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Too often we are presented with a collection of jewelry (often times items inherited from a Loved One) and are told "I don't think this is Gold." Many times items that aren't hallmarked or stamped with the traditional 10k, 14k, 18k stamps can indeed be gold and overlooked. And many of those times there is a marking right there telling you it is gold. But if you aren't in the Jewelry or Precious Metals Industry this little secret may not be known and we are happy to let you know what to look for. Below I will highlight some of the most common examples of different ways Gold Jewelry can be stamped or hallmarked.
It is not uncommon for real Gold Jewelry to also not have any markings whatsoever. On that I don't have any tricks of the trade to share, other than to stop by and let us take a look and possibly X-Ray the pieces with our Olympus Gold Xpert XRF X-Ray! So now on to the obscure markings or designations of Karated Gold that are out of the norm and not widely known about: 333 Marking = 8k Gold 375 Marking = 9k Gold 417 Marking = 10k Gold 585 Marking = 14k Gold 750 Marking = 18k Gold 875 Marking = 21k Gold 900 Marking = 21.6k Gold 916 Marking = 22k Gold 999 Marking = 24k Gold Of course just because your Jewelry item has any of these markings doesn't guarantee it is gold, as there are counterfeits out there, but it is definitely a REALLY good sign! Before you throw that "Costume Jewelry" out in a Garage Sale or Donate it, it is a very good idea to inspect the jewelry with a magnifying glass or Jewelers Loupe and look for any of these markings or the traditional 10k, 14k, 18k markings. Of course if you prefer, you can simply bring your items by our store for a FREE, NO- OBLIGATION quote. We are happy to look through your items and tell you what is Costume Jewelry and what is Gold. If you have items that are not marked and you want to be sure what you have, NO PROBLEM! Come on by and we are happy to assist you. At Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio, we offer NO-HASSLE quotes, in our safe and secure office. We are devoted to providing each customer through our door with the highest standards of CUSTOMER SERVICE! We Buy ALL Precious Metals: Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium. We Buy Jewelry, Coins, Bullion, Scrap Gold and Silver, Sterling Silver,and Dental Gold. We will never damage your items using the traditional acid testing method like so many other places will do. We give you a itemized breakdown of what we are offering for your different items and are happy to answer ANY and ALL questions relating to your potential transaction. Come by and see the Texas Gold and Silver Buyers difference TODAY! You can find a comprehensive List of ITEMS WE BUY, here on our website!
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Most Refined Gold Bullion Bars or Rounds are at least 99.9% pure, ranging up to 99.999% pure. It is a common misconception that placer gold or natural gold nuggets are also "Pure Gold" or Fine Gold (24k).
When gold is naturally formed over millions of years and deposited in veins and fissures within the host rock, it is commonly frequently mixed with silver, copper, lead, platinum group metals, sulfides and other minerals. Placer gold, is gold that has been naturally freed from the host rock and can be harvested or plucked from the Earth using placer mining methods such a sluicing, panning, dredging or drywashing. We all are familiar with the "Gold Rush" in the 1800s when people from all parts of the Country and the World were on a quest out West to strike it rich and make their own claim on the natural riches this Earth produces. What a lot of people do not realize, is this is still going on. Ranging from large Commercial Operations to a weekend Hobby for that Hobby Prospector. The Placer Gold and Gold Nuggets are STILL OUT THERE IN ABUNDANCE! Placer gold that is found in streams and hillsides is very rarely pure or fine gold. Placer gold is most commonly naturally alloyed with Silver. Gold is the most non reactive and stable of all metals and usually can only be mistaken with one other alloy. Yep you guessed it, "Iron Pyrite" or "Fools Gold" is about the only impostor of gold naturally found in the Earth. Iron Pyrite's metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue give it a superficial resemblance to gold, and can be quite heavy just like gold. Gold is called a “noble” metal because it does not oxidize or react with the environment under ordinary conditions, meaning that it will never rust or tarnish. Most Placer Gold will assay (test) from 19k to 23.5k as it will naturally have alloy mixes of other metals in almost all cases. At Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio we are HIGH KARAT EXPERTS! We specialize in Gold 18k and above and have the testing means to ACCURATELY and HONESTLY analyze and assay your Placer Gold, Gold Nuggets, and High Karat Gold. We EXCLUSIVELY use the Olympus Gold Xpert XRF X-Ray to test. This technology is highly precise and considered the "Gold Standard" of testing in the Industry. Acid Testing is extremely unreliable when dealing with 18k Gold and above. Not to mention destructive and time consuming. We have been working with Gold Prospectors for years in assisting them turning their Gold Finds into CASH, and paying ABSOLUTE TOP DOLLAR. In addition to being High Karat Gold Experts, we are also experts on all karated (10k, 14k, 18k) Jewelry. We are highly knowledgeable in ALL aspects of Gold and Silver Bullion and Coins and pledge TOP DOLLAR paid every day in San Antonio, Texas. We also deal with Dental Labs and Customers assisting them with their Dental Gold needs. Dental Gold also more times than not ranges in the higher range of purity, and our XRF X-Ray can near precisely determine the purity, allowing us to pay our customers THE MOST! We also can serve you with all your Sterling Silver buying needs. We BUY ALL Sterling Silver such as Jewelry, Tableware and Flatware. We invite you to come by for a NO PRESSURE, HASSLE-FREE QUOTE on your items before selling elsewhere! We are conveniently located at: 3435 Thousand Oaks, Suite 107 San Antonio, Texas 78247 210-441-2177
