"a legal tender in every country of the Eurozone. This means that the commemorative coins made of gold and silver cannot be used as money in other countries. Furthermore, as their bullion value generally vastly exceeds their face value, these coins are not intended to be used as means of payment at all—although it remains possible. For this reason, they are usually named Collectors' coins. The coins usually commemorate the anniversaries of historical events or draw attention to current events of special importance. Slovenia has minted five of these coins in 2008, mainly in both gold and silver, with face"
"Guanín Guanín is an alloy of copper, gold and silver, similar to red gold, used in pre-Columbian central America. The name ""guanín"" is taken from the language of the Taíno people, who prized it for its reddish color, brilliant shine, and unique smell, and associated it with both worldly and supernatural power. It was also known as ""taguagua"", and in South America as ""tumbaga."" The Spanish referred to it as ""low gold"", distinguishing it from items made with a higher purity of gold. Samples of ""guanín"" have been found all over central America, indicating a great deal of trade and"
"silver and carat gold and carat solders used in the jewelry industry, modifying the color, hardness and melting point of the resulting alloys. Some lead-free solders consist of tin alloyed with a small proportion of copper and other metals. The alloy of copper and nickel, called cupronickel, is used in low-denomination coins, often for the outer cladding. The US five-cent coin (currently called a ""nickel"") consists of 75% copper and 25% nickel in homogeneous composition. The alloy of 90% copper and 10% nickel, remarkable for its resistance to corrosion, is used for various objects exposed to seawater, though it is"
"objects during marriage rituals was associated to myths related to gender, creation, and societal renewal. ""Guanín"" was also used to decorate socially valuable ""guaiza"" masks. Guanín Guanín is an alloy of copper, gold and silver, similar to red gold, used in pre-Columbian central America. The name ""guanín"" is taken from the language of the Taíno people, who prized it for its reddish color, brilliant shine, and unique smell, and associated it with both worldly and supernatural power. It was also known as ""taguagua"", and in South America as ""tumbaga."" The Spanish referred to it as ""low gold"", distinguishing it from"
"Silver-gilt Silver-gilt or gilded/gilt silver, sometimes known in American English by the French term vermeil, is silver (either pure or sterling) which has been gilded with gold. Most large objects made in goldsmithing that appear to be gold are actually silver-gilt; for example most sporting trophies (including medals such as the gold medals awarded in all Olympic Games after 1912) and many crown jewels are silver-gilt objects. Apart from the raw materials being much less expensive to acquire than solid gold of any karat, large silver-gilt objects are also noticeably lighter if lifted, as well as more durable (gold is"
"gold. When viewed through a microscope, voids appear where the copper and silver had been. In 1992, approximately 200 silver ""tumbaga"" bars were recovered in wreckage off Grand Bahama Island. They were composed mainly of silver, copper, and gold plundered by the Spaniards during the conquests of Cortés and hastily melted into bars of tumbaga for transport across the Atlantic. Such bars were typically melted back into their constituent metals in Spain. Tumbaga Tumbaga is the name for a non-specific alloy of gold and copper given by Spanish Conquistadors to metals composed of these elements found in widespread use in"
"Cornado Cornado is the common name of several Castilian coins made of copper or billon (an alloy of silver and copper), minted from the time of Sancho IV of Castile (13th century) until that of the Catholic Monarchs (16th century). The name ""cornado"" was derived from the fact that the coin's obverse depicted the crowned head of the king. In 1286, ten cornados were equivalent to one maravedí, and eight cornados to a . Later versions were coined with a lower alloy quality. This led to the proverb ""no vale un cornado"", equivalent to the English expression ""not worth a"
"farthing"". Cornado Cornado is the common name of several Castilian coins made of copper or billon (an alloy of silver and copper), minted from the time of Sancho IV of Castile (13th century) until that of the Catholic Monarchs (16th century). The name ""cornado"" was derived from the fact that the coin's obverse depicted the crowned head of the king. In 1286, ten cornados were equivalent to one maravedí, and eight cornados to a . Later versions were coined with a lower alloy quality. This led to the proverb ""no vale un cornado"", equivalent to the English expression ""not worth"
