How to check the authenticity of silver

How to identify a silver coin at home. Ways to check the authenticity of silver yourself at home

Silver is an amazing metal that hides enormous healing power. Beautiful dishes, original jewelry, ritual utensils, etc. are made from it. Silver products are in great demand. At the same time, there is a high risk of purchasing a fake, because unscrupulous sellers may sell a metal alloy instead of silver. To avoid falling for this bait, you need to know how to check the authenticity of silver at home.

Checking the product sample

Carefully inspect the silver item. Silverware or jewelry must be stamped with numbers (800, 830, 875, 925, 960 or 999). If, for example, a piece of jewelry has a 925 standard, this means that the jewelry contains 92.5% pure silver. Even designer silver items are tested, but often the authors of such jewelry do not agree with this and leave their “brainchild” without marking.

The physical properties of silver are a sure way to distinguish the real from the fake

Silver is an excellent heat conductor. Take the product in your hands and it will quickly reach your body temperature. Or put an object in hot water and it will immediately become hot.

A magnet will help you find out whether there is silver in front of you or not. Apply a magnet to the jewelry: if the item is drawn to the source of magnetization, it is a fake. Real silver is not magnetic.

In addition, experts distinguish silver by its unusual smell. But, unfortunately, there are many chemical flavorings with which craftsmen skillfully disguise metals, passing them off as silver.

How to test a silver ring with a needle

Take a regular sewing needle and scratch the product you are testing (it is better to do this on the side where traces of the experiment will not be noticeable). If you have a real silver item in front of you, nothing special will happen to it, but a reddish color will appear on the surface of the silver-plated item (this is brass).

Determining the authenticity of silver at home using sulfur ointment

In order to distinguish real silver from a fake, stock up on sulfur ointment, a small piece of sandpaper and a napkin. Gently sand a barely visible area of ​​the cutlery, bracelet or earring with sandpaper.

Then apply sulfur ointment to the cleaned area and leave for several hours. Then remove the ointment with a clean, dry cloth. If you have a real silver object in front of you, the area treated with sandpaper will turn black after contact with sulfur ointment.

After this procedure, clean and polish the remaining dark stain.

Silver products are very popular among people, and this applies not only to jewelry, but also to silverware. In addition, this metal is also involved in industrial production and is called.

To evaluate silver, a measure such as sample is used. It shows the quantitative content of metal in 1 kilogram of alloy. For the production of jewelry and cutlery, silver with a purity of 875, 916 and 925 is used. But how to determine technical silver? Everything is simple - it has the highest 999 standard, and besides, the technical metal is very ductile, so it can be deformed.

Due to the fact that a large number of precious jewelry offered on the jewelry market are fakes, every person should know how to check silver for authenticity.

Often, scammers intending to profit from the gullibility of citizens, under the guise (and at an appropriate price!) offer customers jewelry made of cheap metal, but covered with the thinnest layer of precious metal.

However, knowing the properties of this metal, with the help of some tests you can easily distinguish a piece of jewelry from a fake. Moreover, many of these methods can be easily implemented at home using improvised means and substances (iodine, vinegar, etc.).

Silver or not: how to recognize?

A visual and tactile test for silver can be performed at a jewelry store before purchasing a piece, but to do this you need to know what real silver should look like. It is easy to find out the authenticity of jewelry made from this metal - just squeeze it in your hand. It is known to conduct heat, so it will take up to a minute to heat it up.

To get rid of aluminum, which is used to make counterfeits, it is enough to hold the jewelry in your hand. A precious product will be weighty, while an aluminum one will surprise you with its lightness. However, this method is more suitable for evaluating massive products.

The main sign that the jewelry is not precious, but just zinc, is the presence of a slightly dark coating on the skin of the hands after contact with such a product.

When purchasing any product made of precious metal, you should definitely pay attention to the hallmark. It itself should have clear boundaries, and the numbers should be easily visualized. The hallmark mark on a genuine product is located symmetrically with respect to its edges.

When answering the question of how to determine the authenticity of silver, mention should be made of household methods:

1. Magnet test: Silver can be easily tested at home using a rare earth neodymium magnet. The thing is that silver is not attracted to a magnet, which can be used for. To perform the test, bring a piece of magnet close to the product. If it comes under the influence and is attracted, then you can be sure that it is a fake. Using a magnet, the authenticity of not only products, but also silver bars is tested. You should take 1 ingot, tilt it at an angle of 45 degrees and place a piece of magnet on it so that it slides down. If the magnet lingers on the ingot, there is a 100% guarantee that the sample size of the ingot is lower than stated.
2. Ice test: This method is suitable for coins and bars. For the dough you only need 1 ice cube. It should be placed on the surface of the ingot and monitored as the ice melts. Since silver has excellent thermal conductivity, the process of melting ice will take a couple of seconds.
3. Iodine Test: This at-home silver test must be done with caution as iodine leaves dark stains on real metal. To test the authenticity, but not spoil the product, iodine should be applied to the inside of the jewelry, and this must be done pointwise.
4. Sulfur ointment test: this product is purchased at the pharmacy. A small area of ​​the product should be rubbed with sandpaper and lubricated with sulfur ointment. The result is assessed after 15 minutes. If there is a stain left where the acid was applied, then you can be sure that the jewel is real. But metals such as nickel and stainless steel will not interact with acid, so there will be no stains on products made from such metals.
5. Chalk test: how to determine silver at home? It’s quite easy - just take a piece of chalk and rub the product with it. If dark stripes remain on the chalk, then such a sign will indicate the authenticity of the jewelry.
6. Boiling water test: if you have any doubts about the quality of the jewelry, you should prepare a glass of boiling water and dip the piece into it for just a second. Silver jewelry will become hot in a second, which cannot be said about other metals.
7. Needle test: just take a thin needle and lightly scratch the jewelry with it. There will be no trace of the needle left on real jewelry.
8. Test with a lapis pencil: you can buy such a pencil at the pharmacy. This device is used for testing precious metals at home. It is enough to wet the product and make a stroke on it with such a pencil. If the trace changes color, this will be a sign of a fake.

Sulfuric ointment

Chemical method

How to test silver at home? You can buy a chemical test kit at a jewelry store. When working with reagents (acid), hands should be protected with gloves.

