(The Center Square)–Years after 9/11, Islamic terrorists continue to target Americans living and working abroad, including attacking and killing U.S. troops. They’ve also targeted famous pop icons like Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande, including killing their fans in the U.K.
In former President Joe Biden’s first two years in office, U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and Syria were attacked at least 150 times by Iran-backed militias. In the Middle East region, nearly 190 U.S. troops were injured or killed after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack against Israel.
The majority attacked suffered traumatic brain injuries, the Pentagon confirmed. “TBIs resulting from the blast impacts of missiles, mortars and drones make up 70% of the total number of casualties,” Military Times reported. This includes three U.S. soldiers who were killed in a Jan. 28, 2024, attack in Jordan. An Iranian living in Natick, Mass., was charged last December for his alleged role in providing the drone technology used to kill them, The Center Square reported.
In Syria, Islamic State terrorist attacks against Americans continue, including against three Americans who were killed last weekend, including two soldiers from Iowa. U.S. troops have been stationed in Iraq and Syria to counter Islamic State terrorists and others backed by Iranian forces.
The Islamic terrorists aren’t just targeting U.S. troops overseas. They’re also targeting U.S. pop icons, including megastar and billionaire Taylor Swift.
Islamic attackers targeted her and her fans twice in two countries last year during her Eras tour. In a new docuseries about the tour, “The End of an Era” out on Disney+, she briefly discussed both.
Last July 29, an Islamic man stabbed to death two children and critically injured nine children and several adults who attended a Swift-themed dance and yoga class in Southport, England. Axel Rudakubana was charged and sentenced to life in prison after the attack. Police found ricin, a toxic poison, and a PDF file of “Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The Al-Qaeda Training Manual” at his home.
“After his arrest, Rudakubana told police: “I’m glad those kids are dead, it makes me happy,” USA Today reported.
One month later, last August, Swift’s concerts were canceled in Vienna after police thwarted an ISIS-inspired bomb attack. “Never in my life did I think we would have a terrorist plot. We dodged a massacre,” she said.
Two people were arrested for their alleged role in plans to attack major events in Vienna, including Swift’s concerts. In response, German Chancellor Karl Nehammer said, “The situation surrounding the apparently planned terrorist attack in Vienna was very serious. Thanks to the intensive cooperation between our police and the newly established DSN with foreign services, the threat was detected early, combated, and a tragedy was prevented.
“We live in a time when violent means are used to attack our Western way of life. Islamist terrorism threatens the safety and freedom in many Western countries,” he said. “That is precisely why we will not abandon our values such as freedom and democracy, but will defend them even more vigorously. These values are the foundation of our society and make us resilient against extremism and terrorism. It is important to remain vigilant, stand together, and resolutely combat Islamism.”
Swift is not the only American pop star to be targeted by Islamic terrorists.
On May 22, 2017, a suicide bomber, Salman Abedi, killed 22 people and injured more than 1,000 attending an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England. It was the deadliest Islamic terrorist attack in the U.K. since the 2005 London bombings.
He’d been on British intelligence agency MI5’s radar more than 20 times, Sky News reported. An official inquiry was later conducted that found that British security services could have taken actions that could have prevented the attack.
Seven years later, this May, Grande reportedly again received death threats from ISIS members, according to RadarOnline.
Islamic terrorist threats continue after nearly 70,000 attacks were committed worldwide in 45 years, The Center Square reported.
In the U.S., between April 2021 and June 2025, there were more than 50 jihadist cases in 30 U.S. states, including dozens of attempts to provide material support to ISIS, Hezbollah and al Queda, according to a U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security terror threat assessment report.
According to Georgetown University’s Project on Extremism, 170 individuals have been charged in the U.S. since 2014 for offenses related to ISIS.
According to a Center for Strategic & International Studies analysis, there were “740 terrorist attacks and plots in the United States between January 1, 1994, and January 1, 2025, 140 of which were [Islamic] jihadist attacks and plots.”
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.