Types Of Gold That Gold Refiners Buy

By Heather Rockchester

It is important to understand the nuances of the cash for gold process. First of all there are several different types of gold you need to be aware of. Also some items may appear to be made of real gold but are really only gold plated or painted. Most real gold should have the karats printed on it somewhere but if your piece doesn't it doesn't mean it's not necessarily real.

Gold can be either yellow gold or white gold. Yellow gold is just like its name. White gold is silver in color with a touch of yellow blended in. If a piece of jewelry is palladium white gold, it's more gray or silver in color. Gold that is used for jewelry may be milled in a subtle shade of red, which is called rose or shades of green. The shading in green gold is very similar to 14K yellow gold only with a light green cast. Red gold has the appearance of copper that has been brightly polished, but it will not tarnish like copper.

Another precious metal that many gold refiners often purchase is platinum. Many people actually mistake platinum for white gold but it is actually a completely different precious metal and is a bit heavier than gold. As a very strong metal, platinum is perfect for jewelry making. Just like gold, you can sell platinum jewelry for cash at many refiners. It is very important not to confuse sterling silver with platinum though as the two look quite similar. Platinum price has risen quite recently just like gold so it is the perfect time to sell.

High school rings are often the first type of jewelry that people will consider selling. Once they're out of school, the ring often is put away, never to be worn again. If you're looking for jewelry to sell, school rings can be sold just like any other used jewelry you may have.

Dental gold is also another type of gold that many people forget about. Although it is not quite as common these days, many people still have gold caps or fillings that might fall out or need replacing. If you have any dental gold don't just throw it away, instead sell it for a good bit of cash.

Now of course the big question is how much you can actually get for your gold. But the answer isn't quite as straightforward. The value of gold changes constantly so it depends on when you decide to sell. But it also depends on how much your selling and how many karats the gold contains. Gold buyers only pay for the gold and don't consider and craftsmanship or resale value. And all these factors can vary quite a bit piece to piece. So in the end you just have to find a gold refiner or dealer who will pay more than the others. - 31899

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America the Beautiful Quarters Continue Rotating Designs

By Dylan Chase

The United States Mint will launch a brand new series of collectible quarter dollar coins in 2010. They have called the program America the Beautiful Quarters. The series will include 56 different reverse design featuring federally designated parks and sites from each of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and each United States Territory.

The new series begins two years after the conclusion of the popular 50 State Quarters Program. From 1999 to 2008, the US Mint released a total of fifty different coins to honor each of the states. Average Americans were able to learn more about history and geography by examining the coins received in change. A separate program was launch in 2009 to feature the remaining United States Territories and Washington, DC.

The prior programs and the new America the Beautiful Quarters program share some similarities, but also have some differences. Similarly, the new program will feature unique reverse designs for each subject, released at a rate of five new designs per year. The obverse of the coins will feature a constant design, which is a restored portrait of George Washington. The quarters will be issued for general circulation, allowing anyone to collect the coins from change received at everyday transactions.

The focus of the series will shift National sites. Under the authorizing legislation, this includes any site under the supervision, management, or conservancy of the National Park Service, United States Forest Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or similar department or agency of the federal government. Sites selected for the program include National Parks, National Forests, National Preserves, and National Wildlife Refuges.

A program of silver bullion "quarters" will be introduced to accompany the series. The coins will contain 5 ounces of .999 fine silver and bear designs which are duplicates of the circulating quarters. Collectors have shown interest in the series since it will provide a large 3 inch diameter to display the unique designs of the series.

The America the Beautiful Quarters scheduled for release during the inaugural year of 2010 will feature Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Yosemite National Park in California, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, and Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon. - 31899

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Ways To Start Collecting Silver Bullion Coin Rounds

By Brian Rutherford

Do you want a fun and interesting hobby? Consider collecting silver bullion coin rounds. These interesting pieces of history can make excellent gifts for you or someone you love and can start a whole new interest: coin collecting. Silver bullion coin rounds can be a fun place to start because they may commemorate a special occasion or other event and be a good starting point to base a collection on.

Silver is one of the more popular metals to use in coins. Like gold, silver is a metal that retains its value from one form to another. Unlike gold, it is more reasonably priced and is therefore more affordable for the average collector. Most silver is based on a price per troy ounce. Many silver bullion coin rounds weigh in at around one ounce troy.

Coins can be put out by a government as currency. Most countries have some form of coin based currency. This is because coins are made of metal and are more durable than paper money. They need to be replaced less frequently and so end up costing the government less to produce in the long run than paper money does.

Silver bullion coin rounds are privately minted coins. Because they are not put out by a government agency, they cannot be called money. There may be a value stamped on the coin, but this is not always the true value of the coin. Their value is often based on the price of the metal that the coin is made from, not the value that has been stamped on the coin. There are two things which can affect the value of the coin round. They include the condition of the coin and its rarity. A coin which is less common or in better condition will be worth more than a coin which has been mass produced or which is in bad condition.