To test a product, you should make a scratch on it, then apply acid to it. To evaluate the test result, you should read the instructions for the kit.

For example, on pure silver, a scratch under the influence of acid will acquire a bright red color, but yellow, blue and brown tints of the scratch will indicate a fake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zO_poAblmw

To avoid becoming a victim of scammers and spending a colossal amount of money on a trinket positioned as a precious piece of jewelry, all such purchases should be made in specialized stores. It is desirable if these are retail outlets selling branded products.

It’s not without reason that they say that not everything shiny is a jewel, so you should know how to identify silver at home. Our age of technological progress, the emergence of ever new chemical developments, makes it possible to fake almost everything.

Yes, this is not the most expensive of noble representatives. However, increasing the mass of objects, it is often diluted with various impurities. Even a jewelry store is not a guarantee of the authenticity of jewelry.

So, how can you recognize the real thing at home or not?

We learn to determine the authenticity of silver by its characteristic properties

First of all, when you take a silver item, carefully examine it. A ring, chain, bracelet or spoon must be stamped or hallmarked. These are three small numbers outlined by a rectangle. Unfortunately, neither the presence of such a mark nor the purchase of jewelry in a specialized store is a guarantee that the bracelet or set is genuine.

Therefore, you need to have some knowledge that will protect you from purchasing a low-quality product. Take the item in your hands. Silver is a good conductor, so it instantly warms up from the warmth of the palms. Place the item in a glass of boiling water. After a few seconds, try to carefully remove it. Be careful, it's hot. A real precious metal will reach the same temperature in an instant.

If your hands remain clean upon contact with a silver object, it means the metal is of high quality. A low-quality alloy diluted with zinc will result in blackened palms. Often, under the guise of pure jewelry, dishonest sellers try to sell items made of copper or brass that have a silver-plated surface.

An ordinary needle will help bring deceitful traders to clean water. Place the needle in an inconspicuous area of ​​the jewelry. The top layer of coating will be erased, exposing the insides. If the color under spraying remains the same, then everything is fine.

And if a red or yellow tint appears, you have an alloy of brass or copper with a silver-plated surface.

Source: https://theanticafe.ru/kak-opredelit-serebryanuyu-monetu-v-domashnih-usloviyah-sposoby-proverki/

How to check silver for authenticity at home

The quality of the precious metal in a product purchased in a store is extremely rarely questioned. It’s another matter if the jewelry was bought secondhand or at the market. Here you have to trust only the honest word of the seller.

In the latter situation, the question often arises: how to quickly check the authenticity of existing silver at home, that is, using improvised means? Let's talk about this in detail.

Visual inspection

In most cases, a close examination of the jewelry makes it quite easy to identify a fake without resorting to other, more labor-intensive methods.

First of all, manufacturers must indicate the sample on any product. To examine the mark, you will need to arm yourself with a magnifying glass, because it is very small.

Standard silver samples are:

• 999 (bank metal, not used for jewelry);
• 960 (not very common);
• 925 (most popular);
• 916;
• 875;
• 800;

At the same time, counterfeiters have learned to fake stamps very accurately, so you shouldn’t rely solely on the presence of a sample. Be sure to evaluate the quality of the work. Links of chains or, for example, silver bracelets are always soldered together, because the metal is soft and bends easily. The same statement is true for locks.

If there are inserts of stones, the method of fixing them will tell a lot. In real jewelry, they are attached with claws or held in place by a solid border. In costume jewelry, rhinestones are often simply glued to the base.

Used silver jewelry usually has quite a few scratches. On the new one they also appear quite easily. Moreover, some of them are very deep. On fakes, the damage is always superficial - alloys similar to silver are much harder.

Another genuine object, if you run it across the paper, leaves an inconspicuous gray line. Tin or lead have the same property, but the trace will be much darker. Cupronickel does not show any marks at all.

Magnet

As practice shows, very often iron-containing alloys are used to imitate silver. Therefore, it is not difficult to detect a fake in a matter of seconds by applying a magnet to it. Precious metal, as you know, does not attract. We recommend using this testing option first.

However, you should not relax if the jewelry does not react to the magnet in any way - there are many cheap alloys that are very similar to silver. Therefore, at the next stage it is worth using one of the methods described below.

Iodine

There are a variety of methods used to determine the quality of precious metals. But among them, the most reliable is the use of ordinary iodine, stored in every home medicine cabinet.

It is well known that upon contact with silver, this element forms a salt that has a rather characteristic yellow color. The named compound is insoluble in a liquid medium.

This test has only one problem - a black spot remains on the object forever, which can only be removed mechanically, that is, by polishing. Therefore, it is necessary to choose an inconspicuous place on the back of the decoration.

We carry out the check according to the following instructions:

• degrease the product with alcohol;
• Apply a drop of iodine to its surface (with a pipette or a cotton swab);
• After drying, wash with water.

If you actually have a silver object in your hands, then a dark stain that cannot be removed will remain on it.

Sulfuric ointment

Sulfur is one of the few chemical elements that react with silver. Testing at home is easy to do using any pharmaceutical ointment where it is the main active ingredient.

Source: https://SerebroExpert.ru/obshhie-svedeniya/kak-proverit-serebro-na-podlinnost-v-domashnih-usloviyah.html

How to check the authenticity and purity of silver

Hans/pixabay.com

Silver is a noble element belonging to the group of precious metals. It does not rust over time and does not oxidize upon contact with air. Nowadays, many silver items are marked with characteristic marks or hallmarks.

Previously, most things made from precious metal were produced without distinctive signs. Their authenticity can be determined by taking into account certain characteristics of the element.

This article will help you learn to distinguish genuine silver from fake.

How to check silver in a store before buying

Silver products are found in large quantities in trade, from jewelry to forks, spoons and decorative accessories. In jewelry stores, silver items usually have small tags, so-called passports.

They indicate the main characteristics, weight, fineness, names of precious stones and their characteristics. On the inside, in inconspicuous places, metal samples are stamped on the jewelry.

These seals tell the buyer how much silver is contained in the alloy per 1 kg.

Stamp and hallmark

Pure silver is practically never used in jewelry. The noble metal is ductile and quickly deforms, so to make the jewelry stronger, a small amount of additional elements are added to the alloy. Sterling silver is the most preferred silver for jewelers. Such an alloy contains about 92% of the precious metal, the remaining percentage comes from special additives.

