Silver

Silver: Used in photography, jewelry, in electronics because of its very high conductivity, as currency - generally in some form of an alloy, in lining vats and other equipment for chemical reaction vessels, water distillation, etc., catalyst in manufacture of ethylene, mirrors, electric conductors, batteries, silver plating, table cutlery, dental, medical, and scientific equipment, electrical contacts, bearing metal, magnet windings, brazing alloys, solder. Silver is mined in approximately 56 countries. Nevada produces over one-third of the U.S. silver. Largest silver reserves are found in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Peru, and China.Mii Photo

Background

 Silver has been known and used since ancient times. Evidence in Asia Minor suggests that people were separating silver from lead as long ago as 3000 B.C.E. Like gold, it is a prized metal, both for its beauty and usefulness.
Silver (atomic number 47) is sometimes found in the Earth as the mineral native silver. Its chemical symbol is Ag, after the Latin word Argentum. Silver has a bright, metallic luster, and when untarnished, has a white color. Silver is found combined with a number of different elements to form a variety of minerals and ores. It is also found in very small amounts (called trace amounts) in gold, lead, zinc, and copper ores.
As a mineral, silver crystallizes in the cubic (isometric) system. In rare cases it forms crystals. Usually it is found in thin sheets or as long wires and bundles of wires, as in these drawings of native silver from Colorado. Silver is rather soft at 2 to 3 on Mohs' hardness scale. Like gold, it is malleable which means it can be hammered into thin sheets. It is also ductile, meaning it can be drawn into wire.

SILVER JEWELRY IS A GREAT GIFT IDEA

Jewelry has always been an object of fascination for big women. The quest for newness in jewelry is that which has been ongoing for years that the craftsmen strive to create innovations in design, materials and styles to meet the needs of women of embellishment and decoration of their beauty.
Jewelry has been made using precious metals and rare gemstones. This attribute made people yearn for these masterpieces that were rare and unique. Jewellery worth was based on the metal, the stones used and know-how. These factors have made the aspiration of jewelry inaccessible to many and a luxury that only the elite can afford. In recent years there has been a paradigm shift. The use of sterling silver jewelry has a dream for those who were just open the windows of jewelry stores. The money was used as a jewelry metal for a long time, but money itself is too soft a metal, pure silver is rarely used for jewelry manufacturing. silver, however, it is harder alloy ready for exquisite craftsmanship.

Name

Silver was named from the Old English (Anglo-Saxon) word seolfer. This name is related to the German word silber and the Dutch word zilfer.
An early Latin name for this mineral was Luna which means moon, an allusion to its striking, bright luster.

Sources

Silver is found in lead, zinc, and copper ore deposits. A full two-thirds of the silver resources in the world are found in association with these other metal ores. The remaining third is found in association with deposits of gold.
The most important ore mineral of silver is argentite (Ag2S, silver sulfide).
In the United States, Nevada is the leading producer of silver where it is a by-product of gold mining. Other significant world producers of silver are Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Canada. A number of other countries produce smaller amounts of silver.

Uses

Silver has been used for thousands of years for jewelry and decorative items of all types. Likewise, it has been used for silverware. Of all the metals, untarnished silver is the best reflector of light. As a result, it was used in ancient times to make mirrors. Unfortunately, silver tarnishes very easily and quickly, and its use as a mirror could be frustrating. Sterling silver is silver alloyed with another metal, usually copper. For such an alloy to be called “Sterling” it has to have 92.5% silver content. Silver is also used as a currency and at one time, along with gold, was the standard for the currency of the United States of America. Silver bromide and silver nitrate are used in photography. It is estimated that about one-third of the silver used in the United States is used in various photographic materials and processes. It is also used in electrical products because it conducts electricity so well (silver actually conducts electricity more efficiently than copper). It is used by dentists in amalgam fillings. Silver is also used in the production of bearings.

