CONVERSATION
Here’s an exact conversation I had last week when a gentleman called me for advice.
“I’m thinking of buying a futures contract and taking delivery if it goes down,” he said. “What do you think?”
“Have you bought futures before,” I queried.
“Yes.”
“How did that work out?”
“I broke even.”
“How long ago did you get into silver futures?”
“A few years ago when I first read your stuff. Silver was around $5.00.”
“So, silver has tripled and you broke even?”
“Yes.”
“Have you ever done business with us?”
“No, but I get your newsletter.”
“Maybe you should have followed our advice and bought real silver.”
“I’m thinking about it.”
“You would have a nice gain if you bought the real thing.”
“I can get it cheaper by taking delivery on a contract.”
“How are you going to get it?” I continued.
“Drive up to Chicago and pick it up.”
“It’s heavy. Thousand ounce bars will wear you out.”
“I can lift them.”
“What happens when you want to sell?”
“I don’t know.”
“I do,” I said. “Some local coin dealer will take a big chunk out of your hide when you sell it.”
“Maybe I’ll just hold it.”
“You’d be better off buying them from us.”
“I can get them cheaper if I take delivery.”
“Yes, but you never will.”
“What do you mean?”
“If your futures contract goes up a little, you’ll sell. Everybody does. Did you hold last time when it went up?”
“No.”
“Did you make a margin call when it went down?”
“No.”
“You sold out?”
“Yes.”
“At a loss?”
“Yes.”
“You should learn from that and buy the real thing.”
“I can get it cheaper if I take delivery.”
“How long did you say you’ve been getting our newsletter?
“Five years or so.”
“Have you read our books and reports?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you know anything about business?
“Yes.”
“What do you think it costs to send 60,000 people that newsletter twice a month?”
“Oh, I know about business.”
“What do you think it costs for the books and reports that educated you on silver?”
“Oh yes, I know.”
“Would you have bought silver if it wasn’t for us?
“No.”
“We educated you and you should have followed our advice and bought coins and bars.”
“Yeah.”
“You can store thousand ounce bars at HSBC in your name, with the actual serial numbers of the bars.”
“Okay, thanks. Keep sending me that newsletter, will you?”
