Perform a Magnet Test Gold is a precious metal not susceptible to magnetic forces. Thus coins containing a high concentration of gold will not react during a magnet test. This test is an easy way to detect counterfeit gold coins since they often have inexpensive metals that are magnetised.
Because of the density of Gold with 19.32 g/ml, it is heavier than other metals. So, if you wish to check the purity of a gold coin, simply put it in water. If it is made of pure gold, the coin will hover over the button or completely sink, whereas, in the case of any other metal, the coin will simply float.
Balancing your coin on the end of your finger and tapping it with another coin should make a ringing sound, and the difference between a coin made from pure gold and one made from a non-precious metal should be obvious. Dragging your gold over a ceramic plate is another quick and uncomplicated way to test your gold.
Precious coin tester helps you listen to the sound generated by the ping test and will tell you whether the coin is authentic or fake*. So no more worry about the fake gold or silver coin! You can choose your coin from a catalog including more than 30,000 coins, where more than 100 of them are free.
Coinoscope mobile app makes coin identification and valuation easy - just snap a picture of a coin with your phone camera and the app will show you a list of similar coins. Fast and accurate. A must-have tool for every coin collector and numismatist!
CoinFacts (PCGS mobile app)
Many coin collectors say the first place to start for any coin collector or enthusiast is with PCGS — offering a variety of different coin-collecting apps for both iOS and Android. PCGS claims they're the industry standard for grading and valuing coins.
Pure gold on its own cannot stick to a magnet. However, if you have an alloy of gold, then it could stick to a magnet. An example of a gold alloy that may stick to a magnet is gold with over 20% of its atoms replaced by iron.
Test With Nitric Acid
Make a mark deep enough to scratch through the top layer of gold. Carefully apply a drop of nitric acid to the mark, and determine if the mark turns green or milky. There will be no reaction if the jewelry is either gold or mostly gold.
Hold your good piece up to your skin and rub it back and forth. You may also hold it between your hands for a few minutes. If it's real gold, your skin will not react to the metal. If it's fake, you may notice your skin turning green, blue, or black where it's come into contact with the jewelry.
Each Australian Gold Coin is struck in 99.99% pure gold and individually packaged in hard plastic capsules at the Perth Mint.
The Ceramic Scratch Test
Take an unglazed ceramic plate or piece of tile and scrape a piece of gold across its surface. Real gold will leave a gold mark or trail. Other metals will leave a black trail.
Vinegar is very destructive, so when you apply the vinegar to a fake piece of gold, the vinegar will cause the jewelry to tarnish. Gold is a non-reactive metal, so real pieces of gold will not react to vinegar.
Scratch the metal across a ceramic surface.
Gold is a very soft metal. When scratched across a ceramic surface, gold will leave behind a streak of gold. However, brass is harder and will leave a black streak on the same surface. Simply press the metal to an unpolished ceramic surface and pull it across the surface.
The Acid Test. The Gold Acid Test is the most popular and accurate home gold test. This is because it may harm or damage only fake materials. However, make sure to perform the acid test only if your item was identified as non-magnetic during the previous test.
Pennies and some older coins are magnetic because they contain iron or steel. Dimes, quarters, and most modern coins are not magnetic because they are made of non-magnetic metals. It is also possible for any coin to become magnetized if it is stamped during the manufacturing process.
The easiest way to determine if a 1943 cent is made of steel, and not copper, is to use a magnet. If it sticks to the magnet, it is not copper. If it does not stick, the coin might be of copper and should be authenticated by an expert.
CoinSnap is a powerful mobile application that utilizes AI-driven image recognition technology to accurately identify any coin within seconds! The identification process is relatively straightforward.
Reputable coin dealers, Coin Auctions, eBay, and Price Guides are great places to start. If your coins are graded by one of the Top Tier grading services like PCGS or NGC, you can usually get a reasonable value estimate sight-unseen!
For most uses best results will be when the light appears to come from the top of the coin. On some scanners this means placing the coin upside down on the scanner glass and using the image manipulation software to rotate the scan so the top of the coin is up.