THE IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW ABOUT SILVER

Ever wondered why Gold is given as a medal ahead of Silver? Why Gold is more valuable? What about silver coins, is there any silver in a 5 pence piece?

I know it's bananas that some of these questions seem like no-brainers. But you'd be surprised at our distinct lack of knowledge when it comes to the most easiest of thing. The knowledge illusion as I've spoken about previously.

In this article I'm going to give you a couple of starter facts about silver, you might find these handy when it comes to buying some of the silver jewellery on the website here.

Silver Comes in Second

Silver is a precious metal, a noble metal as it's often referred to, because it resists corrosion and oxidation. However it does not do this to the same efficiency as Gold and is not as rare as gold therefore is less expensive.

Should I Buy Silver or Gold?

If you have the money then it would make sense to buy Gold as it is more durable. But you should never dismiss silver as a poor man’s Gold. It has been some beautiful qualities such as reflectivity and lustre, that make it especially unique.

What's the Difference Between Silver and Silver Stirling?

Silver in its purest form will be referred to as Pure Silver or Fine Silver. Because it is so soft, particularly for everyday use, silver must be alloyed with base metals, like copper, as in the case of sterling silver (92.5% silver, 7.5% copper).

How do I Preserve my Silver Jewellery?

Manufacturers try to delay the tarnish on sterling silver by putting adding a coat of rhodium. That Rhodium will serve as a protective shield before eventually wearing off over time.

You can polish your jewellery of course, either professionally (John Lewis on Oxford Street does it) or by doing it yourself.

Tip For Cleaning Silver Jewellery

If you put your silver in a baking dish lined with foil, cover the silver with baking soda and then pour boiling water on it, it reverses the oxidation reaction and gets rid of the tarnish immediately. (According to various sources on YouTube). It sacrifices the foil which takes the tarnish instead. Fish your jewellery out with a fork and rinse under cold water. It'll look like new.

How Will I Tell the Difference Between Silver Stirling and Pure Silver

Silver sterling is distinguishable by its lustre. It's unmistakably iridescent, like bleach white teeth. You can immediately tell the if it's silver sterling by how reflective it is.

So is There any Silver in British Silver Coins?

Believe it or not there used to be British silver coins contained 50% silver back in the day. Since the introduction of decimal coinage in 1971, British pre-decimal coins issued for circulation were made of copper-nickel or other metals, and contained no silver.