Do you want to determine what exactly this nice owner of an antique goods store is trying to sell you, or maybe you were given a new silver chain, the quality of which you doubt? Thinking about how to test silver at home? No, we will not suggest that you take the product to the laboratory for spectral analysis. Instead, let's try to limit ourselves to the means available to everyone, which, most likely, will be at hand and at your disposal.
Magnet
The simplest tool that can detect a fake is a magnet. If the product is magnetized, it means that it is definitely not made of noble metal, which is what the careless seller is trying to convince you of. Silver, like gold, does not react to a magnet, but, unfortunately, in the opposite scenario, you cannot be 100% sure that this is the purest silver, so this method is more suitable for discarding an outright fake, and it is better use in conjunction with the tips below.
Temperature
Taking a silver spoon in your hands, you will feel that the product very quickly acquired the temperature of your body. This is due to the high thermal conductivity of silver, which makes counterfeits made from other metals remain cool for a suspiciously long time.
You can also go the opposite way and put, for example, an ice cube on a coin or tray. If it melts abnormally quickly, then this is real silver; if not, it is better to refrain from buying.
Sight, sound and smell
Not everyone can recognize silver using these criteria, and it is also difficult to call this method accurate. But if you had silverware, say, as a child, then most likely you remember this specific smell. Real silver items have a subtle and ringing sound, somewhat reminiscent of crystal, and if you throw a coin on a metal tray, it will “sing” in a completely special way. Also, the color of new or well-maintained silver will not have any hints of yellow or pink in it, although these may appear if the metal is not properly cared for.
Handy reagents
If you have no desire to listen, sniff and look closely, then the authenticity of silver can be determined using bleach, sulfuric acid or iodine. To do this, use a cotton swab to place a barely noticeable spot on the product and monitor its reaction. Has the product begun to darken around the perimeter of the stain? Then in front of you is a silver or at least silver-plated item. No? Then there is no smell of silver here.
You can also check the authenticity without fear of spoiling the item by rubbing it with chalk. In this case, upon contact with silver, the chalk should turn black.
Mark on hands
It is worth doubting the authenticity of the product if, after holding it for a long time in your hands, it has left a mark on them. Pure silver, which contains no impurities, will not leave any residue on your hands.
Internet or numismatic reference books
An excellent way for numismatists is to compare the weight of the coin in the directory with the actual weight of the product offered for purchase. Due to the difference in density, it is very easy to identify a coin made from other metals, even if it is silvered and looks exactly like the real thing.
Hydrostatic weighing scales
1 — mesh (perforated) glass; 2 - vessel with drain for water; 3 - a glass with shot to balance the mass of the mesh glass in the water; 4 - weights
The easiest way to determine the authenticity of a product is to determine the density of the material. To do this, you need to first weigh the dry coin. Then pour water into the glass, reset the scales and determine the “wet” weight of the coin. Now we divide the “dry” weight by the difference in two dimensions, and if the resulting number is in the region of 10.5, then this is real silver, since the metals used for fakes do not have a similar density.
At home, you can try using a digital food scale, but to determine the authenticity of a coin or jewelry, its accuracy must be quite high.
Chemical test
If you are no stranger to chemistry, purchase a chemical test for the authenticity of silver. This is one of the most accurate ways to determine the quality of the substrate of a silver-plated product. For the test, you either need to make a fairly deep scratch on an inconspicuous area of the piece, or rub the piece against a touchstone. Now we drop acid onto the mark on the stone or the substrate in the scratch and look at the color: the brighter the shade of red, the purer the silver. Thus, a light brown color indicates silver of the 800th standard, and green – already of the 500th. The remaining colors will be given by the most popular metals for silver plating: yellow corresponds to tin or lead, dark brown to brass, and blue to nickel. Now you can be sure of the composition of the product not only on the surface, but also inside.
As you can see, it is not necessary to bend or saw a silver spoon to determine its authenticity, even if you do not find a hallmark. Use these tips and you will greatly reduce the chance of running into a fake.
Silver is a rather amazing precious and jewelry metal that is not only pleasant to look at, but also has healing powers.
From ancient times, when human civilization was just beginning to the present day, silver has been actively used for making dishes, jewelry and various ritual utensils. Water storage tanks on spacecraft are also coated with silver. The magic of silver lies not only in its pleasant shine, softness and ductility, but also in its unique antiseptic properties.
