What is the real Gold/Silver Ratio

[balz]

I've been doing some research lately, and there is something I don't understand.

Look at this URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abundance_ ... %27s_crust

According to Barbalace, Kenneth. "Periodic Table of Elements". Environmental Chemistry.com
GSR = 63.64 (Relative proportion, 0.07/0.0011)

According to Abundance in Earth's Crust". WebElements.com. http://www.webelements.com/webelements/ ... crust.html. Retrieved 2007-04-14.
GSR = 25.81 (Crustal abundance, 0.08/0.0031)

According to "It's Elemental — The Periodic Table of Elements". Jefferson Lab. Retrieved 2007-04-14.
GSR = 18.75 (Crustal abundance, 0.075/0.004)

What's the real numbers? Am I missing something?

[beauanderos]

How could anyone know precisely? These are all estimates, based on sampling, and that differs every time. Production numbers will vary, skewing those numbers. Usage, in the past, of silver and gold coinage was based upon govt mandate and political will, and that can have yet a different effect. I would surmise that production would be the most accurate, despite its shortcomings... doesn't matter how much is in the Earth's crust if it isn't being extracted and utilized. To argue that the long term ratio of GSR will reassert itself is fallacious and specious reasoning, just as is analysts constant assurances that we are beneath the all time high of silver based on inflation. That all time high was caused by speculative excess and has little bearing on the real world. I would like to see these things happen, but there is no guarantee they will just because of the repeated insistence that they do. My bet is that hyperinflation will cause their price to explode many multiples from current levels, or that resource depletion, leading to unbalanced supply/demand issues, will be more salient factors.

[balz]

Thanks for the reply. I know it's not because GSR should be let's say 17:1 that it should get back there... However I think it is an argument for that... My main concern is that 64:1 ratio... Seems strange.