A-Mark Precious Metals Launches Lending Company Targeting the Rare Coin and Bullion Market.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc., an Escala Group, Inc. company (Nasdaq:ESCL), today announced that it has launched Collateral Finance Corporation (CFC), a wholly-owned subsidiary, to provide quick, short-term, collateralized financial loans to dealers, collectors and traders in the rare coin and bullion market. CFC will structure loans on monthly, six-month or one-year terms with an origination fee. In-house numismatic experts will value the coin and bullion assets of borrowers, with CFC offering final loan amounts totaling up to 70% of the collateral value of coin assets, and 90% of the collateral value of bullion assets.

"The Professional Numismatists Guild estimates the retail market in rare U.S. coins exceeded $3 billion in 2005, and the rise in prices of precious metals continues to fuel greater interest in rare-coin collecting and bullion trading," stated Greg Roberts President and CEO of A-Mark Precious Metals. "With our experience in collateral lending, we have formed CFC to meet the growing demand for capital to fund the investment in rare coins and bullion. Currently, CFC offers competitive lending rates to dealers and traders, and we expect to expand these lending services to individual collectors through our dealer relationships."

Thor Gjerdrum, Chief Financial Officer of CFC, commented, "CFC addresses a specific need in a unique market. To maximize on-hand merchandise that attracts the broadest market of rare coin collectors, dealers need access to capital to fund opportunistic purchases that round out their inventories. In response to an increasing number of inquiries in the market for this type of finance product, A-Mark Precious Metals established CFC to meet the borrowing needs of coin dealers, collectors, and bullion traders. CFC offers a financing alternative that can quickly and easily help them improve liquidity, expand inventory, and generate greater profit."

Subject to certain limitations, loans from $50,000 to $5 million or more can be made on coins that are in a dealer's inventory or in the process of being independently certified for authenticity and grade by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation or Professional Coin Grading Service. Coins held as collateral can be returned within 24 hours.

ABOUT A-MARK PRECIOUS METALS, INC.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, Ca. and established in 1965, APM is a full service precious metals merchant offering a wide array of precious metals products and services on a global basis. APM maintains a network of strategic relationships with a variety of Sovereign Mints, First Tier Financial Counterparties and Precious Metals Dealers which APM utilizes to meet the complete precious metals needs of its client base.

ABOUT CFC

Collateral Finance Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. offering collateral based loans on numismatic, semi-numismatic and bullion products. The Company is a licensed California Finance Lender.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

Statements in this press release that relate to future plans, objectives, expectations, performance, events and the like are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Future events, risks and uncertainties, individually or in the aggregate, could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Factors that may cause such differences include changes in market conditions, changes in economic environment, competitive factors and the other factors discussed in the "forward-looking information" or "risk factors" sections included in Escala Group's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Escala Group's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, prospectuses and other documents that Escala Group has filed with the Commission. In particular, any statement related to Escala Group's expected revenues or earnings or Escala Group's being well positioned for future profitability and growth are forward-looking statements.

The words "should," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "foresee," "plan" and similar expressions and variations thereof identify certain of such forward- looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on which they were made. Additionally, any statements related to future improved performance and estimates of revenues and earnings per share are forward-looking statements. Escala Group undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.