Learn How To Detect A Fake Krugerrand Gold Coin

If you are thinking of buying some gold Krugerrands, South Africa's official gold bullion coins, then it'd be a good idea to become familiar with this unique coin. Essentially, you really should develop the skills to determine if a Krugerrand is fake. Hopefully, you'll never need this skill, but it is good to have nonetheless and it's relatively easy to learn.

The easiest way to avoid purchasing a fake Krugerrand will be to deal only with a reputable vendor, particularly a coin seller who specializes in or has extensive experience with Krugerrand coins. These dealers will have been dealing with these coins for some time, and they should easily be able to notice when a coin doesn't feel right. What's more, reputable coin vendors will be concerned about their reputations, so they'll truly have an incentive to ensure that they only offer genuine gold coins.

While that is one step you can take, remember that it's also relatively easy to verify the authenticity of a Krugerrand on your own. Standards for these coins are published by the South African Mint and publicly available, so you can compare the coin you are thinking of buying with these standards. In addition, you should be aware that gold has some special characteristics that make it unique. Specifically, it has a very high density, higher than the other easily available metals. If someone does decide to create a fake Krugerrand fashioned out of one of these other, lesser metals, the weight differential should really be entirely noticeable if you know what it is you should be looking for. And you should be aware that the metals that are as dense as gold are either very difficult to acquire, very steeply-priced, or pretty brittle. All of this is in your advantage when attempting to spot a fake.

In terms of physical characteristics, this is what you should be looking for: a 1 ounce Krugerrand has a weight of 33.930g, a diameter of 32.77mm, a thickness of 2.84m, and 160 serrations around the edge. A half-ounce Krugerrand has a weight of 16.965g, a diameter of 27.07mm, a thickness of 2.215mm, and 185 serrations. A quarter-ounce Krugerrand carries a weight of 8.482g, a diameter of 22.06mm, a thickness of 1.888mm, and 150 serrations. And finally, a 1/10 ounce Krugerrand carries a weight of 3.393g, a diameter of 16.55mm, a thickness of 1.35mm, and 115 serrations.

In order to carry out these tests, you will want fine-grained ruler that has millimeter markings plus an accurate scale that can weigh in grams. As a substitute, there is also a very useful gadget known as the Fisch Tester that can test all of these things for you. It comes with a coin-shaped recess used for checking shape, a slot for checking a coin's thickness and diameter, and a fulcrum to check a coin's weight. The Fisch Tester will save you time and effort and can make it much easier for you to spot a phony. At the same time, you should be careful about buying a Fisch Tester on eBay because, in a twist of irony, there have been some reports of imitation Fisch Testers being offered there. To be safe, you may want to buy directly from Fisch.

Armed with this new knowledge, you should now have the capability to detect a phony Krugerrand on your own. Best of luck in your adventures in the gold market!

Making an investment in gold is truly one of the best financial investments you can make, and investing in gold coins is easy. The Krugerrand is the official gold bullion coin of South Africa, and it has become one of the most popular gold bullion coins in the world. Learn more about gold Krugerrands here, and you should also read the FAQ for buying Krugerrands.

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Alchemy - Can a Study of Attempts by Alchemists to Turn Base Metal Into Gold Help You Achieve Goals?

Alchemy has been described as a unique mixture of science, religion and philosophy combined with elements of mysticism.

The ancient Alchemists were serious medieval scientists with an extensive knowledge of chemistry. Not only were they familiar with every chemical process available at the time, they made every effort to improve their expertise in this field.

They continued to experiment with a great variety of new chemical processes. As a result they were the first chemists in the Middle Ages to produce hydrochloric and nitric acid, potash, and sodium carbonate. They were also responsible for identifying the elements antimony, arsenic and bismuth.

What distinguished the ancient alchemists from other scientists at the time, was their with their burning - almost obsessive - desire to discover secret transmuting agents and chemical processes that would enable them to transform inferior base metals such as lead and iron into gold.

In striving to achieve this objective they were motivated by two factors: Firstly, their scientific curiosity and the need to demonstrate that the transmutation of inferior base metals into gold was possible, even though this was something other scientists ridiculed.