There are several samples of silver that are used for different purposes.

• Sample 720. In 1 kg. There is not much of such an alloy of pure silver, since a significant proportion is copper (about 280 g). Jewelry with this hallmark is not made, but the alloy is successfully used in industry due to its strength.
• Samples 800 and 830 are found on cutlery. If you see a product with the 875 stamp in the store, do not confuse it with white gold. Some sellers are guilty of this, passing off the alloy as a more expensive metal. In fact, 875 hallmark is predominantly silver, sometimes with a gold-plated layer applied.
• Samples 916 and 925 are the main samples that jewelers use when creating jewelry.
• The alloy with 960 fineness is characterized by a high silver content. It is soft and can quickly deform, so jewelers have abandoned its use. But the sample is actively used in architecture and art.
• The alloy with purity 999 consists of pure precious metal. Can be found on coins and bars.

A hallmark is an optional sign for silver items. If a brand is placed, it is in any form, based on the wishes of the manufacturers. Usually the mark is placed in close proximity to the sample.

Some manufacturers do not put stamps. This doesn't mean the items are fake. Jewelry that is not certified or produced in a country where hallmark is not a mandatory attribute is often sold.

Technical silver is an additional variety of silver. This type of precious metal is little known to the mass consumer. However, it is widely used for industrial purposes.

This highest standard silver is used to coat wires in electrical structures. In the past, technical silver was actively used in the photo and film industry. At home, such an alloy is often found in radio components.

Industrial silver, despite its name, is a pure precious metal and has the same properties as jewelry. To establish its authenticity, you can use improvised means or contact specialists.

Checking silver using improvised means

You can establish the authenticity of silver using improvised means. It is advisable to use several tests to be sure of the results of the study.

As a rule, there are no jewelry or utensils made from pure silver. This is due to the fact that the metal is soft and subject to rapid deformation. For jewelry, craftsmen use more durable alloys containing silver. There are many substances that can react with this element and leave characteristic traces on it.

Chalk

Regular school chalk is suitable for testing. When in contact with genuine precious metal, it leaves dark streaks on the surface or darkens itself. If you make a few strokes on the fake, the chalk will leave white marks and will not change color.

Vinegar

Vinegar does not react with silver, which cannot be said about non-ferrous metals. If the product oxidizes after vinegar, there is no silver in it. Regular 9% vinegar is suitable for testing. It is poured into a small container and a silver item is placed in it. A few seconds are enough to see the result. If the jewelry is not made of silver, it will instantly react to the vinegar with a chemical reaction.

Needle

Often jewelry is made from cheap alloys, covering their surface with a small amount of silver. To make sure of this, you can take a needle and lightly scratch the surface. The top silver-plated layer can be easily removed. If silver predominates in the composition, the needle will not cause significant damage to the surface.

lapis pencil

An outdated product, however, it is still sold in some pharmacies. The pencil contains silver nitrate, so it does not affect precious metals such as silver or gold.

If you run a pencil over a product soaked in water, there will be no marks left on the surface. If counterfeit, lapis will change the color of the metal surface.

Nitric acid

When using nitric acid, the main thing is not to forget about precautions: work with gloves and a protective mask. The acid has an aggressive effect on the silver surface, a rapid oxidation process occurs, and the silver darkens in a few minutes. A large amount of impurities in the alloy will cause a chemical reaction with hissing and greenish foam. To make the test as accurate as possible, you can lightly scratch the surface, then remove any possible protective layer.

Bleach

By applying a little bleach to the inside of the jewelry, you can determine whether it is made of silver. The precious metal will react instantly with the household product and a dark stain will appear. Marks will appear even if the product is silver plated. This method will not show the exact silver content.

Thermal method

Silver is the leader among metals in thermal conductivity. It heats up quickly and gives off heat. To determine the authenticity of silver, several temperature experiments can be performed. Typically, coins or bars are tested using an ice cube. It is placed on a flat surface. If the ice melts quickly, then the silver is genuine.

For small jewelry, simply warming it in your hands is more suitable. If the jewelry soon becomes warm, it is most likely made of a noble metal.

For maximum accuracy, you can immerse the object being examined in hot water. It will instantly heat up and become impossible to hold in your hands. In this case, other metal alloys will become only slightly warm. However, with such a test, the silver can quickly darken, and it will take a long time to clean it. Similar manipulations can be carried out using chilled water.

Voice test

When using the method, it is advisable to find a genuine silver object and compare its sound with the thing being examined. Silver has a ringing and melodic sound. If the sound from the metal surface is dull, there is a minimal amount of silver in the alloy, or it is not there at all.

Physical impact

If you rub a silver item for a few minutes, there will be no marks left on your hands; if the alloy contains many impurities of another metal, for example, zinc, small dark marks may appear on your hands.

Tests for the authenticity of silver using reagents

Industrial stores or pharmaceutical outlets sell special tests for checking metals, including silver. All you need is to find a silver test, read the instructions, and follow simple steps.

Before testing, the surface is cleaned with sandpaper, then the reagent is applied. The reaction of metals when interacting with a substance is described in the instructions for the reagent.

Checking old silver items

Old silver items are the most common items that are tested for authenticity. This is due to the fact that previously samples were not placed on decorations or dishes. The master's mark does not indicate that the jewelry or utensils are made of precious metal.

It is not advisable to use home methods to test antique jewelry. Iodine and nitric acid can be harmful. In this case, you can take the antique items to a jewelry workshop, where professionals will determine their authenticity. They have a set of special tools that make it possible not to harm the old silver item.

Methods for determining the authenticity of a coin

How to check a coin for silver? Usually several methods are used. The first is heat transfer testing. You can take an ice cube and place it on the flat surface of a coin. If the ice melts quickly, the coin is cast in silver. If you squeeze a genuine coin in your hands and hold it for a few minutes, it will become warm.

Silver coins are heavier in weight than aluminum and other metals. Antique coins made of precious metals do not shine. The shine may be a sign that a lot of nickel has been added to the alloy.

Since silver is diamagnetic, the coin will not move under the influence of a magnet. If you are not afraid of damage, you can try using chalk, nitric acid, or sulfur ointment. Or simply rub the coin in your hands for a while: a pure silver coin will not leave any marks on your palms.

