Turning Gold to Dust

Most people are used to seeing gold in different forms. Usually, gold that is not placed into jewelry or plated onto items is stored in the shape of a bar. Gold bars are a standard form of keeping gold, and is worldwide recognized object. Gold nuggets have also become recognized due to the presence in the news and media when raw gold is found around the world. A very rare form of viewing gold however is in dust, as produced by the liquid acid Aqua Regia.

Gold dust dissolved by Aqua Regia.

Aqua Regia is a red/yellow liquid acid solution that is so corrosive it can dissolve gold. It was named Aqua Regia because not only can it dissolve gold, but it can also dissolve other of the so-called royal metals, such as platinum. As far back as medieval history, Aqua Regia has been used to dissolve gold into dust. It was even used during World War 2 to help prevent the taking of Nobel prizes by the Nazi’s in Germany by a German chemist named George De Hevesy. George, upon hearing that the Nobel Prizes of Max Von Laue and James Franck would be confiscated, decided to use Aqua Regia to turn the Nobel Prizes to gold dust. After successfully hiding them as dust, he returned them to the Nobel Foundation who then remade the prizes out of the same gold and presented them again to Laue and Franck.


Aqua Regia is still used today.

Toi Gold Mine

It is important to know where gold comes from and the sacrafices that history has made for us in order to obtain this precious mineral. The Toi Gold Mine in Japan, was a mine that made signinficiant discoveries in gold and precious minerals. The Toi Gold mine was the second most productive gold mine in Japan, and it produced a grand total of 40 tons of gold in addition to 400 tons of silver.

Mining at Toi was said to have begun around 1370. Along with the Toi mine, 60 other mines dominated the Tokugawa region, however the Toi mine was consistently one of the most successful. The mine was closed in 1965 but has since been reopened as a museum and popular tourist attraction.

The largest manufactured gold bar is hosted in the Toi Mine Museum.

The Bar weighs in 250 kg (about 550 pounds) and represents a value of 7 million dollars.

Source: http://www.toikinzan.com/03_ougon/index.html

The $1,000 Gold Sundae

One of the most talked about deserts to come out of New York City is the famed Ice cream sundae “The Grand Golden Opulence Sundae” from the Serendipity store on 60^th street. This desert is a 24k edible gold leaf ice cream that will cost you $1,000 dollars to indulge in.

The sundae currently holds the Guiness Book World Record for most expensive sundae ever, and was created in celebration of Serendipity’s 50^th anniversary.

Here’s what’s inside the famed sundae:

“5 scoops of the richest Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream infused with Madagascar vanilla and covered in 23K edible gold leaf, the sundae is drizzled with the world's most expensive chocolate, Amedei Porceleana, and covered with chunks of rare Chuao chocolate, which is from cocoa beans harvested by the Caribbean Sea on Venezuela's coast. The masterpiece is suffused with exotic candied fruits from Paris, gold dragets, truffles and Marzipan Cherries. It is topped with a tiny glass bowl of Grand Passion Caviar, an exclusive dessert caviar, made of salt-free American Golden caviar, known for its sparkling golden color. It's sweetened and infused with fresh passion fruit, orange and Armagnac. The sundae is served in a baccarat Harcourt crystal goblet with an 18K gold spoon to partake in the indulgence served with a petite mother of pearl spoon and topped with a gilded sugar flower by Ron Ben-Israel.”

A Video of the Grand Golden opulence Sundae can be found here for those who just can’t believe without seeing: http://vimeo.com/14540013

Hopes for a "Modern Day" Gold Rush

In our last post, we talked about the most profitable gold rush in all of history, The Australian Gold Rush of 1851. But now, after the recent discovery of a $460,000 gold nugget in Nevada County, California, there are hopes for a newer “modern day” gold rush.

The trigger of new attention to the Nevada County was this gold nugget pictured above, weighing in at 8.2 pounds, it was sold for the 460k at a Sacramento auction. Reports say that the man who discovered the gold (who keeps anonymity to his name) did so using only a metal detector, and in his own backyard.

Since the discovery of the 460k gold nugget, more gold has been found in the old gold harvesting valley of Nevada County, and geologists as well as prospectors are convinced that there is still more gold to be found.

"And there's no question, obviously, that there's still gold out there in those hills," said Don Edgeman, the owner of a nearby store.’- http://www.wdam.com/story/14512726/geologist-search-for-gold-after-460k-nugget-was-found

With the value of gold continuing to rise and even reaching its highest record breaking price ever in recent weeks, what does the future hold for gold?

