Duane Brekke, Minot

I, Duane Brekke, was in the high school class ring business the years of 1961 to 2000. Forty years of being blessed and in North Dakota. I was called “The Ring Man.”

In the first 12 years of my career, gold was $35.00 per ounce, making the price of a class ring $17.00 to $21.00. Many parents thought this ring was excessive and unnecessary.

Over the years, I have said to many of my former customers that I would buy back any ring for double what was originally charged – mostly in jest. I had only three takers.

While at the 2025 Norsk Hostfest, three people came up to me while I was greeting people. These three showed me their class rings that I had sold them. That week, gold hit the price of $3,900 per ounce – a very dramatic change in over 60 years.

Nothing in modern society could you buy, use, enjoy and have it be worth at least 10 times more than you paid for it.

Remember, Gold is the backbone of the world’s economy.