With gold hovering near an all-time high at $2,680 per ounce, let's take a look at the US states where you're most likely to find this coveted precious metal.
Gold is present in 32 of the 50 states and there are a combined 32,722 gold locations scattered throughout the top-10 gold-bearing states, according to SD Bullion's analysis of US Geological Survey (USGS) data. California claimed the top spot with 10,373 locations, or 66.59 per 1,000 square miles. Alaska came in second with 5,264 locations and Nevada ranked third with 3,393.
These stats tell only part of the story because when it comes to gold output, Nevada is the undisputed king.
According to the USGS, domestic gold mine production in 2023 was estimated to be 170 tons with an approximate value of $10 billion. Of that tonnage, Nevada accounted for a whopping 73% of total production, followed by Alaska at about 13%.
The USGS reported that the bulk of gold production in the US was derived from 40 lode mines in 11 states, at several large placer mines in Alaska, and at numerous smaller placer mines (mostly in Alaska and in the Western States). The top 27 operations yielded about 97% of the mined gold produced in the US.
(Lode mining is also known as hard rock mining. Placer mining is the process of extracting valuable minerals from sand, gravel, or other sediments using water.)
About 6% of domestic gold is typically recovered as a byproduct of copper mining. SD Bullion noted that the 18 states with no appreciable gold assets were Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Delaware and Florida.
“The findings reveal promising areas in the United States where the likelihood of finding gold is notably higher," commented Chase Turner, CEO of SD Bullion. "These regions, known for their favorable geological conditions and historical mining success, stand out as prime locations for gold exploration. The data offers valuable insights into the distribution of gold deposits, highlighting key areas for amateur prospectors and professionals.”
Top States by Gold Locations
California 10,373
Alaska 5,264
Nevada 3,393
Oregon 3,015
Idaho 2,350
Top States by Gold Locations Per 1,000 Square Miles
California 66.59
Washington 34.17
Oregon 31.41
Nevada 30.91
Idaho 28.44
Click this link for SD Bullion's full report.
Credits: Image by Chip Clark / Smithsonian.
Today show co-host Jenna Bush Hager revealed the reason why she wasn't wearing her sapphire and diamond engagement ring during last Wednesday's segment called "Social Dilemmas." Hager has been married to Henry Chase Hager for 16 years and they share three children. Was something amiss?
As Hager and co-host Hoda Kotb attempted to provide engagement ring advice to a viewer who was anxious because she expected her boyfriend to propose with his mom's "hideous" heirloom ring, Hager first addressed the elephant in the room — her unadorned ring finger.
"I'm not wearing my ring, but don't worry," she said. "You saw Henry raising me up. We're still happy together, but I broke my finger."
Then Hager went on to describe her own experience with a family heirloom and how Henry "redid a ring" that she believe once belonged to his grandmother.
Then the co-hosts took a crack at solving the dilemma faced by a member of the studio audience: "It's a tradition in [Lance's] family to pass down an heirloom engagement ring whenever the men are going to propose," the person wrote. "His mother's ring is hideous. If he proposes to me using the ring, do I fake like I like it or tell him to get me a different ring?"
Hager took the stance that when it comes to an engagement ring, the bride-to-be needs to be very clear about her likes and dislikes.
"You've got to figure this out way before he proposes to you," she advised. "You don't say, Hey Lance, I don't like the ring. You say, 'This is what I'm kinda into.'"
Then she turned to the studio audience and stated, "You don't think people have those conversations before they get engaged?"
Kotb argued the opposite point of view.
"You just made a commitment for your life," she said. "It shouldn't be about the ring. If something has been in the family for years and years, it means the world to them. She knows the ring has been passed down from generation to generation… so this heirloom [is a] beautiful representation of his family."
Hager shot back, "You leave the heirloom at home and you say, 'I hope we're really going to get married, Lance. I love you so much. And Lance, just to let you know, I love this gold band, just like this. Oh, and look at Susan's ring.'"
"You don't think people drop hints like that when they're getting engaged?" she continued. "They sure do."
"It means a lot to him," Kotb argued. "It's an engagement ring. It means a lot. It means a lot. Take the ring. Say, 'Thank you.' Take the ring, say, 'I love you.'"
