(The Economic Collapse Blog)—This month, rumors about the petrodollar have spread like wildfire all over the Internet. Some of what is being said is true, and some of what is being said is false. When other sources were reporting on “the death of the petrodollar”, I was asked why I was not writing about it. Well, the truth is that I was not writing about it because the petrodollar is not dead. It is certainly in trouble, but it is not dead. Today, most oil continues to be sold in U.S. dollars, and most global trade continues to be conducted in U.S. dollars. But that could change as other countries lose faith in our currency. In particular, we will want to carefully watch what the BRICS nations choose to do. 45 percent of the world’s inhabitants live in the BRICS nations, and they have been implementing strategies that are designed to promote their own currencies and reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar. As U.S. relations with leading BRICS nations continue to deteriorate, I would expect that trend to accelerate.
So I am not optimistic about the future of the petrodollar at all.
But what some other sources reported about the petrodollar earlier this month was simply not accurate.
Let me start at the beginning. According to Investopedia, petrodollars are “simply U.S. dollars accepted as payment by an oil exporter”…
Petrodollars are oil export revenues denominated in U.S. dollars. Petrodollars are not a distinct currency; they are simply U.S. dollars accepted as payment by an oil exporter.
Global crude oil exports averaged approximately 88.4 million barrels per day in 2020. That pace would generate annual global petrodollar supply of more than $3.2 trillion a year, assuming an average price of $100 per barrel.
Petrodollars are the primary source of revenue and wealth for many members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) as well as non-OPEC oil and gas exporters including Russia, Qatar, and Norway.
The fact that so many other countries all over the globe use the U.S. dollar to buy and sell oil is a major advantage to us.
Earlier this month, there was a flood of reports that the “50 year petrodollar agreement” between the United States and Saudi Arabia had expired and that the petrodollar was now dead.
But that wasn’t true.
As Peter C. Earle has accurately pointed out, there never was a formal treaty, there never was a formal expiration date, and Saudi Arabia has been trading oil for other currencies for a very long time…
Last week several reports suggested the termination of a US-Saudi petrodollar agreement, and speculated a Saudi Arabian move to sell oil on world markets in various currencies, including the Chinese yuan. The accounts were rife with inaccuracies: the Saudis’ have transacted in non-dollar currencies for decades, and there has never been a formal treaty, much less with a specified expiration date, governing the loose arrangement that has come to be called the ‘petrodollar system.’
Unfortunately, many of the false reports went viral, and Google searches for “petrodollar” spiked to unprecedented levels…
Almost immediately, Google searches for the term “petrodollar” spiked to the highest level on record dating back to 2004, according to Google Trends data.
But as speculation about an imminent end to the U.S. dollar’s global dominance intensified, several Wall Street and foreign-policy experts emerged to point out a fatal flaw in this logic: The agreement itself never existed.
At least, not in the way it was being described in the posts that had gone viral on social media.
This is why I take my time and do my research before I report something. It is so easy to be wrong, but it takes real work to develop a reputation for accuracy.
According to UBS Global Wealth Management chief economist Paul Donovan, the false story about the expiration of the petrodollar agreement “seems to have started in the crypto world”…
Paul Donovan, the chief economist at UBS Global Wealth Management, in a blog post said that the story had gained unexpected traction, serving as yet another example of the dangers of “confirmation bias.”
“The story seems to have started in the crypto world. Many crypto speculators desperately want to believe in the dollar’s demise,” said Donovan.
It is true that a “Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation” was established in 1974.
Originally it was only supposed to last for five years, but it was “repeatedly extended”…
The agreement referred to by Donovan is the United States-Saudi Arabian Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation. It was formally established on June 8, 1974, by a joint statement issued and signed by Henry Kissinger, the U.S. secretary of state at the time, and Prince Fahd, the second deputy prime minister (and later king and prime minister) of Saudi Arabia, according to a report found on the Government Accountability Office’s website.
The agreement, as initially envisioned, was intended to last five years, although it was repeatedly extended. The rationale for such a deal was pretty straightforward: Coming on the heels of the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia were eager to flesh out a more formal arrangement that would ensure each side got more of what it wanted from the other.
At that time, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia very much needed one another.
Today, circumstances are quite different.
The U.S. is now much less dependent on foreign oil, and the Chinese have become one of the primary purchasers of oil from the Middle East.
Over time, more oil will be bought and sold in other currencies, but for the moment it is pretty much business as usual…
Oil has always traded in non-dollar currencies. In January 2023, Saudi indicated it was happy to negotiate oil sales in other currencies. The possibility changes little for financial markets. Saudi Arabia’s riyal remains pegged to the dollar, and its stock of financial assets are dollar focused. The dollar’s reserve status depends on how money is stored, not how transactions are denominated.
However, as I noted earlier in this article, we need to keep a very close eye on what the BRICS nations are doing.
Saudi Arabia has been deepening relationships with China, Russia and India, and that is definitely bad news for the U.S. dollar…
Owing to the US and Western Europe’s increasingly entangled alliances, and its own efforts to diversify away from dependence upon energy exports, Saudi Arabia has been increasing its diplomatic and economic engagements with China, Iran, Russia, nations considered primary US foreign policy adversaries. Recent moves toward accepting non-dollar currencies reflects broader geopolitical shifts away from US currency hegemony.
Of course the truth is that if we want to find the biggest enemy of the U.S. dollar all we need to do is to look at ourselves.
The rest of the world is rapidly losing faith in our currency because of what are own leaders are doing to it.
The U.S. dollar is no longer a stable currency. We are creating, borrowing and spending trillions upon trillions of dollars, and if we continue to act with such extreme irresponsibility everyone else will eventually be forced to switch to new reserve currencies.
According to USdebtclock.org, our national debt will hit 46 trillion dollars on this day in 2028 if we continue to borrow money at the rate we are right now.
That is madness.
We are literally committing economic suicide, but most of the U.S. population is not interested in such warnings.
They just want our leaders to keep flooding the system with more money so that the party can continue.
Yes, the party will continue for a little while longer, but once the lights are finally turned off nobody will ever be able to turn them back on again.
Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.
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.