Genuine gold will make a resounding ping ping sound when it comes in contact with another metal. If it's a ping, you have the real thing. If it's a rumbling sound, the bar is likely to be filled with any range of metals other than gold. You can perform this test with gold jewelry or bullion by rubbing (or scratching) them on the material of your choice.
First, hold your gold in your hand. Then carefully clean it together with the test material. Do it firmly enough to leave a mark, but without seriously damaging your piece of gold. Then, analyze the color of the stripe produced.
If the gold is real, then it should show a golden yellow color. If instead you see a black stripe, then you have pyrite or fake gold. Ping test lets professionals know if a coin is real or fake gold. Precious metals produce a sharp, persistent sound when struck, but base metals echo shorter and more muted sounds compared.
The density test involves how much a gold bar or coin weighs compared to the amount of water it displaces. If the item is genuine, it will weigh more than water and the weight gain will be proportional to purity. If there are other additives in your gold such as copper, then it will be much lighter than it should be. The term “ping” refers to the chime you'll hear when you hit a piece of precious metal.
To perform this test, you will need another non-abrasive piece of metal. Gently hit this metal against your ingot piece. You should hear a buzzer that lasts approximately 1 to 2 seconds. If you hear a “knock” or any other annoying sound that doesn't sound, your ingot is not authentic.
Acid testing is generally used to test gold jewelry. However, it can also be used to test coins and bars to verify the authenticity and purity indicated. A test acid specific to each degree of fineness is used, sprayed onto the mark created by rubbing the gold (or gold-colored) test object on a dark stone. If the mark fades when in contact with the acid, there is a high chance that the gold that has left the mark is fake.
It should be noted that this method of verifying authenticity only tests the surface of an object. The acid test does not detect if an item is merely gold-plated. Now that you know the properties of gold, the following tests will help you determine if your gold is real and what is its true purity. Since your item, especially if it's jewelry, could also contain several other gold hallmarks in addition to the purity mark, you should examine it further to prove its authenticity.
Even excellent counterfeits, such as the aforementioned gold bars with tungsten cores, are easily detected. After placing the gold piece on the right sensor, you should select the gold sample that you expect it to be. So, if your clean skin experiences black or green discoloration, then you'll know it's fake or a gold alloy. For example, if you have a piece of 15-karat gold (which contains only 62.5% gold), it can still react with the skin due to other metallic elements.
The test is performed by matching the electrical characteristics of the gold in each carat with the results of the gold piece. Since neither silver nor gold is magnetic, measuring the magnetism of your ingot will allow you to determine if its metal composition is pure or simply of some alloy. The Sigma Metalytics Precious Metal Tester is a perfect choice for measuring bulk gold, ingots or coins, at home. Therefore, even if the item is slightly magnetic, but does not stick to the magnet, it is gold-plated.
If your bar is real silver, the ice should begin to melt immediately due to the stored heat of the silver. If you're not a medical professional with a machine on hand, ultrasound testing for gold purity is expensive. Familiarizing yourself with gold authenticity markers can also avoid costly mistakes in your next precious metal investment. .