Then, pointing at her ring finger, she added, "You're more important than this. There are physical things and there are emotional things."
"What if [the ring] is important to her?" questioned Hager.
With no clear answer, the hosts moved on to the next topic. Please check out the segment at this link. The engagement ring banter runs until the 3:20 mark.
Kotb announced last week that she will be leaving the Today show in 2025 in order to spend more time with her family. She joined the show in 2007 and has been a co-anchor since 2018.
Hager's engagement ring was also the subject of a Today show segment back in April of this year. The co-host had recounted how she nearly lost ALL of her fine jewelry — including her engagement ring — at JFK Airport in New York City.
The 42-year-old daughter of former President George W. Bush recalled how she lost track of a bag of jewelry as she was “racing to a shoot” while on assignment for the Today show.
In a stroke of good fortune, a fellow traveler had spotted the unattended bag and did the right thing.
“Some lovely man who I’ve never met returned it to security,” she said.
Even though the story had a happy ending, Hager never shared it with her husband. He learned about the incident at the same time as the show’s five million viewers.
“I couldn’t even tell Henry because if I lost our engagement ring, it’s priceless,” she said. “So, I harbored a secret from Henry, too, which was hard.”
Credit: Screen capture via YouTube / TODAY with Hoda & Jenna.
A gorgeous example of October's birthstone — a cushion-shaped 5.44-carat Paraiba tourmaline set in a platinum ring — stole the show last week at Bonhams' auction in New York City when it fetched $533,900, which is nearly nine times the pre-sale high estimate of $60,000.
A companion pair of oval-shaped Paraiba tourmaline earclips with a total weight of 5.1 carats achieved $140,200, outpacing its pre-sale high estimate by more than $100,000.
Paraiba is the most prized tourmaline variety. The vivid teal, turquoise and neon blue stones caused a sensation when they were first discovered by prospector Heitor Dimas Barbosa in Brazil’s tropical, coastal state of Paraiba back in 1989.
They were so popular that the limited supply beneath “Paraiba Hill” — an area measuring 400 x 200 x 65 meters — became tapped out within five years.
In 2001, new Paraiba-like tourmalines were unearthed far across the Atlantic Ocean in Africa. Curiously, the African gems boasted the same color and chemistry as the South American-sourced originals.
Some gem experts believe that the uncanny connection can be attributed to continental drift, the theory that the Earth’s continents have moved over geologic time and that South America and Africa were once connected. Paraiba, on the far eastern tip of Brazil, would have been adjacent to the west coast of Nigeria.
Paraiba tourmalines are distinctly different from other varieties of tourmaline because they owe their intense blue color to trace impurities of copper. Others get their color from the presence of iron, manganese, chromium and vanadium. Gem dealers generally refer to copper-infused tourmaline as “Paraiba,” regardless of the origin.
Tourmaline comes in a wide variety of fiery, vibrant hues, such as red, green, yellow, orange, brown, pink and purple. October’s birthstone is even available in bi-color and tri-color versions. The name “tourmaline” is derived from the Singhalese words “tura mali,” which mean “stone with mixed colors.”
Tourmalines range from 7 to 7.5 on the Moh’s scale of hardness, which makes them durable enough to be used in any type of jewelry. Both tourmaline and opal are considered the official birthstones for the month of October.
Credits: Images courtesy of Bonhams.
Welcome to Music Friday when we often bring you fun, throwback tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Let's hark back to the spring of 1958, when a handsome 23-year-old from Tupelo, MS, was dominating the music scene with an unprecedented string of 10 consecutive #1 hits and his latest release, “Wear My Ring Around Your Neck," was making a beeline up the charts.
In today's featured tune, Elvis Presley, the world's most eligible bachelor and the "King of Rock and Roll," asks his girlfriend to wear his ring around her neck. Wearing your boyfriend's ring on a chain during the 1950s was akin to "going Instagram official."
No doubt, countless teenage girls dreamed The King was singing to them.
Here’s the first verse: “Won’t you wear my ring around your neck / To tell the world I’m yours, by heck / Let them see your love for me / And let them see by the ring around your neck.”
