Going to the Silver Bay YMCA?

You probably remember the music video featuring a traffic police, a cowboy, a construction site worker, a Native American Indian, a leather clad motorcyclist, and a soldier. After listening to the song, you would think it's really fun to stay at the YMCA. That's the Village People for you. Now, you can go to the Silver Bay YMCA of the Adirondacks [ read more ]

FIFA World Cup Silver Ball Winners

Except for 12 years coinciding with WWII, the World Cup of soccer has been held every 4 years since the first contest in Uruguay, 1930. Known as the biggest single sport event in the world, the World Cup will be held in the African continent for the very first time in South Africa, 2010. To get ready for a spectacular competition, let's look at [ read more ]

Man on the Silver Mountain

One of the more memorable heavy metal songs in the 70s was Rainbow's "Man on the Silver Mountain." Featuring the realatively unknown Ronnie James Dio on vocals and the legendary former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, "Man on the Silver Mountain" kicks off the group's debut album called "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow."

When you first [ read more ]

Those are Silver, These are Gold

Growing up, most people would have come across the poem Silver and Gold, which is about friendship. It starts with these memorable lines "Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold." Then, it goes on to expound the intricacies of friendship.

In this modern era, many friends are made on the internet. The phenomenon of [ read more ]

Silver Dollar of 1994 World Cup

The year 1994 was special for many reasons. At the time when Bill Clinton was the President of the United States, the NAFTA was formed, Nancy Kerrigan's rivalry with Tonya Harding gained some spicy attention, Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain committed suicide, Woodstock happened again, and the United States hosted the 15th Soccer World Cup. Let's [ read more ]

Silver, Not Sliver

On the internet, fantasy can meet reality, in the most amusing ways. Fans of Sharon Stone may be a little bewildered when they come across her movie "Silver" which was released in 1993. Some may have noticed that she guest starred in the episode "A Little Magic" of the popular sitcom Silver Spoons, but surely, she never starred in Silver. It was [ read more ]

Aesop's The Silver Fir Tree & the Bramble

For centuries, Aesop's fables have been told and taught to people all around the world. Simple, yet profound, his tales always end with some moral lessons. That's why teachers always tell these fables to children, but they are just as applicable to adults. One of the lesser known Aesop's fables is The Silver Fir Tree & the Bramble, which is [ read more ]

Mystery of the Boy in the Silver Balloon

On October 15, 2009, America was gripped by the drama of a silver balloon and the boy who was supposed to be on board. On television, the silver balloon, which was shaped like a flying saucer, was shown to be floating at a high speed, and tension mounted as people speculated on the safety of the boy named Falcon Heene.

Throughout the flight of [ read more ]

Silver Wind Farm

There's always a certain mystique associated with horse riding. Today, horse riding has become more of a sport or recreation. In the Olympics, equestrian events like Dressage and Jumping showcase the finer points of horse riding. Meanwhile, horse racing is very much alive in race horse courses around the world from Kentucky to Dubai. On another [ read more ]

Silver Welsh Love Spoon Pendants

Nowadays, young men are having it much easier. If they want to woo a girl, they can write love poems, sing love songs, cook love potions, make love cookies, or buy something precious and meaningful, such as silver Welsh love spoon pendants. It's certainly not something ordinary like any silver earring or silver necklace. Here's a little background [ read more ]

Silver Coins of Chinese Outlaws: Zhang Shun

The Zhang Sun coin completes the silver collection of the "Outlaws of the Marshes" coin series. Unlike the Lin Chong and Flowery Monk coins which are struck in more conventional circular shapes, the Zhang Sun coin is rectangular.

Earlier in his life, Zhang Shun made a living by trading illegal goods around the Xunyang River, with his [ read more ]

Silver Coins of Chinese Outlaws: Flowery Monk

Previously, we took a look at the first offering in the Outlaws of the Marshes silver coin collection issued by the People's Bank of China. Today, we will turn our attention to another illustrious character. He's none other than the Flowery Monk, perhaps, the most complex character in the Water Margin Classic.

If Lin Chong is larger than life, [ read more ]

Thy Silver and Thy Gold is Mine

There was the time when Benhadad the king of Syria felt so high and mighty that he issued a very curious message to the king of Israel Ahab saying, "Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine." (1 Kings 20:3) Strangely, Ahab agreed. At this time, Benhadad had banded with 32 kings, with great [ read more ]

Silver the Hedgehog

Most video game fans would know about Sonic the Hedgehog who has been the mascot of Sega since 1991. Through the years, there have been numerous releases of Sonic the Hedgehog games with a whole string of villains and rivals. One of Sonic's more memorable rivals is Silver the Hedgehog.

Just like Sonic, Silver the Hedgehog is an ultra stylish [ read more ]

The Myth and Value of Silver in Ancient Egypt

Everybody knows that the Egyptians were one of the most advanced ancient civilizations in the world. From their massive pyramids to their glorious artworks to their gods, Egyptian ideas and beliefs trigger a bewildering mystique which never fails to fascinate people, even to this day and age. Thus, it will be interesting to look at the history of [ read more ]

The Staffordshire Gold and Silver Hoard

Recently, the discovery of a major Anglo-Saxon hoard in a yet undisclosed location in Staffordshire, UK has been sending electric waves of enthusiasm across the archaeological community in the country. Experts date the hoard to be around 700 AD, and they are confident that the 1500 or so items will shed important information about this period in [ read more ]

2010 Winter Olympics Silver Coins II

Previously, we covered some of the 2010 Winter Olympics silver coins by the Royal Canadian Mint for the games to be held in Vancouver. Here's more.

In the series of 15 silver coins to showcase events and themes of the Vancouver Winter Olympics, the hologram effect is used to enhance the appearance of the coins. It is manifested on the obverse [ read more ]

2010 Winter Olympics Silver Coins

From February 12 to 28, 2010, the city of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada will be buzzing with excitement when athletes arrive from all over the world compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics. To commemorate the event, the Royal Canadian Mint has introduced a series of the most wonderful sterling silver coins.

