The 2009 Sacagawea Dollar launched the Native American Dollar coin series, featuring the traditional obverse of Sacagawea with her son and a new reverse honoring the “Three Sisters” of agriculture (corn, beans, and squash). A major change to the coin’s design was moving of the date, mint mark, and “E Pluribus Unum” inscription to the … Read more
Fool’s gold is a naturally occurring mineral that resembles real gold but has minimal value. Fool’s gold is scientifically known as pyrite (chemical name is iron sulfide, FeS₂). Other names for fool’s gold are brass, brazzle, and brazil, primarily used to refer to pyrite found in coal. While real gold costs over $100 per gram, … Read more
Osmium isn’t magnetic, it’s paramagnetic. This means osmium is weakly attracted to a magnetic field. Osmium is paramagnetic because it has a few unpaired electrons in its d orbitals, and these unpaired act like tiny magnets. Osmium’s paramagnetism is measured in a lab, but for all practical purposes (like handling pure osmium bullion or osmium-coated … Read more
Ruthenium doesn’t tarnish. It’s a highly resistant metal, especially to corrosion and oxidation, even at high temperatures. Ruthenium’s resistance to tarnishing makes it a popular choice for various applications, including electrical contacts, resistors, and jewelry finishes. Ruthenium oxidizes at temperatures above 800°C. But this early oxidation forms a thin oxide layer that protects the metal … Read more
The 2000-D Sacagawea Dollar coin is an extremely common coin (over 518 million produced) and generally worth its $1 face value. However, special varieties command higher prices. The burnished Millennium Set version sells for $80-$100, and the ultra-rare VIP Presentation strikes (only 120 from Denver Mint) have been listed for up to $13,000. No 2000-D … Read more
The 2000-P Sacagawea Dollar was minted in Philadelphia with a mintage of over 767 million. Today it’s worth its $1 face value as it’s a very common coin made from a standardized Sacagawea Dollar metal alloy. Extremely rare 2000-P Sacagawea Dollar error coins and special editions, such as the Cheerios Sacagawea dollars with detailed tail … Read more
8k gold is a gold alloy containing 33.3% pure gold and 66.7% other metals like copper, silver, or zinc. While legally considered “gold” in some European countries, 8kt gold doesn’t meet the US legal standard which requires minimum 10k gold content. The high percentage of other metals makes 8k gold more durable and scratch-resistant, but … Read more
Platinum isn’t magnetic. It’s paramagnetic. Platinum is weakly attracted to a magnetic field and doesn’t retain magnetism once the field is removed. In practical terms, this means pure-platinum objects don’t stick to a magnet due to their minimal magnetic properties. Below are the common questions people have about magnetizing platinum items and jewelry and whether … Read more
Gold patina is a surface discoloration that develops on gold alloys over time due to oxidation of metals within the alloy. Pure 24k gold doesn’t patinate because it’s highly resistant to oxidation, but gold alloys containing copper, silver, nickel, or zinc patinate. This creates subtle color changes or more noticeable reddish, greenish, or yellowish hues. … Read more
Pure gold (24k) is chemically inert and will never turn green or discolor skin. However, lower purity gold jewelry can cause green staining because it contains metals like copper, silver, and nickel, and these oxidize when exposed to moisture, sweat and skin acids. Gold-plated jewelry is most prone to turning green once the thin gold … Read more