Written by Bert Carroll and Russell Moody, “Wear My Ring Around Your Neck” was a big hit, but stalled at #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, narrowly breaking Presley’s string of #1s. All 10 of Presley’s previous chart-toppers had been released during a two-year period.
Born in 1935, Elvis Aron Presley ascended to stardom in the mid-1950s with his good looks, silky voice and outrageous performance style. Not only did he top the charts during the 1950s and 1960s, but he also starred in more than 30 films, including Jailhouse Rock (1957) and Viva Las Vegas (1964).
Presley met Priscilla Ann Beaulieu in 1960 and married her after a 7 1/2-year courtship. Presley proposed with a 3-carat diamond ring in December 1966 and the wedding ceremony took place one year later at the Aladdin hotel in Las Vegas.
The King would eventually become one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. His first performance on the Ed Sullivan Show in September 1956 was watched by a record 82.6% of the nationwide viewing audience. Presley is the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music, with more than one billion records sold worldwide. His Memphis home, Graceland, is still a major tourist attraction. More than 20 million people have taken the tour since the site was opened to the public in 1982.
Presley died in Memphis on August 16, 1977, at the age of 42.
Please check out the audio track of Presley singing “Wear My Ring Around Your Neck.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
“Wear My Ring Around Your Neck”
Written by Bert Carroll and Russell Moody. Performed by Elvis Presley.
Won’t you wear my ring around your neck
To tell the world I’m yours, by heck
Let them see your love for me
And let them see by the ring around your neck
Won’t you wear my ring around your neck
To tell the world I’m yours, by heck
Let them know I love you so
And let them no by the ring around your neck
They say that goin’ steady is not the proper thing
They say that we’re too young to know the meaning of a ring
I only know that I love you and that you love me too
So, darling, please do what I ask of you
Won’t you wear my ring around your neck
To tell the world I’m yours, by heck
Let them see your love for me
And let them see by the ring around your neck
Well they say that goin’ steady is not the proper thing
They say that we’re too young to know the meaning of a ring
I only know that I love you and that you love me too
So, darling, please do what I ask of you
Won’t you wear my ring around your neck
To tell the world I’m yours, by heck
Let them know I love you so
And let them no by the ring around your neck
And let them know by the ring around your neck
And let them know by the ring around your neck
Credit: Image of Elvis Presley by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. Reproduction Number: LC-USZ6-2067 Location: NYWTS -- BIOG, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Canadian pop star Carly Rae Jepsen took to Instagram on Monday to reveal to her 2.6 million followers the non-traditional ring marking her engagement to Grammy Award-winning music producer Cole M.G.N.
The ring spotlights what appears to be a smoky-grey-blue gem prong set on a simple yellow gold band. Jewelry-industry pundits believe the stone may be a sapphire or spinel.
The shape? That's also hard to tell from the photo, but it's likely a cushion or Asscher cut.
Jepsen, 38, was straight to the point in her Monday post on Instagram. A carousel of nine romantic photos were simply captioned, "Very engaged over here." She punctuated the four-word phrase with an engagement ring and red heart emoji.
The four-time Billboard Music Award winner developed a relationship with Cole M.G.N. (full name Cole Marsden Greif-Neil) while working on her most recent album, 2023's The Loveliest Time.
Ironically, on the track, “So Right,” which was co-written and produced by M.G.N., Jepsen's new fiancé voices the role of a conflicted former lover in a flirty exchange that begins the song.
“Do you really think this is a good idea?” M.G.N. asks.
“I mean no, probably not, but yeah,” answers Jepsen.
“Alright, see you at my place,” he says.
“K, see you soon," she responds.
Jepsen told People, "I would've been too shy beforehand to be like, 'Do you want to do a skit at the beginning?' But now that we're so close, it was just really fun and playful to be like, 'Let's have this very '80s drama skit at the beginning where you ask me if I should come over and I say no, but then I come anyways.'"
While “So Right” was their first collaborative effort, it's not likely to be their last.
“We’ll go traveling somewhere, and we’ll bring a little acoustic guitar,” she told People. “I think you’ll see a lot more of our collaboration together for future projects, but this is our first little baby out in the world. We’re both so excited.”