Finally, a real silver coin will sound loud, clear and ringing. The sound of a fake is dull and tuneless. You can get the desired sound by tapping the coin with another metal object.

How to determine the silver sample

A silver sample can be determined with an error of up to 15–20 units using a reagent. The latter is sold in some pharmacies or specialty stores. When interacting with a silver surface, the reagent changes color to a brownish-brown tint if the silver standard is 600-800.

If the sample is above 800, the chromium peak will turn orange. At sample 875, a reddish tint appears. Starting from 925 standard, the reagent becomes burgundy, and pure silver acquires a scarlet color.

Other metals in the alloy reveal themselves:

• dark color (brass);
• yellow (tin or lead);
• blue (nickel).

How to distinguish silver from cupronickel

Cupronickel, similar in color to silver, is based on an alloy of copper and nickel. You can distinguish cupronickel silver dishes from silver ones by color. On the first, metals of other shades will appear under the top whitish layer. Nickel gives a yellowish tint, and chrome gives a bluish tint. Silver has the same color both inside and outside. You can check this by lightly scratching the surface with a needle or sharp object.

If there is no sample, you can try to determine the authenticity by weight. Silverware is heavier and more noticeable in the hand than cupronickel silver.

You can immerse the product in water for several days. Silver will enrich the water with useful ions and will not change its appearance. The cupronickel surface will most likely change color, and in some cases even turn green.

Source: https://JLady.ru/knowledge/kak-proverit-podlinnost-i-probu-serebra.html

How to check the authenticity of silver items?

There are several home ways to check the authenticity of silver. Checking two or three of them gives a very high guarantee of accuracy.

The website sympaty.net offers options for testing this metal, available under normal conditions.

What to look for when checking silverware or jewelry?

The first step is to inspect the product (preferably with a magnifying glass). The subject of the search is an engraving indicating the sample.

The test is written on all items made of precious metals produced in the Russian Federation, Ukraine or Belarus; also, applying the test is a common practice in Europe and America.

However, not all over the world and not at all times, the hallmark on silver items was mandatory: so, if the country of origin is not known exactly, or the item is vintage or antique, then checking the authenticity of the silver by the presence of the hallmark is impossible.

A simple way to check the authenticity of silver at home is to hold a magnet to the item.

The more powerful the better. Silver things are not attracted to a magnet, but they have very weak paramagnetic properties.

And hence another test option, suitable for large silver objects - ingots or dishes: you need to place a small magnet on the inclined plane of this metal and watch how it slides downwards. This should happen smoothly, but the magnet should not stick completely.

Is it possible to bleach silver at home?

Another very simple test is with ice. An ice cube placed on a coin, bar or utensil made of sterling silver melts much faster than on other metals at the same temperature. The reason for this is the high thermal conductivity of silver.

Chemical testing methods

There are special acids and other substances that chemists and jewelers use. But, since it is not always possible to check the authenticity of silver at home using special chemicals, “Beautiful and Successful” offers reliable methods of verification using substances used in everyday life.

How to determine the authenticity of silver: 5 ways, what is “technical silver”

Few people in the entire consumer precious metals market know that silver is used not only for making beautiful jewelry and kitchen utensils, but also in technical production. Even fewer have a clue how to determine the authenticity of silver.

If you consider the issue of using silver products, the first thing that comes to mind is associations with silver chains, bracelets, various dishes and even original decorative items.

Some may be surprised, but the scope of application of precious metal does not end there. For a long time, silver has been used in instrument making, industrial production and the manufacture of other devices.

Precious metal used in these industries is considered “technical” according to the law. It is also subject to withdrawal for recycling and further use.

The term “technical”, what is it?

In fact, “technical silver” as a definition is perceived completely incorrectly by many. Usually the term “technical” is usually associated with something unclean, with possible impurities and alloys.

In the situation with silver, everything is completely different. Ordinary jewelry silver, which is used for jewelry, contains various impurities in the form of lead, tin, copper, brass and other metals.

And “technical silver” is almost 100% pure. The maximum impurity content in it can be 1 hundredth of a percent, and the presence of these additives is clearly regulated.

Pure technical silver is often used for surface treatment of contacts and wires. In addition, some manufacturers of electrical products produce integral elements and contact groups.

In addition to what is presented, this material has additional applications. That is secondary. The silver composition of the parts, as mentioned earlier, is processed, after which it is used again. It can also be disposed of in accordance with regulations on the disposal of hazardous substances.

What is the difference between jewelry and technical metal alloy?

Very often, ordinary people, fearing that they will get a fake when buying jewelry, begin to become intensely interested in how to distinguish pure silver from a fake? As an answer to a popular question, it should immediately be repeated that pure alloys, in principle, are not used in the manufacture of jewelry.

As for the differences:

1. To begin with, it should be clarified that the use of alloys is typical for any silver jewelry.
2. In the production of electrical products and other industrial items, on the contrary, the use of technical pure metal is relevant.
3. External signs are no less characteristic. In jewelry this is an impeccable appearance, and in the technical field it is the absence of impurities.
4. And the last difference is the complete impossibility of using pure alloy in the manufacture of chains, crosses, pendants and other jewelry. This is due to the too soft properties of the metal.

As for the question of how silver is recognized, there are many methods.

How can you determine the authenticity of silver items?

The most effective of them are the following methods:

1. Due to its natural properties, silver has high reflective parameters. If it is not cleaned for a long time, the shine disappears and a specific coating appears in its place.
2. To identify metal, you can simply rub it. If the product is nickel silver, after processing it takes on slightly pink tones. Chrome is blue, nickel is yellow, and silver will remain unchanged.
3. You can also check the product using this method. A plate or other product is held in the hand for several minutes, and if it is made of silver, then very quickly a person will cease to feel its coolness, since the metal has very strong thermal conductivity.
4. Also, pure precious metal is 100% diamagnetic. That is, if the product is magnetic, it is not technical silver, but an alloy.
5. The old grandmother's method also applies. You need to place the product in a crumb of black bread and leave it there for a couple of days. If the metal turns black, the result is positive.

