The market is “screaming” about fiat’s endgame [Video]

On a recent episode of the Money Metals podcast, host Mike Maharrey interviewed Brien Lundin. Brien Lundin is the CEO of Jefferson Financial, publisher of Gold Newsletter, and organizer of the New Orleans Investment Conference.

The two discussed gold’s shocking surge to $4,000 an ounce, the endgame for fiat currencies, and what investors should do next.

The interview was recorded as gold flirted with $4,000 per ounce, a level that seemed impossible just a year ago. Futures prices briefly broke the barrier, while spot prices hovered just below.

Lundin called the move “absolutely stunning.” After decades of suppression, manipulation, and false dawns, long-time gold investors feel like “whipped puppies”—surprised that the market is finally validating what they’ve warned about for years.

To Lundin, gold’s acceleration reflects more than speculation. It’s the culmination of forty-five years of ever-lower interest rates, exploding global debt, and relentless currency debasement. The financial system has entered its endgame.

(Interview starts around 6:37 mark)

What the price is signaling

The price of gold, Lundin says, is sending a message—and it’s not subtle. “Gold doesn’t do something like this unless it’s telling us something,” he explained. “Right now, it’s not whispering—it’s screaming.”

The signal is that fiat money is breaking down. Central banks have poured oceans of liquidity into the global system, creating bubbles, distortions, and debt that can never be repaid. Gold’s surge reflects that recognition.

Earlier this year, gold climbed roughly $500 in about two and a half weeks. Another similar rally followed within a month. Lundin thinks these surges may not all be from foreign central banks. He points to the sudden silence about a Fort Knox gold audit that peaked in February—just as prices launched higher. Coincidence, maybe. But the timing, he says, would “explain a lot.”

The dollar index isn’t the yardstick

When measuring the dollar, Lundin argues, investors are looking in the wrong place. The Dollar Index (DXY) only compares the U.S. currency to other weak fiat currencies—“the best-looking leper in the colony,” he quipped.

The real yardstick of value is gold. Over long time frames, the dollar has collapsed against gold. The supposed tight inverse relationship between gold and the DXY is overstated. Gold does what it does because fiat currencies are losing purchasing power, not because of small fluctuations between one paper currency and another.

Lundin points to global central bank reserves as proof. In recent years, gold has been quietly replacing U.S. Treasuries in foreign holdings. By some measures, it has already surpassed the dollar’s share. The message: gold is reclaiming its monetary role.

Silver, India, and global demand

Silver’s performance tells a similar story. Recently, silver reached an all-time high in rupee terms, highlighting how currencies around the world—not just the dollar—are weakening.

India plays a central role in this global silver demand. While the country is famous for its gold obsession, Lundin reminds listeners that India has long been one of the world’s great “silver sinks.” His 1993 Silver Bonanza report detailed this trend, which is once again accelerating as Indian investors seek refuge from inflation.

Silver’s surge in rupee terms underscores that the problem isn’t confined to the West. Around the globe, people are losing faith in fiat money and turning to tangible assets.

Portfolio theory is catching up

Modern portfolio theory, Lundin notes, is finally catching up to what gold investors have long known.

Morgan Stanley CIO Michael Wilson recently proposed a new mix—60% equities, 20% bonds, and 20% gold. That’s a radical departure from the classic 60/40 model that has dominated finance for decades.

Lundin recalls running the same numbers thirty years ago. Even in the early 1990s—after a decade of poor performance—allocating just 5% to gold improved risk-adjusted returns. Since then, gold has outperformed every major asset class over the last twenty-five years, naturally pushing its optimal weight higher.

But correlations have changed. Central-bank liquidity has driven nearly all assets to move together, making gold’s independence and its role as a non-correlated store of value even more critical.

Why advisors long ignored gold

Lundin says the reason financial advisors ignored gold for so long was simple: money.

There are no trailing commissions on physical gold, no management fees to skim. Wall Street had little incentive to promote it. Over time, gold was mocked as a “tinfoil-hat” asset, a tool for doomers and preppers, not prudent investors.

That stigma is now fading. Mainstream investors and respected fund managers—people like Paul Tudor Jones—are beginning to sound like the so-called “gold bugs.” The narrative is shifting, and those who mocked the metal for decades are now taking a second look.

Miners and silver are in catch-up mode

Mining stocks and silver are now playing catch-up. Historically, miners led the gold price, anticipating its moves. This time, the pattern reversed because central banks buy gold bullion—not mining shares or silver.

Now that Western investors are joining the rally, capital is flowing into mining stocks and silver. Large producers have doubled or even tripled, yet remain cheap compared to history. Their profits have grown faster than share prices, leaving valuations at the low end of their normal range.

Junior explorers have seen the biggest rebounds. Companies worth under $5 million last year now trade at $25–$30 million. In-ground gold resources that once sold for under $10 per ounce now command $30–$40—and the long-term average for acquisitions remains around $150 per ounce.

Lundin advises investors to take profits where appropriate, but he emphasizes that the sector is still far from overheated.

Insurance vs. investment at $4,000

Gold serves two purposes—insurance and investment—and Lundin insists investors understand the difference.

If you’re investing, you might prefer silver or miners for more leverage. But if you’re insuring, the question isn’t whether gold is too expensive—it’s whether you can afford to be without it.

Over time, gold preserves purchasing power. Dollars lose it. Holding gold, even at $4,000, protects against the erosion of fiat value.

Lundin notes with irony that even CNBC now admits gold is more reliable than the dollar. It took half a century for mainstream finance to catch up to that reality—but at least it finally has.

Risk, timing, and complacency

Lundin warns investors not to be complacent. Trends are easy to identify but nearly impossible to time. The real danger lies in assuming nothing will change.

He compares it to the levees in New Orleans—ignored for decades until suddenly, one day, they mattered more than anything else. Financial systems work the same way.

“Things happen slowly,” he says, “and then all at once.” That’s how collapses unfold, and why gold’s surge should not be dismissed as just another trade.

New Orleans investment conference

Lundin describes it as the premier event for metals investors. About forty speakers will present, including top analysts and fund managers. The exhibit hall features many of tomorrow’s mining winners, giving attendees a first look at emerging opportunities.

The conference also embraces New Orleans culture—fine food, jazz, and camaraderie. This year, local music legend James Rivers, now in his mid-80s, will close the event with a live performance.

Tickets and information are available at the New Orleans Investment Conference site. Lundin’s commentary can be found on X as @BrienLundin and at GoldNewsletter.com, where readers can access his research and free investing guides.

Bottom line

Gold’s climb toward $4,000 is not a random rally—it’s a clear signal that the fiat-money era is running out of road. Central banks lit the fuse, Western investors are following, and the miners are awakening.

For investors, gold remains the core of wealth preservation. Silver and mining stocks provide upside leverage.

The timing may be uncertain, but the trend is unmistakable. Gold is no longer whispering—it’s screaming.

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