"from the melting of coins. Since these could vary considerably in purity, from around .750 millesimal fineness to around .900, silver known as ""coin silver"" varies in purity. Silver at that time was sometimes marked ""COIN"" or ""PURE COIN"", but can also be without a standard mark altogether. After the adoption of the sterling standard, pieces were marked with ""STERLING"", the number ""925"" or the notation ""925/1000"". The United States also had no date marking system. Because of this, some companies within the U.S., such as Tiffany and Gorham, adopted their own date marking systems. While American manufacturers did not"
"precious metal in a coin (reducing the intrinsic value) and assert the same face value, this practice is known as debasement. Gold and silver have been the most common forms of money throughout history. In many languages, such as Spanish, French, and Italian, the word for silver is still directly related to the word for money. Sometimes other metals were used. For instance, Ancient Sparta minted coins from iron to discourage its citizens from engaging in foreign trade. In the early 17th century Sweden lacked precious metals, and so produced ""plate money"": large slabs of copper 50 cm or more"
"end, goloid was rejected as a coinage metal because it could not be distinguished from the normal U.S. 90% silver coin alloy without chemical analysis, thus inviting counterfeiters to use silver-copper alloys alone to make lower-value copies. Goloid Goloid is an alloy of silver, gold and copper patented by Dr. William Wheeler Hubbell on May 22, 1877 (U.S. patent #191,146). The patent specifies 1 part gold (about 3.6%), 24 parts silver (about 87.3%), and 2.5 parts copper (about 9.1%, all by weight); however, the patent also states that ""The proportions may be slightly varied"" and goes on to specify that"
"Precious metal A precious metal is a rare, naturally occurring metallic chemical element of high economic value. Chemically, the precious metals tend to be less reactive than most elements (see noble metal). They are usually ductile and have a high lustre. Historically, precious metals were important as currency but are now regarded mainly as investment and industrial commodities. Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium each have an ISO 4217 currency code. The best known precious metals are the coinage metals, which are gold and silver. Although both have industrial uses, they are better known for their uses in art, jewelry, and"
"copper alloy was not thoroughly mixed. These counterfeits will have a slightly mottled appearance. Gold coin A gold coin is a coin that is made mostly or entirely of gold. Most gold coins minted since 1800 are 90–92% gold (22 karat), while most of today's gold bullion coins are pure gold, such as the Britannia, Canadian Maple Leaf, and American Buffalo. Alloyed gold coins, like the American Gold Eagle and South African Krugerrand, are typically 91.7% gold by weight, with the remainder being silver and copper. Traditionally (up to about the 1930s), gold coins have been circulation coins, including coin-like"
"trend in the 21st century toward use of coinage metals of only the least exotic and expensive types. Historically, most coinage metals (or alloys) are from the three nonradioactive members of group 11 of the periodic table: copper, silver and gold, the copper usually being augmented with tin and often other metals to form bronze. Gold, silver and bronze or copper were the coinage metals of the ancient world, and most medieval coins. All western histories of coins begin invention at some time slightly before or after 700 BC, in Aegina Island, or, according to others, in Ephesus, Lydia, 650"
"be redeemed in gold or silver. In 1862, the government issued “greenbacks”, which were unbacked notes that relied on government credit to retain value by themselves without the backing of metal. By the end of the war, gold was worth 1.5 greenback. This, combined with the amount of debt the government already owed, threatened the war-torn economy as it prepared to pay off its war debts. As a response to the growing concerns regarding the amount of paper money used and growing debt of the United States, the Congress passed the Fourth Coinage Act in 1873. This law eliminated silver"
"silver and gold coins in ""qualities [e.g. bullion, proof, or uncirculated] and quantities"" sufficient to meet public demand. The bill was signed into law () by President Barack Obama on December 14, 2010. On October 4, 2010, the Mint announced that 2010-dated proof American Silver Eagle coins would be available for purchase beginning on November 19, 2010, at a price of $45.95 per coin and that 2010-dated uncirculated Silver Eagle coins would not be produced. In January 2013, the Mint suspended sales of American Silver Eagle bullion coins after the first week due to high demand. The Mint resumed the"