All these methods can be carried out in normal home conditions. Thanks to them, it is possible to almost reliably determine the authenticity of a precious metal, without the use of special installations and reagents.

There are also several chemical tests, but their use without the proper level of knowledge is at least dangerous.

Therefore, if there is a need to find out how silver the product is, you should contact specialized institutions and laboratories, where a full analysis will be carried out.

Source: http://VseoZolote.ru/precious-metals/kak-opredelit-podlinnost-serebra-v-domashnih-usloviyah.html

How to determine the authenticity of a silver coin, check silver at home - Cleaning Pro

27.11.2018

Do you love silver? It is beautiful and noble! But hallmarking began relatively recently, and if you inherited silver things, bought them on occasion, or received them as a gift, then I would like to determine their real value. How to check the authenticity of silver without resorting to the services of experts?

Silver jewelry has been valued at all times and does not lose popularity today. Dishes, church utensils, and jewelry were made from it. Even the ancient Persians, Egyptians and Greeks knew that silver had bactericidal properties, so they actively used it in medicine, however, this property is also relevant in modern realities.

Some interesting facts about silver

Argentum, or silver, is in the same group with gold and platinum in the periodic table. These precious metals do not corrode and do not oxidize in air.

Silver has always been considered a magical substance with mysterious and miraculous properties. It is not only famous for its healing qualities, but also absorbs negativity and helps cleanse the spirit. That is why it is used in church and temple rites in almost all religions of the world. And in the times of the pagans it was associated with the Moon.

Silver infused water has healing properties, and regular use can significantly improve your health. By the way, astronauts on the ISS drink only silver water. And in Japan they have developed devices that purify the air using silver ions.

Do you know that silver jewelry is more popular than gold jewelry? Despite the fact that the shade of this metal is cold, people felt inner warmth and radiance, and happily wore and continue to wear silver jewelry. Precious stones in a silver frame are especially beautiful; they play with all colors and look catchy and contrasting.

Silver is versatile; jewelry made from it is suitable for both women and men, suitable for any outfit. It can be combined with enamel, gold, pearls and various stones.

Methods for checking quality and authenticity

Products made from pure natural silver are beautiful, but not practical. The fact is that this is a fairly ductile metal, it quickly loses its shine if it is not cleaned, and if worn carelessly, it breaks or becomes deformed; the pattern smoothes out over time. Jewelers have long begun to use various alloys with alloyed silver.

Unfortunately, samples are not taken in all countries, or the product may not be certified or manufactured privately. Therefore, the question of how to determine silver at home becomes relevant in some cases.

Iodine, vinegar and chalk

Many substances react with silver, leaving traces on it.

Drop a drop of iodine onto the product and wipe it off immediately. Real silver will leave a black stain, which will be difficult to remove later. The method is not very good, you can damage the decoration, use it on an inconspicuous area from the inside.

Run an ordinary school chalk over the silver; the real thing will leave dark streaks. Vinegar does not give any reaction when interacting with silver, but non-ferrous metals, on the contrary, oxidize.

With a needle

Very often, costume jewelry is made from various alloys, and the top is coated with a thin layer of silver. Take a needle and scratch the metal - the silver-plated layer is easily removed, but pure silver has a high density of material, and it is impossible to break the molecular layer with a needle.

Special chemicals

Metal tests can be found at your local pharmacy or specialty stores. In our case, it is called the “silver test”. For proper use, read the instructions and carry out simple manipulations.

Typically, lightly rub the area to be tested with sandpaper and apply the reagent. After a certain time, you can evaluate the results obtained by the color of the spot:

• shades of red – the product is genuine. Burgundy color indicates 925 standard, and scarlet indicates pure silver without impurities;
• brown colors - light characterizes low-grade silver, and dark color characterizes natural brass;
• yellow – jewelry is made of tin or lead;
• blue - in front of you is nickel.

You see, you don’t have to be a chemist to check the quality with chemical reagents.

Folk tips and signs for using silver in everyday life

Humanity learned about the unique properties of silver more than 6,000 years ago, and perhaps much earlier. It has long been believed that this amazing metal is capable of absorbing negative energy, which is why it turns black. From a scientific point of view, it reacts with substances and trace elements found in the human body. If there is an imbalance in the body, then silver reacts sensitively to all changes.

1. To reduce high fever, wear a silver bracelet on your left hand.
2. Earrings improve alertness and concentration.
3. If you apply silver to your forehead, you can get rid of headaches and relieve eye strain.
4. A ring on the ring finger of the left hand strengthens the heart muscle.
5. If silver jewelry quickly darkens on a person, it means that he has health problems.
6. Silver dishes and cutlery are good for health.
7. Babies are given a silver spoon when their first tooth appears to strengthen the body. Of course, it must be used and not kept as a souvenir.

Conclusion

Based on the methods considered, several conclusions can be drawn. Home methods are not fully effective. Some components react with silver and leave stains on it that are difficult to clean. Therefore, if you are faced with the task of how to check silver or not, take your jewelry to an expert.

Source: https://dvorcy2011.ru/sovety-i-instruktsii/kak-opredelit-podlinnost-serebryanoj-monety-proverit-serebro-v-domashnih-usloviyah.html

How to check the authenticity of silver at home and not run into a fake

Greetings, friends! Silver products have always been highly valued. Silver dishes and trays are one of the signs of high wealth. Nowadays, silver jewelry is also at a high price. But now on the market you can increasingly come across products made from an alloy with a small silver content or with the thinnest silver coating, which are passed off as products made from real silver and, of course, at an appropriate price.

You can read more about silver jewelry in the following articles:

 How to determine the authenticity of silver at home? How to determine the authenticity of silver jewelry? This is what our article is about today.

Try

First, carefully examine the sample of the silver product. It should be clear - 925.

Chalk will help you

Rub your item on a piece of school chalk; if it turns black, you are the owner of a real silver jewelry. If the chalk remains white, it is a fake.

Sulfuric ointment

Apply a small layer of sulfur ointment (pharmaceutical preparation) to the products and leave for two hours, then rinse with water. Silver products will darken when treated in this manner, but the fake will not change color or acquire any other shade.

Iodine

Place a drop of iodine on the metal. A silver product will not change color. If a “silver” product turns blue, then it is a product made of zinc or an alloy with a high zinc content. In addition, jewelry containing zinc can leave dark marks on the skin.

