How do you authenticate your gold?

Discussion in 'Bullion Investing' started by myownprivy, Jul 4, 2018.

  1. myownprivy

    myownprivy Well-Known Member

    Three easy suggestions:

    1. Buy gold that has authentication features, such as the Gold Maple. (Check the radial lines. Check the privy mark with the date, observe the general appearance of the coin.
    IT VERY HARD TO REPLICATE SECURITY FEATURES

    2. Weigh it
    WEIGHT IS ABLE TO BE REPLICATED ONLY IF OTHER DIMENSIONS ARE CHANGED

    3. Make sure it fits in the appropriate Airtite coin holder. Compare to other coins of the same type to make sure thickness and diameter are the same. I think this is the simplest, and most overlooked way, as airtite sizes are known ahead of time. If you know how a 1 oz gold Maple fits in one, and suddenly your next one doesn't, one of them is clearly fake.
    UNABLE REPLICATE SIZE WITHOUT CHANGING WEIGHT

    I know there are many other ways to authenticate gold, such as acid tests or expensive equipment, these three methods together seem to be pretty simple and foolproof.
     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2018
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  3. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

    Buy from reputable sources........no sweat.
     
  4. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

  5. Santinidollar

    Santinidollar Supporter! Supporter

  6. myownprivy

    myownprivy Well-Known Member

    None of your three independently verify it? You just take Apmex/Jmbullion/Provident's word for it? They also buy a lot from the secondary market, and what about on the off chance that they don't authenticate 1 piece in a lot they buy and you happen to be the unlucky one to get that 1 piece?
     
  7. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

    How can one be unlucky when one buys from the folks that buy from the major world mints? You sayin' that the major mint's is 'salting' the product myown?
     
  8. Santinidollar

    Santinidollar Supporter! Supporter

    I use your Airtite test as soon as I get the coin along with a visual test with other coins I own.

    Otherwise, trust is just that and reserved only for top-quality dealers. You name the only three I would even consider doing business with.
     
  9. myownprivy

    myownprivy Well-Known Member

    They also buy back products from the public and then sell them back to the public again. Not all of their products come directly from the mint.
     
  10. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor

    The real question is who trusts hand poured ( used the correct version) bars? Well I guess ok if they use a specific gravity device.
     
  11. Lesbian Cow

    Lesbian Cow Member

  12. TheFinn

    TheFinn Well-Known Member

    The Sigma Metalytics tester is not perfect. Try putting a copper round on it and watch it call if .999 fine silver.
    You need to learn what things look like. Slabs can prevent you from seeing the thickness, which is one way that counterfeits are dealt to the unsuspecting. The coin will weigh right, but will be thicker. This especially happens with bars, which are something I don't like to buy unless it is in a deal. Then I buy them at a discount.
     
    -jeffB likes this.
  13. Lesbian Cow

    Lesbian Cow Member

    Correct, the Sigma is one tool to use but should not be your only method.
     
  14. rte

    rte Well-Known Member

    I check the normal ways, but don't have a sigma metals tester, so my whites 6000DI will have to do.
    whites-6000-di-pro-[2]-743-p[ekm]320x229[ekm].jpg
     
  15. ilmcoins

    ilmcoins Well-Known Member

    I hand it to my wife. If it keeps her interest for more than 5 seconds it is real gold.
     
  16. CoinsandBars

    CoinsandBars New Member

    I was watching some Clint Eastwood film and I see them biting the gold to see if it's real.

    Anyone here tried it?
     
  17. ToughCOINS

    ToughCOINS Dealer Member Moderator


    I don't disagree with your first suggestion, but I discourage anyone from trusting gold purchases based on correct weight or correct dimensions alone. The densities of gold and tungsten are only different by less than one half of one percent, and tungsten fakes could easily deceive adherents of those methods.
     
    Oldhoopster likes this.
  18. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

    Apmex was here and posted in some other thread (some time ago) about what they do.
    ==> https://www.apmex.com/how-to-detect-gold-and-silver-counterfeit-products-know-your-seller

    apparently you can get fake stuff right from the Canadian mint too => https://coinweek.com/bullion-report/counterfeit-gold-found-royal-canadian-mint-package/


    I do not have the expertise nor money to check for counterfeit. So I leave it up to the experts, or hope so. Otherwise I'd just stop collecting everything coinage.
     
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