Secondly - and probably even more important - they were driven by an overpowering inner conviction that there was a strange mystical association between gold and certain spiritual values. This metaphysical approach to their work was something they never abandoned.

Alchemists were convinced that there was a symbolism between gold and important spiritual and philosophical concerns such as death, eternity and resurrection.

Because of the durability of gold and its amazing quality of permanence, Alchemists believed by changing inferior base metals into gold by secret chemical processes, they would discover the "philosopher's stone". This would provide them with the "elixir of life", a mysterious substance that would cure illnesses, lengthen life and perhaps grant immortality.

Although the Alchemists finally failed in their attempts to transform inferior base metals into gold, the scientific world owes a great deal to these medieval scientific discoverers.

Not only did these medieval scientific investigators influence the development of scientific study in the field of chemistry, they also made a significant contribution to psychology and philosophy.

Jung's assessment of the importance of Alchemy,

The eminent psychologist Jung recognized the role spiritual and psychological influenced played in the work of the alchemists and made the following favorable comments about alchemy in his essay "The Ego and the Unconscious".

"It would be an unpardonable depreciation of value if were to accept 
the current view and reduce the striving of the alchemists to the level 
of the smelting furnace. Certainly this aspect belonged to it. It 
represented the beginnings of early chemistry. But it also had a 
spiritual side which from the psychological standpoint must never 
be underestimated...."

It is also interesting to reflect on the fact although the ancient alchemists never managed to achieve their goal of changing inferior base metals, scientific advances may one day prove that it technically possible.

All seawater contains gold in solution. Seawater yields about one gram of gold per ton. It is at present technically possible, but not commercially viable, to extract gold from seawater. Perhaps modern scientists may one day discover a method that may make it possible to produce this form of gold profitably.

What can you learn from a study of Alchemy?

Is there any way an in-depth study of the fascinating, mysterious art of alchemy can help you achieve personal goals you have set yourself?

There is every indication this is a worthwhile project. Obviously a brief article of this nature cannot hope to cover this vast subject in any depth, but there are two valuable lessons that even a brief study of the ancient art of alchemy will reveal.

Firstly, it is clear that in order to achieve any goal that have set yourself, your motivation to succeed must be so strong you have to ignore every form of discouragement you encounter - as the alchemists' were forced to do - and pursue your goal with the same passion and enthusiasm.

The second important lesson even a cursory study of Alchemy will reveal, is the following:

It makes no difference in what field you hope to achieve the goal you have set yourself - science, business, art, music, sport, literature, any form of craft, or any other field - it is essential for you to improve your technical expertise to the absolute limit.

If you are interested in finding out more about Alchemy and how this mysterious ancient art can help you to think more creatively, visit the following website: http://www.creativemindpowers.com.

by Dennis Fisher.

Dennis Fisher is managing director of financial and investment Companies. In addition to his involvement in different fields of business, his interests include an in-depth study of alchemy and psychology.

To find out more about powerful techniques that will enhance creative thinking and creative power visit his site http://www.creativemindpowers.com.

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What Happened to the Alan Greenspan Philosophy of the 60's

Alan Greenspan, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve (1987-2006), in my estimation is the leading culprit of the economic mess we are currently in. Greenspan's loose monetary policy and unbelievably low interest rates are what caused the lending standards to become much less stringent and invariably caused the housing bubble of 2004-2006 and the recession a couple of years later.

However, after reading Mr. Greenspan's writings from the mid-60's you'd never believe this is the same man.

In a piece he wrote in the Objectivist in 1966 titled "Gold and Economic Freedom", Greenspan lays out a perfect case fo gold and the dangers of an fiat monetary system.

Here he made the perfect case against the massive credit expansion by central banks and the bubbles that were produced since 1913. He also discusses historically how central banks have refused to raise interest rates because it is not "politically expedient". He uses the example of the Bank of England in the late 20's.

He also warned on the dangers of deficit spending where a central bank is the friend of the welfare and warfare (my words) state and how the same people who love deficit spending were the enemies and despised the gold standard. To quote Greenspan, "A substantial part of the confiscation is effected by taxation. But the welfare statists were quick to recognize that if they wished to retain political power, the amount of taxation had to be limited and they had to resort to programs of massive deficit spending, i.e., they had to borrow money, by issuing government bonds, to finance welfare expenditures on a large scale."