"and video games. Philosopher's stone The philosopher's stone, or stone of the philosophers () is a legendary alchemical substance capable of turning base metals such as mercury into gold (, from the Greek χρυσός ""khrusos"", ""gold"", and ποιεῖν ""poiēin"", ""to make"") or silver. It is also called the elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and for achieving immortality; for many centuries, it was the most sought goal in alchemy. The philosopher's stone was the central symbol of the mystical terminology of alchemy, symbolizing perfection at its finest, enlightenment, and heavenly bliss. Efforts to discover the philosopher's stone were known as"
"reverse) silver half dime. Coin dealers and individual coin collectors often use adjectives—with or without an accompanying Sheldon numerical code—to describe an uncirculated coin's grade. The term ""Brilliant Uncirculated"" (often abbreviated as ""BU"") is probably the most common—and the most ambiguous—of such adjectives. While ""Brilliant Uncirculated"" ""(BU"") ought to refer to an uncirculated coin that retains its original mint luster, some equate ""BU"" with ""Uncirculated"", i.e., they might refer to an MS-60 coin with little or no effulgence (brightness) as ""Brilliant Uncirculated"". Along these lines, some numismatists argue that an unscrupulous subset of coin dealers mislead customers by using adjectival"
"fourrée since it is zinc which has been plated with copper. The Euro 1, 2 and 5-cent coins are copper-coated steel fourrées. Fourrée is also spelt with and without the accent (é), with one or two r's, and with one or two e's. The Latin term for a silver-plated copper coin is ""subaeratus"" and the Greek name is ""hypochalkos"", both meaning ""copper below"". Fourrée A fourrée is a coin, most often a counterfeit, that is made from a base metal core that has been plated with a precious metal to look like its solid metal counterpart. The term is normally"
"Junk silver Junk silver is an informal term used in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia for any silver coin which is in fair or cull condition and has no numismatic or collectible value above the bullion value of the silver it contains. Such coins are popular among people seeking to invest in silver, particularly in small amounts. The word ""junk"" refers only to the value of the coins as collectibles and not to the actual condition of the coins; junk silver is not necessarily scrap silver. Precious metals including silver are measured in troy ounces (ozt). A"
"corresponding tin bearing mineral AgSnS, also found in Bolivia as pseudocubic crystals, and known by the name canfieldite. There is also a related mineral, putzite, with composition (CuAg)GeS. Argyrodite gets its name from the Greek words that loosely translate into ""rich in silver"". Attribution: Argyrodite Argyrodite is an uncommon silver germanium sulfide mineral with formula AgGeS. The color is iron-black with a purplish tinge, and the luster metallic. Discovered by Clemens Winkler in 1886, it is of interest as it was described shortly after the element germanium was isolated, 15 years after it had been postulated by Mendeleev. It was"
"also means money, as it was used for uncoined currency. It was also used for objects, which is how one finds most of the silver in the royal cemetery at Ur. These objects include belts, vessels, jewelry such as hair ornaments and pins, fittings for weapons, imitation cockle shells used for cosmetics, and parts of sculpture. There are very few literary references to sources for silver. It is also difficult to identify the actual origin of the silver and the mines from those areas in which the majority of trade occurred. Because silver was used as currency it is even"
"Silver mining Silver mining is the resource extraction of silver by mining. Silver is found in native form very rarely as nuggets, but more usually combined with sulfur, arsenic, antimony, or chlorine and in various ores such as argentite (AgS), chlorargyrite (""horn silver,"" AgCl), and galena (a lead ore often containing significant amounts of silver). As silver is often found in conjunction with these or alloyed with other metals such as gold, it usually must be further extracted through amalgamation or electrolysis. Silver mining has been undertaken since early times. As silver is a precious metal often used for coins,"
"a premium above the intrinsic value of the silver they contain; most proof versions (around $65–$75 as of 2016) and uncirculated versions (around $25–$75 as of 2016) sell for more. Some issues sell for significant sums, for example the 1995-W proof ($3,800 as of 2016) and the 2006 20th anniversary set containing a special ""Reverse Proof"" coin along with a regular proof coin and the new ""Burnished Uncirculated"" coin ($250 as of 2016). <br> <br> American Silver Eagle The American Silver Eagle is the official silver bullion coin of the United States. It was first released by the United States"
"Silver Silver is a chemical element with symbol Ag (from the Latin """", derived from the Proto-Indo-European ""h₂erǵ"": ""shiny"" or ""white"") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. The metal is found in the Earth's crust in the pure, free elemental form (""native silver""), as an alloy with gold and other metals, and in minerals such as argentite and chlorargyrite. Most silver is produced as a byproduct of copper, gold, lead, and zinc refining. Silver has long been valued as a precious metal. Silver"
