Palladium?

Hi, I noticed there are sections of the forum for silver, gold and platinum but not palladium.

I don’t have much interest in palladium but did use to work with a bloke who only purchased palladium, he was obsessed with it and made a lot of money when the price spiked.

Just wondering if there’s enough interest from others or is there no real market for palladium coins and bars?

I own some palladium but it makes up less than 4% of my holdings

SanMarino wrote:Hi, I noticed there are sections of the forum for silver, gold and platinum but not palladium.

I don’t have much interest in palladium but did use to work with a bloke who only purchased palladium, he was obsessed with it and made a lot of money when the price spiked.

Just wondering if there’s enough interest from others or is there no real market for palladium coins and bars?

Very interesting, thank you! I'd love to learn about palladium. For simple folks like me it's just not as 'obvious' as gold or silver.

I think @AceBullion (he's the owner/admin here too for those who don't know) has his own thoughts on the metal, I'm sure he's considered it at length. I know he bought some platinum and has so far done very well out of some of it, and others (some PM dealers) speculate it should do even better.

My best guess is that (rightly or wrongly) it's too niche to have it's own section. Not that it's not a very precious metal - just that the following is not enough from keeping the forum layout as simple as possible. But that is only a guess, and I know Admin is open to any and all new ideas!

Mike Xonox wrote:I own some palladium but it makes up less than 4% of my holdings

I am completely without knowledge here, I'd love to know more about this metal, its uses, and what people think the potential is going forwards

What little bit of palladium I have I purchased during a severe dip in the spot price a few months back. Dont know a whole lot about it other than its used in diesel catalytic converters. As stated previous it makes up about 4% of the portfolio with Platinum making up almost 10%, Gold 34% and Silver 52%. I know Palladium is in the Platinum family.

I also stack copper pennies which IMO is the only worthwhile way to stack copper right now.

Diesel cars are very much being driven out here in the UK, they are making the emission tests harder and harder to meet, and the particulate filters and converters are super expensive, and so I'd be very interested in other uses, when others with some knowledge chip in

You are relatively weighted towards Platinum compared to most (as far as I know, again here in the UK) that is interesting!

Also heavily weighted towards gold, imvho that is a great call (obviously depending on the price when you bought it).

I keep all 1991 and before UK pennies because after that they changed the alloy away from the heavy copper content, so after that they are not worth as much or more than face value - great point. I don't have very many though (nothing worth melting into bars - are you a pourer yourself?).

I have probably more than half a ton of other (basic) metals. People tell me they're not worth much, and that even if I'm lucky a scrap dealer will come out and take them away (for 'free'!) which astonishes me, but I think that's (scrapping) for another thread maybe (?).

Palladium is used in jewellery. It is classed as a precious metal now and has its own hallmark in the UK. The marks are for 500, 950 and 999 parts per 1000. It's now compulsory, but there was a period when a voluntary mark was used, a trapezium shape with the fineness inside. It now appears essentially as three conjoined ovals with the fineness inside, one digit per oval.

The Cat's Mother wrote:Palladium is used in jewellery. It is classed as a precious metal now and has its own hallmark in the UK.
....

Any idea why? Is it just perceived value?

I don't really know, although perceived value will probably have had an influence, as it does on all precious metals and stones. It may have become popular as an alternative to platinum because it used to be quite a bit cheaper, and I believe (though where I've got this from I can't say) that it's lighter than gold or platinum and may be more comfortable to wear. There's also the 'value' in it being an unusual metal that not many people will have jewellery made of. I know of people who had their wedding rings made of palladium. It's also used as an alloying metal in white gold.

The royal mint stock it (or they did?)

Palladium is not a metal you can go to the Royal Mint to buy from. In fact the only place I am aware in the UK that you can buy it from is Baird & Co. 

And Ironically the only place you can Sell it is also Baird and Co. 

It is a metal that is very difficult to work with ( yes I have some ) But it is also a metal that is used for Medical and Scientific reasons. IE they use Pure Palladium for crucibles. YES that is right!!! Ironically you can heat it up to over 1000 degrees and put it on a piece of paper or your hands less than a minute later!  It rapidly cools down on its own and is as I mentioned unique. 

However a section dedicated to such a metal is not really a Stackers, or even a Collectors section. Those who have it bought the bars at a low price. Those who choose to buy it now over £9k are buying it for either Jewellery or Medical uses. 

Again it is VERY difficult to work with,  It has a melting point of over 1555 degree Celsius  
Gold has a melting point of over 1064 degrees Celsius 
And Silver  has a melting point of over 981.80 degrees Celsius
Copper …. is similar to Gold, at 1085

To melt down Palladium you need a oxyacetylene torch and a very tightly bricked up area to preserve the heat, as I mentioned the heat easily dissipates from the metal. 

I hope this helps to why. ( because not many have it ) 

Since palladium is in the Platinum family I assume we can use that forum.

@Admin , you can buy palladium sheets, wire and casting pieces from Cookson Gold although it's priced per gram and not cheap.

Mike Xonox wrote:Since palladium is in the Platinum family I assume we can use that forum.

That seems obvious to me really, and look forward to learning more from your own (and others') posts there!

I agree it can be put in this section. The same as Rhodium as well. Again something that is not talked about. 

I forgot about Cooks  @The Cat's Mother, Thank you for pointing it out. As it is the main place I use to get supplies.