If you come across a piece of silver and you want to verify that it is authentic, you can check your silver with these four tests: Testing With a Magnet. All of the other silver coins that I've got are large thick coins. But if you send them both down the slide at the same time, the fake slides down a … There are a couple ways you can test your silver items using chemicals. With the Japanese coin its thin (1.7mm). That will help slow the rare-earth magnet as its moves down the tilted silver bar. As much as possible get a rope that is able to withstand the weight of the magnet. The faster the magnet slides, the lower the level of silver in the bar. $18.95 $ 18. Today, many people who own objects made of silver prefer to test these items themselves, to avoid paying a substantial fee for this service to a commercial jeweler. This is a photo of the actual coin. To make sure you understand, I also shared the official metal used to mint Malaysia coins according to their denominations. Place the bar over a flat surface and hold it at a 45-degree angle. Subject the coin to a silver or gold acid test—beware acid may discolor the surface of the silver or gold coin and thus should be used sparingly and with non-collectible bullion coins or bars. Chemical Tests. If you place a strong, rare-earth magnet called a Neodymium magnet on a silver coin or bar, it should not easily stick to it. Whatever your magnet’s weight is, … With one light construction as my own (works same as magnetbalance) can you determine if the coin is silver. Fake gold, or gold that is not pure will likely be attracted to the magnet if you hold it close. - values =counterfeit You need: - precision Balance. "If your magnet sticks strongly to the piece, it has a ferromagnetic core and is not silver." The magnet sliding test is a roundabout way of testing the conductivity, the more conductive the sample, the slower the magnet will slide. Since silver, gold, and copper coins are not attracted to a magnet, this can be a simple test to tell if the coin has some iron content. For example, if someone is trying to sell silver jewelry or coins it’s not a bad idea to test them with a magnet. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. Silver has a high thermal conductivity, which means it holds heat. So if you are scrapping the piece and can't determine the content, then you can resort to the file method or even cut … I use a small iridium magnet constantly as a rough first test of silver coins I buy. It should slide down very slowly. The following video exhibits a test to see is silver magnetic by using some rare-earth magnets, called neodymium magnets. The magnet alone is worth the price; a quick simple fool proof way to test if a silver coin is in fact silver. I don't have any copper to test this with but tested that theory on an aluminum box. Silver is diamagnetic. Thus, if the magnet attracted your item, you can skip the following tests. The cloth to help buff coins up is a nice freebie - and it does … 95 $19.95 $19.95. We begin with a .999 fine silver gram sample. 4. 5. Another cool way to test if the silver you have purchased is real or fake is by using magnets. Half dollars are split, 1948-1964 being 90% silver, and 1965-70 being 40% silver. Collectors test coins with magnet to check for wrong planchet errors or in layman terms, coins with wrong kind of metal used to mint them. Nickels 1942-45 (war nickels) are 35% silver. If you have magnets lying around in your house, you can use it to check the authenticity of silver. Silver isn’t noticeably magnetic. Its highly doubtful you find any other nickel old enough to be made of silver. Fake silver or silver-plated items are generally made of other metals. From 0 to + values probably silver. Notice how it moves away from the magnetic field. From: The Desk of SilverCoins.com MAGNETIC SLIDE Detect Fake Silver on the Fly Don't get scammed, Chinese counterfeits are on the rise! - Silver Test Acid Suitable only for big(er) silver coins. For this test you will need a stronger than average magnet, meaning that the magnet should be capable of pulling up a metal such as your coin. Therefore, use this only as a secondary test. Thanks for your help If you are testing bars, you can angle one at 45 degrees and let the magnet slide down. Silver is not magnetic. Silver has very high conductivity but copper is not far behind and you probably wouldn't notice the difference unless you had a magnet slide (lots of strong magnets with alternating poles) and a genuine sample to compare it with. If it sticks or it slides very quickly, it is not silver. Even though they're not magnetic a magnet would slide slowly down copper or aluminum. 3) The Magnet Test. If I do a magnet test of them the magnet speed varies with the purity of the silver but they have a lot of mass so the magnet has more material to magnetise. Gold and silver are not magnetic. Start by obtaining a magnet and carefully hovering it over the bullion. Silver is not magnetic and should not have much of a recognizable pull from a magnet at all. So. Silver is of course not magnetic but is dimagnetic. Because silver and gold are diamagnetic metals, measuring the magnetic attraction of your bullion and coins will allow you to find out if its composition is pure or if it is a mixed alloy. The Acid Test The magnet test only applies to pure sterling silver items, since silver is non-ferrous material, it is non-magnetic, however, sterling silver is often plated with a thin layer of rhodium for enhanced appearance so if your sterling silver jewelry is plated with rhodium, it may not be accurate. If you are testing bars, you can angle one at 45 degrees and let the magnet slide down. Get it as soon as Fri, Jan 8. and, sure enough, the magnet slides down slowly exactly the same as it did on the silver bar. If you have silver and want to test its authenticity, you can do this fairly easily yourself. To test if your item is silver, get out 2 ice cubes. In fact, only iron, nickel, cobalt, gadolinium, neodymium and samarium are magnetic in our everyday lives. Authentic gold and silver coins chime when struck and the difference is notable versus base metals. 4.5 out of 5 stars 177. Source: Op news. Method II: If you have silver bullions or coins, try the sliding test. This means you can slide small iridium magnets for example down the surface of the silver at 45 degrees and see some 'loitering' effect as it steadily slides off. Now slide the magnet over the slanting surface. Rare Earth N52 Neodymium Pocket Keychain Gold & Silver Jewelry Test Magnet. If a suitable magnet shows the diamagnetic effect the item might be silver (most likely with a coin) or it could be silver-plating on copper. Hold the coin or bar at a 45 degree angle place the magnet on the top and allow it to slide down the surface of the item. Many white gold and sterling silver pieces are plated with rhodium that can be slightly magnetic and cause uncertain acid test results. If the weight and diameter of coin are correct i use at next neodym magnet test. Knowing that silver isn’t magnetic is useful since it can help you spot fake silver. (For more about the melodic Ring of Truth you hear in Sound Money, read Guy Christopher’s essay "Sound Money and the Ring of Truth") ... Test 3: Silver & Gold Magnet Test. Sterling silver will not stick to a magnet, but just because the piece does not stick does not mean that it is sterling silver. Magnets are only attracted to ferrous (iron) materials, Silver is not magnetic. If you place a strong, rare-earth magnet called a Neodymium magnet on a silver coin or bar, it should not easily stick to it. Silver dollars are about the only coins I send down my magnet slide to test, and I have a fake that will fool most people in a magnet test if they don't test it alongside a known good sample.