Simple and charming, the Sterling [ read more ]

Nostalgia at Silver Moon Drive-in

In these times when movie fans go to cineplexes instead of cinemas, many people would assume that drive-in theatres would be a thing of the past. Strangely, there are a good number of drive-in theatres in good old America, still offering that good old feeling of watching a movie in the good outdoors, on a massive silver screen. One of them is the [ read more ]

"Silver and Gold"

For some reasons, "Silver and Gold" is quite a popular song title. If you are a fan of T-Pain, Akon and Sway, Vanessa Paradis and Lenny Kravitz, Primal Fear, Vanessa WIlliams, Kirk Franklin, or U2, you may have heard their unique renditions of "Silver and Gold."

In T Pain's song, "Silver and Gold" seems to refer to a mixture of a drink which [ read more ]

Silver for Second Best?

Just like green is associated with "environmental protection," silver has long been associated with "second best." For some reason, silver is often used to convey the idea of being "second best" while gold is always the ultimate prize.

In sports, the winner gets gold, the second-placed winner gets silver, and the third-placed winner gets [ read more ]

Paul Revere the Silversmith

Certainly, the image of Paul Revere riding on his horse, shouting "The Regulars are coming out!" is more celebrated than the image of him forging silver items in his shop. Yet, he was a highly renowned silversmith who had a silver store in Boston, Massachusetts.

Before anything else, Paul Revere was a silversmith. Learning the craft from his [ read more ]

Silver Threads and Golden Needles

"Silver Threads and Golden Needles" is one of those classic evergreen genre-transcending songs that have survived the test of time. Composed by Jack Rhodes and Dick Reynolds, Wanda Jackson was the first to record the song in 1956.

From 1962 up to 1993, "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" would be covered by some of the most famous recording [ read more ]

Three Beautiful Antique Silver Paper Knives

Opening envelopes can a pretty messy affair, especially for people who have clumsy fingers. In some cases, some part of an important letter may end up being torn. That's why paper knives or letter openers are invented. Today, let's look at three beautiful silver paper knives.

Currently, Daniel Bexfield Antiques of London, UK is offering [ read more ]

The Value of Silver in Solomon's Kingdom

In the Bible, Solomon was the richest of Israel's kings. The son of David, he was blessed with such extraordinary wisdom that he was able to rule over a happy nation which is strongly devoted to him. In his time, Israel became exceedingly prosperous, receiving great tributes of gold, silver, precious stones, and other gifts from many [ read more ]

Exploring Silver Rapids Indoor Waterpark

Now that summer is gone, it's time to look for some fun places where you can have a great time with your family without worrying about the climate. If Idaho is not so far away, go up to Kellogg and head to the Silver Mountain Resort. There, you will find the Silver Rapids Indoor Waterpark, which is open all year long.

For some strange reason, [ read more ]

How Heavy is "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"?

Placed between "Something" and "Oh! Darling" on the Beatles' Abbey Road album, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" may sound like a bright song, but it's actually rather dark in a comical way. Credited as a Lennon/McCartney collaboration, it was actually written by Paul McCartney. Recording of the song started on July 9, 1969 and it took almost one month to [ read more ]

Achan and the Accursed Silver

Just before the army of Israel shouted to tumble the walls of Jericho, Joshua gave a little pep talk about how the whole city would be put to the sword, but Rahab the harlot and her family should be spared for she had helped to hide some soldiers in her home. As for the spoils, he said, "But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, [ read more ]

Silver Lions of the Venice Film Festival

Held annually in August or September on the Lido Island in Venice, Italy, the Venice Film Festival is one of the more famous film festivals in the world. This year, the 66th Venice Film Festival will start on September 2, 2009. In this festival, the top award is the Golden Lion, but we will be focusing on the Silver Lion, which is generally [ read more ]

Silver in World of Warcraft

Most internet users would have some knowledge of the wildly popular MMORPG sensation known as World of Warcraft (WOW). For people who have tried it, they know all about the battles, the quests, the development of characters, and other such challenges. If you have never tried it, you may be surprised to learn about its intricacies. If you look at [ read more ]

Silver Celtic Pendants

Celtic symbols are known for their rich meanings. Due to the Celtics' superstitious nature, there's always a certain charm associated with Celtic symbols. Over the years, many Celtic symbols have been represented in the form of jewelry. Some people believe that the right charms will bring them luck, but many people just wear them because they are [ read more ]

Tibetan Silver Singing Bowls

Have you ever heard a silver bowl sing? Well, it actually rings more than it sings, but nevertheless, it's still a great novelty item. While Tibetan singing bowls are mainly used for meditation purposes, some yoga practitioners have found its calming properties to be helpful in their practices. On another level, singing bowls can also be used for [ read more ]

Remembering Long John Silver

Long John Silver is one of those rare literary characters who has transcended time as well as the confines of the novel in which he exists. For instance, there are now more than 1,200 Long John Silver's fast food restaurants located all over the world, serving a variety of seafood, named after him. In films, he has been portrayed by a list of [ read more ]

Silver and the Old Laws of Marriage

Modern day marriages and olden day marriages are a lot different. In earlier times in Israel, there were strict laws governing marriage and betrothal. If these laws are broken, the culprits could be stoned to death in serious offences, or fined a certain amount of silver shekels in lesser offences.

In those days, a woman's chastity was very [ read more ]

Postcards from Silver Peak, Nevada

Have you ever been to a ghost town? Don't be afraid. A ghost town is NOT a town full of ghosts! The term refers to a deserted town that's uninhabited by people so it follows that the town is a ghost of its former self, serving no purpose at all. If you are in the state of Nevada and you want to see what a ghost town looks like, head towards Silver [ read more ]

2008 Beijing Olympics 1 Kg Folk Sports Silver Coins Series 2 & 3

Just last year, the Summer Olympic Games were held in Beijing, China. Indeed, it was a spectacular event. Now, we will look at two no less spectacular coins, namely, the 2008 Beijing Olympics 1 Kg Folk Sports Silver Coins Series 2 & 3. For some reason, there is no Series 1.

As the names suggest, the coins weigh 1 kg, and they have something [ read more ]

Why Did Abimelech Give Abraham 1,000 Pieces of Silver?

There are some stories in the Bible that make you wonder if all those great Biblical heroes were really all that great. Truth be told, many of the principal characters were rather weak. Do you know why Abimelech gave Abraham a thousand pieces of silver? You will be quite surprised.

