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Message:: [QUOTE="Oldhoopster, post: 4294610, member: 84179"]I wouldn't get too hung up on the low level components in a handheld XRF test.  These units use an algorithm that measures the energy level of of an excited electron as it is hit with an Xray.  There is a lot of overlap in multicomponent materials, which makes it difficult to be confident of the low level elements.  Unless you run a Gage R&R or some other statistical analysis on the sample, I would tend to ignore the Pt an Ga values that the OP reported.  There's a reason why handheld units are a lot cheaper than those in a research labs and why the results from a trained technician are more accurate than some guy in a "We buy gold" place.  That being said, I feel confident that the quarter is primarily tin and lead based on the the handheld results, but do I believe it to a 1/10th of a percent as per the reported comp?  No way.[/QUOTE]