How to tell if Silver is Fake?

HI Mike,
Would you know the copper makeup of The 1944 Pennies? I have a 1943 steel Penny and a 1944 Penny which looks almost the same in composition and color as the Steel one except that the 1944 is non-magnetic. Were there other metals back then that were used other than copper?

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

You really need to start your own thread or threads, this is like interrupting someone's conversation...welcome to CoinTalk though.

 

Yes make new threads, but if your 43 and 44 "steel" cents are identical then they're probably both plated

 

Your 1944 is most likely plated. Best way to be sure is to put it to a magnet and see if it sticks or not. There are very few transitional errors where some Zinc plated steel planchets were left over from 1943 and were used to mint 1944's... very very rare and need to be authenticated.

 

Sorry for the interruptions guys, I new at this. I appreciate all your help. I will start a new thread as you say. Thanks again.

 

A non silver Ike Dollar contains nickel which is magnetic, we are talking of a Rare Earth Magnet (Neodymium) for testing silver not a normal magnet.
I use one everyday and it works.

 

I am talking about a rare earth magnet as well, one of the strongest available. It will display the same properties on pure silver and a non silver ike dollar, which means a visual confirmation of diamagnetism using the rare earth magnet test is useless in determining if your coin or bar is actually pure silver.

 

The test is not for pure silver, it is to test to see if a coin is silver or fake, very few of the worlds coins are pure silver, mostly 92.5% or 90% or lower.

 

Whether it is bullion bars at 99.9% silver, or a 99.9% round, or a 90% percent silver coin, the point is that the rare earth magnet test will not confirm that your coin, bar, or round, has any silver at all in it at all, given that it displays the same properties on other metals with no silver content. Unless it sticks to what you are testing like glue, it is non conclusive as it could have silver in it, or some other metal that has diamagnetic properties.

 

I was at an auction last year and saw a 1867 Hong Kong dollar which should be 90% silver, it looked suspect, I performed the rare earth magnet test on it in front of the auctioneer, the magnet slid off like it was on a frozen lake.
It was a fake with no silver content.
I had a sterling silver Crown in my pocket that is used as a test piece, the magnet slid off very slowly as it should on a genuine silver coin.
The auctioneer was so impressed he cancelled the auction and gave me the fake to take away.
That was a good enough test for me.

 

But it close to a good magnet and see if the 1944 cent JUMPS to the magnet! A steel 1944 cent will jump, a nickel plated copper 1944 could still stick to it but it won't jump to it.

 

Hi I’m new I am just in the same boat as you I have a few 1943 steel wheat penny’s and one that’s is identical to the 43’s but the date is 1944-D. Can anyone please give me some onsite. I have so many more goodies please anything
edited

 

Pictures needed.
Clear pictures. Does your 1944 stick to a magnet?

And.. The correct word is Pennies not penny's

 

I have to

 

Yes it sticks to s magnet

 

Are these good enough

 

Could be a 'short circuit......

 

How is that test gonna work if it’s magnetic it’s not going to slide

 

What about by weight 2.7 is what their supposed to weigh (steel wheat penny) right?

 

See above post......