The event took place right after God had destroyed Sodom and [ read more ]

Quare and Horseman Silver Antique Pocket Watch

Not many people carry pocket watches nowadays. Most people think of these timepieces as antiques, more suitable to be collected than used. If you take some time to look at some of the older pocket watches, you will surely be amazed at the level of craftsmanship as well as the immaculate designs. Case in point: the Quare and Horseman Silver Antique [ read more ]

Checking Out Silver Moon Inn

Many people like to go to the great outdoors for their summer vacations and Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado is one of the more popular destinations. Unless you are planning on camping out, you have to arrange for accommodations. For a memorable and charming choice, you can consider Silver Moon Inn, located about 2 miles away from the [ read more ]

Ten Silver Shekels for Absalom?

David was surely the most illustrious king of Israel. From the slaying of Goliath to the adulterous affair with Bathsheba, David's life was filled with glory as well as scandal. Yet, the event which struck David the hardest was probably the death of Absalom. How many silver shekels would David have given to bring Absalom back to life? Listen... "O [ read more ]

Beautiful Antique Silver Chinese Mirror

Many people collect antiques for the value as well as the beauty of the objects. In the case of silver antiques, the items are often valued above the intrinsic worth of the metal. Depending on the historic significance, some silver objects are worth a grand fortune. Here's a beautiful antique silver Chinese mirror that's truly an amazing work of [ read more ]

Inspiration From The Silver Lining News

Have you heard of The Silver Lining News? This is a website that publishes true stories that are positive and inspirational. A silver lining refers to the positive outcome which comes out of a negative situation. In life, unpredictable things happen. As much as we can smile during the sunny days, it's important that we learn to take a deep breath [ read more ]

Micah and His Idol of Silver

One of the more peculiar stories in the Bible is that of Micah and his silver idol in Judges 17 and 18. The story begins with Micah's confession of theft. It happened that Micah had "taken" eleven hundred shekels of silver from his mother. This was in violation of the Fifth Commandment (Honour thy father and thy mother) and the Eighth Commandment [ read more ]

A Look At Silver Paperweights

Certainly, the world is becoming more and more paperless. For some time, the internet has revolutionalized business and communications in astounding ways. How many people still send love letters over the oceans? Probably, they send love emails. When people purchase something online, they receive an electronic invoice. News and books can be read on [ read more ]

What Are Silver Hallmarks?

Silver hallmarks have been in use since 1300 in the United Kingdom. Since then, silversmiths in many silver producing nations have marked their silver pieces with meaningful numbers and symbols. Some of the countries that use silver hallmarks are Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, England, Egypt, France, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Japan, [ read more ]

How Much Silver was Samson Worth?

In the Bible, no man is stronger than Samson. From his birth, he was blessed with superhuman strength. In his youth, he tore up a lion as if he was tearing a piece of paper. On his own, he killed a thousand Philistines. Yet, Samson was weak with women, and it took one Delilah to betray him for a lot of silver shekels.

Recognizing Samson as [ read more ]

Puzzles: Legends of The Silver Screen

Don't you think film stars are puzzling enough? Now, there's this series of jigsaw puzzles called "Legends of the Silver Screen" featuring some bizarre imaginary hilarious situations involving Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, James Dean, Humphrey Bogart, and even the Three Stooges. Let's look at some of these puzzles.

In "Legends of the Silver [ read more ]

Carl Lewis' 3-Day Silver Olympic Medal

Since the very first Olympics in 1896, there have always been drama and controversies in the games. One of the most controversial and infamous events in Olympic history was played out in the 100m Men's Final at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. In a highly anticipated race, the defending champion, Carl Lewis won the silver medal in a time of [ read more ]

Biblical Silver References

The history of silver as a precious metal goes back thousands of years. In the Bible, silver was mentioned quite a number of times. Back then, silver was as valuable a commodity as gold, though it was more much abundant. Today, we will look at some of the instances when silver was featured in the Old Testament.

In Genesis 23:16-19, we see [ read more ]

Canada Silver Lunar Cameo Coin (2009)

To commemorate the Year of the Ox which runs for the most part of 2009 on the western calendar, the Royal Canadian Mint issued a very attractive $15 Silver Lunar Cameo Coin. There are only 48,888 strikes of this coin distributed around the world. Perhaps, you may be wondering at the significance of this specific number? Well, the number "4" sounds [ read more ]

Story of The Silver Lady

If you pay attention to Suzanne Vega's songs, you will discover a world of nostalgia, shrouded in rich metaphors. Sure, she has written many songs, but one of the most outstanding songs is the very second song she'd ever written, entitled The Silver Lady. Since Vega wrote the song when she was just fifteen, it's good to look at the Silver Lady [ read more ]

Silver Shine of Silver Charms

Whereas a charm can be described as an amulet of sorts where it's supposed to protect its wearer from evil while promoting good fortune, nowadays, a charm is viewed a little bit differently. Modern charms refer more to fashion accessories worn on necklaces, bracelets, or anklets. In this sense, silver charms are so popular that you can find [ read more ]

Silver Award for Girl Scouts

Being a Girl Scout is definitely a lot of fun. Other than all the exciting activities such as camping trips or campfires, a Girl Scout can also collect badges and earn awards. One of the proudest moments in a Girl Scout's life is probably the very first time she wears The Girl Scout Silver Award. For Girl Scouts aged 11 to 14, it is the highest [ read more ]

The Dreaming Series: Silver Coins from Australia

If you are looking for a great series of beautiful silver coins, you can take a look at the Dreaming Series from Australia. Produced by The Perth Mint, this collection features five animals from the great Australian wildlife for the 2009 collection. Extending the success of the Discover Australia series of coins featuring great Australian [ read more ]

Silver Memories of Michael Jackson

The King of Pop is dead. For the longest time, people have forgotten that he's already 50 years old. Some people think he's going to live forever. After all, he has defied, no, he had defied many things. On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson was pronounced dead, the cause, yet unknown. Here, we shall not mourn him but celebrate him or more precisely, [ read more ]

What's a Silver Song Club?

