Quick way to test gold

W

wallynut

New Member
Just picked up 12 1oz casts today and I tested by choosing random one and hitting it with a chisel and hammer. Cut it in half.

Purchased from someone who needed quick cash and I did not know.


Are there easier ways to verify that is not expensive ?
 
lol, was it real?

being 1oz cast, im sure you purchased at close to spot? - youd probably be able to see it for the spot price for each half

edit: sorry, i dont have any answers to your problem :(
 
wallynut said:
hitting it with a chisel and hammer. Cut it in half.
Click to expand...

lol, cave man style!
Yeah just weight it, measure the dimensions with a caliper and do a quick density calculation.
 
Not sure what you mean by "quick way" ... but here's a couple of threads you'll find very useful:

http://forums.silverstackers.com/topic-6088-how-to-tell-if-gold-is-real.html

The specific gravity test seems to be a quick and cheap way to test gold (but silver gets harder by the look of it, with other compounds being mixed to get very close!)

And this thread below also shows how to run the SG test (albeit for silver but the mechanism is the same).

http://forums.silverstackers.com/topic-20584-specific-gravity-testing.html

I'm only a noob here, so others may have better experience, but I remember these threads! (Try doing a search yourself, you might find what you need quickly)

Cheers and next time can you please take a video of the hammer & chisel in action hehe ... it'd be a well thanked thread here ;)
 
so if it didn't break, would you have concluded that it was real? Im confused about this method
 
wallynut said:
Just picked up 12 1oz casts today and I tested by choosing random one and hitting it with a chisel and hammer. Cut it in half.

Purchased from someone who needed quick cash and I did not know.


Are there easier ways to verify that is not expensive ?
Click to expand...

Nah this is how I test all mine especially the coins. I like to get the right size chizel so its nice clean cut. If its really sharp I can go straight through the capsule also in one hit!
Just take the proofs out of their boxes 1st. I learnt the hard way with a redback once. Anyone want half a redback?
 
wallynut said:
Just picked up 12 1oz casts today and I tested by choosing random one and hitting it with a chisel and hammer. Cut it in half.

Purchased from someone who needed quick cash and I did not know.


Are there easier ways to verify that is not expensive ?
Click to expand...


Yep try weighing and specifc gravity next time - as they say... pics or it did not happen :P
 
1: You could always learn to trust your intuition......play with your gold till you know what gold is like. then when you get a fake, you will know.
2: Fake doesn't even smell right.....smell is an awesome test. Get used to the smell.
3; Always carry the trusty earth magnet with you, both gold an silver are non ferrous, however, there is a slight electrostatic push against the magnet, stronger with the silver.
4; density test is always good, however if its gold your buying, you don't really need to go to too much trouble, just get used to weights and dimensions. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.
 
Naphthalene Man said:
wallynut said:
Just picked up 12 1oz casts today and I tested by choosing random one and hitting it with a chisel and hammer. Cut it in half.

Purchased from someone who needed quick cash and I did not know.


Are there easier ways to verify that is not expensive ?
Click to expand...


Yep try weighing and specifc gravity next time - as they say... pics or it did not happen :P
Click to expand...
yeah i agree i think its BS .Its the way you test all of them ? ok show us a pic of a few then. :cool:
 
Au-mageddon said:
Gold has a smell ?? Better get to training that lazy dog of mine, so we can go find ourselves a fortune :)
Click to expand...

Probably the same smell as gold plating :P

1) Scales
2) Check against known dimensions
3) Specific gravity

In that order.
 
wallynut said:
Just picked up 12 1oz casts today and I tested by choosing random one and hitting it with a chisel and hammer. Cut it in half.

Purchased from someone who needed quick cash and I did not know.
Click to expand...


Thats one way to do it! there is inexpensive gold testing equipment (at least compared to your 12 oz of gold) although I wouldnt use them on rare coins, but the method you use sounds like alot more fun.
 
Does the scratch test hold up ?? - ie colour of mark on unsealed ceramic tile - if its not gold - its not gold (I do know Iron Pyrite/fools gold is dark green) - if anyone knows more - please let us know.
 
Do you have the experience to differentiate between gold alloy and pure gold ?
Did you check the carat content ?
Not sure a poured oz of 9ct would look any different to an oz bar of 22ct. Factor of almost 2.5 in the value though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top