Gold, Silver, Jewellery

Because of the softness of pure (24k) gold, it is usually mixed with base metals for use in jewelry, altering hardness and ductility, melting point, color and other properties. Alloys with lower caratage, typically 22k,, 18k 14k or 10k, contain higher percentages of copper, or other base metals or silver or palladium in the alloy. 

Unique Gold Jewellery

Fourteen and eighteen carat gold alloys with silver alone appear greenish-yellow and referred to as green gold. White gold alloys can be with palladium or nickel. White 18 carat gold containing 17.3% nickel, 5.5% zinc and 2.2% copper silvery appearance. Nickel is toxic, however, and its release from nickel white gold is controlled by legislation in Europe.

Fourteen carat gold-copper alloy is nearly identical in color certain bronze alloys, and both may be used to produce police and other badges. Eighteen carat gold containing 25% copper found in antique and Russian jewelry and has a, distinct though not dominant, copper cast, creating rose gold. Blue Gold is made with an alloy of iron and purple gold can be made by alloying with aluminum, although rarely done except in specialized jewelry. Blue gold is more fragile and therefore more difficult to work with when making jewelry.

Alternative white gold alloys are available based on palladium, silver and other white metals, but the palladium alloys are more expensive than those using nickel. High-carat white gold alloys are far more resistant to corrosion than either pure silver or sterling silver. Copper is the metal most commonly used base, resulting in a red color. Japanese Craft Mokume-Gane utilizing contrasting colors between laminated colored gold alloys to produce mapalamuting wood-grain effect.

Source: Wikipedia

Gold as Investment

Many holders of gold store it in form of bullion coins or bars as a Hedge against inflation or other economic interference. However, some economists do not believe gold serves as a Hedge against inflation or currency depreciation.

ISO 4217 currency code of gold is XAU.

Modern bullion coins for investment or collector purposes do not require good mechanical wear properties, they are typically fine gold at 24k, although the American Gold Eagle and British gold sovereign continue to be printed in 22k metal in historical tradition, and South Africa Krugerand, was first released in 1967, also 22k. The special issue in Canada Gold Maple Leaf coin contains the highest purity gold of any bullion coin, at 99.999% or 0.99999, while the popular issue Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coin has a purity of 99.99%.

Several other 99.99% pure gold coins. In 2006, the United States Mint began production of the American Buffalo gold bullion coin with a purity of 99.99%. Australian Gold Kangaroos was first coined in 1986 as the Australian Gold Nugget but changed the reverse design in 1989. Among other famous modern coin Austria Vienna Philharmonic bullion coin and the Chinese Gold Panda.

Gold Price History 'till Jan 2012

Source: Wikipedia

Gold As Monetery Exchange - Price History

Gold has been widely used around the world as a vehicle for monetary exchange, either by issuance and recognition of gold coins or the amount of empty iron, gold or via conversion of paper instruments by establishing gold standards in which the total value of issued money is represented in a store of gold proposal.

Gold Standard Bar

The first gold coins of the Greek age hit in Lydia in 700 BC when approached for years. Talents of gold coins that are used during the period of Greek history prior to and during the life of Homer weighed between 8.42 and 8.75 grams. From previous preference in the use of silver, the European economy back erect minting gold as currency for centuries of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

However, production has not grown in relation to the world economy. Today, gold mining output declined. With the sharp growth in the 20th century, and increasing foreign exchange, the world gold trade market recommendations and they have become a small part of the whole market and currency exchange rate fixed to gold is no longer maintained.

At the beginning of World War I fighting countries move to fractional gold standard, inflate their currencies to finance the war effort. After World War II gold replaced by a system of currency conversions follow the Bretton Woods system. Konvertibilitas gold standard and direct from the currency to gold have been abandoned by world governments, replaced by fiat currency to replace them. Switzerland was the last country to tie the money currency with gold, but supported 40% of its value until the Swiss joined the International Monetary Fund in 1999.

What Is Gold?

What is Gold? Gold is a metallic element with atomic number 79 and symbol Au. While gold's name comes from the Old English word meaning yellow, the symbol comes from the Latin aurum, meaning "dawn."

In the periodic table of elements, gold was found in Group 11, along with silver, copper, and roentgenium, and Period 6 between platinum and mercury. This is referred to as the "transition metals" and a metal, the soft resilient. Described as yellow, gold is one of the so-called precious metals, along with silver.

Stack of Gold

Known from ancient times - along with the mercury, sulfur, copper, silver, tin, and lead - gold was used as early 6000 BC Early uses including jewelry, including bracelets and rings, and ornaments. Flexibility means that the initial use of the individual items is practically impossible, so it is restricted to the decor. The civilization that used it, including Egypt, Greece, Mesopotamia and Rome.

Gold was discovered in the second layer of deposits and placer deposits, and naturally uncombined. While the biggest deposits found in South Africa, deposit notes also located in Australia, the Soviet Union, and a number of Western countries from the United States, including in Southwest Arizona, California, Montana, and Washington in the Pacific Northwest, and South Dakota in the Midwest.