The best (and worst) ways to authenticate gold
We recommend the bite test only if you’re hungry
#6 The magnet test - If you’re relying on this method, I’ve got some bad news: In all likelihood you are already the proud owner of some fake gold. While it’s true that this test will pick up any magnetic impurities within a sample, like iron, nickel, or cobalt, the fact is no self-respecting forger would ever use these to fake gold. As such, the magnet test is effectively worthless. If it’s any consolation, fake gold always makes a great conversation piece for your home or office.
GRADES:
Ease of use: A
Affordability: A
Accuracy: F
#5 The density test - Ah yes, the Archimedes method. A couple millenia ago this was the cutting edge method for determining the authenticity of gold. Unfortunately, new high-density elements have been discovered in the interim, including tungsten. While tungsten’s extreme hardness, brittleness, and high melting temperature made it notoriously difficult to machine - particularly into shapes that would fit into gold coins - those challenges have been overcome in recent years. And as a result, the density test is no longer worth its weight in gold. Eureka indeed.
GRADES:
Ease of use: A-
Affordability: A
Accuracy: F
#4 The acid test - A test so famous that it became synonymous with authenticity, the acid test can chemically determine the purity of gold. However, is it - pun absolutely intended - truly the gold standard? Well, as it turns out, there are a few liabilities with the acid test. For starters, it is destructive. Every time you want to check the authenticity you’re going to need to shave off just a wee bit of your sample. And while the amount of gold removed is minute, it’s not a great look, especially for those handling mint condition coins and bars. Secondly, the acid test is superficial, quite literally scratching at the surface of your gold. And since modern fakes can have up to 60 micrometers or more of surface gold on top of a fake core, you’re liable to miss the mark with this one. Use at your own peril.
GRADES:
Ease of use: B
Affordability: A
Accuracy: C-
#3 The x-ray fluorescence test - As we enter the modern era of gold testing, the methods have started to become more technical and more expensive. But are they good enough to get the job done? X-ray fluorescence, which determines the elemental composition of a subject by bombarding it with x-rays and looking at the emission spectra, is unquestionably accurate and reliable. Yet again, like the acid test, there are limitations in how deep the test can go. For x-ray fluorescence, that depth ends up being about 10-12 micrometers, i.e. good enough to tell you if your gold plating is real, but not good enough to tell you that you just bought a $3,000 paperweight.
GRADES:
Ease of use: B+
Affordability: F
Accuracy: C
#2 The ultrasound test - Yes, the same technology used to look at fetuses in the womb has other practical purposes. And what’s more practical than figuring out what’s inside our precious, precious gold? And ultrasound is pretty darn good at it, as it turns out. While the acid and x-ray fluorescence tests had issues relating to penetration depth, ultrasound goes all the way, sending sound waves clear through a subject and listening for the reflection. In fact, there are only a few small technical issues that get in the way of this being a flawless method. First, ultrasound works best on flat surfaces - which coins, of course, don’t have. Second, it can only scan areas directly under the sensor, which means you’ll need to probe the entire surface if you want to be sure there aren’t any hidden impurities in your sample. But if you’ve got the time and the cash to burn, ultrasound is an effective method for verifying your gold.
GRADES:
Ease of use: C
Affordability: D
Accuracy: B+
#1 Gold Gauge - What if there were something that could detect even the tiniest impurity in a gold coin, no matter where it was? What if this device was easy to use, with no buttons or complicated instructions? What if it were fast and reliable, and fit within the palm of your hand? And what if it were affordable and made in America? Well, dream no longer, because the device that checks every box is here. Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce to you Gold Gauge.
GRADES:
Ease of use: A
Affordability: A
Accuracy: A