In this article, various methods of determining silver using improvised means and, in particular, determining the authenticity of silver coins will be discussed in detail. Quite often, coins indicate detailed information about what it is made of, and on some copies you can even find out how much of this very silver it contains, for example, as on the 50-kopeck USSR coin issued in 1924. But these days, many craftsmen have learned to make fairly high-quality fakes. So, in order not to fall for the trick of scammers, we will look at ways to determine whether a coin is made of silver or whether they are simply trying to deceive you. Or if you have already purchased a silver coin and are not sure of the seller’s honesty.
17 Ways to Determine the Authenticity of Silver Coins
Let's get started.
The simplest and most accessible ways to determine the authenticity of silver:
- First, carefully inspect the coin for marks. Perhaps it will immediately become clear whether the coin is made of silver or not;
- Precious metals should never shine. The seller of real coins knows this, and under no circumstances will he try to rub the coin to a mirror shine. The use of nickel instead of silver gives the fakes a characteristic metallic (lunar) shine;
- Hold the coin under test close to a magnet; in some cases this is sufficient, since silver is not a magnetic metal. The only trouble is that this method cannot give a 100% guarantee of authenticity, but if you go to a flea market in search of silver coins, then nothing prevents you from taking a small magnet with you. This method allows you to conduct a preliminary examination, and the seller of the coins will not have eyes wide open if you start scratching the product with a knife to determine the authenticity of the metal;
- Silver is an excellent heat conductor; if you squeeze a coin in your hands, it very quickly, almost instantly heats up to body temperature, and if you throw it into hot water for a few seconds, it will become just as hot;
- Spread the coin with sulfur ointment (this product can be purchased at any pharmacy), wait a few hours and wipe thoroughly with a dry cloth. Actually, there can be three results: if the coin turns black, becomes reddish, or even changes its shade to blue or bluish. If the area where the ointment was applied turns black, it is 100% silver!
- A more severe method involves the use of nitric acid. If you immerse a coin in it, the counterfeit made from non-precious metals will immediately reveal itself; it will simply collapse within a few minutes of being in an aggressive environment, while real silver will remain untouched;
- Rub the product generously with chalk; if after a couple of minutes the chalk turns black, then this is definitely silver;
- Experiments with iodine. A very dangerous experiment (for the coin itself, of course), where a drop of iodine hits the real silver will turn black, the method is quite effective, but it will be quite problematic to wash the contact stain. Remember, the purer the silver, the darker the stain will be. If someone nevertheless decides to try this method, then you can get rid of the stain in the following ways: rub with a regular eraser, wipe with a cotton pad moistened with alcohol;
- Here is another fairly simple way to identify a genuine silver item at home. You need to carefully rub the coin in your hands, then examine your palms. If the palms are still clean, then the coin either does not contain silver at all or its quality is very high. If your hands are dirty, the silver is most likely diluted with zinc or it is a shiny fake with the addition of aluminum. Products made from such an alloy darken very quickly and stain not only your hands, but also your clothes, plus, such coins are quite fragile. This method does not give 100% results, since even the highest standard silver is prone to darkening over time, it all depends on its environment, but it is very easy to restore the shine of real silver. It is enough to rub the coin with a cloth soaked in ammonia or a special cream for cleaning jewelry. Poor quality silver will not sparkle again;
- There are also quite strange folk remedies. Silver is placed in a loaf of rye bread; if the coin turns black after a while, then the silver is not real; if it still shines, then you were definitely not deceived;
- Check for impact sound. When falling, the sound from the impact of a counterfeit coin will be dull, but a real one will be quite loud and ringing, which is where the well-known expression “species” comes from;
- There is also a completely scientific approach. You can purchase a specialized reagent, it is called the “silver test”, although this product is publicly available for sale, but finding it is still quite problematic;
- Test of exposure. The thinnest layer of coating is removed from the coin in the most inconspicuous place. To do this, just run a small file once along the side edge. Then you need to run the same file over the stone, usually it is black slate, and if a shiny metal strip remains on it, then the coin is definitely made of silver;
- Fake patina. If the coin has been artificially aged, the patina will most likely be distinguished by the presence of round spots or irregular, sharp color transitions. Typically, such defects are localized around scratches on protruding parts of the product. Shades such as pale blue, red-orange or khaki are direct evidence of the application of an artificial layer of patina;
- If you come across a coin from the early 20th century, it is quite easy to determine its authenticity. The fact is that at that time, scammers massively knocked out the precious metal from silver coins, and as a result, the coin became full of holes. In those days, the law did not prohibit the use of damaged coins (the damage should be insignificant). After some time, “holey” silver displaced whole coins on the market and the government was forced to abandon their circulation. In 1920, the percentage of such coins reached 80-85% of the total number issued, and therefore if your coin has a small hole, then it is definitely genuine;
- Another important tool for identifying counterfeit coins is a high-precision scale that can measure weight down to a hundredth of a gram. If the weight of your coin does not match the weight of the original (all data can now be found on the Internet), then the coin is most likely counterfeit. You can also find out the true weight of a coin in old reference books, you can find them in city libraries or on the Internet;
- Laboratory method. The coin particles are placed in a test tube with 1 part pure nitric acid and 1 part potassium dichromate. If the test material contains more than 1/3 silver, then the particle soaked in acid will immediately turn red. Also, using the corresponding table, based on the shade of color, you can establish the approximate concentration of silver;
Conclusions: can it be determined or not?
