A Bright Metal

Today, women are seen wearing silver chains, silver pendants and silver earrings in the parties. Silver has become the trendy metal these days.

Silver has been widely used since the time immemorial. It is used in various forms like utensils, jewelry and currency. It is a soft lustrous metal which has its own look and shine which is widely admired by its users. It is a chemical element with a high electrical and thermal conductivity.

History and Discovery

The discovery was done after the discovery of copper and gold in around 4000BC. At that time, silver was popularly used in making jewelry and also as a means of exchange.

Silver is commonly found in nature in a mixed state along with copper and lead. The Spanish people claim the discovery of silver mines in Mexico, Peru and Bolivia. By the 16th century, the South and Central America became the largest silver-producing areas. By 2000 BC, the sterling-bearing lead categories were smelted and mined and an impure silver-lead alloy was obtained from the lead ores that were smelted. Later, they were refined by using fire and that process was known as "cupellation". The ancient silver mines were located in Greece at the Laurium lead-silver deposit.

With the advent of time, the "Patio" process was used for the new- world mines recovery. In this process, silver bearing ore was churned and mixed with roasted copper ore, salt and mercury. Therefore, silver was converted to a finely separated state and was finely dissolved by mercury. This was refined repeatedly by the process of cupellation.

In the 19th century, the Cyanidation procedures displaced the Patio process and Thum Balbach and Moebius electro refining procedures were introduced. A huge silver deposit was found in the mid 19th century in Nevada. After that, by the end of the 20th century, the United States emerged as the largest producer of sterling in the world.

Properties of Silver

The metal is a soft and mouldable metal that has superb lustre and is slightly harder than gold. Silver is white in colour and has the characteristic of having the highest optical reflectivity. Also, it remains stable in pure water and air. But, when silver is exposed to ozone, sulphur and hydrogen sulphide, it gets tarnished.

Sterling jewelry- Girl's Best friend

Sliver is widely used in jewelry as a precious metal like in earrings, chains, pendants and necklaces. Women also prefer wearing silver earrings that comes in different colors and designs. Various kinds of stones are embellished on silver earrings to give them a graceful look.

With the changing fashion, sterling is used massively. As silver is a soft metal, it is prone to damage. For this, 92.5 percent pure silver is mixed with 7.5 percent copper so that it becomes stronger. Also, while some people are allergic to gold or other metals, sterling silver does not have any side-effects on the skin and the body. Rings and silver pendants are demanded more by women these days so that their style and status is enhanced in the social gatherings.

Sarah Carnagie is a silver jewelry fanatic, and an expert in silver chain production. You can find more info on sterling silver and sterling silver jewelry at http://www.DreamlandJewelry.com

Silver dollars are a favorite of most US coin collectors. In fact, it is not unusual to find a silver dollar or two away by people who have no particular interest in coins at all. Why is this? What is it about silver dollars that makes people want to collect them or, just hang onto them?

Well, for one thing, they are really Big. And Heavy. And Beautiful,too. (Okay, big, heavy, and beautiful. We are just talking coins here, right? What else?) They are a piece of American History. (Well, I guess so, but what history do you mean?) Pretty much all of it. They were first made in the 1700s, not too long after independence. And they were really a big deal in the days of the Wild West. And how about gambling in Las Vegas? You used to be able to get them in your change there, even if you were just buying gas!

(I see. So why were they made of silver, anyway?)

Because, back when the mint started, in 1792, coins were actually worth the amount of money they stood for. A dollar was made from metal worth one dollar. Silver was the best metal to use, because that way the dollar would still be an easy size in your pocket. Copper would have weighed a ton (not really, but a dollar in copper would have made a better doorstop than a coin. And a gold dollar would be really tiny and easy to lose. (Actually, they tried that in the 1850s. People hated them. They said they were tiny and easy to lose. Go figure.)

(Okay, hold on. Just what do we consider a silver dollar?)

Strictly speaking, it is made of silver (very good!) That means it was likely struck no later than 1935. Some of the Eisenhower dollars made from 1971 through 1976 were 40% silver, but the last of the mostly silver (90%) dollars was a 1935 Peace dollar. And, though it was rumored that the mint actually struck over 300,000 pieces of 90% silver Peace dollars in 1964, all were reportedly destroyed by the mint without exception.

The early dollar coins were really something. Just gorgeous coins.

But I guess the art critics had a problem with them. They said the first American dollar coin, the one they called the Flowing Hair dollar, made Miss Liberty look kind of trashy and undignified. So the next design showed a calmer sort of Liberty. More of a lady I suppose. They called that one the Draped Bust dollar, which seemed to make the grade, until the price of silver rose up to the point that you could make money by melting down your dollars, then trade them for gold.