Needle

Lightly scratch the inside of the jewelry with a needle. Silver will not react to this, and silver-plated products will remain without a coating layer.

Boiling water

Silver is a metal with high thermal conductivity. It heats up very quickly and cools down just as quickly. Dip the product into a bowl of boiling water for a second. The silver item will instantly heat up, but the fake item will be slightly warm.

Well, here, perhaps, are all the basic and easily accessible methods of how to distinguish silver from fakes at home. Happy shopping!

Source: http://nash-sekret.ru/kak-opredelit-podlinnost-serebra.html

How to check if silver is genuine

Silver items can be quite expensive. The cost of a piece of jewelry will depend on how much pure silver is contained in the piece or piece of jewelry.

As in the case of testing a gold product for authenticity, silver can also be tested using home methods. Methods for checking whether silver is real range from visual tests to simple scientific formulas.

In addition, now there are even special electronic devices that measure the purity of the precious metal contained in a product, and this is done in a couple of minutes.

Is silver real - ways to check

The first and easiest way to check the authenticity of a silver item is visual inspection . Inspect the product from all sides to see if there are any marks or stamps on it.

A piece of jewelry or an item made in Russia may have a jewelry hallmark in metric measurement (for example, 925).

This means that the item may have been hallmarked and marked with a percentage of pure silver (in this case, 92.5%). Read more about silver samples in our article.

Jewelry made in the United States and some other Western countries may display the word sterling in combination with a number (for example, .925). Sterling would stand for Sterling Silver, the most popular silver alloy for making jewelry, which similarly contains 92.5% pure silver.

Testing silver for authenticity by calculating the density of the product

Each metal has its own unique density indicator (mass divided by the volume of the substance). It is by density that it is quite easy to distinguish a silver alloy with a certain content of pure silver from its counterfeit or imitation - when other metals are used instead of silver. The density of pure silver is 10.5 grams/cubic centimeter.

Determine the approximate density of your jewelry by dividing its weight by its volume , and compare the result with the density of pure silver indicated above. The closer the density of your product is to the density of silver, the higher the purity of the silver alloy from which the product being tested is made.

In fact, everything is not as scary as it sounds. Weigh your jewelry in grams on an accurate scale (jewelry scale, if possible). Then determine the volume of this product.

To do this, it will be enough to measure the volume of water displaced when the product is immersed in a container of water. Pour water into a measuring cup and note the initial volume.

Then mark the division where the water level stopped after immersing the jewelry in the glass. The difference between the divisions will be the volume of your decoration.

Checking a silver product using a special device

Purchasing a special electronic precious metal tester may be the easiest way to determine the percentage of pure silver in an alloy. Of course, this will only make sense if you need to check the authenticity of the silver in a whole chest of jewelry - we wouldn’t refuse a treasure either :).

Electronic testers can often be purchased from an online store, but they are quite expensive - more than $1,000 for one device.

What to do next?

It’s good if home methods have shown that your product consists of a real silver alloy. However, if this is not the case, we advise you not to be upset. Most modern jewelry, including silver, is accepted at pawn shops for scrap price.

That is, jewelry can hardly be considered as a means of investing and saving money, although for some reason many people count on it.

Only products with unique stone inserts, or antique products, can be of great value, but only if they have artistic or historical value.

Therefore, the main meaning of jewelry is to please yourself, to enjoy the beauty and fine workmanship, as well as the harmony that a correctly selected piece of jewelry gives to your appearance.

And if the antique product that fell into your hands has stood the test of time and retained its beauty and properties, then the alloy at its base was good enough.

New products, as always, are recommended to be purchased only in reliable stores registered with the Assay Office, and in no case directly or in markets.

ALL JEWELRY METALS: CATALOG | JEWELERY METALS - GUIDE | SILVER - CATALOG

All about gold | All about silver | All about platinum | All about palladium

Silver alloys and samples | Properties of silver. Chemical and physical properties of silver metal | Where are the silver reserves in the world? Silver deposits in the world and Russia

Source: http://juvelirum.ru/spravochnik-po-dragotsennym-metallam/serebro/kak-proverit-podlinnoe-li-serebro/

How to check silver items for authenticity

In order to check the authenticity of silver, first of all inspect the product for the presence of hallmarks and hallmarks.

The mark may look arbitrary, and sometimes be completely absent from the product. As for fineness, silver items sold on the international market must have a marked hallmark indicating the fineness of the metal. The most common numbers are 800, 830, 875, 925, 960; pure silver – 999 standard.

Do not be upset if you cannot find marks on the product - this does not mean that this is a different metal. Such a product may simply not be certified or produced in a country where the mark is not required.

The numbers on the marking indicate the percentage of silver in the alloy. For example, the 925 stamp indicates that the alloy contains 92.5% silver, and the 900 stamp indicates 90% silver content

There are other ways to test your silver. Let's take a closer look at them.

Existing silver samples:

1. 720 is the cheapest and lowest-grade alloy, with a large admixture of copper. At the same time, the most reliable of all silver alloys. Used where the use of silver in industry is required. It is not suitable for making jewelry, and cannot even be sampled.
2. 800 and 830 - alloys with this silver content are suitable for cutlery and other utensils.
3. 875 is a jewelry alloy that is often confused with white gold, especially if it has gold plating. It can be passed off as gold as a counterfeit.
4. 916 - this alloy will no longer be used. In Soviet times, silverware was cast from it. The presence of this sample indicates production in the USSR.
5. 925 is the most common jewelry grade of silver. It retains the properties of pure silver, but such silver is not as soft.
6. 960 - this alloy is so close to pure silver that it becomes just as ductile. It is suitable for creating works of art where precision of details will be important, but it is impossible to wear such things every day - they are deformed.
7. 999 – pure silver for bars and collectible coins. Pure silver is used in medicine and industry.

When purchasing in a jewelry store, the jewelry should always come with a label - a passport of the product with a seal, which indicates all the parameters, including sample size, weight, and the presence of stones.

If such a tag has not been preserved, and there is no hallmark on the metal itself, do not despair. There are many ways to find out whether the silver is real or not at home.

