Just spoke with APMEX

[willie pete]

...and wow...the guy I was talking too didn't know that GAEs are not pure Gold :D .....I'd thought someone working in sales would've known that.... :D

[joe_momma]

Yeah - but to be fair, this was his first day on the job. (He's either worked at US Treasury, COMEX or Macy's previously.)

I'm sure you'd be able to tell, since if you ask about buying a 1 kilo bar he will ask "was that with the tungsten core, just the paper promise of 1 kilo, or the dark or milk chocolate kilo?"

One cannot expect the sales staff to know their product - after all, how many Chevy dealers mentioned the detachable steering wheel?

[madfranks]

...and wow...the guy I was talking too didn't know that GAEs are not pure Gold :D .....I'd thought someone working in sales would've known that.... :D


Dang, that's weird. I've confused people before by telling them that GAEs are not pure gold, they are just under 22K pure, and then they conclude that they must not have a full ounce of gold in them. Then I have to explain that the coins do contain one ounce of gold, but that the added alloy reduces the purity. Who knew it could be so complex?!? ::)

[willie pete]

Yeah - but to be fair, this was his first day on the job. (He's either worked at US Treasury, COMEX or Macy's previously.)

I'm sure you'd be able to tell, since if you ask about buying a 1 kilo bar he will ask "was that with the tungsten core, just the paper promise of 1 kilo, or the dark or milk chocolate kilo?"

One cannot expect the sales staff to know their product - after all, how many Chevy dealers mentioned the detachable steering wheel?



:lol :lol he kept telling me the GAEs are a "Pure, .9999 coin", and I corrected him and said "Nope, they're not pure", so then I suggested he go and ask a co-worker, then when he came back, he started to go into the "they weigh more than an ounce story", which I told him I was aware of :D ...he said he'd been there 5 years.... :o

[Antonio]

...and wow...the guy I was talking too didn't know that GAEs are not pure Gold :D .....I'd thought someone working in sales would've known that.... :D


Dang, that's weird. I've confused people before by telling them that GAEs are not pure gold, they are just under 22K pure, and then they conclude that they must not have a full ounce of gold in them. Then I have to explain that the coins do contain one ounce of gold, but that the added alloy reduces the purity. Who knew it could be so complex?!? ::)


Gold investors who cannot tell every karat by the color scare me. Whenever I mistake occasional copperish 10k for 14k I start thinking that I`m turning into a sheep, used to work with scrap a lot and was almost perfect as far as eye for colors goes.

[madfranks]

...and wow...the guy I was talking too didn't know that GAEs are not pure Gold :D .....I'd thought someone working in sales would've known that.... :D


Dang, that's weird. I've confused people before by telling them that GAEs are not pure gold, they are just under 22K pure, and then they conclude that they must not have a full ounce of gold in them. Then I have to explain that the coins do contain one ounce of gold, but that the added alloy reduces the purity. Who knew it could be so complex?!? ::)


Gold investors who cannot tell every karat by the color scare me. Whenever I mistake occasional copperish 10k for 14k I start thinking that I`m turning into a sheep, used to work with scrap a lot and was almost perfect as far as eye for colors goes.


What if the gold is alloyed with different metals? For instance, the coppery tones in a krug are because they are 22 karat and alloyed with just copper, while the GAE is alloyed with silver & copper, which is why the GAE looks more golden in color than the krugs.

[Neuro]

...and wow...the guy I was talking too didn't know that GAEs are not pure Gold :D .....I'd thought someone working in sales would've known that.... :D


Dang, that's weird. I've confused people before by telling them that GAEs are not pure gold, they are just under 22K pure, and then they conclude that they must not have a full ounce of gold in them. Then I have to explain that the coins do contain one ounce of gold, but that the added alloy reduces the purity. Who knew it could be so complex?!? ::)


Gold investors who cannot tell every karat by the color scare me. Whenever I mistake occasional copperish 10k for 14k I start thinking that I`m turning into a sheep, used to work with scrap a lot and was almost perfect as far as eye for colors goes.


What if the gold is alloyed with different metals? For instance, the coppery tones in a krug are because they are 22 karat and alloyed with just copper, while the GAE is alloyed with silver & copper, which is why the GAE looks more golden in color than the krugs.

I have noticed here in Turkey, the 22 Karat Ata-Lira coins can have significantly different colors. I am guessing it depends on the age of the coin, and the copper or silver component of the coin has oxidized and thus changed color, or that they have used different alloys over time. Never had any problem exchanging them though...

[woodman]

Interesting thread. I don't know much about gold. I've always admired silver more, but gold is still damn fine stuff! From a quick search:



Purity of the American Eagle Gold coins
The US mint started making the gold American Eagle coins in 1986. All the sizes (1/10, 1/4, 1/2 and 1 ounce) are 91.67% gold with the rest of the metal in the coin mixture being copper and a trace of silver. This is why a 1/10 oz $5 American Eagle coin will weight

slightly more than a tenth of an ounce. Each $5 Eagle coin contains 1/10 of an ounce of pure gold melted together with the small amount of copper and silver. The copper and silver give the coin a hardness that pure gold does not offer, thereby letting the gold coin better withstand wear.


91.67% gold purity is equal to 22 karat gold
91.67% gold content is a high purity of gold for a coin and is the equivalent of 22kt gold.
In comparison, the old US Gold coins made prior to 1933 were usually 90.0% gold and 10% copper. A few modern day gold coins are made of 99.9% pure gold, such as the Canadian gold Maple Leaf, Austria Philharmonic, and the new US BUFFALO 1 ounce gold coin. Because the modern coins are intended for investors and won't be handled much, the softness of the gold bullion is not much of a concern.

Throughout history most gold coins have been in the 80 to 90% purity range.

http://lynncoins.com/purity-karat-american-goldeaglescoins.htm

[solid]

What if the gold is alloyed with different metals? For instance, the coppery tones in a krug are because they are 22 karat and alloyed with just copper, while the GAE is alloyed with silver & copper, which is why the GAE looks more golden in color than the krugs.


Same with Sov's, my favorite. They very much resemble the coppery tones of a krug. Personally, I like that look. I'll take the 22 karat over 24 karat. it's obvious to do the research on what you are buying, it's not that hard.