Fineness. In reference to gold and silver fineness means the proportion of pure metal and it
usually is expressed in thousandths. The coins of the United States, both gold and silver, are .900
fine, that is, nine-tenths pure metal and one-tenth alloy. The alloy in a gold coin is one part silver
and nine parts copper; in a silver coin the alloy is copper. The gold coins of Great Britain are .916
2-3 fine, while the silver coins are .925 fine.