Silver and Platinum Bullion Coins

Silver Bullion Coins

Listed below are a few of the many silver bullion coins available. Favorites include the U.S. Silver Eagle, UK Britannia, Chinese Silver Panda, and Russian Saint George the Victorious.

Country	Name of Bullion Coin	Fineness	Denominations (Silver weight)	Years of mintage
United States	Silver Eagle	.9999	1 ozt	1986-present
United Kingdom	Britannia	.958	1/10 ozt, ¼ ozt, ½ ozt, 1 ozt	1997-present
China	Silver Panda	Varies	Varies	1983-present (with exceptions)
Russia	Saint George the Victorious	.999	.1.01 ozt	2009-present

Platinum Bullion Coins

Listed below are a few of the many platinum bullion coins available. Favorites include the U.S. Platinum Eagle, Canadian Platinum Maple Lear, Australian Platium Platypus, and Mexican Libertad.

Country	Name of Bullion Coin	Fineness	Denominations (Platinum weight)	Years of mintage
United States	Platinum Eagle	.9995	1/10 ozt, ¼ ozt, ½ ozt, 1 ozt	1997-present
Canada	Platinum Maple Leaf	.9995	1/20 ozt, 1/15 ozt, 1/10 ozt, ¼ ozt, ½ ozt, 1 ozt	1988-1999, 2002, 2009
Australia	Platinum Platypus	.9995	1 ozt	2011-present
Mexico	Libertad	.999	¼ ozt	1989

Diamond Engagement Rings: What Every Guy Should Know

Choosing an engagement ring is a once in a lifetime event, but it is likely to be the first of many purchases a guy will make from a jeweler over his lifetime. Engagement rings, diamond wedding bands, anniversary earrings, and other special gifts will be given by you to your mate over the course of time. 

Pave style Engagement Ring
A diamond engagement ring represents the love you have for your bride to be. The significance and symbolism of a ring should be understood before you make your purchase decision as the ring you choose will be an outward sign of the inward love you have for your lady.
Let's take a look at diamond engagement rings and what you should know before you buy one.
The 4Cs of Diamond Quality
Clarity, cut, color and carat are the four terms you will hear over and over again when it comes to determining which diamond you will choose for an engagement ring. This information is quite detailed therefore it is recommended that you read up on diamond education before you get started.
Select Your Metal First
Engagement bands are made from one of three metals: platinum, white gold, or yellow gold. Platinum is the most expensive metal, it resists tarnishing, but it is also the most expensive to repair if damaged.
Yellow gold rings are the most popular and are readily available as 14-karat or 18-karat gold. Although this type of ring can show scratches and other abrasions, repairs come easy.
White gold rings have a silver-like appearance which will eventually wear off and need to be replaced. The appeal of white gold is that it easily matches most other jewelry.
Choose Your Setting Wisely 
The number of standard and custom settings available for engagement rings seems almost endless. Prong, bar, tension, bezel, channel, flush, cluster, and invisible are just some of the terms you will hear when shopping for an engagement ring. Prong is the most popular as it holds the diamond in place as if it is hanging, allowing light to enter which creates an attractive sparkle.
Your Certificate of Appraisal
Once you have chosen the diamond and the setting, you will need to obtain a certificate of authenticity. This certificate will confirm the engagement ring's value and is what you will need if you choose to insure your purchase. Most certificates are issued by the American Gem Society (A.G.S.) or the Gemological Institute of America (G.I.A.), two of the most widely accepted certifying organizations for the diamond industry.
A Guarantee or Warranty
Depending on the jeweler, some type of guarantee or warranty may be offered with your purchase. Some provide a limited time money back guarantee while others will give to you a lifetime warranty. Understand what you are buying before you make your purchase.
Now that you know the essentials behind choosing a diamond engagement ring, you are ready to make your purchase. Soon, you will be expressing your love and faithfulness to your beloved with all of the symbolism that every woman desires. Let your choice fully reflect your love for her today.

Diamonds: How to Choose the Perfect Diamond?

Shopping for a diamond can seem confusing but with the help of Calaveras Coin & Pawn  you can find the diamond that is perfect for you or for the one that you love. A diamond's shape and setting are important considerations as is the diamond's look on your hand, ears, neckline, or wrist. Beyond that, understanding four characteristics common to all diamonds is the sort of diamond education useful to help you find that perfect diamond and give you many years of owner satisfaction. 