The Australian Gold Rush

In 1851, a prospector by the name of Edward Hammond Hargraves proclaimed that he had discovered gold on a site he called “Ophir” in Bathurst, New South Wales Australia. Six months later, more gold was found in Australia, and the Australian Gold Rush began, rising its population from 400,000 to over 1,000,000 over the course of the next 50 years.

With Australian road conditions poor in the late 1800’s by the mines, most miners would travel on foot with equipment on their backs to the mines. These travels were at times difficult, however the rewards of the gold rush were extreme.

When the word “gold rush” is used, many tend to think of the gold rush of California and the Wild West. But the Australian Gold Rush has remained throughout history as the wealthiest of all gold findings. The World’s largest gold nugget to ever be unearthed was discovered during the Australian Gold Rushes, by Bernhard Otto Holterman. The weight of the nugget was a groundbreaking 630 pounds.

Which country consumes the most gold?

It’s a fact that in the U.S, people love to wear gold. From gold necklaces to rings and earrings, gold is a precious metal that is highly valued in the United States. But gold is valued just as highly all over the world. In Germany, gold is even used in drinks such as the Danzziger Goldwasser, due to its non toxicity. Worldwide, the consumption of gold breaks down like so:

50% Jewelry

40% Investments

10% industry

So which country is the biggest consumer of gold worldwide? Here’s a hint…it’s not the U.S!

India is the world’s biggest consumer of gold in the world, as Indians buy about 25% of the world’s gold! China comes in second place, as the world’s largest consumer of gold investments.

“Purchasing approximately 800 tonnes of gold every year, mostly for jewelry. India is also the largest importer of gold, in 2008, India imported around 400 tonnes of gold. “

Source: http://www.commodityonline.com/news/Gold-Why-China-outbeats-India-in-gold-reserves-17196-3-1.html

University of Texas Buys nearly 1 Billion in Gold

University of Texas Logo
http://www.utexas.edu/

Ever had a gold bar delivered to your door? How about thousands of them? The University of Texas Endowment Management firm (4/18/1011) has recently taken a delivery of 6,643 gold bars valued at nearly a billion dollars. The Universities board members have advised on the purchased in fear of the diminishing value of the dollar, and the contrary increasing value of gold that is continuing to rise in spite of economic down turn. A member of the Endowment’s Board Kyle Bass, stated the following behind his reasoning for the decision:

““Central banks are printing more money than they ever have, so what’s the value of money in terms of purchases of goods and services,” Bass said yesterday in a telephone interview. “I look at gold as just another currency that they can’t print any more of.”

Gold has yet again shown its power by beating out the dollar in economic power. What does this mean for the average gold consumer? It means that the value of gold is still strong regardless of the recent economic hardships. If you have any unwanted or broken gold or jewelry, do NOT let it sit one day longer. Visit www.cash4gold.com and redeem it for real cash now, and in the height of rising gold prices, get the most for your gold today.

Prince's Gold Guitar sold for $100,000

Formula 1 race car driver Lewis Hamilton and music legend Prince have been seen blooming into a new found friendship. Prince invited Hamilton and his girlfriend, Nicole Scherzinger (SINGER OF THE Pussycat Dolls) onstage to a concert in Abu Dhabi after the 2010 Grand Prix.

Whether it was grand appreciation for the music, the musician, or just an eye for beauty, Lewis Hamilton has now purchased Prince’s famed “Gold Guitar” for the sum of 100,000 dollars. The proceeds of the guitar sale will go to charity organizations for children and the community. The $100,000 guitar is pictured below and the buyer, are pictured below:

The Royal Wedding increases gold value

The Royal Wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton is set to take place on April 29th, 2011 in Westminster Abbey, London. The lives of the rich and famous, and in this case, also the royal, have been lives full of speculation and public interest. The lives of Prince William and Kate Middleton have also been in public view since their relationship and rumors of their marriage over four years ago in 2007. A part of their marriage speculation includes rumors of Kate wearing a wedding ring made of a very rare welsh gold. The increased media attention on the wedding has also increased attention on the possible wedding rings, and other fine metals to be present at the wedding. With the influx of media attention, gold is now raising in value again.

Kate was also given the engagement ring belonging to Princess Diana. The engagement ring was worth 28,000 pounds, roughly 45,600 U.S dollars back in 1981 when Prince Charles acquired it for Princes Diana. With such an important piece of jewelry re-surfacing for the wedding, more media attention is being placed on these and other precious metals appearing during the wedding.

Photos show Kate Middleton and Princess Diana, both wearing the same engagement ring.

Photos from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1330215/Prince-William-gives-Kate-Middleton-Dianas-engagement-ring.html

With more media attention on gold and the price of gold continuing to rise, now is perfect time to get the best value for gold all around the world. From unwanted or unused gold, to even broken gold chains, watches, and other forms of jewelry, the precious metals in these items still hold value! And now, more than ever, is a perfect time to redeem the value in these metals for real cash. Remember to visit www.cash4gold.com to make the best out of these great times for gold, and get the most cash for your gold.

