Jonathan Rose on the Prepper Bar and Matt Hughes

Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project

Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/10/26

The Prepper bar was inspired by clients seeking practical, divisible precious metals for bartering and emergencies. Jonathan Rose is the Creator of the Prepper Basr and comes out of Genesis Gold Group created a wallet-sized silver bar, divisible into smaller amounts for everyday use. It addresses concerns about the impracticality of large metal bars, providing versatility, portability, and utility for preppers, homesteaders, and beyond.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: So, what was the inspiration behind the creation of the Prepper bar?

Jonathan Rose: The inspiration came from our clients. At Genesis Gold Group, we specialize in helping people acquire precious metals. Here in the United States, there are two common ways people do this: through an IRA or a 401(k), which can be rolled over tax and penalty-free to store physical metals, or we ship metals directly to people’s homes, where they store them.

Over the years, clients with IRAs or those holding physical metals would sometimes buy items like a kilo of gold. And while it’s impressive and valuable, it’s heavy. If you can lift it, it’s yours! But many people would ask us, “Jonathan, I have this bar of gold or silver. How do I use it? How do I spend it?” You cannot pull a hacksaw to cut it into smaller pieces for trading.

Clients often wanted something more tradeable, barterable, and practical for everyday use. We heard this repeatedly. Many of our clients are preppers or homesteaders living off the land, so we realized there was a niche in the market for more utility products. That’s how we came up with the Prepper bar.

This is the first one we minted, and it is made of silver. Essentially, the Prepper bar is “wealth in your wallet.” It’s credit-card-sized, and it fits in your wallet. It can be carried just like a credit card for those reading this.

The design features grooves, like a Hershey’s chocolate bar, that allow you to break pieces off easily. The top row is one-twentieth of an ounce, the middle row is one-quarter of an ounce, and the bottom is one-tenth. This is the only fractional, divisible bar minted in the U.S. today.

We used to offer clients a product from Switzerland called the Valcambi bar, a 100-gram bar. However, when you import from another country, you pay a premium. That premium was passed on to the client, so we decided to mint and manufacture our bar here in America. We designed it to be divided into three sections, making it versatile and practical. We started with silver, and it’s been very well-received. We then moved on to gold. This is 24-carat gold.

Jacobsen: Do these bars have the same groove sizes as the silver ones?

Rose: Yes, they have the same groove sizes. If you compare the two, the gold feels a fraction thinner than the silver. To me, it feels smoother. However, we sovereignized these two products, meaning the IRS has approved them for inclusion in IRAs.

Jacobsen: What does that do for an individual?

Rose: If they put this in an IRA, 90 to 95% of our clients who take distributions say, “Jonathan, I don’t want to liquidate this. Send me the metal.” When they get the metal, many wonder how they’ll use or spend it. Now, they can put things like the Prepper bars and other products in their IRAs and take possession of them.

These bars are easy to stack, portable, and tradable. That’s how the Prepper bar came about. When we made the prototype, it wasn’t easy to manufacture because of the challenge of making it divisible without losing pieces of metal. Some science and trial and error were involved in developing a successful product.

Once it did work, I sent a few out to some of the homesteaders who promote Genesis Gold Group, and they loved it. They thought it was the coolest thing they’d ever seen. When I called them back and asked how they liked the Prepper bar, they said, “Oh, we’ve already used it.”

I asked, “What do you mean you used it?” They explained, “Well, in our community, we do a lot of bartering and trade.” They had already spent portions of it. That blew my mind!

Would I personally buy one to trade? I live in a more civilized area, so my mindset is different. By that, I mean I live in suburban Beverly Hills. It’s a cool product to own. But I understand why my clients—especially preppers and homesteaders—would want it.

Also, I buy these bars because we’re heading toward a fiscal cliff when I look at the U.S. dollar, with $35 trillion in debt. Look at what’s happening with hurricanes, for example. We’ve had telecommunications systems go down recently at airports, leaving people stranded. Phone services have gone down.

Many people are rightfully worried about a cashless society and the rise of the digital dollar. People prefer to have something like this as a backup. If we’re ever in a cashless society or if something happens and cards don’t work. You don’t have cash on hand; this Prepper bar is like a Swiss Army knife of currency that you can carry with you.

Anytime you can take something with as long a historical track record as gold and add utility to it, you’ve got a winner. We have that with this product. We listened to what people were asking for and provided them with a solution—whether inside their retirement account or for use in bartering or emergencies.

The Valcambi bar is from Switzerland. The problem with it is that it needs to be bigger. It’s made of 1-gram pieces and comes hermetically sealed in a plastic container. When you rip it open, you lose some of its value. There is only a little utility to that bar besides looking cool.