Classic Solitaire Engagement Ring
The four characteristics (or attributes) used to determine the value of any Calaveras Coin & Pawn diamonds are 
Carat – The mass of a diamond is determined by something called carat weight. One carat equals 200 milligrams while the point unit, which corresponds to one one-hundredth of a carat (2 mg or 0.01 carat), is commonly used for diamonds with a mass under one carat. The price per carat is determined by carat weight and increases correspondingly as larger diamonds are less common, but more desirable and used as gemstones. 
Clarity - Clarity measures the internal defects found in any diamond, what are commonly known as inclusions. Inclusions can be structural imperfections such as minute cracks which have a whitish or cloudy look or they could be crystals of a foreign material or even another diamond crystal. Clarity is impacted by the size, number, color, comparative location, orientation, and visibility of the inclusions. 
Color – A diamond free of structural and chemical imperfections is perfectly transparent, exhibiting no hues or colors to detract from its appearance. In actuality, virtually every diamond has minor imperfections which can influence its value in one way or another. A white diamond with a yellowish hue would be valued less while a diamond with a striking blue or pink hue will be valued much higher. 
Cut – Diamonds are unearthed in an imperfect condition and must be shaped and polished to become truly gem-worthy. The handiwork of an accomplished craftsman coupled with angles in which the diamond is cut determines the cut. Not to be confused with shape, the cut is determined by a precise mathematical equation developed nearly a century ago. 
To the naked eye, most people find that it is impossible to tell the difference from one color grade to another. As far as price goes, the difference can be significant. Diamond purists always demand diamonds in the D-F range, but when selecting diamonds in the G-I range you can find tremendous value while still achieving a "colorless" look. This is particularly important for consumers who are buying their diamond on a budget or trying to maximize the size of their stone. In that case "J" grade diamonds are the most affordable and still nearly colorless. You may want to consider choosing a diamond with a medium or strong fluorescence as these diamonds are discounted slightly in price allowing you to afford a higher color stone without paying a premium price. 
As a diamond shopper, you can count on Calaveras Coin & Pawn to help you find the right wedding and anniversary diamond or designer jewelry diamond that is right for you.

Get to Know Popular Types of Bullion

Bullion coins, bullion bars, bullion ingots, and bullion mixed lots offer beauty and value for collectors and dealers. From newly created collector items to ancient coins lost in shipwrecks, bullion shoppers can find a wide selection of silver bullion, gold bullion, and platinum bullion online. Before making a purchase, it is important to know the different types of bullion and their specifications. The table below provides descriptions of silver, gold, and platinum bullion and the important elements associated with each.

Bullion Type	Description
Silver	Silver bullion, the most popular type of bullion on eBay, includes some of the world’s most valuable coins, but it is often overlooked by collectors. When searching listings, shoppers might find a silver ingot recovered from a famous treasure wreck, such as the Spanish Atocha, or a collection from an old Colorado mining town. Shoppers should also keep their eyes open for an officially sealed crate of silver Maple Leaf coins from the Royal Canadian Mint, a collection of Franklin Mint 100 Greatest Masterpieces, a bag of Walking Liberty half dollars, or a dealer roll of first-strike 1994 U.S. Eagles. Collectors will find silver bullion in the American Eagle, Bars, Rounds, Mixed Lots, and Other Coins categories on eBay.
Gold	Bullion collectors often favor gold bullion. Popular gold bullion options include gold Krugerrands from South Africa, gold Canadian Maple Leaf coins, United States American Eagle coins, and European gold crowns from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Shoppers might also want to look for British sovereigns, French Roosters, and Swiss Helvetias. They might even find a 10-ounce Suisse gold bar, a five-coin American Eagle proof set, or a China Gold Panda set. Collectors will find gold bullion in the American Eagle, Bars, Mixed Lots, and Other Coins categories on eBay.
Platinum	Platinum bullion comes in Eagle sets, Koala proofs, and French Statue of Liberty coins, among others. While searching eBay, collectors might find a crucible dish made of platinum bullion, an Engelhard platinum bar, rare platinum coins recovered from vaults below the World Trade Center, or Johnson Matthey Year of the Dragon coins.

How To Choose The Perfect Engagement Ring?

Finding the perfect engagement ring can be challenging for couples who plan to marry. In day's past, the young man would choose a ring and present it to his intended, but today it is increasingly common for the future bride and groom to shop together to select the ring. No matter how you go about choosing a ring, we're offering to you a brief lesson in diamond education to help you find that perfect engagement ring. 

Diamond Engagement Ring

There are at least three rings many couples will choose over their lifetimes: an engagement ring as they plan to marry and wedding & anniversary rings as they wed and later celebrate an important milestone in their marriage. Many young couples go to a jewelry store with a budget in mind and choose their rings accordingly. Conventional wisdom suggests that the gentleman will purchase an engagement ring which equals one to two months of his salary, a measuring standard which is still in use today. Of course, you aren't required to adhere to that standard, but it is a guideline which is useful for your consideration.