I think my medal of Our Lady of Guadalupe turned gold?

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MiserereMei25

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Has anyone had something like this happen?
It’s not tarnished, it’s a bright shiney gold color. It was sterling silver since I first got it a few years ago. I just noticed this tonight?

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Perfectly natural explanation:

“When the copper in silver reacts to the moisture in the air, your ring first develops a slight golden hue and then turns a dark color. In addition to airborne moisture, copper also reacts to acidic foods such as onions and chemicals like bleach, ammonia and chlorine. Exposure to these items cause silver to tarnish more quickly than it otherwise would. The acid in your sweat can also tarnish a sterling silver ring while it is on your finger. To clean away mild tarnish, submerse the ring in warm water that contains a mild dish washing detergent. Rub the ring gently with your fingers and then rinse it thoroughly.”
 
Your medal appears to be enameled, so I am not sure you want to risk damaging it. But if you have other tarnished silver you could also do this to remove tarnish. I do this with plated trumpet/cornet mouthpieces and it does work.

Place a sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of a container. Also put in some baking soda. Fill the container with boiling hot water, then place the silver item on the aluminum foil (silver must touch the foil). This will chemically reverse the tarnish, though you may get some fotten egg smell. You’ll also have to rinse off excess baking soda.
 
It looks like there is a glass or possibly acrylic cover over the image. It looks like that has yellowed.
 
Simple chemistry, not a miraculous event.
 
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Pointing out the science behind why these things happen points us to God, the author of the created world and the beauty OF science!
 
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You have me at a disadvantage, madame, too many poorly insulated power lines and Hg in the fish have diminished my faculties of rational thought.
 
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