When your hair turns silver and your days pass before your eyes like mist in the mirror, what can you do to slow the boat of time? Some go to the parks for slow meditative walks. Some play bridge until the cows come home. Some watch TV until their necks sour. Yet, some roll back the years to find new pleasures or pursue their forgotten [ read more ]

Silver City and Billy the Kid

Originally, Silver City in Grant County, New Mexico was a campsite for the Apache tribe but later, it became St. Vincent of the Marsh. During the 1860s, more Europeans went to the valley to look for precious metals and not long after Captain John M. Bullard found silver ore deposits at Chloride Flats in 1870, Silver City was founded. The early [ read more ]

Great Family Fun at Silver Lake Michigan

As summer goes into full bloom, let's take a look at a great place to bring your family for a wild vacation. If you are in the Midwest or Michigan is not too far away, Silver Lake State Park offers great fun for the entire family. Located in Mears on the shoreline of Lake Michigan, Silver Lake State Park is close to 3000 acres in size.

One of [ read more ]

The Silver Star of the U.S. Army

When you do very well in a certain subject in school, they give you an 'A'. In the same token, the US Army gives out decorations of merit to individuals in the armed forces who have made significant contributions to the country. Usually, these awards come in the form of medals, stars or crosses. Today, we shall pay special attention to the Silver [ read more ]

Cruising the Seven Seas on Silversea

Many years ago, sailing the seven seas would not be considered a luxury. Those were the days when ships were powered by wind or poor slaves like we see in the movie Ben Hur. Well, times have certainly changed. Nowadays, ships are mighty vessels and sailing the seven seas can be a most luxurious and romantic holiday. One of the premier cruising [ read more ]

Remembering the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II

One of the more memorable royal silver jubilees was the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II. It was held to commemorate the 25th anniversary of her ascension to the throne of the United Kingdom and the countries where she is revered as sovereign such as Australia, Canada, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Belize, and New Zealand, just to name a few. As she's the [ read more ]

The Romance of Silver

When you are giving a gift of silver to someone special, do you take some time to think about why you have chosen this precious metal? Probably not! Nowadays, people are too busy to ponder on these things. Nevertheless, you have made a good and wonderful choice because silver is a most romantic metal.

Go back to the times of the Romans. If all [ read more ]

The Silver Samurai

One of the more intriguing characters in the Marvel universe is the Silver Samurai. Since he may be appearing in the X-Men Origins: Wolverine sequel, it's a good idea to take a look at his history and special abilities. The Silver Samurai first appeared in Daredevil #111 but he also had some memorable battles with Spider-Man, Shang-Chi, the New [ read more ]

More Idioms of Silver

Last week, we explored the meanings of three extremely popular idioms of silver. Today, we will look at some silver idioms which are not so well known. In this exercise, it's interesting to see how silver is used to accentuate a certain meaning.

There's a Swedish/German saying which goes like this: "Talk is silver, silence is gold." Despite the [ read more ]

Silver Magic by Vera Wang

Today, we celebrate the sublime beauty of silver gifts designed by Vera Wang. While Wang is mainly famous for her fabulous wedding gowns which have been put on by the likes of Sharon Stone, Uma Thurman, Mariah Carey, Victoria Beckham, Jessica Simpson, and other celebrities, she also lends her magic touch to other things. Some of her most [ read more ]

Silver Fox and Wolverine

It's nice to be a superhero, isn't it? You have superhuman powers and sometimes, you cannot die. As "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" is still playing in theatres, it will be a good idea to look at one of the more mysterious characters in the movie. In the comics and the movie, Silver Fox (aka Kayla Silverfox) is Wolverine's love interest, probably his [ read more ]

Splendor of The Silver Arowana

While it's hard to find a fish with a name that rolls quite as easily off the tongue as the Arowana, it's even harder to find a fish which is quite as silvery as the Silver Arowana. For the aquarium enthusiast who also happens to be an avid collector of silver coins or silver antiquities, the Silver Arowana may well be perfect pet fish.

Derived [ read more ]

Intrinsic Value of Some US Silver Coins

Have you ever wondered how an old silver coin (or any other coin for that matter) appreciates in value? To understand this, you have to know the intrinsic value or the melt value of the coin. Basically, this is measured by the content of silver plus any other metal (normally copper) found in the coin multiplied by the current market values of the [ read more ]

The Silver Age

When someone talks about the Golden Age of India or the Golden Age of Islam, we have grand visions of glorious eras where culture blossomed and great new discoveries sprouted out across all facets of society. Certainly, the people who were fortunate enough to live in Golden Ages must be some happy people. Meanwhile, the Silver Age can be described [ read more ]

God of the Silver Bow

Among the many titles attributed to Apollo, he is known as the God of the Silver Bow and as such, also known as the God of Archery. According to Greek mythology, Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto, daughter of a Titan. When Hera, the wife of Zeus discovered that Leto was pregnant, obviously, she was mad with jealousy. Abusing her powers as the [ read more ]

Silver Bears of Berlinale

The Berlin International Film Festival is an annual film event held in Berlin, Germany. Though it is the largest film festival to be attended by the public with recent record of 450,000 admissions, somehow, it doesn't generate as much buzz as the Academy Awards or the Cannes International Film Festival. You will probably remember Million [ read more ]

Silver Falls State Park

Since summer is approaching, many people are making plans for a great holiday. Sometimes, making choices can be a chore. With so many places to go, it may be hard to make a decision. Well, if you are not too far away from the state of Oregon, you can head on to Silver Falls State Park. Located about 24 miles east of Salem, the Silver Falls State [ read more ]

The Silver Summit 2009

From September 24 to 25, 2009, The Silver Summit will take place in Spokane, Washington. Billed as "The World's Premiere Silver Investment Conference," you can expect to learn a lot about silver investment in this event. Since registration has not yet begun, it's a good idea to look at the five anchor companies.

