51 Interesting Facts About Silver

Since the blog is about Sterling Silver Jewelry, lets first start with discussing about the precious metals Silver. The facts are consolidated on my own experience and while i was at it i found these great links as well :-

Facts About Silver - Facts-About.org
Silver at Wikipedia
RJMSilver - Silver Facts

Here are some interesting facts on Silver :

1.The name Silver originates from the Old English Anglo-Saxon word 'seolfor' meaning silver. The Symbol Origin is from the Latin word 'argentum' meaning silver. Argentina was named for this precious metal.

2. Silver is the metal of the moon.

3. Silver is adored by the Greek Goddess Artemis, who rode a silver chariot across the skies, shooting silver moonbeams to earth with her silver bow

4. Silver’s cool glow represents a guiding light in our personal journey.

5. Associated with the moon as well as the sea and various lunar Goddesses, the metal was referred to by alchemists by the name Lunar.

6. Hippocrates wrote that silver had beneficial healing and anti disease properties. The expression 'born with a silver spoon in their mouth' stems from health rather than wealth status, as children fed with silver utensils were believed to be healthier.

7. Silver has been coined to use as money since 700 BC.

8. The term 'sterling silver' in reference to the grade .925 silver emerged in England in the 13th century.

9. Sterling silver is an alloy of 92.5 % silver and 7.5 % other materials - usually copper. In recent times, germanium (read that again, it does not say geranium!) is often used as a replacement of the copper portion.

10. Silver is so soft in its pure form, it must be mixed with other metals, such as platinum, nickel and copper, to make it hard and durable enough to make jewelry and other items out of .

11. Pure silver, aka Fine Silver (.999), will melt at 1761 degrees F (961 degrees C), while sterling melts at 1434 degrees F (779 degreees C) and the flow point is 1655 degrees F (902 degrees C).

12. Coin silver melts at a slightly lower temperature than sterling because it has more copper alloy in it; usually any where for 10 to 20 percent of it is an alloy.

13. Fine silver is 99.9% or better silver content, but is too soft for general use.

14. Britannia silver is at least 99.85% silver.

15. Mexican silver is usually 95% silver and 5% copper.

16. Alpaca Silver actually has no silver content whatsoever (and anyone that says it does is probably misinformed or telling stories). It is an alloy of metals with properties similar to that of stainless steel, in that it wont rust or tarnish.

17. The hallmark on silver may be 925 (normal) or the word 'sterling' or the lion passant mark.

18. Silver iodide has been used in attempts to seed clouds to produce rain.

19. Most mirrors are backed with aluminum. For a superior quality finish, silver is used because of its high quality reflectivity.

20. Legend has it that silver is a strong deterrent for supernatural beings such as werewolves and vampires.

21. In ancient Egypt and Medieval Europe, silver was often more valuable than gold.

22. King Henry II coined the first silver currency in England around 1158.

23. Silver compounds were successfully used in World War I to prevent infection before the advent of antibiotics. Silver compounds are still used externally to accelerate healing in burns victims.

24. The Phoenicians used to store water, wine and vinegar in silver bottles.

25. Words for silver and money are the same in at least fourteen languages.

26. Sterling silver is used for jewelry , silverware, etc. where appearance is paramount. This alloy contains 92.5% silver, the remainder is copper or some other metal.

27. Silver jewelry used extensively in the form of trendy silver pendants, silver bracelets and silver earrings and silver stone rings.

28. Silver nitrate and silver bromide are used in the manufacture of photographic film.

29. Silver has excellent electrical conductivity being used on circuit boards and high voltage connectors and as part of the alloy that forms solder.

30. Silver alloys are used in dental fillings, a very safe and durable material for constant contact with such a busy part of the human body.

31. Elastoplast has made a plaster with silver nanoparticles which are believed by scientists to be antibacterial due to an ability to disrupt enzymes in bacteria.

32. Silver zinc and silver cadmium are two types of high capacity batteries.

33. Silver is not generally used for coins because it is now far too expensive a metal. Nickel silver is now used, an allow which has no silver in it but which is actually a compound of nickel, zinc and copper.

34. Silver can be used to back mirrors owing to its being an extremely efficient reflector of light, despite its tendency to tarnish on exposure to the air.

35. The Lone Ranger's bullets were made of silver (or so the masked man claimed), and his horse was called Silver .

36. Silver is a sure fire weapon to be used against werewolves. If ever you see one, make sure you have some handy.

37. Silver contains anti-bacterial properties and researchers have found that silver can be used as a biocide. Burn units in hospitals use bandages that release silver ions that help with healing and reduce the need for frequent dressing changes.

38. People from all over the world believe in its conductive nature. It is said to help rid your spirit of negative energy and open a path to healing.

39. Silver has superior bactericidal qualities. Small concentrations of silver or silver salts kill bacteria by chemically affecting the cell membranes, causing them to break down. Bacteria do not develop resistance to silver, as they do to many antibiotics.

40. Silver is the best conductor of heat of all elements. Its uses in solar panels and automobile rear window defoggers take advantage of this quality.

41. Silver is the best conductor of electricity of all elements. In fact, silver defines conductivity - all other metals are compared against it. On a scale of 0 to 100, silver ranks 100, with copper at 97 and gold at 76. Silver is commonly used in electrical circuits and contacts. Silver is also utilized in batteries where dependability is mandatory and weight restrictions apply, such as those for portable surgical tools, hearing aids, pacemakers and space travel.

42. Silver has the highest degree of optical reflectivity of all elements. A silver mirror can reflect about 95% of the visible light spectrum. (most mirrors are silver). Besides vanity uses, mirrors are important components in telescopes, microscopes and solar panels.

43. Silver is more ductile than any element except gold. One ounce of silver can be drawn into 8,000 feet of thin wire.

44. Silver is more malleability than any element except gold. One grain of silver can be made into a sheet one hundred and fifty times thinner than a piece of paper.

45. More than 2/3 of the silver produced worldwide is a by product of lead, copper and zinc mining.

46. The major producers of silver include the United States, Mexico, Canada, Peru, Russia and Australia.

47. British Columbia encompasses a major portion of the northern Cordillera and has produced silver since the late 19th century. The province has a large number of undeveloped deposits and excellent opportunities for new discoveries.

48. About 1/3 of the silver produced worldwide is used in photography.

49. Silver iodide is often used in cloud seeding. A pound of silver iodide is enough to seed many cubic miles of clouds.

50. United States coinage minted prior to 1965 contained 90% silver. A bag holding $1,000 face value of pre-1965 dimes, quarters and half-dollars contains approximately 715 ounces of silver.

51. United States Kennedy half-dollars minted from 1965 to 1969 contained 40% silver. A bag holding $1,000 face value of these Kennedy half-dollars contains approximately 295 ounces of silver.