I cannot imagine that such a transaction is not technically a sales' taxable transaction; I'm very sure it would be on the States. But I wouldn't want to rely on sellers forking over sales tax everytime they got paid in gold, silver, services, or any other medium for exchange.

Is the gold price finally at or very near a bottom? That is a great question, but I don't think a chart has the answer, as they've been incorrect too many times in the last couple of years.

How about James Turk's latest interview on KWN? I had to laugh, he actually said he thought gold might get to $2,000 in 2014! He can't be serious, he just can't be. I'll be the first to say "anything's possible" but that's low on the list of possibilities. Another remark almost floored me, too, "the gold cartel may die this coming year." Words very much to that effect, anyway. This gold bear has caused some to take leave of their senses.

I'd love to end 2014 at $1400, and get back on an upward swing. And, yes, it certainly seems like the time when things can get no worse for the bugs, and that's usually the time to buy, but who the heck has reserves left to do so?