Back in 2012, Jepsen earned worldwide acclaim with her blockbuster hit, "Call Me Maybe" (20 million copies sold).
The American-born M.G.N. has won six Grammy Awards for his work with Beck.
The couple has yet to announce a wedding date.
Credits: Images via Instagram / carlyraejepsen.
A lavish three-strand diamond necklace linked to French aristocracy in the decade leading up to the 1789 French Revolution will be hitting the auction block at Sotheby's Geneva this fall carrying a pre-sale estimate of between $1.8 million and $2.8 million.
“This rare and important diamond jewel is a sublime survivor from the opulent court life of the Georgian era, defined by its unrivaled pomp and splendor. It is arguably one of the most magnificent and intact Georgian jewels in private hands,” said Andres White Correal, chairman of Sotheby’s jewelry Europe and Middle East and head of Noble Jewels.
Boasting a diamond total weight of 300 carats, the three strands terminate at each end with a diamond-embellished tassel. The piece could be worn two ways — draped over the shoulders or tied around the neck in a simple knot. The old mine cut diamonds featured in this piece are believed to have been sourced at the historic Golconda mines in India, which, at the time, were the world's primary source for high-quality stones.
“When compared to other surviving Imperial and Royal jewels from the same period, this necklace stands head and shoulders above these examples," Correal added. "It is a fortune in diamonds, and also a masterclass in exquisite design, workmanship and technical innovation for the period.”
While it is not clear who originally commissioned the piece, based on its opulence, Sotheby's believes the likely owners were members of the French aristocracy or royalty. It is also believed that some of the diamonds making up the piece were plucked from a necklace that was the point of contention in the “1784 Affair of the Diamond Necklace.”
Apparently, Marie Antoinette was accused of failing to pay the Crown jewelers for an opulent diamond necklace, when, in fact, a woman impersonating the Queen of France was really responsible for the fraud.
Nevertheless, the scandal tarnished the Queen's reputation and ultimately led to her demise.
By the early 1900s, the luxurious three-strand diamond had entered the possession of a prominent UK family with ties to the British royal family. In fact, there is photographic evidence of Marjorie Paget, marchioness of Anglesey, wearing the piece at the coronation of British King George VI in 1937. Her daughter-in-law then wore the same jewel to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
According to Sotheby's, the seventh Marquess of Anglesey parted with the piece in the 1960s. By 1976, it was on exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Later, it was acquired by an "important Asian collector."
The piece is now back in the public eye, with appearances scheduled for London (September 23-25), Hong Kong (October 3-5), New York (October 9-10), Singapore (October 18-19), Taipei (October 21-22) and Dubai (October 28-30). The piece will return to Geneva, where it will headline Sotheby's Royal and Noble Jewels auction on November 11.
Credits: Images courtesy of Sotheby's.
A Hong Kong-based company that supplies the shell nuclei to major cultured pearl producers in French Polynesia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Japan and China is embedding RFID technology in its product to track a pearl's origin and movement along the supply chain.
Developed for more than a decade by the Fukui Shell Nucleus Factory, the technology called Metakaku® places a wireless RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) digital tag into each shell bead, which, in turn, becomes the nucleus of an Akoya, South Sea or Tahitian cultured pearl.
Each RFID tag is assigned a unique reference number that refers to the exact location where the pearl was harvested.
“As sustainability becomes increasingly important to consumers, this technology can play a vital role in telling the complete story of these gems,” said Tom Moses, GIA executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer. “The integration of RFID details with GIA Cultured Pearl Reports represents a significant step forward in efforts to enhance traceability and transparency in the pearl industry.”
When the GIA detects cultured pearls containing RFID-tagged nuclei, it will add a comment to its grading report referencing the pearl's unique RFID reference number.
“Stories have the power to create meaningful connections with pearls, inspiring us to seek deeper understanding and build stronger bonds with these precious gems," noted David Wong, innovator of Metakaku®. "Through [this technology] we hope to provide value and new perspectives that encourage exploration and inspire greater opportunities for every single pearl that is harvested.”
