The Bank of New York was the first corporate stock traded under the Buttonwood tree in 1792, and the first listed company on the NYSE.
The first bank in the U.S. was the Bank of North America in Philadelphia, which was chartered by the Continental Congress in 1781; Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were among its founding shareholders. In February 1784, The Massachusetts Bank in Boston was chartered.
The shipping industry in New York City chafed under the lack of a bank, and investors envied the 14% dividends that Bank of North America paid, and months of local discussion culminated in a June 1784 meeting at a coffee house on St. George’s Square which led to the formation of the Bank of New York company.
Two years ago, we wrote about a Patek Philipe watch that sold for over $5 million. If you missed out on that one, you have another great opportunity. How about an iconic watch from an iconic astronaut celebrity?
RR Auction is auctioning off Neil Armstrong’sOmega Speedmaster Professional 18K Gold 1969 Apollo 11 Commemorative Watch.
The starting bid is $1,2000,000 with an estimated sales price of $2,000,000 to $3,000,000.
The watch will be sold LIVE at the Royal Sonesta in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at 6 PM ET on April 17, 2025, with online bidding through Invaluable.
Half of the proceeds will be donated to charities.
Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer who, in 1969, became the first person to walk on the Moon. He was also a naval aviator, test pilot, and university professor.
Armstrong was born and raised near Wapakoneta, Ohio. He entered Purdue University, studying aeronautical engineering, with the U.S. Navy paying his tuition under the Holloway Plan. He became a midshipman in 1949 and a naval aviator the following year. He saw action in the Korean War, flying the Grumman F9F Panther from the aircraft carrier USS Essex. After the war, he completed his bachelor’s degree at Purdue and became a test pilot at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) High-Speed Flight Station at Edwards Air Force Base in California. He was the project pilot on Century Series fighters and flew the North American X-15 seven times. He was also a participant in the U.S. Air Force’s Man in Space Soonest and X-20 Dyna-Soar human spaceflight programs.
Armstrong joined the NASA Astronaut Corps in the second group, which was selected in 1962. He made his first spaceflight as command pilot of Gemini 8 in March 1966, becoming NASA’s first civilian astronaut to fly in space. During this mission with pilot David Scott, he performed the first docking of two spacecraft; the mission was aborted after Armstrong used some of his re-entry control fuel to stabilize a dangerous roll caused by a stuck thruster. During training for Armstrong’s second and last spaceflight as commander of Apollo 11, he had to eject from the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle moments before a crash.
On July 20, 1969, Armstrong and Apollo 11 Lunar Module (LM) pilot Buzz Aldrin became the first people to land on the Moon, and the next day they spent two and a half hours outside the Lunar Module Eagle spacecraft while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit in the Apollo Command Module Columbia. When Armstrong first stepped onto the lunar surface, he famously said: “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.” It was broadcast live to an estimated 530 million viewers worldwide. Apollo 11 was a major U.S. victory in the Space Race, by fulfilling a national goal proposed in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy “of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth” before the end of the decade. Along with Collins and Aldrin, Armstrong was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Richard Nixon and received the 1969 Collier Trophy. President Jimmy Carter presented him with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 1978, he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1979, and with his former crewmates received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009.
After he resigned from NASA in 1971, Armstrong taught in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati until 1979. He served on the Apollo 13 accident investigation and on the Rogers Commission, which investigated the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. In 2012, Armstrong died because of complications resulting from coronary bypass surgery, at the age of 82.
The first African American member of the NYSE was Joseph L. Searles III, who became a member on February 12, 1970.
Joseph Louis Searles III (January 2, 1942 – July 26, 2021) was the first black floor member and floor broker in the New York Stock Exchange. He was a member of the Stock Exchange Luncheon Club and the New York Young Republican Club. He worked as a floor partner in the firm of Neuberger, Loeb and Company. In February 1970, he became the first black member of the NYSE. He later earned a law degree from Georgetown University.
Rare earth elements (REEs)—also sometimes called rare earth metals, rare earth minerals, or strategic metals—are a group of 17 chemically similar elements that have become critical to modern technology. Though not truly rare in terms of Earth’s crust abundance, they are rarely found in economically exploitable concentrations, and their extraction and refinement are complex and environmentally challenging.
These metals are indispensable in the production of high-tech devices, renewable energy technologies, defense systems, and advanced manufacturing. With rising global demand for electric vehicles, wind turbines, smartphones, and military hardware, the strategic importance of rare earth elements has surged.
This growing demand, coupled with supply chain vulnerabilities—particularly the concentration of production in China—has prompted investors to take a closer look at rare earths as a potentially lucrative sector.
Returns: Most Commonly Traded REEsversus Gold and Silver
Dysprosium
31.47%
Neodymium
47.23%
Praseodymium
32.06%
Terbium
196.91%
Gold
98.40%
Silver
76.60%
As of April 8, 2025 Source: strategicmetalsinvest.com
Below is an overview of the 17 rare earth elements, each with a brief description of their industrial applications:
1. Scandium (Sc) Scandium is used primarily in aerospace components and sports equipment. When alloyed with aluminum, scandium enhances strength, corrosion resistance, and weldability, making it ideal for lightweight structural components. It also finds application in solid oxide fuel cells and high-intensity lamps.
2. Yttrium (Y) Yttrium is key in producing red phosphors for color television and LED screens. It is also used in superconductors, cancer treatment (radioisotope therapy), and ceramic materials that withstand high temperatures, including in jet engines.