He also talked extensively on how gold is the only way to protect peoples savings from inflation.

This was an incredibly articulate and lucid thesis by the former Chairman. In my opinion he was right on. So what happened?

During his tenure as Fed Chairman, he ignored every principle he espoused decades earlier. Was it the pressure, the politics, the President(s)...only he knows for sure.

One thing I am pretty positive of is Mr. Greenspan knows in his heart the damage he has caused because at one time he did know better.

To read "Gold and Economic Freedom" check this link: http://www.constitution.org/mon/greenspan_gold.htm

I have over 20 years experience in clinical and public health microbiology and infectious diseases. I want to enlighten and inform about infectious diseases that could affect you, rare and common, and what you can do to protect you and your family from these dreaded afflictions. See more of my work at http://www.examiner.com/x-7707-Infectious-Disease-Examiner

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Aspects of Gold Found in Literature

Gold has always been a material that people valued, either for its precious look, or for its properties. Just like in real life, fictional characters have also chased gold, and even a history of gold in literature can be written.

The yellow metal plays an important role in Oriental literature. Ancient stories contain lavish descriptions of jewelry almost entirely made out of gold and precious diamonds. Just like nowadays, gold was a sign of aristocracy, just that, in the old days, it was almost exclusively a mark of nobility.

Ancient Egyptian literature is rich in descriptions of gods, goddesses, but also pharaohs covered in gold and there are mentions of this metal as being the flesh of the gods. This is understandable since gold was one of the first metals to be exploited in the region and buying gold was common. Moreover, in the beginning, coins were used as standardized pieces of precious metal and they acquired a value of their own only later on.

There are other mythologies that also refer to gold. Greek and Roman ancient writings often mention this metal as a symbol of ultimate perfection and authors associate it with power and desire. There are numerous famous representations of such a story in ancient temples, depictions copied by many famous Renaissance artists. This is the case of King Midas, who ultimately sees his greatest wish come true: he gets the ability to turn everything he touches into gold.

This desire is not unique in literature since people, as well as characters in books, wished to turn simple objects and materials into gold for many centuries. Alchemy is at the same time a philosophy and an ancient practice. People who practice it try to change metals into gold, and their attempts are also associated with the preparation of the elixir of longevity, and achieving ultimate wisdom.

The philosophy is the subject of novels such as Goethe´s Faust, and, of course, the successful Harry Potter and the Philosopher´s Stone, by J.K. Rowling. The bibliography is diversified when it comes to this subject and books range from pure fiction to volumes claiming scientific accuracy.

Learn from professionals how buying gold can help you in times of recession.

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Platonic Fullerene Chemistry and a Serious Mathematical Problem

Nanotechnology is clearly demonstrating the functioning of Platonic Fullerene Chemistry and its related Creative Physics. The workings of this new medical science has been shown to be associated with the properties of carbon when they function in defiance of the 20th Century's understanding of science. This new outlook upon medical science was derived from the ancient Greek science for ethical ends, which was developed by the scholars belonging to the Platonic tradition of Greek philosophy. For several hundred years these philosophers attempted to fuse mathematical ethics into the life force energies postulated by the scientist Anaxagoras, now considered to be the founding father of modern science.

Anaxagoras' theory that the Nous forces acted upon primordial particles in space to create worlds, depicted the forces of gravity that Sir Isaac Newton later explained in mathematical terms. In his unpublished Heresy Papers discovered last century, Newton depicted a universe based upon the same scientific principles that upheld the ethical Platonic science. In his personal letters, Newton also wrote that properties of light combined with gravity to transmit evolutionary information to mechanisms within the human metabolism.

Newtons Heresy theories linked into Pythagoras' Music of the Spheres concept, associated with the light of the All Seeing Eye, now depicted as a symbol of liberty on the great Seal of America. The ancient Greek ethical science was about how harmonic celestial movement resonated with the movement of atoms within the human form. Scientific discoveries during the 18th and 19th Centuries demonstrated that the harmonic movement of light was an electromagnetic phenomenon. During the 21st Century, nanotechnology showed how such celestial movement, both as at a macro and micro scale, might transmit intelligence to mind and brain, compatible to the workings of the Molecule of Emotion discovered in 1972 by Dr Candace Pert.