On the other hand, this Prepper bar is made in America and is divisible by three, giving it real utility. These communities, especially preppers and homesteaders, use it in barter and trade systems—essentially, closed or relatively small communities of people living off the land.

Jacobsen: What about in the context of emergencies? How are these bars being used in more “civilized” areas of America, especially densely populated ones? What situations could these bars be useful in as well?

Rose: In case of an emergency, it provides peace of mind. People view gold as a tangible asset with intrinsic value. With the rise of a cashless society, central bank digital currencies, and growing uncertainty, many are rightfully concerned about the unknown, especially the dollar, which carries much economic baggage. This Prepper bar is something you’d want in your preparedness kit, alongside firearms, canned goods, and water supplies. It’s for those “what-if” situations, ensuring you have something tangible at home in an emergency.

Those who’ve used these bars in bartering, typically in prepper communities, are living in small towns or on farmland. Their role is centred around preparedness, and they rely on these bars for practical use in a more closed, self-sustaining environment.

But someone like myself, living in Beverly Hills, would keep something like this at home in my safe. If I ever needed to leave quickly, it’s portable. I can pick it up and throw it in my bag. If I needed to barter with it, I definitely could. People love gold and silver.

And with what’s happening worldwide, gold and silver prices have increased significantly. Today, gold and silver have risen by over 40% in the past year, which is remarkable. Does that mean they’ll go up another 40% next year? If anyone tells you that, it should raise a red flag because no one has a crystal ball. But we have a pretty good roadmap and can see what’s happening worldwide.

Just look at what’s unfolding in Israel, Russia, and Ukraine or what Jerome Powell, head of the Federal Reserve, said about expecting more regional bank failures. These are clear signs of economic instability.

Again, we talk about debt, and debt does matter. The dollar has much baggage, especially with a pivotal election in less than 30 days. What will the next big factor be after that? Will it be supply chain issues or another COVID outbreak?

The world has changed a lot since COVID, and so have people’s strategies regarding how they feel they need to prepare for the unknown. When people look at their overall financial game plan, assets like these check a box for many.

Jacobsen: As people break off different segments, are there any concerns about the durability of the remaining piece after a segment is removed?

Rose: No, not at all. I’ve broken off plenty of pieces myself. I have some lying around on my desk here. Let’s see if I’ve got any pieces.

Jacobsen: Is it your stray silver and gold?

Rose: Yes. I know we can’t see it on camera, but with some smaller pieces, you can bend them, and they will break off. It’s robust. It won’t break into your wallet—you’ll need to apply pressure, almost like snapping a credit card. You’ll feel it heating up, and then it will slowly break.

This isn’t plastic—it’s metal—but it’s malleable. We put much thought into the design to ensure it breaks cleanly. The grooves are designed to a specific thickness to ensure that when you break it, there’s no waste. The pieces come apart neatly.

Jacobsen: What are the Genesis Gold IRAs, and how does this build into the long-term vision of the Prepper Bar? You mentioned IRAs earlier, but this is a more targeted question about Genesis Gold and its long-term vision.

Rose: Genesis Gold Group has a long-term vision that integrates IRAs and precious metals. I used to work for Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley and was involved with the London Metal Exchange. I’ve been in this industry for many years.

When I worked at the London Metal Exchange, one of the trading pits next to me was precious metals. I dealt with base metals like aluminum, copper, tin, lead, and zinc. I always had a fascination with gold. My grandfather used to give me a British gold sovereign coin every Christmas, and I still have those coins today. They’re worth much more now than they were back then. My son has them now.

So, I had an early understanding of gold’s appeal and uniqueness. As time went on and I worked on the London Metal Exchange, I interacted with some top traders. I used to ask them about trading futures in precious metals, and they always gave me the same advice.

Jacobsen: If you’re going to invest in gold, should you invest in the physical commodity itself?

Rose: Absolutely. Investing in the physical commodity is the safest way to invest in gold. That advice has always stuck with me. After I left London and got involved in physical metals here in the U.S., I worked in the industry for a long time. I consulted for HSBC and AIG and even went to Asia to teach financial advisors how to sell gold. In the early 2000s, they offered jewelry as an investment rather than coins and bars, which was an interesting time.

When I returned to the U.S., people still needed to become more familiar with holding gold as an investment and putting it into a pension, IRA, or 401(k). I worked in the industry for many years and took a break. When I returned, I realized many companies were overcharging and offering big premiums. There was a right way and a wrong way to do this. So, I re-entered the industry to correct what people were doing wrong—without naming any companies because I didn’t want to get a cease.

