From Naked Capitalism:

You cannot make this stuff up. Even as of last summer, there were reports that gold at retail was priced at a hefty premium, often 20% or more, to professional prices. Greater convenience comes with a greater markup. The German gold vending machines reportedly update prices every few minutes and add a 30% upcharge.

The flip side is that observers who believe gold to be a good long-term bet still think a correction is overdue, given the decline in non-investment uses, meaning jewelry. Are the machines a short-term contrarian indicator?

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