3. Lanthanum (La) Lanthanum is used in camera and telescope lenses for its optical clarity, as well as in batteries—especially nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries used in hybrid vehicles. It also plays a role in refining crude oil by acting as a catalyst.
4. Cerium (Ce) Cerium is the most abundant rare earth and is widely used in catalytic converters, glass polishing powders, and UV filters. It is also involved in fuel cells and in stabilizing ceramics for advanced manufacturing.
5. Praseodymium (Pr) Praseodymium is used to produce strong permanent magnets when alloyed with neodymium. It’s also used in aircraft engines, studio lighting, and to color glass and enamel green.
6. Neodymium (Nd) One of the most commercially valuable rare earths, neodymium is crucial for making powerful magnets used in electric motors, wind turbines, headphones, and hard disk drives. These neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets are essential for many green technologies.
7. Promethium (Pm) A radioactive element, promethium has limited but specialized uses, including in nuclear batteries and luminous paint. Its scarcity and radioactivity make it less commercially widespread but potentially important for niche energy applications.
8. Samarium (Sm) Samarium is used in high-strength magnets that can withstand higher temperatures than neodymium magnets. It also plays a role in nuclear reactors and cancer treatment through samarium-153, a radioactive isotope used in targeted therapy.
9. Europium (Eu) Europium is essential for producing red and blue phosphors in televisions and LED lighting. It’s also used in anti-counterfeiting applications such as Euro banknotes and high-security identification cards.
10. Gadolinium (Gd) Gadolinium is widely used as a contrast agent in MRI scans due to its magnetic properties. It’s also used in neutron capture applications in nuclear reactors and in specialized alloys for electronic components.
11. Terbium (Tb) Terbium is used in green phosphors for color displays and energy-efficient lighting. It also enhances the performance of magnets and is used in solid-state devices and fuel cells.
12. Dysprosium (Dy) Dysprosium is used to improve the performance of high-temperature magnets, making it crucial for electric vehicles and wind turbines. It’s also used in nuclear reactor control rods due to its ability to absorb neutrons.
13. Holmium (Ho) Holmium has the highest magnetic strength of any element and is used in nuclear control rods and magnetic flux concentrators. It’s also used in certain types of lasers and solid-state computing.
14. Erbium (Er) Erbium is used in fiber optic communication systems as a signal amplifier, in lasers for dermatology and dentistry, and in alloying with metals to improve strength.
15. Thulium (Tm) Thulium is rare and expensive, used primarily in portable X-ray machines and lasers. Its isotope, Tm-170, is a radiation source for medical applications.
16. Ytterbium (Yb) Ytterbium is used in stainless steel production, as a doping agent in fiber optics, and in earthquake monitoring equipment due to its sensitivity to stress and strain.
17. Lutetium (Lu) Lutetium is the rarest and most expensive of the rare earths, used in positron emission tomography (PET) scan detectors, catalysts in petroleum refining, and specialized medical treatments.
Investment Potential and Market Considerations
Investing in rare earth elements presents both opportunities and risks. The increasing demand for high-tech and green energy applications makes these metals a long-term strategic asset. Governments, especially in the U.S., EU, and Japan, are investing in rare earth supply chains to reduce dependence on China, which currently controls over 80% of global production. This geopolitics-fueled movement could benefit mining companies outside China, especially those in Australia, Canada, and the U.S.
Rare earth investments can take several forms: direct investment in mining stocks, rare earth ETFs, or companies that manufacture rare-earth-based technologies. However, the market is highly volatile, subject to geopolitical tensions, environmental regulation, and technological shifts. Investors should be aware of these factors and consider diversification within the broader strategic metals space.
Rare Earth Mining Companies
There are a few companies involved in the mining of REEs. Unfortunately, most are not generating positive earnings and have very low market caps. Most trade Over-the-Counter.
Australian Strategic Materials (ASMMF) is a West Perth, Australia based mining company. The stock has a market cap of $37 million, and is selling at 39% of book value. It is currently generating negative earnings. It recently generated $4.16 in revenues, has $32.6 million in cash, and $16.8 million in debt.
Energy Fuels Inc. (UUUU) is a United States based producer of rare earth elements and uranium. The stock has a market cap of $725 million, and is selling at close to book value with a P/B ratio of 1.37. It is currently generating negative earnings. This debt free company has $119 million in cash.
Aclara Resources (ARAAF) is involved in mining magnetic rare earths. The stock has a market cap of $81 million and is selling at 63% below book value. It is currently generating negative earnings.
American Rare Earths (ARRNF) is a Sidney, Australia based mining company. The stock has a market cap of $81 million. It is currently generating negative earnings.
Arafura Rare Earths (ARAFF) is another Australia based mining company. The stock has a market cap of $236 million. It is currently generating negative earnings.
In conclusion, rare earth elements are small in atomic weight but mighty in influence. Their industrial indispensability, coupled with growing geopolitical awareness and technological reliance, makes them a compelling—if complex—investment opportunity in the 21st century.
The first female member of the NYSE was Muriel Siebert, who became a member on December 28, 1967
Muriel Faye Siebert (September 12, 1928 – August 24, 2013) was an American businesswoman who was the first woman to own a seat on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and the first woman to head one of the NYSE’s member firms. She joined the 1,365 male members of the exchange on December 28, 1967. Siebert is sometimes known as the “first woman of finance”.
