call 888-661-4093.
You can also join Franklin’s newsletter to learn about the markets along with gold and silver by going to his website and clicking the Subscribe button.
Be sure to grab your copies of Franklin’s books, At Home in Dogwood Mudhole (Volumes One, Two and Three). They’re such great reads, and I highly encourage you to check them out.
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