Being new to buying silver and need to ask if there is a way to test silver bullion bars to make sure that they are real and not fake or just plated. Can you test without destroying the bar or coin. Is the weight test always the first thing you should do. Ounces
Your best choice is a specific gravity test. However this is not something you can easily perform. Plenty of information on how to do it. Otherwise bar an xrf machine ($30K+) you can use acid, again most people do not like this either
That's the topic you wanna read http://forums.silverstackers.com/topic-24935-ultrasonic-thickness-testing-page-1.html
For those of us who don't have an ultrasonic tester there are a few simple things you can do. Get an accurate digital scale and digital callipers. They're not very expensive. If the weight and size are bang on, then very likely it's the real deal. My 2012 First Majestic generic bullion round weighs 31.1 g My 2012 American Silver Eagle 31.3g The Canadian Silver Maple is said to be 31.110 grams 38mm wide 3.15mm thick by the bank. (http://www.scotiamocatta.com/products/coins_canada.htm) My 2013 Canadian silver maples are 3.05mm thick 38mm wide and weigh 31.4 grams (varies 31.35-31.38) In a another thread here on SS: govikesgo said: "I will say though that Maples do weigh all over the place although usually not 1/2 Gram off. I've had them weigh 30.9 to 31.4" Silverleaf9 said "The fakes are getting a lot better - weight used to be a dead giveaway." some_math_guy said: "I weigh every single coin I own right after purchasing it and they consistently come in at 31.1 to 31.4 grams" In this video the fake 2011 silver maple weighs 30.37 which is off by a noticeable gram. [youtube]<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xKSp2Q5uzJs?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> [/youtube]
Ben produced a video how you can use a device less than USD200 to test metal thickness. http://forums.silverstackers.com/topic-31093-free-ultrasonic-testing-melbourne.html You can find the device from ebay cheapest seller are from Hong Kong.
