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Goblin-wrought silver[1] (also known as goblins' silver and goblin-made silver)[2] was pure silver, forged and enchanted by goblins using goblin magic. They had been making it for at least a thousand years.[3] Goblin-made silver possessed properties that wizardkind were incapable of reproducing.[4][5]

Properties[]

According to Professor Phineas Nigellus Black, goblins' silver repelled mundane dirt, meaning it did not require cleaning. It imbibed "only that which strengthens it".[2] When Harry Potter killed a Basilisk with a weapon made from goblin-wrought silver by stabbing it through the roof of the mouth, this property caused the sword to absorb and gain the destructive properties of Basilisk venom.[6][7]

Goblins' silver was able to contain ancient magic, which Professor Isidora Morganach used to her advantage in the Tudor period after having used her power of ancient magic to draw pain from many different people. The pain that she was left with, which was magical in nature, was powerful, but also volatile and dangerous. She stored it inside of giant spherical repositories made out of goblin silver in the Scottish highlands around Hogwarts.[8]

According to Hagrid, goblins were able to make "indestructible" armour. Presumably this referred to goblin-wrought silver.[9] However, Mundungus Fletcher believed he would be able to remove the engraving on the Black family's goblin-wrought silver goblets,[1] although he never actually did so.[10]

Goblin-wrought silver was likely extremely valuable, as the notoriously tight-fisted Caractacus Burke considered 500 Galleons a fair price for a suit of armour made from it, and even then he was rebuffed.[11] Mundungus Fletcher considered it valuable enough to steal, and was excited to discover some.[1] The Lestrange family stored helmets made from it among their valuables at Gringotts Wizarding Bank.[12] A thousand years ago, Ragnuk the First coveted the sword he had made from silver and rubies so much that he sent minions to steal it back.[3]

Known examples[]

Goblin-Griphook, holding the Godric Gryffindor's sword DH

Goblin Griphook with the Sword of Gryffindor

Behind the scenes[]

  • Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry owns a large number of suits of armour; whether any of these were made by goblins is unknown.
  • Goblin-wrought silver may have been inspired by mithril, a fantasy type of metal from the writings of J. R. R. Tolkien. Mithril is a silvery metal that is only used by a single race (dwarves, in the case of Tolkien's writings) and valued for its use in making armour.

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Sirius," said Mundungus, who did not appear to have paid any attention to the conversation, but had been closely examining an empty goblet. "This solid silver, mate?"
    "Yes," said Sirius, surveying it with distaste. "Finest fifteenth-century goblin-wrought silver, embossed with the Black family crest."
    "That'd come off, though," muttered Mundungus, polishing it with his cuff. - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  2. 2.0 2.1 "What we really wanted to know, Professor Black, is whether anyone else has, um, taken out the sword at all? Maybe it's been taken away for cleaning—or something!"
    Phineas Nigellus paused again in his struggles to free his eyes and sniggered.
    "Muggle-born," he said, "Goblin-made armour does not require cleaning, simple girl. Goblin's silver repels mundane dirt, imbibing only that which strengthens it." - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  3. 3.0 3.1 Writing by J. K. Rowling: "The Sword of Gryffindor" at Wizarding World
  4. "Oh yes. It is a copy—en excellent copy, it is true—but it was Wizard-made. The original was forged centuries ago by goblins and had certain properties only goblin-made armour possesses. Wherever the genuine sword of Gryffindor is, it is not in a vault at Gringotts bank." - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  5. "Well, goblins won't share any of their magic either," said Ron. "You won't tell us how to make swords and armour the way you do. Goblins know how to work metal in a way wizards have never –" - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  6. "The basilisk lunged again, and this time its aim was true — Harry threw his whole weight behind the sword and drove it to the hilt into the roof of the serpent's mouth —" - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  7. "The sword can destroy Horcruxes! Goblin-made blades imbibe only that which strengthens them—Harry, that sword's impregnated with basilisk venom!" - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 [citation needed]
  9. "Oh yeah. Firs' we presented him with a nice battle helmet -goblin-made an' indestructible, yeh know - an' then we sat down an' we talked.'" - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Mentioned only)
  10. "You took that from Sirius's house," said Harry, who was almost nose to nose with Mundungus and was breathing in an unpleasant smell of old tobacco and spirits. "That had the Black family crest on it." - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  11. "Mr Burke would like to make an improved offer for the goblin-made armour. Five hundred Galleons, he feels it is more than fair —" - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Appears in flashback(s))
  12. 12.0 12.1 "Harry's wandlight passed over shields and goblin-made helmets set on shelves rising to the ceiling; higher and higher he raised the beam, until suddenly it found an object that made his heart skip and his hand tremble." -Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  13. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Side Quest "The Curse of Love"

See also[]

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