During the development of the Science for Ethical Ends, several ancient philosophers, including Plato, used mathematics to describe evil as being the destructive property of unformed matter within the physical atom, which could emerge to destroy civilisation. Currently, world leaders are attending an international congress about how to protect civilisation from the destructive potential of nuclear technology. However, a serious emotional mathematical problem exists preventing any realistic solutions from being discussed. The stakeholders in modern technology, politics,economics and region will not tolerate any educational system teaching about the new ethical medical science, which is seen as a threat to the existing global fossil fuel economy. Unless the United Nations and UNESCO develop medical legislation to ease the transference of the existing energy system into a balance with the energies of life, then humankind must suffer the entropic chaos of inevitable destruction.

It is not difficult to explain the mathematical seriousness of this situation. The original format of the Nous, seen as a mathematical expression of physical reality, had a certain mathematical form. This can be described as a non living form. After centuries of conscious effort to fuse ethic into the Nous, its mathematical form can be proven to have been altered into a living fractal logic concept of evolution. No matter how much we develop mathematics, without this spiritual (holographic) element of ethical consciousness, we can only accelerate universal chaos upon earth. For example, the three economists who were awarded 1994 Nobel prizes for their mathematical economic theory, later faced serious problems. Some scientists are now claiming that this problem collapsed the economic base of the Soviet Union and now threatens the entire structure of the global economy.

Medical Red Cross doctors, racing to attend child victims of a fanatical suicide bomber, must not allow emotional rage or a fit of weeping in sorrow to affect their steady hands. They cannot consider the state of mind of the perpetrator of the crime nor the agony of the parents of the children. They have a job to do, which they have been trained for. We can certainly consider that the doctors are carrying out the duties of an ethical medical science. The United Nations and UNESCO are needed to now expand the present understanding of that medical science. The nanotechnology vision of new neg-entropic miracle medical science can certainly be applied to the development of new neg-entropic technologies, which can free global humankind from its present entropic yoke of mathematical ignorance. Such new knowledge will allow the present species of Homo Entropicus to avoid the threat of oblivion, by making a sure footed quantum leap into Buckminster Fuller's Utopia.

A Group of Bristol University PhD students from the Bristol Centre for Functional Nanomaterials (BCFN) are helping to form an ethical code for nanotechnology and have coined the term, Nano Carta. Hopefully, from such initiatives, will come an opportunity for the United Nations and UNESCO to examine the merits of the ethical mathematical problem put forward within this article. Over forty years of successful research now argues as to why the word Platonic might be added to the term Fullerene Chemistry, belonging to the three 1996 Nobel Prize laureates in Chemistry. Their new medical science could surely encounter the serious mathematical problem referred to herein. Unless younger students investigate this issue, then last Century's obsolete entropic world-view paradigm will continue to govern all of science, forcing global society to bend and eventually buckle under its horrific yoke.

© Professor Robert Pope

Advisor to the President Oceania and Australasia

Theoretical Physics and Advanced Mathematics (IFM) Einstein-Galilei

http://www.science-art.com.au

Professor Robert Pope is the Director of the Science-Art Research Centre of Australia, Uki, NSW, Australia. The Center's objective is to initiate a second Renaissance in science and art, so that the current science will be balanced by a more creative and feminine science. More information is available at the Science-Art Centre website: http://www.science-art.com.au/books.html

Professor Robert Pope is a recipient of the 2009 Gold Medal Laureate for Philosophy of Science, Telesio Galilei Academy of Science, London. He is an Ambassador for the Florentine New Measurement of Humanity Project, University of Florence, is listed in Marquis Who's Who of the World as an Artist-philosopher, and has received a Decree of Recognition from the American Council of the United Nations University Millennium Project, Australasian Node.

As a professional artist, he has held numerous university artist-in-residencies, including Adelaide University, University of Sydney, and the Dorothy Knox Fellowship for Distinguished Persons. His artwork has been featured of the front covers of the art encyclopedia, Artists and Galleries of Australia, Scientific Australian and the Australian Foreign Affairs Record. His artwork can be viewed on the Science-Art Centre's website.

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