Where's the brass gone?

In general, I am able to look at, hear and understand many languages, and many reports in those languages, and all over the world it appears that the same problems exist. No money, no Brass, busted, down and out. Everybody, even Businesses, Governments, Countries - absolutely everyone and absolutely everything!
Mind blasting - like the picture above!
After all, the amount of what is termed "real" wealth (ie Gold, silver, copper, diamonds etc., etc.,) has not been reduced. More and more of everything is being taken out of the Earth, more and more products are being sold, more and more profits are being made, but STILL everybody and everything is busted, no bread (sometimes quite literally).
Where - may I politely ask - has all the damned stuff gone?
Governments are taking more and more from the little boys and girls they are responsible for, but they're still busted!
Is it a large sack with a hole in the bottom? Even then, it would simply fall through to go somewhere else, it wouldn't simply disappear!
SO - where the hell is it? Anybody out there got any ideas? I'm lost, but I'd dearly like to find it!