# Why is silver more "pure" than gold? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 7, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224 "2005-10-07T17:43:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/1 "2005-10-07T17:43:03Z")
I’m thinking here of the commonly mentioned ways to kill a werewolf, i.e. silver bullets. Why not, say, bronze? I’m also interested in why rich folks are said to have a “silver spoon” in their mouth when they are born as opposed to, again, a gold spork? I’m sure there are other instances where silver is mentioned as being special. I like it better than gold in jewelry myself. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/2 "2005-10-07T18:01:55Z")
> [@Sam Hell](#): > > I’m thinking here of the commonly mentioned ways to kill a werewolf, i.e. silver bullets. Why not, say, bronze? > > I’m also interested in why rich folks are said to have a “silver spoon” in their mouth when they are born as opposed to, again, a gold spork? > > I’m sure there are other instances where silver is mentioned as being special. I like it better than gold in jewelry myself. I don’t know about the silver spoon reference, except that we had an old sterling silver mixing spoon when I was a kid and it looked ugly compared to the everyday stuff. 😉 As far as silver bullets – maybe because the moon high in the sky shines with a color vaguely similar to silver or steel, and because werewolves are associated with the moon, especially the full moon?? WAG - YMMV ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/3 "2005-10-07T18:03:38Z")
> [@Sam Hell](#): > > I’m thinking here of the commonly mentioned ways to kill a werewolf, i.e. silver bullets. Why not, say, bronze? OTTOMH, silver didn’t becomed link to werewolves until Universal Studios’ The Wolman. Before that, remedies including spilling three drops of the lycanthropes’ blood or calling them by their Christian name (why Europe was not over run by Jewish werewolves, I don’t know). For warding off fairies and evil spirits, people used iron. > [@](#): > > I’m also interested in why rich folks are said to have a “silver spoon” in their mouth when they are born as opposed to, again, a gold spork? Semi WAG- Silver is rare enough to be viewed as a sign of status, but hard enough to be made into utensils, tea sets, etc. Gold is soft and heavy. The spork is a recent invention. But, putting anything with tines into the mouth of a newborn is extremely dangerous and will almost certainly result in injury. A spoon with a tiny bowl, thickened to prevent bending, and with a thickened edge to avoid scraping or cutting is the right tool to feed your baby pureed peas. > [@](#): > > I’m sure there are other instances where silver is mentioned as being special. I like it better than gold in jewelry myself. OTTOMH, mostly modern and following Universal’s lead. As I said before, for centuries in Europe, the metal for fighting the supernatural was iron. However, I can think of two Jewish traditions that call for silver. The first is strictly canonical. If the firstborn child of any family is male, he is obligated to a period of service at The Temple. However, you can get him released from service by paying a Kohain (the names Cohen, Cohn, and others derive from this) a fee in silver coins. There is no Temple at present. But some families still insist that the ceremony be performed. It doesn’t take much of the Cohen’s time, and he makes a few bucks. The second is from a longstanding piece of unofficial Jewish folklore. Adam had a wife before Eve. Her name was Lilith. She was expelled from Eden (explanations vary. Jewish feminists often claim that Lilith’s only crime was demanding equal rights and refusing to submit to the patriarchy). These days, Lilith and her demon children stalk the world. They enjoy killing human infants. To prevent this, red ribbons should be tied to the crib and a special coin must be placed in the nursery windows. The coin must be silver and inscribed with the names of the three angels who drove Lilith from Eden- Sanvi, Sansavi, and Semangeleaf. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/4 "2005-10-07T21:15:38Z")
Acording to alchemy, every ancient metal was associated with a particular heavenly body. Gold–Sun Silver–Moon Quicksilver–Mercury Copper–Venus Iron–Mars Tin–Jupiter Lead–Saturn Since both silver and werewolves are associated with the moon, it makes sense that silver should have some special connection with werewolves. Also, the peasants who came up with this folklore were much more likely to encounter silver than gold. A little bit of silver wouldn’t be too difficult to come up with for your little rituals, but a little bit of gold would be much harder. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/5 "2005-10-07T21:29:58Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Also, the peasants who came up with this folklore were much more likely to encounter silver than gold. A little bit of silver wouldn’t be too difficult to come up with for your little rituals, but a little bit of gold would be much harder. Again, the peasants who came up with ‘silver kills werewolves’ worked for Universal Studios. Most folktales don’t mention werewolves being tied to the lunar cycle either. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/6 "2005-10-07T21:52:25Z")
Heh…there’s a Google ad for the Brunton Titanium Spork. Great. Now I can eat my KFC mashed potatoes in style. On [**Silver Spoons.**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=270651) As for the rest of the OP, you use silver bullets on werewolves because they work! Just kidding. That part of the legend started in 1935 in “The Werewolf of London.”(Universal Studios, as it turns out). Evidently up until the early 20th Century you could kill a werewolf using any means you ould use to kill a normal dude. But you’d have to outsmart the damned thing, which was tough, and then you’d have to not chicken out when it was time to get in the ring. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2005, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/7 "2005-10-08T01:36:38Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > OTTOMH, silver didn’t becomed link to werewolves until Universal Studios’ The Wolman. Before that, remedies including spilling three drops of the lycanthropes’ blood or calling them by their Christian name (why Europe was not over run by Jewish werewolves, I don’t know). > . Nope. It’s not a modern invention. During the many hunts of the infamous “Gevaudan beast”, in the mid 18th century, at least one of the hunters brought blessed silver bullets. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2005, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/8 "2005-10-08T01:37:25Z")
