Platinum Bars and Coins

Platinum is a dense, malleable precious metal found in objects dating back to at least 700 BC. The metal’s name was derived from a diminutive form of “plata,” the Spanish word for silver. Spanish conquistadors believed the platinum nuggets they found in the Americas might possibly be an immature form of gold, but had no use for the metal in part because of its high melting point. In Europe during the 18th century, scientists succeeded in...Continue Reading