I have a world coin that has possibly been identified, but is so slick, there is no 100% surety of what it is. If it is way I think it is, it should be 90% silver. I took it to a bullion dealer yesterday and he said he can't tell what the coin is, so he doesn't want to buy it for scrap. He dropped it on a table and said it didn't have the silver sound. I told him it's from the early 1900's from Germany and that it's 90% silver, but he pretty much told me it's worthless. How can I test to see if it is silver and the purity?
Your bullion dealer should have had an acid test kit to determine the silver content. Every pawn shop, coin shop, and flea market gold buyer has had one. If it's silver, he can weigh it, and I don't see what his issue was...it's a hunk of silver at that point. Take it to someone who knows what they're doing.
I agree. At this point its silver scrap, which usually sells at a discount to market, but not worthless of course.
Your coin is a 5 mark coin, .900 silver ,about the size of a dollar, contains about $15 worth of silver.
Yes, but I have to prove that to others who don't know world coins. I offered to show the bullion dealer, but he didn't want to hear it.
Tell him to look up KM# 632. Even in that bad condition the coin's in, I wouldn't acid test it for it will damage the coin. Just list it on ebay, I'm sure you can get more than what the dealer might offer you.
Bullion dealers who operate on narrow margins can't afford to take risks. If he wants to stay in business, he can't take items he's not sure about, and probably can't afford to spend a lot of time researching things. Bullion dealers who operate on wide margins can perhaps afford to take risks, but won't pay you what your items are worth, so it's not worth going to them.
^^ Years ago I had a gold ring to sell. Took it to a pawn shop and the older gentleman said $23. After asking why so cheep the guy says it's not gold. I said nothing and walked. I knew it was gold. Went to a "real" coin dealer several cities away who gave me $109
