Silver coin
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2008-07-02T22:19:52Z
Miguel.mateo
4503907
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{{Unreferenced|date=December 2007}}
'''Silver coins''' are possibly the oldest mass form of [[coin]]age. Silver has been used as a coinage [[metal]] since the times of the [[Ancient Greek|Greek]]s. Their silver [[Greek drachma|drachma]]s were popular trade coins.
Many factors determine the value of a silver coin, such as its rarity, age, condition and the number originally minted. Silver coins coveted by collectors include the [[Denarius]] and [[Miliarense]].
Other than collector's [[silver]] coins, silver bullion coins are popular among people who desire a "hedge" against currency [[inflation]] or [[store of value]]. Silver has an international [[currency]] symbol of XAG under [[ISO 4217]].
Before 1797, British pennies used to be made out of silver while the ancient Persians used silver coins between 612-330BC.
<gallery>
Image:American Silver Eagle, obverse, 2004.jpg|'''[[American Silver Eagle]]'''
Image:Coin_ca_2001_maple_cl_r.jpg|'''[[Canadian Silver Maple Leaf]]'''
Image:Coin_cn_1996_panda_p_o.jpg|'''[[Chinese Silver Panda]]'''
Image:Briannia.jpg|'''[[Britannia_coin|British Silver Britannia]]'''
</gallery>
Most common silver bullion coins, preceded by minimum guaranteed purity, and the year of introduction:
*99.99% 1988 [[Canadian Silver Maple Leaf]]
*99.90% 1982 [[Mexican Silver Libertad]]
*99.90% 1983 [[Chinese Silver Panda]]
*99.90% 1986 [[American Silver Eagle]]
*99.90% 1990 [[Australian Silver Kookaburra]] (minted by the [[Perth Mint]])
*99.90% 1993 [[Australian Silver Kangaroo]] (minted by the [[Royal Australian Mint]])
*99.90% 2008 [[Euro gold and silver commemorative coins (Austria)#Vienna Philharmonic Coin|Austrian Silver Vienna Philharmonic]]
*95.80% 1997 [[Britannia_coin|British Silver Britannia]] (from 1997, proof version only. Public issue from 1998)
Minor silver bullion coins, or [[commemorative coin]]s, include:
*99.95% 1991 [[Gibraltar Silver Dogs]] (last year produced: 1997)
*99.90% 2004 [[New Zealand Silver Kiwi]]
*??.??% 1988 [[Isle of Man Silver Cats]]
*??.??% 1999 [[Zambia Silver Elephant]] (last year produced: 2003)
*??.??% ???? [[Russian Sable]]
==Silver rounds==
Privately minted silver coins are known as silver "rounds" and silver "bars", which usually have a set weight of 1 troy ounce of silver (31.103 grams of 99.9% silver). These carry all sorts of designs, from assayer/mine backed bullion to engravable gifts, automobiles, firearms, armed forces commemorative, holidays, etc.
==See also==
{{portalpar|Numismatics|United States penny, obverse, 2002.jpg}}
* [[Euro gold and silver commemorative coins]]
* [[Gold coin]]
* [[Millesimal fineness]]
* [[Silver as an investment]]
* [[Store of value]]
* [[Precious metal]]
== External links ==
{{commons|Silver coin|Silver coin}}
* [http://www.coinpage.com/silver-pictures.html Silver Coin Pictures]
*[http://www.silver-coins.org Counterfeit silver coins and how to detect them].
[[Category:Bullion coins]]
[[Category:Coins]]
[[Category:Silver coins| ]]
[[ko:은화]]
[[de:Silbermünze]]
[[ja:銀貨]]