Some people purchase loose gemstones for jewelry making, while others do so for investment purposes. Still others are looking for the perfect stone to have made into a piece of jewelry by a custom jeweler. Most gemstones are minerals, but some rocks such as lapis lazuli and organic materials like pearls or amber considered as such. Today, four stones are precious gems: diamond, emerald, ruby, and sapphire. Everything else falls under the category of semi-precious stones. When purchase loose gems, obviously should only deal with a reputable jeweler that trust, online or in person. Always get a certificate from the seller and be sure exactly what are purchasing. Diamonds are the only gems that have a universally accepted grading system based on the concept of the four C’s: color, cut, carat, and clarity. Clarity is determined by placing the diamond under 10X magnification. However, cut is most important for the value of a clear diamond, because without the proper cut, the diamond will not sparkle, as it should. Clarity and color are next in importance. All other gemstones grade on 20/20 vision with the naked eye. The quality of all colored gemstones, together with colored diamonds, is based on the clarity and brilliance of the stone’s color, which is further divided into three parts: *hue*, *saturation*, and *tone*. Hue refers to the stone’s color, which produced in the following spectral hues: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, purple and pink. Purple and pink are spectral hues, as purple lies halfway between red and blue, and pink is really a lighter shade of red. Natural stones seldom have pure hues, so these are into primary, secondary, and sometimes tertiary hues. Saturation refers to the clarity of color, or the stone’s freedom from brown or grey hues.

American Gold Eagle

The American Gold Eagle is an official gold bullion coin of the United States. Over the years, the gold Eagle from the US mint have become the USA’s most popular bullion coin, and our biggest gold coin seller by far. Each 1-ounce gold Eagle contains a full 31.1 grams of pure gold, with an additional alloy of silver and copper, bringing the total weight up to about 33.9 grams. Coins Offered in 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1 oz denominations. U.S. government guarantees them to contain the stated amount of actual gold weight in troy ounces. By law, the gold must come from sources in America, with an additional alloy of silver and copper to produce a more wear-resistant coin of .9167. It authorized by the United States Congress and backed by the United States Mint for weight and content. The market value of the coins is generally about equal to the market value of their gold content, not their face value. Gold Eagles from the U.S. Mint are the most popular gold bullion coin in this country, and now make up over 80% of the U.S. physical gold bullion market. This bullion product has been a tremendous success for the U.S. Mint.; their actual selling prices vary daily based on the current spot price of gold. The face values are proportional to the weights. The one-ounce gold Eagle has a $50 nominal face value, is 91.67% fine gold, and weighs 1.0909 troy ounces. The most popular size bullion coin issued 20 coins per Treasury tube. The half-ounce gold Eagle has a $25 nominal face value, is 91.67% fine gold, and weighs .5455 troy ounce. The least popular size bullion coin, and often the lowest mintage, it is issued 40 coins per Treasury tube. The quarter-ounce gold Eagle has a $10 nominal face value, is 91.67% fine gold, and weighs .2727 troy ounce. About the size of a nickel, it is popular in jewelry. It issued 40 coins per Treasury tube. The tenth-ounce gold Eagle is a $5 face value coin, 91.67% fine gold (22 karat), and weighs .1091 troy ounce. Smaller than a dime, it is a popular small gift item. It issued 50 coins to a Treasury tube. The obverse design features a rendition of Augustus Saint-Gaudens' full-length figure of Lady Liberty with flowing hair, holding a torch in her right hand and an olive branch in her left, with the Capitol building in the left background. The reverse design, by sculptor Miley Busiek, features a male eagle carrying an olive branch flying above a nest containing a female eagle and her hatchlings.