Lead (Pb)

Lead metal ingot - one troy ounce - .9999 bullion      Lead has been known since ancient times with lead beads found in Turkey which date back to around 7000 BC, thought to represent to first known smelted metal artifacts, made possible by its relatively low melting point. Lead is also a fairly dense metal and when fresh is silver colored with a faint blue hue but quickly oxidizes in air to a dark grey color. It is soft, malleable, ductile, and corrosion resistant, and has the highest atomic number of any stable element, a distinction formerly ascribed to bismuth until fairly recently when bismuth was found to be very weakly radioactive. Ancient Egyptians used lead in cosmetics and writing tools (although notably modern day pencils contain graphite, not lead). The ancient Romans used lead in their water pipes, medicines, war and construction materials, currency, and in drinking vessels where the lead was known to produce a sweeter taste whereas copper/bronze vessels would impart a m