Silver mining began when ancient civilizations in Asia Minor first mined the metal over 5,000 years ago. Almost 1,800 years later, the Greek Empire began mining silver as a currency, and during the height of the Roman Empire, silver became an essential trading commodity along the Asian spice routes. The Spanish conquest of the New World in the 15th century, however, proved to be the most pivotal moment in the history of the commodity. Dramatic increases in silver mining in Bolivia, Peru and Mexico occurred between 1500 and 1800 AD. These three nations accounted for 85% of the world’s production as the Spanish gained a foothold in the Americas. Since then, new discoveries in the United States, Australia, Central America and Europe have bolstered production worldwide. Cleopatre LLC is proud to be a part of history by trading this precious metal.