Silver Gold Stackers Engagement Initiative #10 - 5 HSBI For Grabs

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A strong neodymium magnet is always a good start. If it's fake it will stick strongly. Of course examining with a magnifier is a great move as well and checking the weight. Fakes rarely weigh the proper amount.

Great question!
!PIMP

If you stick to common coins, it's easier to avoid the fakes. Those have known weight and dimensions.

If the price is too good to be true, pass on it.

If the seller won't let you test it in front of them, pass on it.

You can get a cheap Neodymium magnet to carry with you on a keychain. If it sticks to it, it's fake. If it passes the magnet test, weigh it.

If the weight is off, pass on it.

If the weight is right, check dimensions online from a reputable online bullion dealer. Use digital calipers to measure the thickness and diameter. If they're off, pass on it. If they're right, it's likely genuine.

Jewelry is a little tougher. You can get a Kee gold tester for gold only. I'm not aware of anything cost-effective for silver other than filing some off and acid testing, but that destroys the piece. You can weed out some fakes with a Neodymium magnet and a Loupe to check for hallmarks, but it's not a guarantee. I once bought a 5oz coaster marked as Sterling and passed the scratch test, but it was very thick Sterling over top of ceramic.

!BBH

As a silver newbies, thew main way i collect silver is through my country official coins dated from before 1967 as they were all made out of silver and it's easy to compare them with other coins i have as they should be the exact same. Heard of things like magnet or so, but i don't have that for the moment. Just getting some CHF silver : )

In my opinion, the best way to stay away from Fakes, is to buy Common U.S. Coinage now, and Exchanging it (Face Value for Face Value) for our New Product Line of "Circulating" Silver and Gold Coinage, on the other side of the U.S. Monetary Correction... Think of it as getting in on the Ground Floor with very little risk at all... Even if I'm totally wrong about the Reset, our Common U.S. Coinage will still have Legal Tender Status, long after "Physical" Fiat USD's go to Zero Spending Power...

So on the advice of several in discord I went with the following:
Get a strong neodymium magnet. Which I have got in the form of 12 small magnets that I will make a slide out of.
A digital caliper which makes measuring easier.
I am in the process of buying some jewellers scales.

Next purchase will be a pinger as easy to carry around.

I am also trying to find reliable sellers who arnt out to scam me.

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If someone is selling below spot price, red flag.
If someone is selling and discourages inspection in your hand, red flag.
Bring a magnet and see if it sticks, if it does, it's a fake.
Check the weight, if it feels too light, red flag.
Do a "ding" test for silver. It should "ding" like a bell, not "dunk" like dross.

Constitutional silver and gold is the easiest to spot fakes by just your eyes. There are tons of ways to check. A pocket pinger, a magnet slide, a Sigma verifier, acid solutions, and more. The number one faked item is a one ounce gold bar, second is the Morgan silver dollar.

That's an answer I am saving for a blog post way to much to discuss, I would say stick to reputable and learn before going private need some know how and tools !BBH

When it comes to jewellery, I check for markings with a little magnifier I carry in my bag which I bought on one of my last flea market visits and it's been great so far to check if I was dealing with actual silver jewellery.

It's really difficult and a lot trickier than one might think. Everybody talks about the magnet trick. For instance, a silver quarter and copper coins both move with the magnet test, so the magnet test alone is not conclusive.
With the "Ring" or "Ping" test, you can hear the difference, but you have to be in your game to hear it. The other is the "Drop" test. For silverware and jewelry, unfortunately, you've got to know your markings. An example would be a lion with its foot in the air which is the mark of sterling silver, or the word "sterling" or "ster", or the numbers "92.5" or "925", chances are it is silver. Buying silver requires knowledge of the years and marks (hallmarks) of silver.

Another way is using the Acid test. Watch the video.

For coins and silver bars, you would like to weigh it. Precious metals are typically weighed in troy ounces and pounds. You will need a high quality weighing scale. It does not weigh right, it will save you a lot of testing. Next, check the dimensions of the coin. You will need a digital caliper. The diameter and the thickness of the coins need to be checked. In coins, the weight, diameter, and thickness are usually good indicators of whether they are fake or not. Coins are defined by their size, weight, and dimensions. Then you can do a ping test. And you can use an earth magnet (the magnet will just slide slowly on the coin's surface if it's real silver). Last, you can use a "Sigma Metalytics" or a Precious Metal Verifier (which I do not have).

!BBH

You may have seen this picture on the SGS Discord

Other than carrying a normal magnet, I am already very familiar with the sound of a silver coin.
I have a great local bullion retailer that I have done business for years, they have been in business in Precious metals and currency exchange since 1969. I have even talked to the Manager of this business assuring me that they test all products coming into their business. They do have Verifiers stationed at a table behind the counter with all staff trained in it proper operation. Explained that they are a registered Royal Canadian Mint Dealer and an accredited with the LBMA as a Dealer.
A large majority of my Stack has been from this Dealer, so I get a few perks like free Coin Tubes and monster boxes to store my stack in. The prices are always reasonable.

What I am saying here is to build a long termed business relationship with a reputable retailer. Their good standing in the business community is priceless.

Knowledge,familiarize yourself with the weight and feel of a bullion coin with it's details and security features. Silver coins have a distinct lovely tone when you ping them.

Instincts and common sense; when a price is too good to be true ... its likely fake.

❤️
No one scams a !LADY pirate and lives to tell the tale ☠️

Yoooo I always ping that ding with a flip from the thumb. Silver is the metal that naturally attracts itself around me (to and fro), so over the years I 've come to know it well. I learned at an early age to listen for the sound of silver in mostly 90% & 40% American coinage. As an adult I am now an audio engineer, producer, and vocalist.. so you can see why that makes cents (PUN!) into greater value.

Of course if you are versed in coinage, it's history, and markings (or at least know enough to pinpoint with some Google Oracle assist), the vetting process gets a little deeper. This part of the process allows you to reveal if there is any greater collector value in what you are speculating.

No matter if its coins, rounds, or bars.. I always tap for that ping to reveal it's potency. I wrote an article recently with more in depth details about this silver sound topic , if you are intrigued.

P.S. - I was almost done writing a much more poetic version of this comment that spawned from nowhere... but then I hit the page back button on my mouse and it was gone! This isn't what it was, but the best version I could regurgitate. Thank you for inviting me to participate @thisismylife !!

Bless the Method.