Substitutes and Alternative Sources

There are a number of materials and technologies that can be used in place of silver. Stainless steel is used to make tableware. Film with a lower silver content might be used in photography. Digital photography can conceivably significantly reduce the demand for silver-based films. Digital imaging will also reduce the consumption of silver-based films in the printing industry. Rhodium and aluminum can be substituted for silver in making mirrors.
(Left) Sheet silver from Colorado

Why Buy Silver?

After the price of silver fell by over 25% last week, I kind of went into a panic. I was wondering if I should buy silver or if buying silver coins was merely a reactionary thing that most people were doing out of fear, or perhaps start selling them before the market totally collapses. After all, despite all of the excitement from the silver bulls, there have been a few voices reminding us of the notoriously volatile history in silver prices.

But the market seems to have settled down again, and silver prices have gone up since the lows seen last week. I still believe in all of the fundamentals driving the silver market, especially with the health of the US economy still in question. My coins are still in my possession, so I am still confident that prices will continue to rise.

Better To Be Buying Silver Coins Or Silver Rounds

There is some debate among silver investors on whether it is better to buy silver coins or silver rounds. In reality, there is little difference between the two. They are both minted from .999+ pure silver, and most commonly weigh 1 troy oz.

The silver coin though, carries a guarantee from the issuing government over its weight, silver, content, and purity. But these assurances come at a prince, in the form of higher premium fees to obtain the coin. Take for example the popular 1 oz American silver eagle bullion coin. Demand is so high right now, that some people are paying more than $10 over spot.

That’s where silver rounds come in. They are produced by private mints, so find one of the larger mints around. They have their reputation to look after, so it is in their interest to produce a top-quality product. And since they do not have to satisfy demand like the US Mint, they can offer their rounds at a much lower premium.

How to sell Silver Coins for Cash

So you have stocked up on some physical Silver coins and you are looking how to sell silver coins for cash? Well look no further because are going to breakdown where you should sell your silver coins, how much you should sell your silver coins for over spot price, and ways you can protect yourself from people looking to rip you off when you are selling your silver coins for cash.

Learn How to sell silver coins for cash at a pawn shop…

Pawnshops are a fast growing way to sell off your silver. Many local pawnshops follow the market price or the “spot price” for silver and will update their prices frequently. One main reason people are skeptical of using pawnshops to sell their silver at is because they perceive the pawnshops to always want to rip you off, and while that maybe true with almost every other item that enters a pawnshop, commodities like gold and silver and much harder to rip the consumer off because of the technology era we live in and the ability to look up the spot price of silver at anytime anywhere in the world. In fact if the pawnshops do not update their spot price regularly they can actually lose out on the deal which I have personally experienced recently. One handy t0ol is with the I-phone, download the app called SPOT PRICE and you can set the app to silver only and you will constantly be updated on the price of silver. Learning how to sell silver coins for cash is one of the most important things you will learn in the commodities market. The best times to sell silver is typically later in the day after the markets have closed.

How to sell Silver Coins for Cash at my Local Coin Collector shop…

Learning how to sell silver coins for cash at a local coin collector can be just as easy as walking into a shop, asking them what they are willing to pay, whether it be the current spot price of silver or the spot price of silver + any added value of the type of coin. The tricky part with dealing with local coin collectors is most of them are very skeptical that your silver is actually SILVER. Yes I have run into some instances where a local coin collector has tried to tell me the my silver eagle was a fake but he would take it off my hands because he felt bad that I was ripped off for $10.00. Don’t be fooled by people like this, I am not saying all of them are like it, but it is very important that you learn how to sell silver coins for cash the right way, otherwise you might get taken advantage of.

Learn how to sell silver coins for cash without leaving your home!

One great thing about the market place now is that there are many dealers who have turned to the internet to help their business out. You can learn how to sell  silver coins for cash on the internet in a matter of minutes. Some great sites to purchase and sell silver are just a couple clicks away. Use the links above to visit great sites on Investing in Silver and Investing in Gold.