Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Four Cs?
(Color, Clarity, Cut, Carat) for diamonds.
What's the difference between white gold, yellow gold, and platinum?
Yellow gold is pure gold alloyed for durability, while white gold is gold mixed with white metals and coated in rhodium for a platinum-like look; platinum is a naturally white, denser, hypoallergenic metal used at high purity, requiring less upkeep than white gold, which needs re-plating as its coating wears off, revealing a yellow tint.
What does 'Karat' (K) mean for gold?
(Purity, e.g., 14k, 18k).
What is the difference between a coin and a round?
A coin is minted by a government and carries a legal tender face value, while a round is privately minted and has no official monetary value but still contains a specific amount of precious metal.
What does 'spot price' mean?
The spot price is the current market price for one troy ounce of a precious metal such as gold or silver, based on global trading markets.
What is a troy ounce?
A troy ounce is the standard unit of weight used for precious metals and equals approximately 31.103 grams, which is slightly heavier than a standard avoirdupois ounce.
What does 'BU' or 'Brilliant Uncirculated' mean?
BU (Brilliant Uncirculated) refers to a coin that has never been circulated in everyday commerce and retains its original mint luster.
What does it mean when a coin is graded?
A graded coin has been evaluated by a professional grading service and assigned a numerical condition score, typically on the Sheldon scale from 1 to 70.