First off, we are confident to say, the process of selling your Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium at Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio will be MUCH different than most of the other places in town offering Cash for Gold and Cash for Silver Services. Good News though, all the differences, are in regards to making the experience more positive and straight forward for our Customers. We believe in paying our Customers the VERY MOST for their unwanted Precious Metal Items and pairing that with a second to none Customer Service Experience. Below I will outline the process of how getting a FREE QUOTE on your items will happen when visiting Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio. Whether you just have unused, outdated, or mismatched jewelry laying around in the jewelry box at home collecting dust, or you have inherited outdated jewelry that you will never wear, we are the perfect choice to get a NO-HASSLE, FREE QUOTE. Maybe you are looking to sell your Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium Bullion and/or Coins? We deal with all Precious Metal Coins and Bullion. We also are high karat experts and deal with Dental Gold on a daily basis. Even though those extracted teeth may look ugly, or gross to handle we deal with them on a daily basis, and those unsightly items have CASH VALUE! In addition we also deal with High Karat Gold Jewelry from overseas. We also purchase Sterling Silver Flatware and Sterling Silver Tableware. We are the premier destination in San Antonio to receive Cash For Gold and Silver! Lets explore the many reasons why you should get a quote from us before selling elsewhere. The first thing that happens when you enter our clean and secure office, is we invite you to have a seat at one of the desks. We are very receptive to any questions you may have and we are happy to give you basic quotes what we are paying per karated (10k, 14k, 18k) lot of gold BEFORE we even take a look at your items. Some folks have a lot of items they need to bring in and we are more than happy to help you unload your vehicle and bring your items into our store. We are happy to produce any credentials you may want to see such as our State of Texas Precious Metal Dealer Registration, our Texas Dept. of Agriculture Scale Certificate of Registration, etc. We want to put you at ease that you are dealing with a legitimate, LICENSED, and HONEST Precious Metal Dealer. We are happy to take a look at your items as a group, or on a per item basis, whatever you are more comfortable with. All of our FAST, and NON-DESTRUCTIVE processes of analyzing your items are all done within your line of sight. You should never allow your items to leave your sight when getting quotes at other places of business. 1. The first step, we will run a Rare Earth Magnet over your jewelry items to eliminate any of the obvious non precious metal items. 2. The second step will be a visual inspection looking for any hallmarks or stamps on the jewelry (10k, 14k, 18k, 417, 585, 750, etc.). Many pieces of Gold or Silver are unmarked or the markings are not readable, but don't worry, the 3rd step below will clarify how we can quickly determine what purity of Gold or Silver we are being presented with. 3. The third step will be utilizing our NON-DESTRUCTIVE, ACCURATE, and FAST XRF X-Ray to test any items that we may want to verify. This process will never harm your items and is extremely fast and near precise. This technology is considered the "Gold Standard" in the industry, and it doesn't get any more precise than XRF. We won't just start filing, or scratching your items on a scratch stone, and place destructive acid on your items like most of our competitors will. **Our Customers are always welcome to verify any of our XRF X-Ray results for themselves! For any Coins or Bullion we may want to verify we will utilize our Sigma Metalytics Precious Metal Vefirier to instantly verify authenticity. Many other buyers will ask to cut bullion bars/rounds in half, or ask to drop acid on them. NOT US! 4. After we organize your many items into karated or Purity Lots (10k, 14k, 18k, .900 Silver, .925 Silver, etc) we will get precise jewelry weights on our Licensed for Trade Scales that are regulated by the State of Texas and checked for accuracy periodically. **Our customers are always welcome and encouraged to verify the weights on our scales. We also will keep an eye out for any Designer or Name Brand items that we can pay you PREMIUMS on above and beyond the Gold and Silver values. I can't tell you how many times we have plucked James Avery Jewelry out of a lot of Sterling Silver, that our customer had no clue it was James Avery. With that being said, almost daily we have customers who bring in Silver, and we end up finding White Gold. We are quick to point this out, as the