In a 2013 interview with RFIDjournal.com, Wong revealed that Fukui Shell looked into several ways of applying RFID technology to the pearl industry. Drilling a hole in a pearl to embed an RFID tag would be destructive, Wong said, while laser-printing an ID number on its surface also could result in damage. Therefore, the company sought to create a unique ID that could be accessed from the nucleus through the pearl.
Wong told RFIDjournal.com that customers who are assured of a full record of a pearl’s origins and history are more likely to make a purchase.
GIA, best known for creating the diamond 4Cs and the GIA International Diamond Grading System™, has been a leader in identifying and classifying natural and cultured pearls since 1949.
GIA has contributed to revising the US Federal Trade Commission’s pearl guidelines for the jewelry industry and is responsible for working with major pearl companies globally to develop comprehensive standards for describing pearls. These standards are called the GIA 7 Pearl Value Factors™: Size, Shape, Color, Nacre, Luster, Surface and Matching.
Credit: Image courtesy of the Gemological Institute of America.
Timed to coincide with National Lobster Day — September 25 — Pauli's North End is offering a "true Boston proposal experience."
For $10,000, the sandwich shop known for its outrageous promotions and its catchy tag line, “Wicked fresh. Crazy good,” is offering its massive 28-ounce "USS Lobstitution" lobster roll along with a diamond engagement ring.
Pauli's described the center stone as a certified round-cut 1 5/8ths-carat diamond in a diamond halo setting.
On an average day, the USS Lobstitution, which consists of 28-ounces of knuckle and claw lobster meat, dressed with mayo and a twist of lemon on a grilled long sub roll, is listed on Pauli's menu at $99.99. That would put the value of the ring at $9,900.01.
As a special bonus, Pauli's will close down the restaurant so the lobster-loving couple can sponsor a private engagement party at the popular venue on Salem Street in Boston's historic North End. It's just down the block from the Old North Church, where Paul Revere began his famous ride.
“We’ve always had a good time creating these types of promotions," Pauli's owner Paul Barker said in a statement, "and the idea of filling the restaurant with friends and family and popping the question in the most Boston way ever, seems like a fun idea.”
Boston-area suitors must place their diamond engagement lobster roll orders before September 25.
This Wednesday marks the 9th annual National Lobster Day, honoring the hardworking individuals who sustain Maine's iconic lobster fishery. According to a press release, this day invites lobster lovers nationwide to savor the iconic staple at its seasonal best.
For over 150 years, Maine's lobster fishery has been a cornerstone of the state's coastal identity, upheld by generations of families dedicated to their communities and the preservation of this vital resource.
Credits: Screen captures via Instagram / paulisboston.
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great tunes with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, country singer Sam Outlaw plays the part of a callous lover in his 2017 release, “Diamond Ring.”
Outlaw’s “slow, sad waltz” tells the story of a couple with conflicting opinions about the status of their relationship. They've gone to a dance bar, where Outlaw has consumed more than his fair share of whiskey. Despite his drunken state, his girlfriend presses him for a marriage commitment.
He responds, “You want my heart to surrender / I see no courage ending life here / I see no reason at all / I see no diamond ring on your finger / I see no diamond ring on you at all.”
“‘Diamond Ring’ is about being a self-centered twenty-something,” Outlaw told Rolling Stone magazine. “I’m no longer in my twenties, but the rest of that still applies to me pretty accurately.”
In April of 2023, Outlaw exposed his sensitive side with an Instagram post directed at his wife of nine years, Andie Morgan.
"The wedding was fun, but the marriage is what I’m proud of," wrote Outlaw. "We’ve grown so much together and it’s my greatest privilege to raise a family with my true love. I feel like I have it all, so here’s to another day of trying to not mess it up. Thanks for loving me, Andie."
The 42-year-old has been performing “Diamond Ring” on tour since 2012, but the song made its “official” debut in 2017 as the eighth track of Outlaw’s second album, Tenderheart. “Diamond Ring” got another boost when a live version of the song recorded at the 2017 Americana Music Festival in Nashville was cherry-picked in 2018 for Amazon’s “Love Me Not” playlist.