Despite all this, all these methods cannot be guaranteed to give an accurate result, since the coin can be made of half silver, that is, silver covers an ordinary coin, the share of the precious metal shell can reach only 15-20% of the total mass of the product. The only way to be one hundred percent sure is to make a thin notch on the side edge! But no matter how deceptive the appearance of a counterfeit coin may be, no matter how high the quality of the counterfeit, there is always a way to identify the counterfeit. In the case of rare specimens, it is better to entrust the verification work to professionals and numismatists.
Video on the topic “How to check the authenticity of a silver coin”
As it turns out, my dear grandmother knows everything. Today she decided to tell you how to distinguish silverware from a fake. It turns out that we can easily mistake a product made of cupronickel or even stainless steel for a silver spoon. They often have a beautiful shape and embossed pattern, silver color and heavy weight. But all these are not the main signs of silverware.
Silver cutlery appeared a very long time ago and has always been considered items indicating the wealth of their owners. Silver products are of particular value; they are passed down from generation to generation. The main thing is to be able to clean it, keep it in the proper place, and they will serve you and delight you with their beauty for many years.
There are times when you saw a rare beautiful set of silverware in a thrift store.
You are fascinated by it and want to buy it. But how do you know if it’s real silver or a skillfully made fake? How to identify silverware? This is where the knowledge that my grandmother generously shared with me comes in handy.
But if neither one nor the other could be identified, and the owner ardently convinces of the authenticity of the product, then there are still many ways to determine the authenticity of silver.
- Hold an object in your hands and if it is really silver, literally after a few seconds it will become warm, but if it remains the same cold, then it is made of an alloy. And if you rub the metal a little more and dark spots appear on your hands, then it’s definitely an alloy, not silver. Pure silver will not stain your hands.
- If there is a magnet in the house, then you need to bring it to the product. A silver spoon will remain cold and indifferent to it, but a nickel silver or stainless steel spoon will immediately be attracted to the magnet. Testing with a magnet gives a high probability of proving that the item is silver. However, there are some metals that also do not react to magnets. Therefore, testing needs to be continued.
- Ordinary chalk will help us. Let's take a piece of chalk and rub our spoon. If the chalk itself has become dark in color, then the spoon is really silver. You can also scratch it just a little with a needle, and if it is a fake, then the reddish metal will be visible.
For a professional assessment of silverware, you will have to take it to a jeweler,” said the grandmother.
- Let’s check the coin that my grandfather gave me. “I hid it in my hiding place,” I asked my grandmother.
Well, bring your coin. Then I'll tell you another way.
You see, this means it’s real silver, now let’s rub it again with some sandpaper to remove the stain.
So now I'm a real expert at identifying counterfeit silverware.
You will need
- Jeweler's loupe
- Hot water
- Electric lamp
- Magnet
- Rubber gloves, pipette, nitric acid
Instructions
First of all, you should pay attention to the product labeling. Modern factory products will definitely have a mark on them; designer silver jewelry must also be marked in the assay office, but not all artists follow these rules. On Russian-made products you can find the following hallmarks: 960,925,875,830,800. All of them indicate the percentage of silver in the alloy. Thus, a product marked 875 contains 87.5% silver. An alloy with 80% silver content is used mainly for cutlery. Silver 925 standard is commonly called sterling throughout the world.
Other countries have different alloy standards, so products from abroad may have different numerical standards, in addition, some countries use markings such as STERLING, STER, S/S, SILVER. Don't forget about brands. Samples of hallmarks of famous masters and large companies are known to everyone who is interested in silver. On silver items produced in the Soviet Union, a five-pointed mark was used as a hallmark; on antique silver a leopard with a raised paw may appear. If you are buying an antique silver item secondhand, inquire about the hallmarks available and check them through specialized websites. Depending on the country, era, master, there are hundreds of hallmarks, hallmarks, brands and their combinations.