prices for Gold are DRASTICALLY MORE than Silver. We want our customers to receive every single penny they are due for their valuable items. I would venture to say most competitors would just take the customer's word for it and buy the White Gold in the Silver Lot. They would most certainly not point out the James Avery in the Scrap Silver either. We do things very differently here at Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio and value Honesty and Integrity over anything else. 5. Once we have determined purity of your items and precise weights, now is the step where we will calculate our TOP DOLLAR Quote, based on the up-to-the-minute prices of Gold and Silver. Many places will calculate their offer based on the low for the day, whereas we make you an offer based on the Market Conditions at the exact time we are quoting. If you have name brand items such as James Avery Jewelry and many other brands that we can pay premiums on, our in house Designer Jewelry Expert, will make a very competitive offer based on the current market conditions and demand. You will also notice that at Texas Gold and Silver Buyers you will rarely get a round number offer such as $400.00. Ours come out more like $401.00. We are often asked why and the answer is very simple. When we say we Pay Top Dollar, we mean it, and do not round down our offers, in fact we round them up to pay you as much as we possibly can. We have low overhead, and we understand dollars matter, so our percentages that we pay based on the current market conditions will not change from customer to customer. Many competitors will ask you what price you are looking for, to see if they can undercut, that will NOT happen in our establishment. Did we mention we are CASH BUYERS? We pay on the spot, and a check is an option for those that prefer it. **Cash Limits do apply On average our typical transaction takes under 10 minutes. We understand your time is valuable. We will never try to size up our customers to attempt to pay less. We offer the same FREE, No-Hassle, TOP DOLLAR quotes to everyone in our doors. We pledge to deliver a friendly, honest and SAFE Customer Service experience. We are licensed in all applicable areas with the State of Texas, are family owned and operated, and are EXPERTS on all things Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium. We welcome you to call us or come by, for your free, no-obligation quote on your Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium items including but not limited to: Jewelry, Coins, Bullion, Scrap Gold, Scrap Silver, Sterling Silver items, and Dental Gold. We pledge to be the #1 Cash for Gold and Cash for Silver Buyer in San Antonio, Texas. Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio 3435 Thousand Oaks, Suite 107 San Antonio, Texas 78247 210-441-2177 
Thanks for stopping by our Informative Blog at Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio. Below we will list all the things you should expect and experience when looking to sell your Precious Metal Items. If any of the things detailed are not happening, we strongly urge you to find a licensed buyer that can adhere to the most simple and moral things we feel should be STANDARD in the Gold and Silver Buying Industry. We understand that your time is precious, and that you deserve TOP DOLLAR on your valuable items.
At Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio, everything detailed above is STANDARD PRACTICE in our daily business practices. We pledge to treat everyone with respect, and offer FREE NO-HASSLE TOP DOLLAR quotes each and every day. We are always more than happy to provide basic quotes over the phone, based on the current Precious Metal Market prices and answer any questions you may have. We invest and utilize XRF X-Ray Technology to NON DESTRUCTIVELY test your precious metal items. Our Business is LOCALLY Family owned and operated and we pledge a friendly and honest experience. Our main focus is Customer Service and TOP DOLLAR offers. We are licensed and regulated by all applicable licensing agencies in the State of Texas. Our office is safe, secure and clean and we are ALWAYS welcoming of every customer in through our doors. We will never ask to send off your items to a refiner before paying you, and do offer on the spot Cash Payments (Limits do apply). We have extensive knowledge in ALL things Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium, and will never pass on making offers on anything that falls into those categories. Our whole FAST process is done right in front of you, and your items are never taken out of your field of vision. We will separate all items by karat or purity, and will always produce a itemized break down of these items when proposing our offer. We will never play the game "Well what were you looking for?" We don't believe in this tactic, and make the same TOP DOLLAR quotes to every customer in our door. We are the premier destination in San Antonio, Texas to turn your Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium items into CASH! We Buy ALL items that are precious metal in ANY condition including: Jewelry, Coins, Bullion, Scrap, Dental Gold Give us a call or STOP BY TODAY! Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio 210-441-2177 3435 Thousand Oaks, Suite 107 San Antonio, Texas 78247
Palladium is a chemical element with the symbol Pd and atomic number 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself named after the epithet of the Greek goddess Athena, acquired by her when she slew Pallas.