Born in Aberdeen, SD, in 1982, Sam Morgan moved with his family to Southern California when he was 10. He borrowed his mom’s maiden name, Outlaw, when he abruptly gave up a career in advertising to pursue his dreams of being a singer-songwriter. At the age of 30, he hit the road as a touring musician.
Outlaw describes his music as “SoCal country,” defined as country music refashioned with a Southern California vibe and a melding of classic honky-tonk and troubadour pop.
He told Rolling Stone that he’s noticed that Los Angeles’s appetite for Southern culture has only been growing.
“It’s nice that now I can wear my Stetson to a restaurant,” he told the magazine, “and not have people think I’m insane.”
In May of 2019, the artist made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry.
Please check out the video of Sam Outlaw’s live performance of “Diamond Ring” at WFUV's Studio A on the campus of NYC's Fordham University in April of 2017. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
“Diamond Ring”
Written and performed by Sam Outlaw.
You took me dancing, you got me drunk
You kissed me, oh I remember
I was a man needing a woman’s touch
And that’s all that I claim to be
And now you got questions, now come the tears
You want my heart to surrender
I see no courage ending life here
I see no reason at all
I see no diamond ring on your finger
I see no diamond ring on you at all
You look so pretty, you look like hell
You kissed me, oh I remember
Couple with whiskey, from a bottomless well
I must have been quite a show
Now you want answers, now comes the fear
You want me only forever
I see no wisdom in drawing death near
I see no reason at all
I see no diamond ring on your finger
I see no diamond ring on you at all
I see no diamond ring on your finger
I see no diamond ring on you at all
So can you forgive me for not putting trust
On someone who thinks I’m so special?
I’m just a man needing a woman’s touch
And someday you’ll see me again
Credit: Screen capture via YouTube / WFUV Public Radio.
Four intricately crafted silver bracelets hidden under the floorboards of a Viking slave dwelling for 1,100 years were recently unearthed by archaeologists from Norway's University of Stavanger’s Archaeological Museum.
The current owner of the property, Tårn Sigve Schmidt, had called in the archaeologists to survey his land ahead of his plan to carve out a new tractor road on his mountainside farm overlooking a fjord near Årdal, northwest of Oslo.
Field archaeologists Mari Krogstad Samuelsen and Ola Tengesdal Lygre found the heavy, twisted-motif bracelets under the floorboards of what was once a tiny shelter. They were buried under 8 inches of soil.
"At first I thought it was a question of some twisted copper wires that you can often find in agricultural land," said Lyger, "but when I saw that there were several lying next to each other and that they were not copper at all, but silver, I realized that we had found something exciting."
An analysis of the site revealed that there was once a large and powerful Viking farm consisting of several houses for both people and animals. Apparently, the location had strategic military value because from the vantage point of the farm, the Vikings could control the sea routes into what is today's Årdal.
In addition to the bracelets, the archaeologists found remains of soapstone pots, rivets, knife blades and whetstones for sharpening tools.
The archaeologists called the discovery "unique" because they very rarely find such objects exactly where they were placed. More often, they are discovered in fields that have been plowed, where an object has been completely taken out of its original context.
"Since the silver hoard has not been moved, it can give us completely new insights into life and society in the Viking Age," said archaeologist and project manager Volker Demuth.
The excavation also revealed that the farm had been burned down during a time that coincided with a period of great unrest in the Viking Age (The Viking Age in Norway spanned from 800 AD to 1066 AD).
"If people who lived on this farm had to flee from an attack, it would be natural to hide away the valuables you had before escaping to the mountains," said Demuth.
The archaeologists transported a block of earth containing the undisturbed bangles to the University of Stavanger’s Archaeological Museum, where conservators took X-rays. They are also in the process of analyzing soil samples from the block to tell, among other things, whether the bracelets were wrapped in a cloth when they were buried.
Interestingly, there were no silver mines operating in Norway during the 9th century, so all the silver the Vikings used came from abroad, either through trade, as gifts, or as part of the loot from raiding expeditions.
The silver bracelets will soon find their way to an exhibit at the archaeological museum once analysis and conservation work is complete.
Credit: Photo by Volker Demuth, Archaeological Museum, University of Stavanger.