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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;calcol, post: 3296025, member: 77639&quot;]Actually, you can use any liquid which is noncorrosive and has a density of less than the coin to do specific gravity.&nbsp; Don&#039;t use drain cleaner or mercury! <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie92" alt=":stop:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> But water is most common because it&#039;s readily available and cheap.&nbsp; You do have to know the density of the liquid.&nbsp; Water is easy because it&#039;s 1.</p><p><br /></p><p>The denser the liquid (as long as it is less dense than the coin), the more accurate the specific gravity determination.&nbsp; This is because a denser liquid gives more &quot;lift&quot; to the coin, so the difference between the coin&#039;s weight in air and liquid is greater.&nbsp; Some labs use carbon tetrachloride or perfluoromethyldecalin because they are dense and non-reactive with coinage metals, minerals, and gemstones.&nbsp; Some minerals dissolve in water!</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;ve used water and perfluoromethyldecalin in the past.&nbsp; These days, I have a friend with a XRF analyzer which reads-out the metal composition. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Cal[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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