Palladium belongs to the Platinum group of precious metals, and is often mistaken as being Platinum, as to the naked eye they almost look identical. But Palladium is indeed a separate elemental metal. Most of the currently known deposits of Palladium reside in Russia. Traditionally Palladium's counterpart Platinum has been the more valuable Precious Metal, but as of 10/19/2017 when this blog is being authored, Palladium is more valuable. Because of Palladium's similarities to Platinum, and its traditionally lower price, Palladium has been utilized as an industrial catalyst and is also a common metal alloyed and used in jewelry manufacturing since 1939. Palladium and Rhodium (used for white gold), has been a common and integral part of the fine jewelry industry and market. This very well could be changing right before our eyes in regards to Palladium. If Palladium continues to soar in price, a trend only recently being seen, this decades old practice may be looking for another viable option. For a very long time, in many industrial applications, Palladium had been considered a more economical substitute for Platinum because of its greater abundance and lower market prices. Although the actual amount of available Palladium in the earth is not known, Palladium for years and years has been a greater bargain when buying for industrial purposes, as for the longest time it sold for up to half the price as Platinum. Some common Industrial uses of Palladium are as follows:
Currently, Palladium is being studied to find its potential for use in fuel cells and for hydrogen storage. It very likely will be the metal of the future. Palladium also has numerous Medical Field Applications such as in Nuclear Medicine and Blood Glucose Testing. Recently Medicinal Chemists at the University of Maryland have developed a Palladium catalyst that aids the chemical synthesis of colchicine, which has been in short supply of late in the US. With the soaring prices of Palladium, those who had the foresight just a few years ago to purchase Palladium Bullion for investment reasons, could be cashing in right now for very nice profits. Solid Palladium Jewelry does exist, but has not been a popular choice until recently. Most of the large well-known Bullion Minters all produce Palladium Bullion. The U.S. Mint, Royal Canadian Mint, and Russia all mint official Coinage out of Palladium as well. If Palladium continues this rise of value in the Precious Metals Market, expect it to become a more household name. At Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio we are buying ALL Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium and paying TOP DOLLAR each and every day. We buy Jewelry, Coins, Bullion, Scrap Gold, Scrap Silver, Sterling Silver, and Dental Gold. "German Silver" is a term for an alloy mixture of copper, zinc and nickel, sometimes also containing lead and tin. It was originally named for its silver/white color, but the term "Silver" is now technically prohibited for alloys not containing silver. (This pertains more to retail sellers or a retail store.) However most times this alloy mix of Copper, Zinc and Nickel is still commonly referred to as "German Silver" aka "Nickel Silver." I will go more into detail on "Nickel Silver" after a full explanation of the term "German Silver"
But here is where it gets a bit tricky on the "German Silver"..... Germany does produce a lot of 80% (.800) Silver Items and sometimes this can be confused with "German Silver." Why? Of Course a 80% Silver Item produced in Germany is "German Silver", as in, it is Silver from Germany. But it is not to be confused with the "German Silver" phrase referring to Alloy mix of Copper, Zinc and Nickel. "Nickel Silver" is nothing more than another term for "German Silver." The entities using this phrase are describing the exact same alloy mixture of copper, zinc, and nickel. Nickel Silver is also named for its silvery appearance, but it contains NO elemental Silver unless plated. And of course plated items hold ZERO precious metal value. Some other phrases for the same alloy mixtures we are discussing such as "German Silver" and "Nickel Silver" are as follows:
All of the alloy mixtures described above are not going to have any Precious Metal Value at all, and we are unable to purchase these items. Of course if you are unsure what you may have, we can X-Ray your items and quickly determine if you have Silver or just one of these "pretend" alloys. We utilize state-of-the-art XRF X-Ray, which precisely, quickly and non-destructively tests items for any Precious Metal Content. At Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio, we strive to educate our customers and potential future customers on all the ins and outs of the Precious Metal Universe. We hope that our blog posts educate the public on some of the more confusing and harder to understand aspects of everything Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium. If you choose to sell your items to us, we will answer any and all questions you may have pertaining to your Precious Metal Items. We strongly feel that none of the process, including our offer should be a secret. We pledge a FAST, HASSLE-FREE, HONEST, SAFE and TOP DOLLAR Transaction. We buy ALL Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium. Give us a call or stop by TODAY! Texas Gold and Silver Buyers 210-441-2177 3435 Thousand Oaks, Suite 107 San Antonio, Texas 78247
The word Bullion originally comes from the French Minister of Finance under Louis XIII, Claude de Bullion. Bullion can come in the form of Gold, Silver, Platinum or Palladium.