How to check the authenticity of silver at home

You can check it before making a purchase in a jewelry store. To do this, do the following:

• Check out the sample. Silver products are marked with a special mark, which indicates the proportion of noble metal content in the alloy, since this metal is not used in its pure form. You will find numbers from 800 to 925 on silver. The rest is fake.
• Appearance of the product. The original is silver-white in color and reflects light well. When the metal has not been cleaned for a long time, it becomes covered with stains that have a pink tint. But even in this condition, the silver ring does not leave any dark or yellowish marks on the skin of the hands.
• Hold the product in your palm. Silver has high thermal conductivity and heats up instantly. If you put a spoon made of this metal into a glass of hot water, it is not easy to hold it with unprotected hands without the risk of getting burned.
• Estimate the weight of the product. Silver is a dense metal, so jewelry and other items have a noticeable mass.
• Check the product for “sonority”. Tap it with another silver object, and if you have an original in front of you, the sound will be clear and ringing.

If you have any doubts about the product and you do not understand whether it is silver or not, do not rush to make a purchase, there is a risk of becoming the owner of a fake.

We suggest you read: How to clean spoons and forks to make them shine

How to test silver for authenticity with vinegar

The noble metal is resistant to many caustic solutions, including vinegar. How to determine if there is silver in front of you or not?

Pour some diluted vinegar into a glass and lower the product to be tested into it. No changes will occur with genuine metal, but a fake may react: become darker or lighter, or become stained.

You can test silver with vinegar.

Pour the 9% table bite solution into a bowl and lower the product into the container for a few seconds. Since silver is a low-reactive metal, it will not react with vinegar. If a white coating appears on the product or other changes occur, this is a fake.

You can use a bite to clean silverware and dishes until they shine.

Thermal conductivity

Silver has the highest thermal conductivity among metals - it heats up quickly and gives off heat just as quickly. Try temperature tests with the product.

If you have a coin or bar in your hands that needs to be checked for authenticity, use ice

Take an ice cube, place it on the product and observe carefully. If the ice melts quickly, as if it were placed on something very warm, you have silver in front of you. This test is suitable for flat items; it does not work well on small jewelry.

You can check a small piece of jewelry by simply picking it up - after a few seconds, the silver item will reach the temperature of your body. If you immerse a silver object in hot water for a moment, it will heat up to the temperature of the liquid in a matter of seconds.

Remember that silver darkens due to high temperature exposure, and in order to return it to its original appearance, you will have to clean the product

How to check the authenticity of a silver coin

The chemical properties of silver are explained by its presence in the same group with other noble metals, gold and silver. All these metals are not subject to corrosion or oxidation. Although many people mistakenly believe that silver oxidizes in air.

Since ancient times, silver was considered a magical element, fraught with secrets and miracles. Silver jewelry was credited with healing properties for the body and spirit. Silver was a necessary element in rituals of protection against evil spirits. Silver products are used in almost all world religions. In paganism, silver represents the Moon.

Water with silver ions helps improve health. Astronauts on the International Space Station Mir constantly drink silver water.

Silver jewelry has gained more popularity than any other metal due to its versatility. They are worn by both women and men; they are appropriate for both everyday wear and celebrations. Silver is especially good when set with precious stones - it makes them look catchy and impressive. People choosing silver. They feel an inner radiance in it that they do not feel even with more expensive metals.

Unfortunately, things made of pure silver are not very practical: they are too soft and quickly lose their shine and texture. Therefore, alloys with alloyed silver appeared in jewelry.

Mandatory hallmarks on silver jewelry do not exist in all countries. It is impossible to immediately determine whether the silver used in handicraft jewelry is genuine.

Here are a few more ways to check whether the product in front of you is genuine or not. If a ring, bracelet or coin is suspicious, use one of these methods using household, improvised means:

• Rub the coin with chalk. If dark marks remain on it, the metal is real.
• Apply bleach to the surface. This substance is an oxidizing agent and the noble metal reacts to such exposure by darkening. The main thing is not to forget to protect your hands with gloves.
• Use sulfur ointment. If you apply a small amount of this composition to a coin, lightly rubbed with fine sandpaper, and wipe it with a napkin after 10–15 minutes, stains will appear on it. If they are not there, you see nickel or stainless steel in front of you, and possibly cupronickel.

• Draw a lapis pencil over the moistened product. If the coin is silver, it will be “decorated” with traces of black. A fake will not change the appearance and color.
• Apply some nitric acid to the surface. If green foam forms, this indicates a fake. When there is no foam, this does not mean that what you have in front of you is the original. Sprinkle salt on the acid and if the coin appears milky white, it is silver.
• Nitric acid is also used in “tandem” with potassium bichromate, combined in equal proportions. When it comes into contact with metal that contains more than a third of silver, this composition leaves traces of a brown-red color.

We suggest you read: Is it possible to wash jeans with black clothes?

Authenticity tests using additional accessories

• One of the easiest ways is to check with chalk. Rub your silver jewelry with regular chalk; if the chalk begins to darken, then this is real silver.
• You can check in a similar way by rubbing the silver with a lapis pencil. If it is a real noble metal, then after a few minutes it will begin to darken at the point of contact with the pencil.
• If you don’t feel sorry for your product, then make a few shallow scratches with a needle on the inconspicuous side. If it is a fake, then on the lower layers you will see metal of a completely different color, not like silver.
• Pharmacies also sell an inexpensive kit called the “Silver Test”. By following the instructions, you will definitely be able to determine whether the product in front of you is fake or not.
• Place a drop of iodine on the silver. If after some time the iodine reacts and a light coating appears on the surface, then it is definitely a fake.
• Instead of iodine, you can anoint your silver with sulfur ointment. If the item is real, then a dark blue stain will remain in the place where you anointed it. It can be easily cleaned later.

In these simple ways, you now know how to determine the authenticity of silver.

It is best to not doubt the authenticity of the jewelry, buy it in certified stores and boutiques.

Source: https://vrsl-realty.ru/proverit-serebryanye-veshchi-podlinnost/

How to determine whether a coin is silver or not?

Silver is a rather amazing precious and jewelry metal, which is not only pleasant to look at, but also contains healing powers. From ancient times, when human civilization was just beginning to the present day, silver has been actively used for making dishes, jewelry and various ritual utensils. Water storage tanks on spacecraft are also coated with silver.

