Silver Archives | Your Gold Guys

Palladium vs Platinum vs Silver: What You Need to Know

August 9, 2024

Jewelry, coins, bullion, and other items made from precious metals are popular in today’s market due to their exceptional beauty and high value. Gold has always been the most popular and highly sought-after of all the precious metals, but silver, platinum, and palladium hold significant value as well. While these three metals may look similar in color and are often mistaken for one another by the untrained eye, each has its own unique characteristics that determine its value.

Here is a breakdown of the key differences and similarities between silver, platinum, and palladium.

How to Clean Sterling Silver Jewelry

April 6, 2023

Sterling silver jewelry is popular due to its durability and timeless elegance. However, like all jewelry, it can become tarnished over time and lose its luster. Fortunately, there are several methods that can be used to clean and care for your sterling silver jewelry and clean tarnished sterling silver.

What is Britannia Silver?

July 20, 2022

Britannia silver is a type of silver that is used for making coins, flatware, and other objects. It is an alloy of silver that contains at least 95.84% pure silver. The rest of the alloy usually consists of copper, which gives the metal its strength and durability.

Britannia silver was first introduced in England in the early 18th century and quickly became popular for its beauty and durability. It remained the standard for silver coins until the late 20th century when the composition was changed to sterling silver. Britannia silver is still used today for making high-quality flatware, coins, and other objects.

Why and How Does Silver Tarnish?

May 17, 2022

When you purchase a fine silver item or a piece of jewelry, you expect it to be an investment that stands the test of time. Silver, a popular and budget-friendly option when compared to platinum or white gold, is a go-to jewelry metal for when you want a glamourous piece that doesn’t break the bank.

However, as is the case with all metals, silver tarnishes, sometimes faster than you’d expect it to. Tarnishing is not exclusive to low purity silver–even sterling silver will tarnish. Let’s explore why silver items tarnish and how you can slow down the process, clean your silver, or get tarnished silver off your hands.

Are Olympic Medals Solid Gold?

March 17, 2022

Dozens of Olympic athletes took the podium to receive gold, silver, and bronze medals in the Beijing Winter Olympics last month.

Olympic medals are an iconic part of the events, but what are they actually made out of? How much do they weigh? What are they worth from a precious metals standpoint? Read on for some insight into what Olympic medals are composed of as well as what made the Beijing medals unique.