So then the dollars disappeared. And the mint stopped making them for another thirty years (1805-1835). Then along came the Seated Liberty dollars, designed by Christian Gobrecht, who had worked his way up in the mint to Chief Engraver, after spending a lot of years making number punches for the dates they put on coins. Just imagine spending years making 1s and 8s and 2s and the other numbers, day after day.

The Gobrecht Seated Liberty design was well enough liked that it was put on all of the silver coins except the three-cent piece. Then there were the Morgan dollars, lots of them, beginning in 1878. During these years lots of silver was discovered out West. So much silver was mined that the price of silver tanked.

But silver mine owners had a fair bit of clout in Washington, so a law was passed that said for every paper dollar printed, an a silver dollar had to be struck. No one really needed that many, so they piled up in banks and Federal vaults, bags of uncirculated Morgan dollars.

When the town of Las Vegas began to boom, after construction of the Hoover Dam, out came the silver dollars, onto the gambling tables and into our hearts (so to speak.) As late as the early 1960s, Federal banks had considerable quantities of brilliant uncirculated dollar coins from the 1880s on hand, available for one paper dollar each.

Trust me, that was cool.

The topic of silver dollars has always interested me. These coins really are quite beautiful to look at, so I've added some information and some great photos on my website at http://www.valuable-coin-stories.com/pictures-of-us-silver-dollars.html and also at http://www.valuable-coin-stories.com/dollars-pictures.html that you may enjoy.

I've collected coins since age 11 -- so, more than half a century. Coins have been a pleasant distraction over the years. Though I've never been a coin dealer, I have occasionally sold a coin or two at a nice profit, when the market was right. These experiences have taught me a bit about coin value in the marketplace. But I have to say that my greatest pleasure with coins has been the hooks they have to history and other areas of learning. And, I can never quite get beyond the feeling that, if any of my coins could talk, the stories would be priceless!

Check my website at http://www.valuable-coin-stories.com for more.

If you love the white metals and are drawn to white gold and/or platinum, then sterling silver is an affordable alternative that allows you to get the same look at a fraction of the cost. When you wear a piece of jewelry, it says something about you. Your personality. Your style. Your attention to detail. Truthfully, the jewelry that you choose is all about you and your taste in accessories. Below are five fun facts about your favorite sterling silver jewelry:

Rings can elongate your finger. If you choose a ring style that is longer than it is wide, it can actually make your fingers appear longer. If you have short fingers, perhaps you enjoy the look of an elongated and graceful hand. The length of a ring is measured from top to bottom or, visually, as it would appear from knuckle to knuckle. The width of a ring is measured from side to side or, visually, as it appears horizontally while sitting on your finger.

Colorful cubic zirconia jewelry offers a glimpse at wealth. Cubic zirconia is the world’s most popular simulated diamond, which instantly gives it a look that’s far beyond its cost. Because this stone is a created one, it’s much more affordable than a genuine diamond. Still, the naked eye cannot distinguish between the real thing and an imitation. It has been said that for every one colored diamond, there are 10,000 white diamonds. This means that a colored diamond is much more rare and, therefore, more expensive. Popular diamond colors include yellow, pink, red, blue, black, champagne, chocolate and even green. Cubic zirconia jewelry that imitates these colors give the wearer an instant ‘wow’ appeal.

Dangle earrings are taking a ‘swing’ at current trends. The popularity of today’s earring is centered around the jaw line and having a length that reaches it with ease. Movement in your sterling silver jewelry is always terrific, which is what you will get with a chandelier or chain design, but a large hoop or drop earring is also a smart pick in terms of drape.

Sterling silver is the perfect backdrop for cubic zirconia. Because sterling silver is a white metal, it compliments the flawless cubic zirconia perfectly. If you were to set genuine diamonds in sterling silver, they would have to be of very good quality and nearly eye clean in order to get the perfect look. If the diamonds were less than eye clean, their cloudiness would be obvious. With cubic zirconia, you don’t have to worry about inclusions or other imperfections, which is why they work beautifully with the white tone of sterling silver.

Sterling silver measures high on the hardness level. It is estimated that sterling silver ranges between 2.5 and 2.7 on the hardness level, which makes it stronger than some types of gold. When you wear a piece of jewelry, it’s important that it be sturdy enough to hold up for everyday wear. Whether it’s a ring, bracelet, earring or necklace, your jewelry should be able to withstand regular use.

Almost Diamonds, a popular online retailer specializing in sterling silver jewelry, has a complete line of items featuring cubic zirconia and genuine gemstones in a variety of styles to choose from. If you are looking to maximize your jewelry collection without minimizing your wallet, consider the affordable option of sterling silver. Not only is this a precious metal that’s designed to last forever, but it also is an economical way to get the look of platinum or white gold without spending a fortune. For more information on sterling silver jewelry and sterling silver rings, visit Almost Diamonds at http://www.almostdiamonds.com