Pure, among metals, has the highest thermal conductivity coefficient. Therefore, the higher the sample, the purer it is, the faster the product heats up. You can put two spoons into hot water - cupronickel and, presumably, silver, the second should heat up faster. A ring, earrings, chain, made from jewelry, become hot very quickly, it is even recommended to take them off before a bath or sauna so as not to get burned.
Another property of silver is its highest light reflectivity. Place the silver item under bright light and see if it reflects it better than cupronickel or metal spoon or as well as other silver jewelry of the same standard. Do not forget to remove the patina from the control silver product, if this does not contradict the artistic decision, which will certainly dull the inherent bright shine.
The following test is very popular - if you rub a silver item with a clean, soft, light cloth, dark spots will remain on it. Its effectiveness is highly questionable for a number of reasons. Firstly, contrary to popular belief, silver is not oxidized by oxygen, but actively reacts with sulfur-containing compounds, which, in varying quantities, are found in the environment and natural secretions of the human body. The amount of hydrogen sulfide and sulfur produced by the body is different for everyone, which is why there is a myth that silver “anticipates” the owner’s illness and darkens. Secondly, as a rule, silver alloys contain copper, but it just enters into an oxidation reaction with oxygen contained in the air. Accordingly, the purer the alloy, the less oxidation and, accordingly, the lower the effectiveness of the “tissue” test. And lastly, third. Manufacturers, well aware of the properties of silver and its alloys, protect products from oxidation in order to maintain their presentation by covering it with a thin layer of nickel, clear varnish, galvanic rhodium plating or a thick layer of special wax.
A real silver product is easy to distinguish from a fake, and this article will help us understand all the nuances. Let's get acquainted with the most effective ways to determine the authenticity of silver.
Stamp and hallmark
Each product with a high content of precious metal has 2 hallmarks - the manufacturer’s name and an assay mark. Their presence indicates that the product is sold legally in the country.
The hallmark is placed on:
The state mark consists of several elements:
- Right profile of a lady in a kokoshnik;
- Letter code of the State Assay Supervision Inspectorate in the lower left corner;
- Try;
- Standard frame.
Pay attention to the shape of the frame; it is an oval with cut off sides. Let's assume that the image is surrounded by a circle and the sample is printed next to it in a rectangular or oval frame with trimmed edges.
Foreign-made jewelry may have different marking methods adopted by the laws of the manufacturer's country. For example, the traditional English stamp is a walking lion, French products were stamped with the head of Minerva, a boar, and a crab.
In order for the soft noble metal to gain strength, impurities of other metals are added to the alloy, usually copper, tin, and nickel. Therefore, a sample must be placed on the finished product - a number reflecting the percentage of noble metal content. The most common silver grades are 750, 800, 875, 916, 925, 960 and 999.
960 and 925 are most often used to create jewelry:
- 925 silver is called sterling, it does not lose its original appearance for a long time, does not darken even with prolonged wear.
- 800 hallmark is considered a coin alloy, used in the production of coins and cutlery, quickly loses its presentation.
The name tag is an abbreviation that allows you to find out the manufacturer, place, and year of manufacture. May contain letters and numbers. Antique items are decorated with the master's initials.
If there is no sample, this does not mean that you are faced with a fake. Perhaps this is 800 silver. Products made from it are allowed to be produced without an imprint. Some silver simulants are stamped MNC, which means “magnesium-nickel-zinc.” A false sample is applied unevenly; it is easy to recognize if you have a sample.
Thermal conductivity
Among all metals, silver has the highest thermal conductivity, that is, it quickly changes temperature under the influence of the environment:
- Press the cool ring against your skin, it will instantly take on her temperature.
- Place the chain or necklace in a container of hot water and then remove it immediately. The jewelry will not have time to change the temperature.
- An ice cube is suitable for testing. If the item is large enough, place ice from the freezer on top.
Place the cool ring against your skin and it will instantly take on its temperature. Physical properties
- Consider the quality of the coating.
- Sterling silver must be white, with a bright polished shine.
- Blackened antique stylized and doesn't shine as brightly.
- Antique jewelry becomes covered with a black and gray patina over time. If the coating is red or brown, you have another alloy, for example, brass or cupronickel.
- Silver can be matte, but it should not have any tint. A reddish tint is a sign of a large amount of copper in the alloy.
- Throw the ring, earring or coin on the table.
- When falling, a loud sound should be heard, melodic, clear sound.
