Gold, platinum, palladium: precious metals have fascinated humanity since time immemorial. Naturally, this is mainly due to their high value, but also because of their beauty and luster. To quickly and easily learn about the origin and age of a piece, this practical book is recommended. Organized by motifs to ensure easy access, it lists well-known gold stamps from around the world. The stamp serves as a guarantee for the quality of the precious metal for both the buyer and the owner: it is certified by control authorities, initially by guilds, and later this responsibility was taken over by other municipal or state authorities. Above all, however, the stamp serves as a source of information about the place and time of manufacture. Other sections of the book deal with the significance of gold, platinum, and palladium, as well as the special alloys of precious metals and their imitations.