Hecla Mining Company

Started [ read more ]

US Silver Walking Liberty Half Dollars

In 1916, America was entering into a phase of change on many levels. With the possibility of a World War becoming more obvious, it was an unsettling time for the young nation, especially for immigrants from across the Atlantic who represented the majority of the population. To reflect the times, the US Mint commissioned new designs for three coins [ read more ]

Winners of Most Silver Olympic Medals

Nobody really talks about them. In the Olympics or international sports, gold medals always mean much more than silver medals. Imagine Michael Phelps winning 8 silver medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics instead of 8 golds. Would so many people be so "outraged" by the bong incident? Probably not. While being second best is not so fun, here, [ read more ]

Wedding Anniversary Gifts of Silver

On the subject of gifts, the wedding anniversary gift is one of the most vital and challenging. It's vital because it's supposed to be a momento of some sort, adding to the history of a marriage and possibly, enhance it. Yet, it's challenging because the wedding anniversary is an annual affair and it's rather hard to come up with fresh inspired [ read more ]

Essence of Silver Gifts

When you are brainstorming for a special gift for a loved one, you should consider silver. Though it may be a little more expensive than other conventional gifts, a gift of silver is an offering of goodwill and good taste. Be it a silver necklace or a letter opener, silver shines and lasts. Needless to say, the intrinsic value of silver makes it [ read more ]

How to Spot Real Silver in Mexico?

Perhaps, you find yourself in Mexico, enjoying the beautiful beaches, mingling with the affectionate locals, taking in the air of a somewhat different culture, and looking to do some shopping to crown what would be a memorable holiday. Since Mexico is one of the top silver producers in the world, it would make sense to look for a great silver [ read more ]

Tale of King Dog Silver

Many years ago, when Benares was still Benares, there was a Dog King named Silver. Not exceptionally strong or powerful, Silver was the king of dogs because he exhibited perfection in his actions and wisdom. As he had a most shiny coat of silver, he was named Silver. Living in a cemetery, he didn't care much about the happenings of the world [ read more ]

Silver Greek Phoenix

When Greece finally broke free from Ottoman rule in 1828, an air of expectation and new hope swept the young state. Among the most pressing things, there was a need for a new currency. To celebrate her independence, Governor John Capodistria launched the silver Greek Phoenix, the first currency in modern Greece. The official value of the coin was [ read more ]

The World's Largest Silver Coin

The Europe Taler 2008 was launched in Austria and Switzerland last year during the European Championship of Football. With a weight of 42.2 pounds and a circumference of 44.6 inches, it is regarded as the largest silver coin in the world. Considering that one troy ounce of silver was worth $16.62 at that time, the bullion value of the coin was [ read more ]

The 7th China International Silver Conference

Silver market participants from all over the world gathered in Haikou, Hainan from 6-8 November, 2008 to attend the 7th China International Silver Conference. The event was organized by the Gold and Silver Branch of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association and the Beijing Antaike Information Development Co. Ltd., and it took place at [ read more ]

The Rogozen Silver Treasure

There's always something enchanting about treasures. A treasure is like a time capsule, offering a glimpse into our history, culture, and society. In times past, there had been a number of silver treasures being discovered in Bulgaria. The Rogozen Silver Treasure is the largest treasure to be discovered in Bulgaria. Found on the obscure Rogozen [ read more ]

Jesus and The Silver Denarius

Jesus Christ was known to be a man of rich and intelligent speech. Speaking in metaphors and parables, he brought a new message of salvation unto the masses. As much as he was loved, he was also much hated by the Pharisees and Sadducees who constantly plotted to get rid of him. In one instance, Jesus used a silver denarius to scorn them.

After [ read more ]

Library Post - What is Sterling Silver?

You’ve heard the term “Sterling Silver”, typically when referring to fine dining flatware, serving pieces or quality jewelry, but what exactly is sterling silver?

Sterling silver is an alloy (a combination of metals) containing 92.5% of pure silver and 7.5% of other metals.  Typically the other metal selected for the alloy is copper.  Fine [ read more ]

Silver Treasure of Borovo

If you have the chance to visit Borovo, a small town situated in Northern Bulgaria, you may as well make a trip to the Historical Museum where you will have the chance to look at one of the most spectacular silver treasures ever found. Also known as the Rousse Treasure, the Borovo Treasure is comprised of five finely crafted vessels believed to be [ read more ]

1968 Mexican Olympics Silver Coin

The 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico was special for a number of reasons. Controversial as well as liberating, it was the first time that the Olympics was hosted by a country in Latin America. The most infamous image of the 1968 Olympics had to be that of the "Black Power Salute" enacted by the African-American 200m gold and bronze medalists, Tommie [ read more ]

Thirty Pieces of Silver

Yesterday, Christians around the world observed Good Friday, which was the day Jesus Christ was crucified. Just as central to the Christian faith, tomorrow, Easter Sunday will be celebrated as the day of Christ's glorious resurrection. Within these three days, the seeds of Christianity were sown, spreading a new hope which grew far and wide, still [ read more ]

More About US Silver Trade Dollar

There's more about the US Silver Trade Dollar. It was the only coin which was not minted for circulation in the US. In response to pressure from miners who were having trouble selling their excessive supply of silver in a downward market, Congress approved the mintage of the US Trade Dollar which began in 1873, continuing up to 1885. However, it [ read more ]

US Silver Trade Dollar

Minted from 1875 to 1885, the US Silver Trade Dollar had an interesting history. In those days, some of the more powerful European nations together with Mexico were using silver crowns to trade with a number of Asian countries. While there was an abundance of silver in the US mines, silver coins issued by the Mint didn't really catch on with the [ read more ]

What's A Silver Sycee?

A sycee was an ancient form of currency used in China from the Tang dynasty in 618 AD up to the Republican era in 1933 AD. Usually made in silver or gold, there were also lead sycees to be used as "hell money". Curiously, its translation from Cantonese (a dialect used in the Guangdong province in Southern China) means "fine silk". In the Northern [ read more ]

Skaill Viking Silver Trove

The Skaill Viking Silver trove was uncovered by a Scottish boy in 1858. David Linklater wasn't actually seeking a treasure. Spotting a rabbit, he gave chase, causing the poor frightened animal to run at full speed to its hole of a home on a mound called the Castle o' Snusgar located northeast of the Bay o' Skaill in Scotland. Either the rabbit was [ read more ]

Silver Treasure of Hildesheim

Hildesheim is a colorful city in Lower Saxony, Germany. On October 17, 1868, it became famous for the discovery of Roman silver. Buried about 2 meters beneath the ground on Galgenberg Hill, the Hildesheim Silver treasure was unearthed by a group of Prussian soldiers. It is known as the largest collection of Roman silver tableware to be [ read more ]

Viking Silver in Yorkshire

One day, David and Andrew Whelan were sweeping their metal detectors on a muddy field in Yorkshire, England, hunting for treasure. It was not a fruitful day as they had only managed to find a few old and rusty buttons. Tired and weary, they were about to call it a day but nonchalantly decided to give it one last shot.