"as it has a high value to weight ratio, compared to other commodities, such as silver. Gold can be re-coined, divided into smaller units, or re-melted into larger units such as gold bars, without destroying its metal value. The density of gold is higher than most other metals, making it difficult to pass counterfeits. Additionally, gold is extremely unreactive, hence it does not tarnish or corrode over time. Gold was used in commerce (beside other precious metals) in the Ancient Near East since the Bronze Age, but coins proper originated much later, during the 6th century BC, in Anatolia. The"
"indication of their value. Most coins are circular but some were rectangular. Also a lot of coins, especially in China had a hole through the center so they could be tied on to a string. Among the earliest coins to be made purely from silver and gold were the silver Dirham and gold Dinar in the early Islamic Caliphate from the 7th century. Silver and gold coins are the most common and universally recognized throughout history, even today. Mints around the world still make millions of gold and silver coins, including the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf, the American Gold Eagle,"
"European coins. 154 junk-copper U.S. pennies contain a full pound of .950 fine copper. Junk silver Junk silver is an informal term used in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia for any silver coin which is in fair or cull condition and has no numismatic or collectible value above the bullion value of the silver it contains. Such coins are popular among people seeking to invest in silver, particularly in small amounts. The word ""junk"" refers only to the value of the coins as collectibles and not to the actual condition of the coins; junk silver is not"
"elements, have high luster and high electrical conductivity. Historically, precious metals were important as currency, but are now regarded mainly as investment and industrial commodities. Gold, silver, platinum and palladium each have an ISO 4217 currency code. The best-known precious metals are gold and silver. While both have industrial uses, they are better known for their uses in art, jewelry, and coinage. Other precious metals include the platinum group metals: ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum, of which platinum is the most widely traded. The demand for precious metals is driven not only by their practical use, but also"
"to be precious metals, often due to perceived rarity. Examples include gold, platinum, silver, rhodium, iridium and palladium. In alchemy and numismatics, the term base metal is contrasted with precious metal, that is, those of high economic value. A longtime goal of the alchemists was the transmutation of base metals into precious metals including such coinage metals as silver and gold. Most coins today are made of base metals with no intrinsic value, in the past, coins frequently derived their value primarily from their precious metal content. Chemically, the precious metals (like the noble metals) are less reactive than most"
"silver of proper weight and fineness was cut off the end of a silver bar, then flattened out and impressed by a hammer. The result was a crude, temporary coin, an irregular lump of silver. This type of coin became known as a ""cob"" in English, or a ""macuquina"" in Spanish. The Crown was entitled to a fifth of all gold and silver mined, the ""quinto real"" (royal fifth), and cobs were a convenient means of handling and accounting for silver. Although intended to serve only temporarily, some did remain in circulation as currency. Because of their irregular shape and"
"Aspron The aspron (), from Latin asper, was a late Byzantine name for silver or silver-alloy coins. The Latin word ""asper"" originally meant ""rough"", but had gradually acquired the connotation of ""fresh"" or ""freshly minted"", i.e. not worn smooth by use, and, especially when referring to silver, ""white"", by the imperial period. It acquired a technical meaning in the 12th century, when the Byzantines began to refer to the billon ""trachy"" coin, which was issued in a blanched state, as an ""aspron"". The same name was also sometimes applied to the contemporary electrum ""trachy"" as well. The name re-appears in"
"gold and pure silver or the first precious metal coins in general. Despite this ambiguity, this statement of Herodotus is one of the pieces of evidence most often cited on behalf of the argument that Lydians invented coinage, at least in the West, although though the first coins (under Alyattes I, reigned c.591–c.560 BC) were neither gold nor silver but an alloy of the two called electrum. The dating of these first stamped coins is one of the most frequently debated topics of ancient numismatics, with dates ranging from 700 BC to 550 BC, but the most common opinion is"