The magic of silver lies not only in its pleasant shine, softness and ductility, but also in its unique antiseptic properties.

In this article, various methods of determining silver using improvised means and, in particular, determining the authenticity of silver coins will be discussed in detail.

Quite often, coins indicate detailed information about what it is made of, and on some copies you can even find out how much of this very silver it contains, for example, as on the 50-kopeck USSR coin issued in 1924. But these days, many craftsmen have learned to make fairly high-quality fakes.

So, in order not to fall for the trick of scammers, we will look at ways to determine whether a coin is made of silver or whether they are simply trying to deceive you. Or if you have already purchased a silver coin and are not sure of the seller’s honesty.

17 Ways to Determine the Authenticity of Silver Coins

Let's get started.

The simplest and most accessible ways to determine the authenticity of silver:

1. First, carefully inspect the coin for marks. Perhaps it will immediately become clear whether the coin is made of silver or not;
2. Antique precious metal coins should never shine. The seller of real coins knows this, and under no circumstances will he try to rub the coin to a mirror shine. The use of nickel instead of silver gives the fakes a characteristic metallic (lunar) shine;
3. Hold the coin under test close to a magnet; in some cases this is sufficient, since silver is not a magnetic metal. The only trouble is that this method cannot give a 100% guarantee of authenticity, but if you go to a flea market in search of silver coins, then nothing prevents you from taking a small magnet with you. This method allows you to conduct a preliminary examination, and the seller of the coins will not have eyes wide open if you start scratching the product with a knife to determine the authenticity of the metal;
4. Silver is an excellent heat conductor; if you squeeze a coin in your hands, it very quickly, almost instantly heats up to body temperature, and if you throw it into hot water for a few seconds, it will become just as hot;
5. Spread the coin with sulfur ointment (this product can be purchased at any pharmacy), wait a few hours and wipe thoroughly with a dry cloth. Actually, there can be three results: if the coin turns black, becomes reddish, or even changes its shade to blue or bluish. If the area where the ointment was applied turns black, it is 100% silver!
6. A more severe method involves the use of nitric acid. If you immerse a coin in it, the counterfeit made from non-precious metals will immediately reveal itself; it will simply collapse within a few minutes of being in an aggressive environment, while real silver will remain untouched;
7. Rub the product generously with chalk; if after a couple of minutes the chalk turns black, then this is definitely silver;
8. Experiments with iodine. A very dangerous experiment (for the coin itself, of course), where a drop of iodine hits the real silver will turn black, the method is quite effective, but it will be quite problematic to wash the contact stain. Remember, the purer the silver, the darker the stain will be. If someone nevertheless decides to try this method, then you can get rid of the stain in the following ways: rub with a regular eraser, wipe with a cotton pad moistened with alcohol;
9. Here is another fairly simple way to identify a genuine silver item at home. You need to carefully rub the coin in your hands, then examine your palms. If the palms are still clean, then the coin either does not contain silver at all or its quality is very high. If your hands are dirty, the silver is most likely diluted with zinc or it is a shiny fake with the addition of aluminum. Products made from such an alloy darken very quickly and stain not only your hands, but also your clothes, plus, such coins are quite fragile. This method does not give 100% results, since even the highest standard silver is prone to darkening over time, it all depends on its environment, but it is very easy to restore the shine of real silver. It is enough to rub the coin with a cloth soaked in ammonia or a special cream for cleaning jewelry. Poor quality silver will not sparkle again;
10. There are also quite strange folk remedies. Silver is placed in a loaf of rye bread; if the coin turns black after a while, then the silver is not real; if it still shines, then you were definitely not deceived;
11. Check for impact sound. When falling, the sound from the impact of a counterfeit coin will be dull, but a real one will be quite loud and ringing, which is where the well-known expression “species” comes from;
12. There is also a completely scientific approach. You can purchase a specialized reagent, it is called the “silver test”, although this product is publicly available for sale, but finding it is still quite problematic;
13. Test of exposure. The thinnest layer of coating is removed from the coin in the most inconspicuous place. To do this, just run a small file once along the side edge. Then you need to run the same file over the stone, usually it is black slate, and if a shiny metal strip remains on it, then the coin is definitely made of silver;
14. Fake patina. If the coin has been artificially aged, the patina will most likely be distinguished by the presence of round spots or irregular, sharp color transitions. Typically, such defects are localized around scratches on protruding parts of the product. Shades such as pale blue, red-orange or khaki are direct evidence of the application of an artificial layer of patina;
15. If you come across a coin from the early 20th century, it is quite easy to determine its authenticity. The fact is that at that time, scammers massively knocked out the precious metal from silver coins, and as a result, the coin became full of holes. In those days, the law did not prohibit the use of damaged coins (the damage should be insignificant). After some time, “holey” silver displaced whole coins on the market and the government was forced to abandon their circulation. In 1920, the percentage of such coins reached 80-85% of the total number issued, and therefore if your coin has a small hole, then it is definitely genuine;

1. Another important tool for identifying counterfeit coins is a high-precision scale that can measure weight down to a hundredth of a gram. If the weight of your coin does not match the weight of the original (all data can now be found on the Internet), then the coin is most likely counterfeit. You can also find out the true weight of a coin in old reference books, you can find them in city libraries or on the Internet;
2. Laboratory method. The coin particles are placed in a test tube with 1 part pure nitric acid and 1 part potassium dichromate. If the test material contains more than 1/3 silver, then the particle soaked in acid will immediately turn red. Also, using the corresponding table, based on the shade of color, you can establish the approximate concentration of silver;

Conclusions: can it be determined or not?

Despite all this, all these methods cannot be guaranteed to give an accurate result, since the coin can be made of half silver, that is, silver covers an ordinary coin, the share of the precious metal shell can reach only 15-20% of the total mass of the product.

The only way to be one hundred percent sure is to make a thin notch on the side edge! But no matter how deceptive the appearance of a counterfeit coin may be, no matter how high the quality of the counterfeit, there is always a way to identify the counterfeit.

In the case of rare specimens, it is better to entrust the task of verifying the authenticity of coins to professionals and numismatists.

on the topic “How to check the authenticity of a silver coin”

Source: https://www.1shilling.ru/kak-opredelit-serebryanaya-moneta-ili-net/