The idea that a silver bullet could kill things that go bump in the night predates the 1935 movie. I’ve not tried to research it extensively, but I can easily find a 1929 story where a voo doo doctor is said to be able to kill a supernatural being with a silver bullet. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2005, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/9 "2005-10-08T01:47:49Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > The idea that a silver bullet could kill things that go bump in the night predates the 1935 movie. I’ve not tried to research it extensively, but I can easily find a 1929 story where a voo doo doctor is said to be able to kill a supernatural being with a silver bullet. Besides, why do you think the Lone Ranger carried silver bullets? To fight Indian werewolves, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2005, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/10 "2005-10-08T01:49:37Z")
Incidentally, wasn’t silver used in a few of the various vampire myths? Not that this really proves anything; there was a different vampire myth for every square mile of Europe. You’d probably be hard pressed to find something that wouldn’t kill a vampire somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2005, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/11 "2005-10-08T02:56:14Z")
“Silver spoon” – alliteration. It sounds cool. “Golden spoon” – not quite so much. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2005, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/12 "2005-10-08T11:58:52Z")
Also, silver cutlery is a common status symbol of the moderately well off, gold cutlery isn’t (can you even get gold cutlery?) ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2005, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/13 "2005-10-08T12:08:29Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > The second is from a longstanding piece of unofficial Jewish folklore. Adam had a wife before Eve. Her name was Lilith. She was expelled from Eden (explanations vary. Jewish feminists often claim that Lilith’s only crime was demanding equal rights and refusing to submit to the patriarchy). These days, Lilith and her demon children stalk the world. They enjoy killing human infants. To prevent this, red ribbons should be tied to the crib and a special coin must be placed in the nursery windows. The coin must be silver and inscribed with the names of the three angels who drove Lilith from Eden- Sanvi, Sansavi, and Semangeleaf. What a coincidence! That’s the same story as Fraser and Lilith on “Cheers”! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![scm1001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@scm1001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scm1001)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2005, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/14 "2005-10-08T13:18:01Z")
One reason that silver bullets are unlikely to be very useful is that the very high melting point of silver makes casting bullets troublesome as it destroys the molds. Here is someone who made some. [http://www.popsci.com/popsci/how20/9d2a9aa138b84010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html](http://www.popsci.com/popsci/how20/9d2a9aa138b84010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html) ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/15 "2005-10-08T14:21:00Z")
[This page has many references to silver killing werewolves](http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/werewolf.html): > [@](#): > > The Werewolf of Kleims-Krans > … > At the next hunt he said to his friends, as he rammed a bullet of inherited silver into the barrel of his rifle, “Today the werewolf will not escape from me!” His companions looked at him in amazement, but he said nothing further. > … > Source: Karl Bartsch, Sagen, Märchen und Gebräuche aus Meklenburg (Wien: Wilhelm Braumüller, 1879), v. 1, no. 183, pp. 148-150. > [@](#): > > The Werewolf of Jarnitz > … > He had already hit the werewolf several times, as he had clearly seen, but the bullets seemed to have done him no harm, and he had escaped with his booty every time. Then the shepherd loaded his gun with bullets made of inherited silver, which never fail. Thus this time he would be successful. > … > Source: A. Haas, Rügensche Sagen und Märchen (Stettin, 1903), pp. 98-99. > [@](#): > > The WErewolf of Husby > … > When on a Sunday morning the woman again turned herself into a wolf, the people were on guard. However, no bullet could harm her until they finally loaded a flintlock with a silver bullet. From that time to the end of her life the woman had an open wound that no doctor could heal. She never again showed herself as a werewolf. > … > Source: Karl Müllenhoff, Sagen, Märchen und Lieder der Herzogtümer Schleswig, Holstein und Lauenburg, neue Ausgabe von Otto Mensing (Schleswig, 1921), no. 370. > [@](#): > > The Werewolves in Greifswald > … > Two hundred years ago for a time there was a frightfully large number of werewolves in the city of Greifswald. They were especially prevelant in Rokover Street. From there they attacked anyone who appeared outside of their houses after eight o’clock in the evening. At that time there were a lot of venturesome students in Greifswald. They banded together and one night set forth against the monsters. At first they were powerless against them, until finally the students brought together all of the silver buttons that they had inherited, and with these they killed the werewolves. > … > Source: J. D. H. Temme, Die Volkssagen von Pommern und Rügen (Berlin: In der Nicolaischen Buchhandlung, 1840), no. 259, p. 308. I don’t know how common the legend was prior to _The Wolfman_, but it appears to have been moderately widespread in Germany. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/16 "2005-10-08T14:59:10Z")
RE Silver Bullets I accept the cites given and admit my error. I’m actually very happy to be proven wrong in this case. I thought I had found the source of the silver myth. Now, I have a whole new wilderness to explore. This means that next time I see my father, we can have a long talk about German opera, German folksongs, and werewolves. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2005, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/17 "2005-10-08T15:13:32Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I’m actually very happy to be proven wrong in this case. I thought I had found the source of the silver myth. Now, I have a whole new wilderness to explore. This means that next time I see my father, we can have a long talk about German opera, German folksongs, and werewolves. Sounds great! 😃 I’m still curious about the _origin_ of the belief, or at least contemporaraneous speculation on why werewolves are susceptible to silver. Surely some church scholar or alchemist–maybe even a luminary like Newton or Dee–wrote on the subject? Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-silver-more-pure-than-gold/325224/18 "2005-10-08T18:44:06Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Nope. It’s not a modern invention. During the many hunts of the infamous “Gevaudan beast”, in the mid 18th century, at least one of the hunters brought blessed silver bullets. In fact, it was this hunter (and his blessed silber bullets) that finally killed the beast.