But even today, you see these big gold gimmicks and “free silver” promotions, which make the hairs on my neck stand up. That’s why Genesis Gold Group came to fruition—to help people invest in gold correctly, educating them on the various products, whether it’s gold, silver, platinum, or palladium. We help them decide between coins or bars based on their goals and outlook.

Over the years, I’ve always been asked, “How will I spend this gold bar?” That question came up time and time again. Knowing there was a need for a product that checks multiple boxes, we developed the Prepper bar.

People love being able to include the Prepper bar in their IRAs because it provides the gold and silver exposure they’re looking for as a safety net. When they take distributions, they can take them in something they can use, spend, or barter with. It protects their retirement accounts with gold and silver while offering the option to cash out into fiat currency or take possession of gold, silver, or other coins and bars.

The Prepper bar is crucial for Genesis because it’s an exclusive product no other company can offer. It caters to a niche market of clients looking for this utility product.

Regarding the Prepper bar, we’ve also started a charity with a former UFC fighter named Matt Hughes. If you’re a UFC fan, he’s a nine-time world champion who has retired. You can visit the Matt Hughes Project. I haven’t shared this publicly, but we’re launching this initiative with other UFC fighters. We’re donating proceeds from the sales of the Prepper bar to help people with traumatic brain injuries.

Jacobsen: What is the Matt Hughes Project?

Rose: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is often called a silent disease. It’s something many veterans suffer from when they return from war. Someone like Matt Hughes, who retired as a 9-time world champion with all his faculties intact, experienced a severe injury over ten years ago. He was hit by a train and ended up in a coma for 19 days. He was in a vegetative state, and his recovery journey has been amazing.

We met each other at a traumatic brain injury event that Genesis Gold Group happened to sponsor. Over time, we became friends with many people from the TBI community. Unfortunately, we discovered that the donated money was only sometimes used to help those who needed it. It was often going into the pockets of the wrong people.

The problem with some nonprofits—not all, but many of them—is that too little of the money donated reaches the people who need help. We saw that firsthand. So, my two partners and I decided to create a new charity to raise awareness about TBI, and we started the Matt Hughes Project, which is now online.

We filmed a documentary about Matt’s recovery, journey, and what he’s doing with his life today. We aim to help others who need grants and support for traumatic brain injuries. Many veterans come back from service with no help at all, even though there’s money available. They may need assistance with walking, speaking, cognitive therapy, guide dogs, or other forms of rehabilitation. It’s shocking how much corruption there is at the state and local levels—there’s money, but it’s not going to the right people.

With the Matt Hughes Project, Genesis Gold Group, and the Prepper Bar, we can kickstart this charity and make a real impact. People who buy these Prepper bars or invest in gold are indirectly and directly helping us support the TBI charity, a cause close to our hearts.

Jacobsen: With digital currencies, online banking, and all that stuff, are there any risks of the valuation of precious metals like gold and silver decreasing over time as these digital currencies become more incorporated into mainstream economic life?

Rose: Yes, the digital dollar is here, and it will stay. It’s part of the evolution of everything.

When I was a child, my dad carried a big Filofax everywhere. Then, he had a brick phone that he always carried with him. Over time, phones got smaller, and now we have smartphones. It’s all part of the evolution of technology and society.

It’s similar to the BRIC nations—Brazil, Russia, India, and China. They’re gathering together and want to create their gold-based currency. This is all happening. The digital dollar, central bank digital currencies—it’s all happening.

Blockchain, crypto—it’s all intermingled right now, and it’s the future. That scares people because they don’t understand it, and what they don’t understand, they’re afraid of. What people do understand is tangible assets—if you don’t hold it, you don’t own it. So when people hear that a digital dollar might replace the dollar, it causes panic.

As these government programs slowly come online, and they’re being tested today, they’ll have a bullish impact on the price of gold. People would rather have something physical in their hands than a digital dollar, which is just zeros and ones in central bank digital currencies.

Yes, it’s a digital dollar, but it’s also a way to track people—who you’re spending money with, how you’re spending it, and where. That’s the first concern people raise: government overreach. There’s a lot you can do when you control people’s money, and that’s been proven before. For example, Canadian truckers were striking during the protests, and the government froze their digital assets. That’s how they shut them down.

People are concerned about the digital dollar, and how will that affect the price of gold? It will have a bullish impact because people will want to hold onto something with inherent value rather than something controlled by others behind the scenes, like a digital currency made of zeros and ones.

There are lots of great questions here, Scott. Thank you so much for your time today.

Jacobsen: Thank you.

Rose: You’re welcome.

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