Silver: A Sterling Piece of Arizona History

April 15, 2018 By swj-eric

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We tend to hear a lot about the California Gold Rush of 1849, back when tens of thousands of hopeful prospectors headed west with the dream of striking it rich.

At the time, Arizona was seen as a means to end—an expanse of rugged territory people needed to cross on the way to their destination. Not only was the land itself harsh and difficult to traverse, but the native Apache did not look kindly on visitors.

But, times changed. When gold became scarce in California, prospectors branched out in search of more—and not just gold but silver.

The discovery of silver veins in Arizona sparked new interest in the area and ultimately had a lot to do with it becoming a U.S. territory in 1863. After that, silver mining took off, and in the early 1870s big discoveries were made in the Bradshaw Mountains in central Arizona and in southern towns including Tombstone and Bisbee.

Interestingly, much of the state’s silver production would come by way of another mineral—copper—since silver is a byproduct of copper mining. To this day, Arizona is the leading producer of copper in the United States, represented by the copper star in the center of our state flag.

At Southwest Jewelry Buyers, we have a unique appreciation for our past.

Silver mining made our home state what it is today, and we can think of no better way to honor our rich history than by providing a fair and first-class appraisal of your silver pieces.

Southwest Jewelry Buyers has been doing business in Scottsdale for nearly two decades, and we look forward to helping you get the absolute best price for your unwanted silver jewelry, coins, bars, medals and tokens. (We’ll even buy your broken jewelry!)

All of our appraisals are honest and ethical, and we strive to make every transaction simple and stress free, requiring only an evaluation of your precious metals by one of our jewelry specialists.

Contact us today for a free quote on your silver jewelry or other items.

Call 480-773-8004 or schedule an appointment to visit us in the Scottsdale Airpark. We are open six days a week for your convenience.