As they went on with their [ read more ]

Athenian Silver Tetradrachm

The Athenian Silver Tetradrachma is one of the oldest silver coins in the world. First minted in early 600BC, it was extensively accepted as a form of "international" currency. In those days, there were no metric or imperial systems of measurement. Instead, a "drachma" represented a "handful". Perhaps, a handful of small iron spits would be enough [ read more ]

Medical Uses of Silver in Ancient Times

Silver is probably the most versatile metal in the world. It's hard to think of another metal which can be used in so many ways. Due to its shiny and reflective nature, silver is commonly used in art objects and jewelry. Silver is also an appreciating commodity with high intrinsic value so it's also an important investment tool. Of course, there [ read more ]

Bible of Silver

Undoubtedly the most precious manuscript on permanent display at the Uppsala University Library in Sweden, the Silver Bible draws more than 100,000 visitors a year. Even if it's not in the best of conditions, the Silver Bible is still an extraordinary treasure to be savored. Otherwise known as the Codex Argenteus, it's written in Gothic, an [ read more ]

1804 US Silver Dollar

The 1804 US Silver Dollar is much storied coin. One of the rarest coins in the world, there's much that fascinates the numismatists, as well the others. First of all, it's not minted in 1804. Although US Mint records indicated a delivery of 19,570 silver dollars in 1804, it's believed that those coins were dated 1803 and brought forward to the [ read more ]

The First US Silver Dollars

After the Coinage Act of 1792 was passed, the United States Mint started to produce the first US silver dollars from 1794 up to 1803. Containing 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper, there were 1,758 minted in 1794 and it's believed that there are only about 200 of these 1794 silver dollars remaining in the world now.

Designed by Robert [ read more ]

What's a Cloud with Silver Lining?

In these times of economic depression, many people are feeling the crippling effects of the credit crunch. Yet, some economists warn that there are worse times ahead. Is there a silver lining? How do we journey forward when the future is dark and uncertain? For some folks, it's already the pits. Now, let's not be discouraged. Don't be bogged down [ read more ]

Silver Peace Dollar

Towards the end of World War I, the general mood of Americans was one of optimism and relief. Most people were looking forward to the soldiers returning home. The promise of peace was ringing in the air and victory was at hand. Taking advantage of the situation, Frank G. Duffield, editor of The Numismatist, made a case for the issue of a coin to [ read more ]

The Art of Burying Silver

During their times of glory, the Vikings accumulated a lot of wealth through looting and trading. Since gold was rather scarce in Europe in those days, a majority of the items were made of silver. In most of the Viking treasure discovered, there are silver coins, silver ingots, silver accessories, silver bars, and hacked silver items of various [ read more ]

The Cuerdale Silver Hoard

The Cuerdale silver hoard was discovered on May 15, 1840. It had been raining quite a bit and the embankments along River Ribble at Walton le Dale, Cuerdale, close to Preston, had been flooded. A group of workmen were hired to repair the meadows. After a hard day's work, on their way home, they spotted what appeared to be the remains of a wooden [ read more ]

When Silver Was Gold

When we think of silver medals in sporting events, automatically, we will think of "second place". It's has almost become common sense. In many sporting events, the gold medal is awarded to the winner, the silver medal to the first runner-up, and the bronze medal to the second runner-up. Obviously, the logic of the order is drawn from the [ read more ]

Chopsticks of Silver

In Eastern Asia, chopsticks have been used as eating utensils since the Shang Dynasty in China. Composed of two tapered sticks of equal length, chopsticks can be made from a variety of materials including plastic, wood, bamboo, ivory, bone, jade, stone, bronze, gold, or silver. Today, it's estimated that 30% of the world population use chopsticks, [ read more ]

Are You Going to Silver Dollar City?

If you are planning a family getaway, a trip to Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri promises a grand time of thrills, excitement, and fun. Open from the middle of March to the end of December, Silver Dollar City is a 61-acre family theme park set in the style of 1880s Ozarks culture. 

Known as the Home of American Craftsmanship, Silver [ read more ]

Mystery of Sevso Silver Treasure II

Last week, we saw how the Sevso silver treasure came to be categorized as "illicit antiquities". Now, we enter deeper into the shady world of the black market for art objects. It's worthwhile to note that the truth about the Sevso treasure may only be known to a few people and most likely, they will be carrying the secret to their graves. One of [ read more ]

Mystery of Sevso Silver Treasure I

Is there such a thing as cursed silver? According to Spencer Compton, the 7th Marquess of Northampton, the Sevso Silver Treasure is certainly cursed. Over some years in the 1980s, Lord Northampton had purchased 14 exquisitely crafted late Roman silver vessels for about 10 million pounds. He had intended to sell the entire Sevso hoard together with [ read more ]

Captain Blackbeard's Lost Silver Treasure

Close to the small village of Gardeau in northern Pennsylvania, a hoard of pure silver bars believed to be worth one and a half million dollars (almost 200 years ago) was allegedly buried in a secret location. Set in times of war in Europe and America, the story of the lost treasure is full of twists and turns.

When the English were battling [ read more ]

The 1895 Morgan Silver Dollar

For some time now, the Morgan Silver Dollar has been gaining popularity as a collectible coin. Minted from 1878 to 1904, and then in 1921, the Morgan Dollar has a storied past. The obverse and reverse of the coin were designed by George T. Morgan so it followed that the coin was named the Morgan Dollar. While there are quite a number of Morgan [ read more ]

The Binion Silver Coins

To coin collectors, a coin becomes more than a coin when there's a story attached to it. In the case of the Binion Hoard, the elements of sex, drugs, deceit, murder, and court drama add much color to the collection of more than 100,000 silver coins.

