The sources behind everything we teach
34 references from 22 publishers — statutes, regulators, mints, grading services, central-bank data series and market authorities. No blogs, no affiliate pages, no dealer marketing. If a claim on this site cannot be checked against a record like these, we do not make it.
Money, the dollar and purchasing power
The official record of how the dollar is issued, measured and devalued — the data behind every inflation claim on this site.
- Monetary policy and the Federal Reserve's tools
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
The issuer's own description of how the money supply is expanded and contracted.
Start here
- M2 money stock, 1959–present
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)
The long series behind 'they printed how much?' — downloadable and revision-tracked.
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)
The official inflation index, so any purchasing-power figure can be recomputed.
- CPI inflation calculator
US Bureau of Labor Statistics
Convert any dollar amount between two years using the government's own index.
- Debt to the Penny
US Treasury, Fiscal Data
The daily federal debt figure our live debt counter reads from.
Start here
- Gold convertibility ends, August 1971
Federal Reserve History
The central bank's own account of closing the gold window.
- History of the United States Mint and its coinage
US Mint
Statutory coin weights and finenesses from 1792 forward.
On our site: Education center · Monetary timeline bibliography · Gold price history
Banks, deposits and what insurance actually covers
What FDIC insurance does and does not promise, who gets paid first in a failure, and the statutes that set the order.
- Deposit insurance: what is and is not covered
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
The $250,000 limit, ownership categories, and the products insurance never touches.
Start here
- Failed bank list
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Every US bank failure since 2000, with resolution dates and acquirers.
- BankFind Suite — institution financials
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Look up your own bank's capital, assets and deposit base before you assume it is sound.
- Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
US Congress (Public Law 111-203)
Title II orderly liquidation authority — the legal text behind creditor-waterfall claims.
- Bank supervision topics and the Comptroller's Handbook
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
How national banks are examined, in the regulator's own words.
On our site: Safe from what? Deposit risk · The digital wealth trap
IRA rules, rollovers and taxes
The statutes and IRS publications that decide what a retirement account may hold, how metal gets in, and how it is taxed coming out.
- 26 U.S. Code § 408(m) — investment in collectibles
Cornell Law School, Legal Information Institute
The bullion exception itself: the fineness and custody language every dealer claim rests on.
Start here
- Publication 590-A — contributions to IRAs
Internal Revenue Service
Contribution limits, rollover mechanics and the 60-day rule.
- Publication 590-B — distributions from IRAs
Internal Revenue Service
Required distributions, in-kind distributions of metal, and penalties.
- Rollovers of retirement plan and IRA distributions
Internal Revenue Service
Direct versus indirect transfers and the 20% withholding trap on plan distributions.
Start here
- Topic 409 — capital gains and losses
Internal Revenue Service
Where the 28% collectibles rate on physical metal outside an IRA comes from.
- Employee Benefits Security Administration
US Department of Labor
Fiduciary standards and plan-participant rights when money leaves a 401(k).
On our site: How does a gold IRA work? · Gold IRA rollover · IRA approved gold · Gold IRA taxes
Mints, grading and authentication
Verify a coin's specifications with the mint that struck it and the grade with the service that slabbed it — before you buy, from us or anyone.
- Coin and medal programs, specifications and mintages
US Mint
Official weights, finenesses and production figures for American issues.
Start here
- American Eagle silver coin program
US Mint
The program page behind every Silver Eagle listing on our site.
- PCGS certificate verification
Professional Coin Grading Service
Enter the certification number on any slab we list and confirm grade and population.
Start here
- NGC certification lookup
Numismatic Guaranty Company
The same verification for NGC-holdered coins, including photo-proof where available.
Start here
- PCGS price guide and auction prices realized
Professional Coin Grading Service
Independent retail guide values and recorded sale prices by date and grade.
- NGC US coin price guide
Numismatic Guaranty Company
A second independent guide, so no valuation of ours stands alone.
On our site: Live inventory · Due diligence · Precious metals glossary
Markets, spot pricing and premiums
Where the spot price actually comes from, and the supply-and-demand research behind premium behaviour.
- LBMA precious metal prices
London Bullion Market Association
The twice-daily benchmark auction that global spot quotes are anchored to.
Start here
- COMEX metals futures and settlements
CME Group
Exchange settlement data, contract specs and open interest.
- Goldhub — demand trends and central bank buying
World Gold Council
Quarterly demand data, including official-sector purchases.
Start here
- World Silver Survey and industrial demand research
The Silver Institute
The standard annual reference for silver supply, industrial use and deficits.
- Commitments of Traders reports
US Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Weekly positioning data, straight from the regulator rather than a newsletter.
On our site: Live spot prices · How precious metals pricing works · Precious metals allocation
Consumer protection and dealer due diligence
Check us, and check anyone else. These are the regulators' own fraud advisories and license lookups.
- Customer advisories and fraud protection library
US Commodity Futures Trading Commission
The regulator's advisories on precious-metals and retirement-account sales pressure — hold every dealer to them, including us.
Start here
- Investment scams: how to spot and avoid them
Federal Trade Commission
Plain-language consumer guidance on high-pressure pitches, markups and 'home delivery IRA' claims.
- Investor.gov — research before you invest
US Securities and Exchange Commission
General investor protection tools and complaint channels.
- BrokerCheck
FINRA
Look up any licensed representative's registration and disciplinary history.
Start here
- CFTC Check — registration and background lookup
US Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Confirm whether a commodities-side firm or promoter is registered at all.
On our site: Due diligence checklist · Gold IRA scams · About Capstone Metals
Found a source we should add?
We keep this library open on purpose. If a record contradicts something we have written, we would rather correct the page than defend it. Call or text (800) 200-9553 or email info@capstonemetals.com.