For purposes of this blog post we are just going to elaborate on the most common forms of Bullion, which is Gold and Silver Bullion. Let's start this off with the Coin Variety, as it is the most popular form of Bullion in the United States. Silver Bullion is Silver in the form (shape) of bars, coins, ingots or rounds. Some of the best known Silver coins are American Silver Eagles (by far the most popular), Canadian Maple Leafs, Australian Kookaburras, Mexican Libertads, Austrian Philharmonics and Britannias. These are all Government Minted Bullion Coins and technically are currency, but the Metal Value seriously surpasses the monetary denomination given to each coin. But not all Silver Bullion coins are created equal, the most striking difference would be the purity. While Silver Bullion is "Fine Silver" or otherwise known as "Pure" you can see ranges of purity from .999 (99.9%) to .9999 (99.99%) typically. Gold Bullion is also Gold in the form (shape) of bars, coins, ingots or rounds. Some of the best known Gold coins are American Gold Buffalos, American Gold Eagles, South African Krugerrands, Gold Canadian Maple Leafs, Gold Australian Kookaburras, Gold Mexican Libertads, and Gold Austrian Philharmonics. These are all Government Minted Bullion Coins and technically are currency, but just like with Silver, the Metal Value seriously surpasses the monetary denomination given to each coin. Just like with Silver Bullion Coins, all Gold Bullion coins are not created equal, the most striking difference would also be the purity. While Gold Bullion is "Fine Gold" or otherwise known as "Pure" you can see ranges of purity from .999 (99.9%) to .9999 (99.99%) typically. The other most common forms of Bullion are Bars and Rounds, and the Bar shapes are sometimes referred to as "Ingots" as well. The most popular size (mass) of Bars and Rounds are the 1 oz. Variety. But these can also be acquired in fractional amounts too, such as 1 gram, 2.5 Gram, 5 Gram, 10 Gram, and 1/2 oz. Just as they can be acquired in fractional sizes (smaller than 1 oz.) Bullion Bars and Rounds can also be purchased in much larger sizes. The popular sizes (mass) that can be acquired larger than 1 Troy Ounce are as follows: 2 oz, 5 oz, 10 oz. Half Kilo, 1 Kilo, 50 oz. and 100 oz. Just like with the Bullion Coins, the Bars and Rounds can differ in purity .999 (99.9%) or up to .9999 (99.99%). The extra 9 does not make any noticeable difference in value, this just boils down to a personal preference. The value of bullion is typically determined by the value of its precious metals content (purity and mass) which directly correlates to the Market Price (Spot Price) of Gold and Silver. At Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio, we are ALWAYS buying Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium Bullion. We are extremely competitive in the San Antonio and South Texas Market, and are TOP DOLLAR Buyers each and EVERY day. We highly encourage you to give us a call or come by and let us give you a FREE, No Pressure, Hassle-Free quote on your bullion before selling to a Pawn Shop, another Gold Buyer, or a Coin Store. We are low overhead (pass the savings on to our customers), with a devotion to Honesty and Customer Service. Our office is safe and clean, and we value your privacy and discretion when handling Bullion deals Large or Small. Texas Gold and Silver Buyers 3435 Thousand Oaks, Suite 107 San Antonio, Texas 78247 210-441-2177 We purchase ALL Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium: Jewelry, Coins, Bullion, Scrap Gold, Scrap Silver, and Dental Gold.