Gold Value Record High

Economies and cash have been declining in recent times all over the world. From debt crisis’s to miss managing money, several of the world’s top economic countries are having trouble keeping their finances in check. All this however has a significantly different impact on the value of gold. The value of gold has continued to increase during these economically drastic times, and as of today the value of gold has now reached a new record high of $1,489.10 an ounce. As speculation on the future of cash and monies from different parts of the globe start to change, the value of the most purest form of currency, gold, still holds its value.

From Bloomberg:

“Gold rose to a record in New York on speculation that the sovereign-debt crisis in Europe will worsen, boosting the appeal of the precious metal as an alternative to currencies. Silver touched a 31-year high.

Gold reached an all-time high of $1,489.10 an ounce after Moody’s cut Ireland’s credit rating by two levels to the lowest investment grade, eroding the value of the euro. The dollar, while up today, is headed for a third straight weekly decline against a basket of currencies as the U.S. Congress debates measures to reduce a record government deficit.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-15/gold-surges-to-record-as-global-inflation-concern-stokes-demand.html

So what does the rise in gold prices mean for the average citizen with gold? The increasing value of gold signifies that all gold has lasting value, and gold can always be used to get finances back on track. Visit www.cash4gold.com to find out how you can turn your scrap or unwanted/unused gold and jewelry into real cash now and take advantage of gold’s highest value yet.

Fun Facts

The gold that is universally known and loved has been around for centuries. And over time, a lot of fun facts have come to light on the composition, history, and usage of the world’s most valued metal. Here are some fun facts about gold:

1. The Gold Leaf…Gold as food!?- The Gold Leaf is a flake or dust of gold that is used on and in some gourmet foods most notably in sweets and drinks as an extreme decorative ingredient. These Gold Flakes were used by nobles in Medieval Europe as a decoration in food and drinks to show their wealth.

2. The Gold Liquor- There is a traditional German herbal liqueur called “Danziger Goldwasser” that contains Gold Leaf. It is still made and sold today.

3. The Earliest known Map- the earliest known map to have ever been discovered is called the “Turin Papyrus Map” and dates to around 1160 BC. This map shows the plans of a gold mine.

In ancient Egypt, it was said by king Tushratta that gold was “more plentiful than dirt”.

Gold ATM

The first ATM machine was made and installed in the late 1960s. In the past 50 years, there have been many changes in finance, products, and economy, that have led to ATMs becoming more powerful, even creating and accepting deposits from all over the world. But now, a company called GOLD To Go is bent on bringing the ATM back to its most bare of services. GOLD to Go has been developing and installing Gold to Go machines, or as they are popularly known: “The Gold ATM”.

Image of GOLD to Go machine in Boca Raton Mall in Florida.

Via Palm Beach Post (http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/cerabino-boca-raton-mall-unveils-atm-that-dispenses-1127456.html)

The Gold ATM accepts both cash and card payments, and even provides change. After payment is accepted, you receive your gold in a GOLD to Go box, along with a receipt for your purchase.
Is having a machine of this caliber a good idea? The Gold ATM dispenses a minimum of a 1 ounce gold bars. The price of gold sometimes reaches up to a thousand dollars and up per ounce. The more serious and heavier bars would run into the 20,000+ mark. How many would you seriously trust a gold-style vending machine with as much money as the price of a vehicle? Do you think the Gold ATM is just another bad idea…or is it the world’s next spending trend?

Why Cash4Gold?

Why choose Cash4Gold over other mail-in gold companies when choosing what company is best for your gold? Simple, Cash4Gold make it safest and easiest way to send in your gold for real cash. Not only does Cash4Gold provide a safe and insured process to send in your gold with our Jewelry Return Packs, but we also provide a 110% Price-Match Guarantee! How does it work?

If you receive a higher, itemized valid written offer from a nationally televised mail-in gold buyer (who does not own or operate or is not affiliated with any retail location and who buys precious materials exclusively for its melt value) within 30 days prior or after the date of our payment to purchase the same specific Jewelry, we will match that offer plus pay you an amount equal to 10% of the other offer. You must notify us of the other higher offer no later than 30 days after the date of our payment to you. See terms and conditions for additional conditions.

As the number 1 consumer gold buyer in the nation, it is our promise to you to provide with a safe, efficient, and price-worthy way to send in your unwanted, unused, or broken gold and jewelry. Don’t let your gold go to waste…visit Cash4Gold at www.cash4gold.com to get your free and insured Jewelry Return Pack today!