Silver’s chemical symbol Ag comes from the Latin argentum, meaning “silver.” The country of Argentina gets its name from the same root due to its once believed silver mines.

Silver is one of the first five metals humans ever discovered.

It has the highest electrical conductivity of any element. Silver also has the highest thermal conductivity of all metals.

Pure silver is too soft to use alone, so it is usually alloyed with copper. Sterling silver is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper.

The word sterling may come from the Middle English esterlin, meaning “little star.”

Silver is more reflective than any other metal, achieving up to 95% reflectivity.

It is considered a “noble metal” because it resists corrosion and oxidation.

Silver tarnish is not rust; it is caused by reactions with sulfur, not oxygen.

Ancient Egyptians believed silver was the bones of the gods, while gold was their flesh.

Roman emperors used silver plates to keep food from spoiling.

Early photographers used silver nitrate to create the first long lasting photographs.

China, over 1,000 years ago, used silver ingots called sycees as currency.

Spain extracted so much silver from the Americas that it caused a global price crash in the 1500s.

Pirates loved silver because it was easy to melt down into concealable bars or coins.

The United States had official silver dollars before paper bills became common.

Silver nanoparticles are used in modern medical bandages to fight infection.

NASA uses silver ions to purify water aboard spacecraft.

Silver is naturally antimicrobial; it destroys bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Mirrors today rarely use silver, as aluminum is cheaper, but high end mirrors still use real silver.

A single ounce of silver can be stretched into a 2,000 meter long wire.

Many electrical switches use silver contacts for instant, reliable conduction.

Most silver is mined as a byproduct of copper, lead, or zinc mining.

The largest modern producers are Mexico, Peru, and China.

Silver prices can spike dramatically due to industrial demand.

The Hunt Brothers once tried to corner the world silver market in 1980.

The United States government once kept a strategic silver reserve.

The oldest known silver artifacts date back over 5,000 years.

Silver mines were so valuable that entire cities formed around them, like Potosí in Bolivia.

Silver rarely occurs in pure “nugget” form; it is usually found in ores like argentite.

Silver is not toxic to humans in small amounts. But too much silver can cause argyria, turning the skin bluish gray.

Pure silver is diamagnetic, meaning it repels magnetic fields weakly.

The world’s oldest silver mine is believed to be in Anatolia, Turkey, and dates back 4,000 to 5,000 years.