Exposing Fake Silver

[jay1234]

If you suspect something is silver filled or silver plated copper, how many times or how long do you have to scratch it on a stone to get to the core metal? Any inputs would be highly appreciated. Thanks.

[GavitSilver]

Are you interested only in the specific question you made or also into other ways to detect if it is only silver plated?

[Pete]

Silver plating is very thin so a simple scratch will expose the underlying base metal.
You may have to dig 0.5mm with thick plate.
Use a box cutter or file not a stone, but whatever you use it will permanently damage the item.
A base metal can be something other than copper so could still appear looking like silver.
Are you referring to cutlery,  bracelets, trophies etc or coins ?

Depending on the physical size of your item (a) check with a strong Nd magnet then if non magnetic (b) make a specific gravity test in water.
Coins have specifications in dry weight, diameter and thickness.
Fake coins will be underweight or over thickness or both.

[GavitSilver]

1 minute ago, Pete said:

Silver plating is very thin so a simple scratch will expose the underlying base metal.
You may have to dig 0.5mm with thick plate.
Use a box cutter or file not a stone, but whatever you use it will permanently damage the item.
A base metal can be something other than copper so could still appear looking like silver.
Are you referring to cutlery,  bracelets, trophies etc or coins ?

Depending on the physical size of your item (a) check with a strong Nd magnet then if non magnetic (b) make a specific gravity test in water.
Coins have specifications in dry weight, diameter and thickness.
Fake coins will be underweight or over thickness or both.

Great answer, it sums up everything you need to know

[Robda1986]

a mag slide, a decent (ish) set of scales, a loop and some testing acid and a stone and you'll be able to rule out most types of fakes, also I found paying a premium for a coin/bar from a reputable dealer helps massively as gives you a known reference point to compare suspicious items to ie size, weight, colour, packaging, Finnish, lettering font etc 

[Gordy]

I always use a mag slider and double check with scales and precision calipers ... I don't want to use acid in case it damages my coins but you're right Robda, a good dealer with a good reputation is worth their weight in silver, pardon the pun.. 

[Robda1986]

33 minutes ago, Gordy said:

I always use a mag slider and double check with scales and precision calipers ... I don't want to use acid in case it damages my coins but you're right Robda, a good dealer with a good reputation is worth their weight in silver, pardon the pun.. 

The only way I can see of a coin/bar/round failing the weight and dimensions is if its already damaged or its fake so for me the acid is really just the last nail in the coffin for a fake before it gets cut and returned to sender for a refund 

[jay1234]

The reason I asked about silver plated or silver filled copper was because I was thinking that if a fake was non magnetic then it would most probably be copper.

So I bought a silver plated necklace and tried to scratch it for like ten seconds on a scratch stone but all I got was white and it dissolved with nitric acid so I knew I wasn't getting to the base metal.

I did drop the nitric acid directly onto the necklace and it turned black. When I washed it, it exposed a red brown metal underneath. At first, I was confused because I thought only copper had that color and the necklace was magnetic so I knew it wasn't copper. So I did some further reading and found out that it could be iron. A few hours later it started to smell like rust so it was definitely iron. I dropped nitric acid onto something I knew was sterling silver and it turned cloudy white. Any ideas how to remove that stain?

Can you guys tell me if the specific gravity test works as well for bracelets and rings (without stones)? I couldn't be sure if tying a string on a ring or a bracelet would work as well as on a coin.

I know I'm definitely probably overthinking this. 😆😆😆

[GavitSilver]

As long as it is an item with only metal, the gravity test will work fine. You just have to find a decent way to attach a string to it

[jay1234]

14 hours ago, GavitSilver said:

As long as it is an item with only metal, the gravity test will work fine. You just have to find a decent way to attach a string to it

Will it work even though the bracelet is hanging from the string?

[GavitSilver]

Y

15 hours ago, jay1234 said:

Will it work even though the bracelet is hanging from the string?

Yes, you just need it to stay into a fixed position and to not touch the container itself.