Pictured above are the MOST COMMON U.S. Minted Silver Dollars that are actually Silver. Of course more rare varieties such as the Trade Dollars, and Seated Liberty Dollars do exist and were minted by the U.S. Government. But for the purposes of this blog post we are just going to focus on the 3 most common varieties that the general public refer to as "Silver Dollars" We will also touch on another Coin commonly mistaken as being Silver, and is not. Example #1 - THE MORGAN DOLLAR -- 90% SILVER The Morgan Dollar was a United States Dollar coin minted from 1878 to 1904, and again in 1921. It was the first standard silver dollar minted since production of the previous design, the Seated Liberty dollar, ceased due to the passage of the Coinage Act of 1873, which also ended the free coining of silver. Millions and millions of Morgan Dollars were minted. Most are very, very common, and in circulated condition are worth close in relation to their Silver value, and do not hold any kind of numismatic or collector value. But RARE ones DO exist! What makes the Rare Morgan Dollars Rare are low mintage production numbers. At Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio, we will always take the time to identify any key dates or rare dates you may have! While most of these lower mintage Morgan Dollars will be from the Carson City Mint, other low mintage Morgans do exist and can be referenced below:
Example #2 - THE PEACE DOLLAR -- 90% SILVER The Peace Dollar is a United States Dollar coin minted from 1921 to 1928, and again in 1934 and 1935. Designed by Anthony de Francisci, the coin was the result of a competition to find designs emblematic of peace. ... It was the last United States dollar coin to be struck for circulation in silver. Just like the case with Morgan Dollars, millions and millions of Peace Dollars were minted. Most are very, very common, and in circulated condition are worth close in relation to their Silver value, and do not hold any kind of numismatic or collector value. But RARE ones DO exist just like the Morgan Dollars! (Particularly the 1928 Philadelphia Minted ones) Peace Dollars are 90% Silver just like Morgan Dollars, but generally are not as highly regarded as Morgan Dollars. At Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio, we will always take the time to identify any key dates or rare dates you may have!  Example #3 - THE SILVER EAGLE -- 1 Oz. 99.9% SILVER The American Silver Eagle is the official silver bullion coin of the United States. It was first released by the United States Mint on November 24, 1986. It is struck only in the one-troy ounce size, which has a nominal face value of one dollar and is guaranteed to contain one troy ounce of 99.9% pure silver. Silver Eagles are a bullion coin and directly valued according to the current market price of Silver (Spot Price). Proof versions are minted and do exist, and command a slightly higher premium than the 1 oz. of Silver they are composed of. These Proof Versions will be in a felt U.S. Mint Box with a Cardboard Outer Box and COA, while non Proof Silver Eagles are sold individually, in tubes of 20 or in "Monster Boxes" of 500.  At Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio, we are ALWAYS buying All Gold, Silver and Platinum Coins and paying TOP DOLLAR. We will always take the time to look through your coins and ensure you are alerted to any key dates or key mints (Low Mintage Coins). Please see below some information regarding one of the most commonly mistaken coins that are NOT Silver. Eisenhower Dollars are Commonly Mistaken as "Silver Dollars"  99% of the time any of these Eisenhower Dollars that are in Circulation are going to be Clad Coins (Cupro-Nickel, copper & nickel blend containing no Silver). The 40% silver version of the Eisenhower dollar was issued as a collectible only, they are generally not found in circulation. The best way to distinguish the two versions is by weight. The copper-nickel version weighs 22.68 grams, the silver Ike dollar weighs 24.59 grams. These 40% Collector Versions are referred to as "Blue Ikes" or "Brown Ikes" and were packaged in U.S. Mint packaging. You will see why they are referred to as "Blue" and "Brown" by the Pictures Below:
Sometimes these have made their way into circulation, but it is very rare. The easiest way to know whether you have a Clad Eisenhower (Ike), or a Silver Eisenhower (Ike) is to look on the coin's edge and if you see a copper color band, you know this is not a Silver Eisenhower! Or weighing them as stated above is always a sure way to know.