Born in 1943, Ted Binion was the son of Benny Binion, founder of the famous Horseshoe Casino in [ read more ]

The 400,000 Silver Dollar Man

This is a fascinating story of a real modern Scrooge. At the time of his death in 1974, Lavere Redfield had accumulated a fortune of more than USD 100 million. When the folks from the IRS searched his house, they uncovered more than 400 bags of silver dollars in a secret basement, hidden behind a fake wall. Since each bag contained a thousand [ read more ]

Silver Coins in Swedish Garden

On a quiet day in September 2007, a Swedish gardener dug up a remarkable Viking treasure while he was cultivating vegetables in his garden on the island of Gotland. A province of Sweden, Gotland is the largest of the Baltic islands. Treasure troves were common news in Gotland. During the Viking Age, Gotland was used as a central trading post [ read more ]

Tang Treasure in South East Asia

In 1998, the first remnants of an enormous Tang treasure were discovered by two sea cucumber divers at "Black Rock", situated along an ancient sea passage joining the Indian Ocean and the Java Sea, off the south-east coast of Sumatra. Since the days of the Maritime Silk Route, it represented one of two shipping routes from China to the West and it [ read more ]

Junk Silver Isn't Junk

When you look at a junk yard, what do you see? Do you see a place of trash and useless things? Or do you see a place filled with memories and intriguing stories of people and times past? This depends on your perspective. You may not want to haul the items in a junk yard back to your home, but perhaps you can see that they do have some value and [ read more ]

The Mildenhall Treasure

In 1942, a major discovery of Roman silver was made on a cold day in quiet Thistley Green. Now on display in the British Museum, the Mildenhall Treasure is comprised of 33 silver household objects believed to be from the 4th century AD. The most fascinating piece is called the Great Dish, measuring 60.5cm in diameter and weighing 0.826kg. On the [ read more ]

Recycling Silver

These days everyone is talking about going green and recycling, but did you realize that silver is something that has been recycled since ancient times? There is nothing new about recycling when it comes to silver. In the year 2000, about 1700 tons of silver was recycled in the United States.

Some of the sources for recycled silver include: [ read more ]

The Silver Spring Inaugural

As an alternative to what is expected to a record-breaking crowd within the city of Washington DC for the 2009 Presidential Inauguration, many places in the DC area are offering alternative celebrations and gatherings.

Silver Spring, Maryland is sponsoring the Silver Spring Inaugural. Since there will be an unbelievable number of people in DC. [ read more ]

By the Shores of Silver Lake

The NEA recently reported that reading is up among adults. Hopefully reading has gone up among children too, although children tend to read more that adults because they are in school.

One book series that remains popular among kids is the Little House on the Prairie series written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. One of these books is called By the [ read more ]

Is it Time to Sell the Family Silver?

For some people, getting rid of old silver just makes sense because they simply do not have room for it anymore.

If you are downsizing--leaving your home for a smaller one, you just cannot take everything with you to your much smaller space. You can sell silver and get cash for silver that you can use for other things that you will need. Or you [ read more ]

Cash for Silver: One of Our Favorite Things

It has never really been clear how, but "My Favorite Things," a song from the musical The Sound of Music has somehow become part of the Christmas canon. This song manages to take what could be just a list of preferences and makes it poetic.

This song the lists some of the singer's favorite things really could be appropriate any time of year, [ read more ]

One is silver and the other is gold

If you ever attended camp, be it summer camp, scout camp or even band camp, you may remember sitting around the campfire singing songs. In particular, you may remember a song that advised you try to gain new friends, but not to forget the friend you already had.

The lyrics to the first verse of that song were:

Make new friends, but keep the [ read more ]

Where to Find Scrap Silver

One place to find scrap silver coins is in bags of junk coins. In some instances, you can purchase bags of old silver coins for very low prices. But before you get caught up in the face value of these silver coins, remember that you are looking at them for their silver content. The range of silver content in old coins can range anywhere from 40 [ read more ]

Silver Bells

This time of year we dust of favorite songs that relate to the holidays, but we seldom give much thought to the origins of those songs.

The classic holiday song, “Silver Bells,” was at first featured in a movie called The Lemon Drop Kid. Most of us have not heard much about the movie, but we have certainly heard of the song "Silver Bells." The [ read more ]

Why Polish Silver When You Can Sell It?

For some people this time of the year means not only a lot of fun, but also a lot of work. Those of you who are entertaining a large number of guests, may have already had your silverware out for Thanksgiving. Of maybe you dined using someone else's silver at Thanksgiving, but now have to pull out and examine your own silver flatware to see if it [ read more ]

A Silver Coin Mystery

There was a time when currency was a point of pride for a nation. These days we tend to spend (or save) our money and not give much thought to its appearance.

When the United States was younger and the world was a different place, a well-designed silver coin meant a great deal. Towards the end of the 19th century there was a clamor against the [ read more ]

Is there really a silver spring in Silver Spring, MD?

Long before ever visiting Maryland, I had heard that there was an area there called Silver Spring. Silver Spring is considered to be part of the metro Washington DC area. Perhaps this area is so well known because it is one of Maryland’s largest. If you were not already aware, Silver Spring ranks second in Maryland when it comes to population. [ read more ]

An Unexpected Gift of Silver

Some silver coins come out bearing a mistake and later become quite valuable. Others, like a dime that came out in the early twentieth century bear no errors or mistakes; they just are not received quite the way they were intended.

The 1916 Mercury Head dimes got that name, not because it was what the designer intended, but because people [ read more ]

How You Can Go Gold, Silver, or Platinum

The music industry has changed so much with the dawn of the digital age. But one thing hasn’t changed—everyone still wants to sell a lot of music.

There was a time when people mostly bought singles--records with only one or two songs on them. Then came the era of the album--a time when artists were expected to record and people were expected to [ read more ]

Silver Inks

A thread (or perhaps a nanoparticle) of silver runs through many products, although we are probably not even aware of it. That is okay, because the small amounts of silver are there to do a job and not to be pretty. When silver it used in manufacturing, it is not chosen for its brilliant shine, but rather for its brilliant chemical properties. [ read more ]

A Mysterious Silver Coin

Silver coins and coins made of other metals tend to tell you who they are right away. What do we mean? Well, a silver coin will let you know how much it is worth so you don't have to guess.  You have probably never given this much thought. Our money has had a set design for years and you know what coins have what value automatically. Perhaps you [ read more ]

Will Sterling Silver Wedding Rings Catch On?

