Ways to Test Physical Silver

The Most Common Methods for Testing Silver -Summer 2021

Silver Eagle

As the price of silver inevitably rises with inflation and the growth of the silver stacker movement, the importance of testing silver to determine legitimacy of silver content in any supposedly silver item will increase as well. While facing silver frauds or mistaken attributions of silver content is not unheard of, it has not to-date been as prevalent as frauds found in the gold market, which is primarily a function of the price.

Many of the methods for testing silver are processes of elimination, or, in other words, attempts to rule out ways in which silver may be fraudulent. If enough testing methods have been utilized properly, the default is that the item you have is indeed silver. The only “100% sure way” to test silver reliably is a precious metals electronic tester, which is unfortunately a very pricey gadget for most people, starting in the low tens of thousands. We say “100% sure way” as even electronic precious metals content analyzer tools can malfunction and break.

First, lets cover the various different types of silver content a coin can have that dovetails with the types of frauds that can occur with silver:

1. .999 fine silver silver — This is the investment grade silver that most silver rounds/coins and bars come in.
2. Sterling Silver of 92.5% silver — If the item has an inscription of “ster” or “sterling” that means the silver content in the item is at 92.5% pure silver.
3. 825 silver — Silver with a 82.5% pure silver content. This is more common in non-USD or foreign coins.
4. 90% USD Silver Coins (years are your markings) — USD silver colored coins from prior to 1964 contain 90% silver, excluding the 35% silver Jefferson War Nickels.
5. 40% USD Silver Coins (years are your markings) — Kennedy Half-Dollars minted 1965–1970, and 1976, as well as Eisenhower Silver Dollars minted in the years 1971–1974, and 1976.
6. 35% Silver (years are your markings — Jefferson War Nickels were minted from mid-1942 through December 1945.
7. Silver Plated — Items that say “IS” mean that that the item is “international silver” or silver-plated.

The primary methods for testing silver include physical, chemical, and electronic methods and are covered in detail below.

PHYSICAL METHODS OF TESTING SILVER

Visual Examination — Many different types of silver have markings on them to identify them as legitimate to future owners or those considering purchasing it. If you are really lucky, your silver may come with an assay, although this is more common with gold given the price of gold being much higher than silver.

Markings on coins can identify several different types of silver as mentioned above.

More advanced silver investors or dealers may utilize a jeweler’s loupe to look for specific details known to be on certain minted coins, but this is typically too advanced for the average silver investor.

Warning: Fraudsters do tend to mark their fake silver coins and bars dishonestly so be wary of these markings and do not accept them without additional testing. Most, but not all, .999 silver coins that say “COPY” in large text on the front of the coin are not real silver.

Sound — If testing for silver bullion coins, strike the two coins together and listen to the sound that they make. If a nice ringing sound is generated, then both silver pieces are real silver. If striking the two coins generates a dull sound, one of them is fake silver. You can determine which by applying the ring test to both coins with a known real silver coin from there applying the same desired ringing sound for real silver.

Magnet — Silver is not noticeably magnetic and actually repels magnetic forces. Any coin that is reportedly silver that is strongly magnetic is very likely a fake. To test silver by magnet, start with a neodymium magnet. Tilt the silver object 45 degrees and place the magnet on the tilted surface. If the magnet slides down the surface then, it is real. If the magnet sticks, it’s fake because real silver is non-magnetic.

Ice Cube Test — The ice cube test works well as silver is a conductor of heat. First, get two ice cubes the exact same size. Place one on top of the silver item and place the other ice cube in a regular pan. If the ice on the item melts faster than that of the pan, then the item is real silver.

Weight Test — Silver is more dense than most metals. The weight of the metal will have a specific diameter and thickness. If the silver weighs less than it should , it might be made of light-weight silver alloys rather than sterling silver. If it weighs more, then it could be made of lead plated with silver. Pure silver is usually cooler than silver-plated items, since silver is a conductor of heat, and it is shinier than its fake counterparts.

In addition if it’s a known and common mintage — such as an Silver American Eagle, this can be researched and tested for.

Fisch Test — The Fisch is a testing system that checks the weight, diameter, thickness and shape of known and common silver coins. It can be ordered here for those interested. The standard silver Fisch test is called “Wallet #6” and tests for the U.S. Silver Dollar (1840–1935, excluding Trade Dollar), the American Eagle (1oz.), the Maple Leaf (1oz.), the Vienna Philharmonic — Austria, and the Guernsey 8 Double (1 oz.). One major downside to the test it the cost, as the test system currently is priced at $194.

CHEMICAL WAYS OF TESTING SILVER

Note: these tests have the potential to damage silver items so should be used with caution if utilized at all.

Nitric Acid Test — The Nitric Acid Test is used to check if silver is pure or plated silver. To apply the test, file or chip a small part of the item in a discreet area where it cannot be easily seen. Apply a few drops of nitric acid to the area filed or chipped. If the area where the nitric acid was applied turns creamy white, the silver is pure or sterling. If the area turns green, the item is likely fake silver or silver-plated.

Silver Acid Test (Touchstone) — Use the Silver Acid Test or Touchstone Test to determine the amount of silver content that is in an item. A few drops on the item will reveal some details based on the color that turns up. If the acid turns bright or dark red, it is very likely that the item is fine or sterling silver. If acid turns brown, the silver content is 80% silver. If acid turns green, the silver content is only 50%. Both brown and green indicate a silver-plated item. Any other colors will indicate that a different metal is used and is just plated with silver.

Bleach Test — The bleach test involves simply applying bleach to a silver looking item. If the item tarnishes quickly, then it is real silver. If the item does not tarnish easily, it is not real silver. Bleach however may damage your item and devalue it greatly so use this test sparingly if at all.

Electronic Ways of Testing Silver

Precious Metals Electronic Tester — There are a variety of expensive, and we mean thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars, electronic testers that utilize XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) spectrometry or other methods to test silver. The devices penetrate the silver and return an outcome based on known information that is gathered using the X-ray scanning. These make sense for dealers and big time investors but rarely make sense for

Bullion TP Advice for Buying Silver

1. Research the type of silver item you buy and know the details about it before you buy.
2. Trust silver sellers that have a reputation like reviews and ratings online or references, especially when buying online. It may be wise to ask a friend or family member who they buy silver from.
3. Buy through platforms that have intermediaries that could help you should there be fraud discovered. This may mean using credit cards where the issuer will protect you, payment providers like PayPal that aggressively protect buyers, or utilizing a marketplace with integrity that holds fraudsters to account.
4. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it very likely is. Buyer beware.
5. Document all purchases with receipt and a paper-trail. Test your silver after you receive it via the methods listed above and if you discover that you have purchased fake silver, return it. If you’ve purchased via a credit card you are even more likely to be protected than with cash.

The reality at the moment is silver frauds are relatively rare, but they are out there and they will grow more prominent as the price of silver rises. Stay vigilant, stackers.

About Bullion TP. Bullion TP is a Patriot-owned and operated online marketplace for buyers and sellers of precious metals, numismatic coins, and other related valuables. Unlike eBay and Facebook, Bullion TP is pro-USA, pro U.S. Constitution, and anti-globalist centralization.

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