As of 1/19/26, Silver is $89/oz

[John Wiegerink]

Silver is a byproduct (coproduct) of copper mining as well.

Yes, and I know China has some very big Copper mines. How much they extract there, I wouldn't even guess.

 

[John Wiegerink]

I imagine that Ilford's sheet films are a very small portion of its sales these days so any further drop in demand may have little effect on its future prospects


pentaxuser

I think Ilford is in pretty good shape except for the U.S. market where the blasted tariffs have caused me to now buy Kodak now. Trust me, I don't like Kodaks pricing scheme on much of their film (bulk 35mm B&W and sheet film), but 120 B&W seems to have come down to earth a little. Maybe Kodak is trying to corner the 120 B&W market when it comes to quality B&W films????

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Electronic Traded Funds require physical metal in London vaults (for example) . Each share of GLD requires that the ETF have 1/10 ounce of gold in their vaults. Same is true for the silver funds.

From a hopeful perspective silver may flow back out triggering a crash in prices.

I think Ilford is going to be in a good place, regardless of silver (noise) along with Foma, but Ilford especially to serve the needs of fine art silver photography and printing.

How does anyone know they actually have the gold or that it hasn't been loaned out?

 

[MattKing]

I think Ilford is in pretty good shape except for the U.S. market

As the US is Harman's largest market, that phrase may contain its own inconsistency!

 

[John Wiegerink]

As the US is Harman's largest market, that phrase may contain its own inconsistency!

Yes, you're right Matt, but maybe I'm the only one that has went back to Kodak B&W film. In that case Harman/Ilford will be okay. I don't buy enough film to make a bit of difference anyway. All I know is that these tariffs cost me my hard earned money. I bought a badly needed camera part off eBay, from a fellow in Canada, it cost me twice the cost of the item just to get it to Michigan and it came from just across the Windsor tunnel near London, Ontario! Not to be political, but this really hurts a tight Dutchman. All I know is that the current tariff BS is making a lot of things uncertain and we all know what happens with uncertainty. FEAR! The only good thing I get out of this is that I have a large collection/stash of 173 coins Walking Liberty, Kennedy and Franklin half dollars. I just don't know when to sell them off and take the money and buy film and paper.

 

[retina_restoration]

Yes, you're right Matt, but maybe I'm the only one that has went back to Kodak B&W film.

You're not. TMY was averaging $12 per roll five years ago and Delta 400 was closer to $9.00, but now, it's the other way around: Ilford Delta 400 is $12.49 and TMY is $8.80
Because of the price shift, I've stopped buying Ilford and once my Ilford cache is used up, it will be either Kodak or Fomapan, I expect.

 

[John Wiegerink]

You're not. TMY was averaging $12 per roll five years ago and Delta 400 was closer to $9.00, but now, it's the other way around: Ilford Delta 400 is $12.49 and TMY is $8.80
Because of the price shift, I've stopped buying Ilford and once my Ilford cache is used up, it will be either Kodak or Fomapan, I expect.

Yikes, Paul, that doesn't sound so good for Ilford films and papers for sure. Maybe some smart scientist can come up with something that is "light sensitive" besides silver for film making? Okay all you chemists, get working!

 

[retina_restoration]

Yikes, Paul, that doesn't sound so good for Ilford films and papers for sure. Maybe some smart scientist can come up with something that is "light sensitive" besides silver for film making? Okay all you chemists, get working!

I think this is going to hurt Ilford, eventually.

 

[Alan Johnson]

How does anyone know they actually have the gold or that it hasn't been loaned out?

London Bullion Market Association vault holdings data is released shortly after each month end. The custodian of the ETC is the usual source of more information.
IDK what is the situation in the US.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Must have been those nasty speculators that drove the price up and now they are selling out.
85.25
USD−29.18 (25.50%)today

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

London Bullion Market Association vault holdings data is released shortly after each month end. The custodian of the ETC is the usual source of more information.
IDK what is the situation in the US.

GLD stock company is supposed to keep 1/10th of an ounce of gold for each of its shares. The gold is supposed to be stored in a London vault. None is kept in the US or elsewhere as far as I know. So the question is, is the gold backing up the stock purchase really in a London vault? Is any of it missing or loaned out? Is there a place to check these things online?

 

[Dali]

Because of the price shift, I've stopped buying Ilford and once my Ilford cache is used up, it will be either Kodak or Fomapan, I expect.

I already started shifting from Ilford to Kodak / Foma for both 120 and 135 formats.

 

[mshchem]

On paper I lost 6.3 million dollars yesterday on GLD

 

[John Wiegerink]

On paper I lost 6.3 million dollars yesterday on GLD

Dang, me too! I didn't sell my silver half dollars fast enough. I'll just wait tell those evil speculators drive the prices up again and then unload. The only good thing about the price drop is that maybe products containing silver won't have an excuse to get priced higher. We'll see how far things like gold and silver drop?? Thanks for merging the threads!

 

[loccdor]

GLD stock company is supposed to keep 1/10th of an ounce of gold for each of its shares. The gold is supposed to be stored in a London vault. None is kept in the US or elsewhere as far as I know. So the question is, is the gold backing up the stock purchase really in a London vault? Is any of it missing or loaned out? Is there a place to check these things online?

I've heard that even if you hold actual physical gold, the price is manipulated by vaults claiming they have more than they really do.

 

[pentaxuser]

I've heard that even if you hold actual physical gold, the price is manipulated by vaults claiming they have more than they really do.

Ultimately isn't gold controlled by that bowler-clad butler / securíty man called Odd Job who acts as a golf caddie occasionally?

pentaxuser

 

[Alan Johnson]

GLD stock company is supposed to keep 1/10th of an ounce of gold for each of its shares. The gold is supposed to be stored in a London vault. None is kept in the US or elsewhere as far as I know. So the question is, is the gold backing up the stock purchase really in a London vault? Is any of it missing or loaned out? Is there a place to check these things online?

Gold bar list and Inspectorate certificates > USA > SPDR Gold Shares (GLD). Bringing the gold market to investors

SPDR® Gold Shares (GLD) offer investors an innovative, relatively cost efficient and secure way to access the gold market. An initiative of the World Gold Trust Services.

www.spdrgoldshares.com

 

[cmacd123]

so was the silver bubble to 120 us/oz and fall back a blip?

 

[John Wiegerink]

so was the silver bubble to 120 us/oz and fall back a blip?

That's what I'm wondering myself. Only time will tell I guess.