When it comes to jewelry, some metals take hold for certain purposes and it seems as if other metals do not stand a chance. But as is often the case in life, things do not stay the same forever.

For an untold number of years gold has been the metal of choice for wedding rings. Gold represented quality, durability and quality. Many brides could [ read more ]

A Silver Anniversary

Silver is a precious metal that people like to give and receive at various milestones in life. And there is one very special time when silver is actually the designated gift: a 25th wedding anniversary. One some wedding anniversary gift lists, you will see that the designated gifts for certain years have been divided into two columns--one for the [ read more ]

Silver Can Change Your Life

Earlier this week, we talked about colloidal silver. This is the suspension of silver particles in liquid.

During the modern era, prior to the 1930s, colloidal silver was thought to be a natural solution to rid oneself of bacteria, virus, and fungi. But even before then, the people of ancient Rome, also were certain that colloidal silver could [ read more ]

Should You Sell Silver or Pawn It?

If you have silver to sell, you can sell it to a silver buyer and get instant cash for silver. And isn't that what you are really looking for? Taking silver to a pawnbroker does not get you instant cash for silver. Instead, it gets you what in some ways amounts to the loan.

Some of you may think that taking your unwanted silver objects like [ read more ]

Sterling Silver

After a while certain words just become a part of our vocabulary and we do not give them much thought. When you hear the word "sterling" you probably think about silver, but you may have also heard the word sterling used in other ways. The word sterling has a pleasant connotation, so pleasant in fact the some people have named their sons, [ read more ]

Silver is More Rare Than Gold

When it comes to jewelry, it seems safe to say that in general, people value gold jewelry more than they value silver jewelry. Of course there are exceptions, as there are some people who will say they prefer silver jewelry for any number of reasons: it looks better with their complexion or they just like the color of silver more than they like [ read more ]

Silver Has High Melting Point

You have heard people talking about just how valuable silver is and how now is a great time to sell silver. Silver buyers are looking for silver and if you have silver, they are looking for you. Some experts are saying that people who have silver are now in a good position when it comes to the silver market.

When it comes to selling silver, you [ read more ]

Silver Coins No Longer Circulate

There was a time when silver was actually used to manufacture currency that was currently in circulation. However, that time has passed. Before the late 1960s, many countries, including the United States and Canada, had coins that contained silver that circulated and could be used to buy goods and services. People back them probably didn't think [ read more ]

Now is the Time to Sell Silver

You have certainly heard by now that the U.S. is in a bit of a financial bind, but that government officials are meeting to try to hammer out a deal. No matter how much financial strain there is, there are always some people who managed to stay afloat and make money.

As often happens in trouble economic times, the prices for commodities like [ read more ]

Online Buzz About the Demand for Silver

A recent online article gave evidence that now really is a good time to sell silver. Silver buyers are looking for silver and if you have silver, they are looking for you. So if you have silver, you have a hot commodity that you can sell to get money for silver. One expert who was quoted said that he sees silver holders as having the upper hand. [ read more ]

Selling Silver Online

Let's say that you have taken the advice we have laid out in previous blog posts: you have looked around your house or apartment for silver that you could possible sell. Those stray pieces of sterling silver flatware that were once part of a set that you rarely use were good candidates. As were the broken silver chain and mismatched pairs of [ read more ]

Selling Silver Statues

When it comes to selling silver, you can sell just about anything made of silver and get cash for silver when you need it. It is possible that in glancing around your home, things that are made of silver are not jumping right out at you...or are they?

If you do not have silver flatware, silver coins or silver bullion this does not mean that you [ read more ]

Selling the Family Silver is a Smart Move

There is an expression that people sometimes use about selling the family silver. Depending on the context this expression can be seen as insulting. There really is not insult in selling silver. Selling silver and other assets is a smart move if you find that you need to increase the amount of money in your coffers. It is also a good step if you [ read more ]

Selling Silver Coins

Silver coins are increasing in value, so if you have silver coins that you want to sell, now may be the time to trade them in to get Instant Cash For Silver. You will get great value if you decide to sell silver coins at this time. To learn more about the market for silver, visit The Bullion Desk.

Unlike now, when silver coins pretty much come [ read more ]

Get Cash for Your Silver Treasures

Just the other day that show where people show up to a convention center with treasures they've fished out of the attic or heirlooms that have been in their families for years was on TV. Time and time again people are astonished to learn that some old blanket or vase or rocking chair is really worth a lot of money.
Then there are the people who [ read more ]

Silver Hallmarks

There are so many SILVER HALLMARKS and they all have very interesting histories.

Sometimes a silver manufacturer will simply put their name on their products. These hallmarks are the easiest to make out. When you have pieces of silver that bears a company name, then you have no doubt about the origins of a piece of silver. Sometimes a silver [ read more ]

What Do You Know About Sterling Silver?

What do you really know about STERLING SILVER? That is one of those phrases that we have heard so often, we don't really think about what it means. Most often seeing the word "sterling" in front of silver makes one think of quality and this is certainly not an incorrect idea. Sterling silver is mostly used to make silverware and jewelry. Sterling [ read more ]

What Silver Can Mean for You

The history of silver is very interesting. In the Spanish language the word for silver is plata. There are some places in Central and South America where this word is still used to refer to money of all types. This dates back to the time when silver coins were a main currency in these areas. Although silver coins are no longer the main currency, [ read more ]

Silver Has Many Uses

You are probably used to seeing silver used in jewelry and coins, but silver has many more uses that these. Silver is all around you every day, although you may not be aware of all of the uses for silver. Silver is one of those metals that has so many uses, not the least of which selling it to get Instant Cash For Silver.
-Photographers (the kind [ read more ]

Half Dollar Silver Coins

Before the mid-1960s, dimes, quarters and half dollars minted in the United States were minted of almost entirely of silver. Copper made up a small percentage (about 10%) of these coins. Although half dollar silver coins were made of 90% silver until the mid-1960s there was a big change in their composition soon after that. Silver half dollar [ read more ]

Silver Bars are In Demand

Just this past week police confronted employees of a silver refining and manufacturing company who were stealing silver from their own employer. The first man was caught by police right outside of the building. His accomplice soon came crawling out of the exhaust vent. These men went through a lot in their attempt to defraud their employer and [ read more ]