GOLD COIN

Brief description: gold is usually alloyed in jewellery to give it more strength, and the term carat describes the amount of gold present (24 carats is pure gold). It is estimated that all the gold in the world, so far refined, could be placed in a single cube 60 ft. on a side. It is metallic, with a yellow colour when in a mass, but when finely divided it may be black, ruby, or purple.

It is the most malleable and ductile metal; 1 ounce ( g) of gold can be beaten out to 300 square feet. It is a soft metal and is usually alloyed to give it more strength. It is a good conductor of heat and electricity, and is unaffected by air and most reagents.

Gold is readily available commercially and its price (see theUtiliseGold directory) changes day by day and is one of the most widely tracked commercial prices.

The most common gold compounds are auric chloride (AuCl₃) and chlorauric acid (HAuCl₄). A mixture of one part nitric acid with three of hydrochloric acid is called aqua regia (because it dissolved gold, the King of Metals). It is unaffected by air and most reagents. It is found free in nature and associated with quartz, pyrite and other minerals. Two thirds of the world's supply from South Africa, and ²/₃ of USA production is from South Dakota and Nevada. Gold is found in sea water, but no effective economic process has been designed (yet) to extract it from this source.

Australian Lunar Gold Coin Series

The Perth Mint in Australia, has been striking an excellent theme series of purse gold coins called the Australian Lunar Gold Coin Series.

These solid gold coins celebrate the Chinese year and years covered so far include:

2004 Year of the Monkey
2005 Year of the Dog
2005 Year of the Rooster
2006 Year of the Dog Proof Issue

Past issues include:

Year of the Dragon
Year of the Goat
Year of the Horse
Year of the Mouse
Year of the Ox
Year of the Rabbit
Year of the Snake
Year of the Tiger

Most of these coins are one tenth and one twentieth of a troy ounce with some half and quarter and one fill ounce coin also. All gold coins are 99.99% pure gold and are classed as Australian Legal Tender and feature polished design elements on a frosted background. this makes them an esy buy for someone one a budget.

The quality of the Australian Lunar Gold Coin Series is excellent and the coins are very beautiful. In addition, unlike the Canadian Maple, these coins are somewhat more durable and less likely to be damaged if treated properly.

All coins come sealed in their own plastic pouch and should not be removed under any circumstances to retain the quality of the coin and the value. If you buy any of these coins and the packaging is broken return them immediately from whence you bought them.

As well as individual coins they also come attractively displayed in boxed sets with certificates of authenticity.

This entire coin series, unlike the American eagle which is virtually unlimited, comes in limited mintage and this increases their collectability.

The Australian Lunar Gold Coin Series makes an excellent gold coin theme and would be a very valuable and attractive addition to any coin enthusiast's collection.

Fashion With Fringe Benefits

Even before I saw super-stylish Rachel Bilson sporting these fringed boots on a recent shopping spree, I've been noticing a lot of Native American-inspired fringy fashions surfacing this Fall, including tunic-style dresses and leather accessories. Here are some of my Alice & Olivia Navajo Princess Dress is a warm and cozy dress is made from 70 percent wool and 30 percent cashmere. Buy it also love this gorgeous and chic Yves Saint Laurent Boheme Fringe Hobo, with its all-over fringe, bronze metallic leather, and antique gold hardware. Buy it here for $945.
for $398 in black, brown, and white. fringed finds.

Get your Rocks Off with Gemma Redux Jewelry

Chrysoprase. Phrenite. Pyrite. Amazonite. Are these materials for chemistry lab? Nope – just some of the many precious gems in the gorgeous Gemma Redux jewelry collection.

Designed by Rachel Dooley, a former mechanical engineer turned lawyer turned jewelry designer, Gemma Redux jewelry has that edgy, organic look that women try to achieve by layering necklaces and mixing pieces. No need for that here. Gemma Redux necklaces, bracelets and earrings weave tangled strands of wispy stainless steel, gunmetal, gold, copper and silver chains and large links, with raw, rough-cut stone nuggets, offering up a very vintage vibe. Dooley uses colorful shots of candy-like gems (think orange jade, red coral, lawn green quartz and blue agate) in jawbreaker and rock-candy shapes which lend a sense of playfulness to the collection.

Get your rocks off here.

