It is ductile, malleable, and polishes to a mirror-like finish. It has high thermal and electrical conductivity. Alloying with copper darkens the color of the metal.Įlectrum consists of noble metals, so it resists oxidation and corrosion.
The addition of 2% cadmium produces a light green color, while 4% cadmium yields a deep green color. However, gold alloys that appear very green contain cadmium. It consists of gold and silver and does appear faintly yellowish green. The man-made version of electrum is called green gold. Modern white gold often has a different composition and appearance from electrum. Although the ancients called electrum “white gold,” this was to distinguish it from refined gold. If it contains enough copper, it has a faint reddish-gold color, like brass. What Color Is Electrum?Įlectrum does not have a fixed composition, so it displays a range of colors ranging from nearly silver, like white gold, to deep yellow, like 18 karat yellow gold. German silver contains around 60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc. Sometimes German silver is called electrum, but the name refers to its color and not its composition. Man-made electrum or green gold is approximately 18K gold, containing at least 20% silver. Electrum coins contain less gold than the natural alloy, so it’s believed the ancients diluted the source material with silver or other metals to conserve profit. Modern electrum from Western Anatolia is 70-90% gold, but the alloy ranges anywhere from 20-80% gold and 20-80% silver, often with copper, iron, bismuth, and palladium. Electrum Chemical CompositionĮlectrum composition depends on its origin. The man-made gold and silver alloy with a similar composition is called green gold. )Įlectrum is a natural alloy of gold and silver, with trace amounts of copper and other metals. (photos: cgb.fr Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. This entry was posted on Maby Anne Helmenstine (updated on August 31, 2021)Įlectrum is a natural alloy of gold and silver.
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