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Silver: coins and bars as an investment

Silver is an excellent investment in the form of coins or bars. Today, silver bullion coins are generally made of fine silver, i.e. pure silver 999. (Former) silver circulation coins, on the other hand, usually have a lower silver content.

The hardness of silver is increased by alloying it with other metals. Today, silver is most commonly alloyed with copper. The fineness of silver alloys ranges from 640, 800, 835, 925 to 935.

Sterling silver is silver with a fineness of 925. This alloy gets its name from the British pound. Today it is used for coins, jewelry and cutlery.

Interesting facts about silver

As a chemical element, silver belongs to the copper group. The abbreviation "Ag" is derived from the Latin word for silver "Argentum". It has been used as a precious metal for the production of jewelry and coins since the 5th century BC. In Austria, the 15th and 16th centuries were the heyday of silver mining. Today, the majority of silver is mined in Peru, Mexico, China and Chile (as of 2008).