Filed Under: Daily Dose, Daily Dose: Jewelry, Fashion, Haute Baubles, Shopping
Tagged: Gemma Redux, Rachel Dooley

gold bag

Australia Post is proud to present to you our 2008 Impressions website. We have included some fantastic products to help you find that perfect gift for and family, or perhaps you may want to treat yourself.

gold and gold

our Academy Award winners have been named the 2009 Australian Legends by Australia Post in recognition of the outstanding contribution they have made to Australian entertainment and culture.

The actors Cate Blanchett, Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman AC and Geoffrey Rush will be immortalised on postage stamps.

These stamps are now available for delivery anywhere around the world.

gold bar

Each year, around this time, Evian comes out with a limited number of special designer editions of their bottled water for the holidays. Last year it was a haute collaboration between Baccarat and Jean Paul Gaultier, this year the look is more whimsical with with he Keybag by Joao Sabino, is a handbag created from 393 keys from computer keyboards. Measuring 300mm by 220mm by 50mm, it's interior is black nylon and the keys are ABS plastic. available in one size, but four colors, the bag costs 130 euros or $190.00 USD. stylings of Paul Smith

Ballarat mine forecasts 'unrealistic', union says

Posted Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:01am AEST
Updated Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:15am AEST

Portfolio: Lihir Gold bought the mine in 2007 and since then it has fallen well short of production forecasts (Perth Mint)

• Map: Ballarat 3350

In Victoria, the Australian Workers Union (AWU) says the planned sale of the Ballarat gold mine is another blow to the city's workers.

Lihir Gold announced yesterday that it is selling the Ballarat mine because it is not producing enough gold to fit the company's portfolio of large-scale operations.

Two hundred workers were laid off in April.

Now another 200 workers will be made redundant, mostly permanent employees.

The AWU's state secretary, Cesar Melhem, says the workforce is not unionised.

"Lihir management have managed under WorkChoices to make sure that the AWU has been locked out from representing any workers on site," he said.

He says it is disappointing for a city that has lost about 800 jobs in the past year.

"With Lihir Gold, it was seen as the white knight in relation to Ballarat," he said.

The AWU says production forecasts at the Ballarat gold mine have been unrealistic.

Lihir Gold bought the Ballarat mine in 2007 and since then it has fallen well short of production forecasts.

The company says the mine is better suited to a smaller operator.

Lihir Gold spokesman Peter Smith says making two-thirds of the company's workers redundant is a tough decision.

"Unfortunately we're in a position today where we'll be working through this with our staff," he said.

Mr Smith says he hopes the mine will be sold by the end of the year.

"We'll retain about 100 people on site to cover all of the core competencies of the operation," he said.

Lihir Gold has reduced its underground activity as of yesterday.

The Myth of the Declining Gold Price

There seems to be a myth about the demand for gold declining in the media, but in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

The demand for gold is as high, if not higher, than ever before as witnessed by the high levels of gold price found around the world.

This myth is the result of a reporting flaw where much of the data is omitted and only one aspect of the gold part is being reported. Gold for the jewelery market has fallen recently due to the recession. For example, Saudi Arabia's jewelers have witnessed a major fall of around 30 percent in the first six months of the year. The reason provided for the fall is economic slowdown and high gold prices. However, what is not being reported is bank gold sales has dropped and bank buying of gold has increased putting the banks in a position of demand despite misleading media headlines.

In short, there may be a drop in gold demand for jewelery in a recession but the demand for gold as an investment increases dramatically. A recent gold ETF reported its biggest ever one day inflow of gold since its inception. This followed healthy inflows over the week prior and up eighteen percent.

Gold Investing

For centuries, buying gold has been recognized as one of the best ways to preserve one's wealth and purchasing power. Gold is a unique investment, one that has served mankind well for thousands of years. From the times of ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans to more modern times, man has been fascinated with the beauty and magic of gold, and with its power to change men's lives.

Gold bullion is real, honest money...and, many say, the best form of money the world has ever known. It is a store of value and a safe haven in times of crisis. Gold is rare, durable and does not wear out in the manner of lesser metals (or paper!) when passed from hand to hand. A small amount, easily carried, can purchase a significant amount of goods and services. It is universally accepted, and can be easily bought and sold around the world.

Today, the beauty of a gold bar lies in its ability to diversify investments, protect wealth and preserve one's purchasing power.