Archive for April, 2011

Medicinal value of Silver

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Did you know that silver can be used as medicines? Yes, silver in its colloidal form can be used as an antiseptic to cure infections because of its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. There are various FDA approved drugs and wound dressings, that are used as dressing material for wounds or to be applied on the wounds. The various types of wound dressing materials are adhesive strip, a type of wound dressing that forms a multilayer barrier, and packing strips. The silver in these dressings act on the wound through the silver ions which are released slowly into the body tissues around the wound.

These are usually used in various situations such as for covering wounds post surgery, wounds on the nostrils, dermal ulcers, for superficial wounds, or when there has been a burnt skin and lacerations. According to the FDA certain products of colloidal silver are not available over the counter, but only available to the doctors.

The silver colloidal solutions are made by re suspension of the dried nano particles of silver in solution, so that they are aggregated into clusters. The colloidal solutions have different colors when at different states of aggregation, they will be clear yellow when they are dilute and still as individual units, when they turn dark gray, it means that the state of aggregation is irreversible.

Some Interesting Facts About Gold Coins

Wednesday, April 6th, 2011

Gold coins are generally regarded as investments where the same are usually purchased by gold collectors. The value of a gold coins depends on how rare it is, its age, condition, and how many are there in its existence. The most popular gold coins which collectors search for are the Aureus, Solidus and the Spur Ryal.

Just how valuable are these old coins? Well, in July 2002, a very rare $20 1933 Double Eagle gold coin was sold for $7,590,020! In the year 2007 the Royal Canadian Mint made a 100 kilogram gold coin which had a face value of $1,000,000 even though the gold content was well worth over $2 million. It was created to promote the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf Coin. Austria had likewise produced its own 31 kg Philharmonic gold coin which was valued at €100,000. Still, in the same year, a $10 1804 eagle coin which was supposed to be given as a diplomatic gift to President Andrew Jackson by David Albanese (president of Albanese rare coins) was sold for $5 million.

These gold coins can usually be obtained from dealers. Unfortunately, because of its intrinsic value, a lot of counterfeit coins have also been circulating which even look good enough to pass of as the true thing. Hence, people should be extra vigilant in buying these gold coins, most especially if we know nothing much about the person whom we are dealing with. It is thus better to deal with a trusted and credible dealer.