Shopping for silver bullion coin rounds is easy. You can find them advertised online, in magazines or even on television. Usually they tend to be produced more around a significant event such as a major sporting or historical event. They are often of interest not only to coin collectors but also people who want to document the event which they were produced for.

Your best bet may be to begin your search using online auctions or coin collection websites. A coin collecting website may be a good place because you can find out information on the coins, such as how many were produced and what the relative rarity of the piece is today. Some coin rounds which were mass produced may be valuable now because of a recall or because a shipment was stolen or misplaced. If you have a coin round, you may be able to find out this information as well so that you can tell the relative worth of the coin that you have.

Shopping for silver bullion coin rounds is an excellent start for your coin collection or the collection of someone you care about. You should start looking into ways to purchase these wonderful pieces of history today. - 31899

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Platinum American Eagles For Collecting And Investing

By Gerald Hampton

Made available to the public in'97, by the U. S. Mint was the American Platinum Eagles, the official coin of the United States. The coin contains. 9995 platinum. The sizes for sale include 1/10, 1/4, 1/2 and 1 troy ounce. Backed the by U. S. Mint, Congress also sanctioned the coin.

Coin collectors can buy uncirculated coins called proof coins. The proof coins have graphics that change each year.

From'07 to'33 the graphic created by Augustus Saint-Gaudens was selected for use on the $20 gold piece.'86 saw the resurrection of the graphic for the coins. Available in bullion and proof, these coins can be purchased by anyone. Also shown on some coins is Walking Liberty design by Adolph A. Weinman. Created originally in'16, the graphic was used on the half dollar.

From'98 to 2002 the proof styles of the American Platinum Eagle used designs from the Vistas of Liberty program. As always, the bald eagle appeared on each but with each year, the eagle was shown to be in a different area of the United States. Then came the three year series that ran from 2006 to 2008. The designs were known as the The Foundations of Democracy and represented the branches of government. Each denomination has the yearly design on it. These are the only U. S. Bullion coins that change reverse designs each year.

Other proof types of coins are available through the United States Mint. A special process is required for these coins that starts with blank coins being inserted into presses that have certain pigments in them. After being hit a couple of times to make the frosted attribute seem to glide over a mirror type field. The coins are then inspected, sealed in plastic and placed in frames with their respective Certificate of Authenticity. The U. S. Mint guarantees that each and every coin will be exactly the same.

The United States Mint decided to add another American Eagle family to the coin collection in 2006. These are the uncirculated coins.

The uncirculated coins come in one size only, one troy ounce. All the other American Eagle Uncirculated Coins can be purchased in different sizes.

These coins are put through the exact same process as proof coins are but, they are stamped with a W. The W shows that the coin was minted at the West Point location.

American Platinum Eagle coins can be put in Individual Retirement Accounts because in some cases, they might be considered a commodity and not a rare coin. In general, rare coins or dolls are not allowed to placed in an account such as an I. R. A. Because of this, it is believed that coin will not gain value other than the increase of the metal content itself. - 31899

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Silver American Eagles - A Unique Investment

By Donovan Archer

Even after more than 20 years of being in production, the American Silver Eagle Coin remains one of the most highly prized silver bullion coins on a national as well as a worldwide basis. Initially released by the United States Mint back in'86, American Silver Eagle coins have become the authorized silver bullion coin of our great nation.

The obverse depicts Adolph A. Weinman's stunning walking liberty design originally used on U.S. Silver Half Dollars beginning'16 to'47. The reverse design is the John Mercanti version of an eagle and shield, representational of our country's pride and strength.

The United States Mint puts out proof specimens of American Silver Eagle coins designed for collectors. Proof American Eagle Coins undergo a specialized minting process, which begins by hand feeding polished coin blanks through presses fitted with special dies. The coin is then pressed numerous times making a highly-detailed frosted image which appears to drift over a polished, mirror-like background.

The proof coins are then thoroughly inspected for any flaws and then positioned inside of a hard-plastic case for safety. Each coin is then placed inside of an attractive velvet presentation case that has been lined in satin. A Certificate of Authenticity is also included, to verify it's origin as being from the United States Mint. As American Silver Proof Eagles are produced by the U.S. Mint, each coin's weight, content and purity are assured by the Government of The United States. They are the only silver coins that can hold this kind of guarantee as they are highly limited in production quantities and are offered for order through the United states mint and their authorized brokers.

High-grade examples of silver proof eagles that have been certified by third-party coin evaluators such as NGC and PCGS will almost always cost much more than average uncirculated silver eagles. It is reasonable to say that nearly all high-grade silver eagles and proof silver eagle coins are valued more fittingly to the coin collector and investor public, rather than the silver market.

Another good system of investing in American Silver Eagles is by buying tubes that each consist of twenty factory sealed coins through the U.S. Mint. You may sometimes acquire the coins at a substantial price cut this way, as purchasing the tubes instead of purchasing the coins individually through a bulk rate savings. When sent out by the Mint, each tube comes in a semi-translucent case with a top that has an official marking by the United States Mint. - 31899

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