Scandinavian silver is a silver alloy that contains 83% pure silver and 17% copper. It’s known as “.830 silver” due to its silver content percentage. Scandinavian silver is commonly used for jewelry, tableware, serving pieces, and decorative items throughout Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. This silver alloy is non-magnetic and generally hypoallergenic, though some people … Read more
800 silver is a silver alloy containing 80% pure silver and 20% other metals, typically copper. Also known as “Continental Silver,” it was historically the standard in much of Europe, particularly Germany, Italy, and Holland. Unlike sterling silver (92.5% pure), 800 silver is less pure but still hypoallergenic and non-magnetic. It was commonly used for … Read more
Silver Decoplata, also known as 720 silver, is a silver alloy that contains 72% pure silver and 28% copper. Its name derives from Spanish “de plata” meaning “of silver.” This silver alloy was primarily used for silver coinage in Mexico, Netherlands, and Egypt during the mid-20th century as a debasement measure to reduce silver content … Read more
Platinum hallmarks are official stamps certifying the purity and authenticity of platinum items and indicating exactly how much platinum an item contains. The most common marks are Pt950 (95% pure), Pt900 (90%), Pt850 (85%), and Pt999 (99.9%, used for investment bullion). These hallmarks are regulated by authorities such as the FTC in the US and … Read more
White gold is an alloy combining pure 24k yellow gold with white metals like nickel, palladium, and silver. Jewelers create it by melting and mixing these metals at extremely high temperatures (around 1,945°F) in a crucible, then pouring the molten mixture into molds to cool. White gold alloy’s composition varies by karat with 9k white … Read more
Rose gold is a pink-hued gold alloy created by combining pure 24k yellow gold with copper. Silver is optionally added to lighten the shade. Professional jewelers make rose gold through a seven-step process. These steps are mixing the metals, heating them above 1,900°F in a furnace, stirring thoroughly for homogeneity, casting into ingots, cooling to … Read more
Nickel silver is a copper alloy containing approximately 60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc (exact proportions vary, but are always within range). Nickel silver contains no actual silver, despite its name and silvery appearance. Also called “German Silver,” it was perfected by German metalworkers in the early 19th century based on a Chinese alloy. … Read more
U.S. Money Reserve is a legitimate, Austin-based private company specializing in government-issued precious metals, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. Led by CEO Angela Roberts, the company helps investors diversify portfolios through physical metals and gold IRAs. Opening an IRA involves three steps, requires a $6,000 minimum for new accounts, and carries a $250 annual … Read more
Coin rim errors are design mistakes that affect the outer edges of a coin. These mistakes happen during the minting process. These coin rim anomalies aren’t the same as damage caused by wear or mishandling. Recognizing them requires careful observation, as many damaged coins don’t qualify as coins with an erroneous rim. The common types … Read more
Coin reeding is the process of adding grooves or ridges to a coin’s edge to deter counterfeiting, clipping, and shaving. Ancient civilizations used reeded edges, but the practice was standardized by Sir Isaac Newton during his tenure at the Royal Mint in the late 17th century to combat precious metal theft. Modern minting uses a … Read more