We hope this Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio Blog Post has been informative and we hope to be your choice when looking to sell your Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium in San Antonio, Texas! We Buy Coins, Jewelry, Scrap Gold, Scrap Silver, Sterling Silver, Bullion, and Dental Gold. Bottom line if it is Precious Metal, WE BUY IT!  There are 3 Main Factors that determine the Secondary Market Prices on Diamonds and Diamond Jewelry...... #1 Diamond Certification It is very important that the difference between diamond grading laboratories is understood. There are numerous diamond grading labs, and the list continues to grow. Some of these labs provide detailed, accurate information, but unfortunately grading standards greatly vary across the different diamond grading labs and companies. In truth, we find that some diamond grading labs can be as much as 2-4 grades off from the highly regarded and trusted GIA standard (the “industry standard”), GIA is a Diamond Grading Company that we never question their diamond grading, nor does anyone else in the industry. If a diamond has been purchased Retail that has received a grading report from another diamond grading lab, odds are the Certification has been exaggerated, and in most cases, by ALOT! Some of the labs you will see certifications from include:
Why GIA Certifications are the "Gold Standard" At Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio, we use the GIA standard as the basis of our evaluations, There are a number of reasons why GIA certifications will hold more value compared to the Retail Price originally paid:
#2 The Individual Characteristics of the Individual Diamond or Diamond Jewelry Piece Every single diamond is unique and there are a variety of factors that can and will affect the value of your item. The universal method for determining diamond prices is referred to as the "4 C’s" - (carat, color, cut and clarity) • CARAT refers to the weight of the diamond, which also translates to size • COLORLESS STONES bring the higher prices • CUT determines the brilliance of the diamond • CLARITY refers to the number of inclusions in your stone (Carbon Spots, Fractures, etc) Factors that may also have a negative impact on the price will include any imperfections, any damages the stone may have sustained after wear. Fluorescence is also another large factor that is rarely discussed or openly disclosed when a larger diamond is being sold to you in a retail setting. #3 The Strength of the Secondary Market For Your Particular Item Market prices fluctuate over time as the economy, supply and demand and fashions change. This is very similar to the Precious Metals Market in many ways, other than the fashion trend aspect to do with Diamonds (Different Shapes and Fancy Cuts). What is the largest difference about Diamonds is the industry at the very top is basically monopolized by one super conglomerate company, known as De Beers. They store vast amounts of Diamonds in Vaults and can create a surplus or shortage of Diamonds just by releasing large amounts or restricting large amounts. At the end of the day, Diamonds are not rare, they are hunks of Carbon, and not in any kind of short supply. So Diamond Value in the Secondary Market heavily correlates with supply/demand, and changing trends and what is in high demand by consumers. The good news is that at Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio, we CLOSELY work with some of the highest paying Diamond Buyers in the World, therefore we are able to pay our customers TOP DOLLAR on Diamonds and Diamond Jewelry. The value of your diamond jewelry will be based on the strength of the second hand market for that particular item at the time of sale. On larger Diamonds we will contact our Gemologist/Diamond Buyer on the spot and get an up to the minute Top Dollar Quote on your Diamonds and Diamond Jewelry. A very good example of demand, is diamond shape. Certain diamond shapes have proven more popular at certain points in the past. Oval shaped diamonds were particularly popular in the 1970s- early 1980s. Currently, round diamonds are in the highest demand. Price values will vary depending on the market conditions at the time you choose to sell. We will always go above and beyond to get you the very best price possible. THE VERY IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN RETAIL AND RESALE VALUES Very similar to when you purchase a car or another luxury item, diamonds and diamond jewelry lose some of their value when it comes to selling in the second hand market. You can generally expect to get around 25%-40% of the original retail price depending on the condition of the diamond or jewelry item. In general, Diamonds should be originally purchased because you love them or treasure them, NOT as investment purposes. But at Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio, we understand that situations arise (divorce, need for money, etc.) and we are here for you to get you the most for your diamond in the secondary market, despite the drastic and sometimes unfair retail prices that you were charged when buying new. HOW CAN THE SECOND HAND VALUE OF DIAMONDS ONLY BE 25%-40% OF THE RETAIL PRICE? There are numerous reasons why the retail price is higher than the resale price and we are happy to explain them. The retail price of the diamond or jewelry is made up of