- Silver spoons you can knock on each other.
- Copper fakes knock dully, cheap alloys produce a metallic sound, like small coins.
- Rub the item with your palm.
- Counterfeits containing zinc leave dark marks.
- Silver plating can be gently rubbed to see the background color.
- Place the jewelry in a glass of water for several days. Genuine silver will remain pristine, but counterfeit silver will rust.
- Smell it. This method requires that you have a sample.
- Those who had silverware, remember their special, specific smell.
- If there is a coating, scrape it off. Cupronickel, like other copper alloys, smells of copper.
- Taste it.
- In brass, cupronickel, nickel silver without sputtering will have a metallic taste.
- Noble metals are tasteless.
- Weigh it. There are reference books for numismatists that contain information about ancient and modern coins. Weigh your sample, compare the resulting weight with the indicated one.
Antique jewelry becomes covered with a black-gray patina over time. Checking with improvised means
If after examining the product there are still doubts, you can conduct several tests using available tools:
Be careful, traces of iodine are very difficult to wash off from the surface of jewelry. Most likely, the stain will remain forever.
Sulfuric ointment:
- Apply ointment.
- After 30 seconds, wipe off with a cloth or napkin. The application area should darken.
Sulfur ointment is one of the most proven and safe testing methods. It is used against skin inflammations, so it can be applied without gloves. Sold at any pharmacy.
Lapis pencil:
- Wet the tip of the pencil.
- Place a small drop.
- If the drop turns black, this is a fake. Lapis is composed of silver nitrate and does not react with either silver or gold.
Lapis was once widespread, but now it is not sold in all pharmacies. This is an outdated remedy for cauterizing warts and papillomas; if it gets on open skin, a black spot will remain for a long time.
- Take stationery chalk and rub the decoration with it.
- Set aside.
- Check the result in a few minutes. If the chalk turns gray, you have a real noble metal in front of you.
Bleach:
It is believed that if you pour a small drop of bleach and wait a few minutes, the item will react with the acid and darken. But a lot depends on the composition of the bleach. Silver is a low-reactive metal, so household chemicals may have no effect. The imitation can be irrevocably damaged, especially by chlorine.
Vinegar:
Silver is a low-reactive metal, so household chemicals may have no effect According to the electrochemical activity series of metals, silver is a low-active metal, therefore it does not react with 9% vinegar. Most alloys will not react with such a weak acid without heating.
Copper is also a low-active metal, so vinegar will not harm products with a high copper content. It is even recommended to soak cupronickel cutlery in acid if plaque has formed.
Needle:
- Make a deep scratch with a needle.
- Take a close look to see if the color of the core differs from the coating.
- A yellow or red tint indicates that spraying has been applied.
Magnet:
- Take a strong magnet and pass it over the surface of the object.
- Silver has almost no magnetic properties, but a fake made of steel or nickel will be immediately attracted.
- It should be noted that metals with a high copper content are also non-magnetic.
Nitric acid:
This option is only suitable for those who are familiar with chemistry.
- Under the influence of nitric acid, a violent reaction occurs with the release of gas, silver dissolves, and an aqueous solution of silver nitrate and nitric oxide are formed.
- This experiment should not be carried out at home.
- The most reliable ways to determine To determine whether your jewelry has jewelry value, you can call tests with iodine, sulfur ointment, lapis pencil, needle, chalk.
- Iodine is unsafe for the product, stains remain for a long time, they are almost impossible to wash off.
- Lapis pencil is very convenient, the reaction occurs quickly, but you will have to specially order it, since it is not sold in all pharmacies.
- Using a needle you can find out whether the coating has been applied, but the scratch can no longer be removed.
- Chalk does not spoil the product.
- The dark spots remaining after the sulfur ointment can be wiped with ammonia or placed in a soda solution. Another option is to boil it with a piece of regular aluminum foil.
- Not everyone can determine the taste, sound or weight of silver. In addition, this requires a large sample, such as a ring or coin.
- Testing with a magnet will not give the desired result if the main material of the alloy is copper. So, cupronickel and brass will not be attracted to a magnet.
- Bleach and vinegar were useless, nitric acid is not suitable for home use.
The most reliable chemical test is a professional sampler. The simplest kit for testing precious metals costs less than 1000 rubles. It can be purchased at jewelry shops, some pharmacies, and online stores.
Reacting with silver, the substance becomes blood-red and turns black or green on the fake. The reagents are convenient and penetrate through coatings of any thickness. Be careful, the sampler is very caustic and may irritate the skin.