But in all truth, you seem to have a blind spot when it comes to people and humanity and gold. Gold has always been seen as being of immense value throughout human history, and as much as you sit there like King Canute, you are not going to change that.
In this day and age of demonetisation / collateralized debt securities / derivatives / QE at a keystroke & everything else associated with our ponzi style financial system, gold is more needed than ever. That is the reason it has exploded in value since the turn of this century, and you sitting there like King Canute are not going to be able to alter a single thing.
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Very tear-jerking and sentimental, but gold is no longer a currency or a means of transactions or trade. It was hundreds of years ago and goldbugs yearn for the good old days, but alas it's all over. Gold is just a means of speculation, profitable for some but not for most, especially the unfortunate Russians.
I wouldn't be the least surprised if the top dogs in the Russian treasury are cooling their heals in a Siberian gulag at -60 degrees.