the wholesale price (the price the jeweler paid) plus a markup to cover the retail costs such as the rent of their retail location, employees, labor, profit and overhead, etc. Sales Tax is also added to all items that are sold in a retail setting and can approach as high as 10% in the US. If your Diamond or Diamond Jewelry has a grading report or an appraisal this would have also been factored into the original retail price and you won’t get all of this back when you sell your item. Bottom line, Diamonds in the Retail Setting are grossly marked up, and it can be argued in a Retail Setting, that Diamonds are among the worlds most marked up item. WHY DO SECONDARY MARKET PRICES (RESALE PRICES) DIFFER FROM JEWELER'S APPRAISALS? Jeweler’s appraisals are an excellent way to get more information (the 4 C’s) on your diamond, or diamond jewelry, which is then very useful when it comes to getting a more accurate price estimate from Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio. However, it is important to remember that the "4C's" information and any price quoted from a jeweler’s appraisal is based on the opinion of that individual appraiser which may and more times than not differ greatly from GIA grading standards. A jeweler’s appraisal will provide you with a replacement retail value for insurance purposes – to cover loss, theft or damage and this has zero relationship to the price of the item in the second hand market. Appraisals are based on Retail Pricing only. We Buy ALL Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium: Bullion, Coins, Jewelry, and Scrap. We Pledge a Hassle-Free, No Hassle FREE Quote. Our devotion to Customer Service is unmatched in the San Antonio Area! TOP DOLLAR PAID EVERYDAY. Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio 3435 Thousand Oaks, Suite 107 San Antonio, Texas 78247 texasgoldandsilverbuyers@gmail.com 210-441-2177 
Baht Gold is commonly mistaken as meaning 24 karat gold. But Baht is actually a measurement of weight, and not purity. Baht gold is indeed high karat (high purity), but is not 24k gold. One baht of Thai gold is equivalent to 15.244 grams before it is crafted into jewelry. After the gold is crafted into jewelry the weight should be equal to 15.16 grams, to still be termed as one baht gold. (To simplify it, one baht of gold normally is usually referred to as 15.2 grams)
Gold has been a way of life for Thai people for centuries. Presents of gold ornaments and jewelry are given to Thai people at numerous stages of their lives. Gold ornaments and jewelry are given to newborn babies for comfort and used as dowries or sin sot in marriages. The name “Siam”, Thailand's former name, means gold in Sanskrit. Chinese have referred to Thailand as Jin lin, meaning “peninsula of gold”. Indians also called Thailand Suvannabhumi, which means Land of Gold. Thai people value gold as not only a precious metal made for jewelry, but also as a means of financial security. Gold is also often used to create Buddha statues and other religious items. 100% (24 karat) gold is way too soft to make jewelry, so Baht gold jewelry usually has a 96.5% gold purity, which is a bit over 23 karat. The remaining 3.5% is normally silver and bronze. A Baht of Thai gold in bar form is sold in “Baht Weight” or 15.244 grams (15.16 grams for a Baht of Thai gold ornament or jewelry), a little lower than half of a troy ounce, (Troy Ounce = 31.1 Grams). Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio are your local High Karat Gold experts. We specialize in higher karat gold (18k and higher). But deal with ALL types of Gold on a daily basis. (10k, 14k, etc.) Most places use an outdated method of using Acids and Scratch Stones to test gold before purchasing. This method is outdated and nowhere near precise. At Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio, we utilize state-of-the-art XRF (X-Ray) Technology to test. This method is considered the gold standard of the industry and is highly accurate. It also allows us to non destructively test, leaving your items in the same condition as they walked in our door. But most importantly it allows us to pay TOP DOLLAR each and EVERY day, because we know exactly what karat of gold we are dealing with. With the acid method, 18k and higher are not determined very easily or accurately. Many places will default to paying out on 14k gold, unsure of what they are dealing with. This is not acceptable, and we pledge to pay our customers on exact assays (purity tests). Give us a call or come by TODAY to see why it PAYS to do business with Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio. We Buy ALL Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium: Bullion, Coins, Jewelry, and Scrap. We Pledge a Hassle-Free, No Hassle FREE Quote. Our devotion to Customer Service is unmatched in the San Antonio Area! TOP DOLLAR PAID EVERYDAY. Texas Gold and Silver Buyers of San Antonio 3435 Thousand Oaks, Suite 107 San Antonio, Texas 78247 texasgoldandsilverbuyers@gmail.com 210-441-2177 |
AuthorThanks for stopping by our blog. My name is Evan and I am the owner of Texas Gold and Silver Buyers in San Antonio. From time to time I will post blog entries to help educate and inform our customers and potential future customers on all aspects of Precious Metals (Gold, Silver, Platinum & Palladium!) Archives
January 2020
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