A Silver Anniversary Party Trivia Quiz

Answer: Comstock Lode

Named after Henry Comstock. He owned many claims but difficulty in mining and lack of gold caused him to sell his claims for very little money. Then silver ore was discovered worth $2,000 per ton (in 1859 dollars). D'oh!

Answer: 92.5

The other 7.5% is copper (or alloy). Sterling silver is more pure than the pre-1964 silver coins (dime, quarter, half-dollar, dollar). These coins were 90% silver and 10% alloy.

Answer: The Hunt Brothers

After they cornered the market, the Federal Reserve intervened and COMEX (the governing board of the COMmodities EXchange) changed various rules. The price fell from $54 per ounce to between $5 and $6 per ounce (where it is at today). The Hunt Brothers were destroyed financially.

Answer: argentum

This is how we get the symbol Ag. The word silver comes from the Anglo-Saxon word 'siolfur'.

Answer: 1957

This currency (started in 1878) could be redeemed for its equivalent value in silver bullion until 1968. It was a way to placate the free-silver proponents from question 17.

Answer: There is no such award

500,000 sales gets you a gold album. 1,000,000 sales gets you a platinum album. 10,000,000 sales gets you a diamond award. There is no award in silver. Ref: www.riaa.com/gp/default.asp

Answer: Galactus

The Silver Surver was originally a bad guy working for Galactus. When Galactus wanted to destroy the Earth, the Silver Surfer changed sides and convinced Galactus to spare the planet. As a result of the betrayal, the Silver Surfer was condemned to live on Earth for the rest of his life.

Answer: First

At the first modern Olympics in 1896, the winner of an event was given a silver medal and a crown of olive branches. Second place received a bronze medal and crown of laurel branches.

Answer: Hans Brinker

Hans enters a skating competition to win the prize, a pair of silver skates, to help out his poor family. Does he win? Read the book.

Answer: False

Although it is commonly thought that the Confederacy only used paper currency, some silver coins were minted at the New Orleans Mint during the early months of the Civil War.

Answer: Element

Data: Atomic Number - 47, Group Number - 11, Period - 5, Atomic Mass - 107.8682, Isotopes - 2, Density - 10500 g/dm^3, Electrical Resistance - 1.59 micro-ohms cm.

Answer: Troy

Precious metals are weighed using the Troy system. In this system, 480 grains = 1 oz; 12 oz = 1 lbs. By comparison, in the English system 437.5 grains = 1 oz; 16 oz = 1 lbs. "Troy" comes from the French town "Troyes" where a weight system for precious metal was developed in the Middle Ages.

Answer: False

But there is a University of Silver Springs in Maryland.

Answer: Birch

The silver birch has (shockingly) silver bark.

Answer: Morgan

These were minted from 1878 to 1904 and in the year 1921. The ones from Carson City are the most valuable ones for that year.

Answer: C.S. Lewis

The fourth book of the Chronicles of Narnia. If you read this as a child, read it again knowing that Lewis wrote it about Christianity. You'll see it's a completely different series.

Answer: 16 to 1

This was known as free silver. The idea was to increase the money supply to counteract the depression brought on by the huge number of greenbacks printed to finance the Civil War. William Jennings Bryan was the major proponent of free silver and during the 1896 election delivered his famous "Cross of Gold" speech. He lost the election to McKinley and the gold standard.

Answer: Brazil

Other major producers are the United States and Peru. It is interesting that all of the major producers are in the Western Hemisphere.

Answer: Florida

These 5,000 acres include birdwatching, springs, and almost 14 miles of trails.

Answer: Yes

They are insects of the order Thysanura or three pronged bristle-tails. The reason that they don't look like the traditional insect is that this order contains some of the most primitive insects on earth. You may have been fooled because a silverfish looks like it has many sections, but this is because the abdomen has many segments.

Answer: Mummy

According to tradition, since silver was the payment for the betrayal of Jesus, God endowed it with power over evil. Hence a vampire cannot be seen in a silvered mirror (although one can be seen in non-silvered reflective objects), witches cannot stand the sight of silver, and werewolves are killed by silver bullets.

Answer: pancakes

These miniature pancakes are a favorite of kids.

Answer: Oratory

If you play my world-famous quiz on graduation colors - you now have a free answer.

Answer: Gallantry in action

Awarded "for distinguished gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States or while serving with friendly forces against an opposing enemy force". The medal started in 1918 as the Citation Star. In 1932 it was renamed the Silver Star and was allowed to be given retroactively to service personnel serving since 1898.

Answer: silver

For my 50th quiz, I'll do one on gold. Stay tuned.