Yes, it is a good screening test. And if the coin has a copper core, it either weighs less than an authentic or has different dimensions because Cu is not as dense as Ag.
You have to couple the slide test with size and weight. Sure copper is diamagnetic, but a coin made out of it will be significantly off on either size or weight. (your fake one is noticeably bigger) They will also slide down a magnetic slide at different rates so having a reference is important.
Actually the fake one is the same diameter its just lighter. But I made this video because I had people telling me they just use a magnet... nothing else.
@@SilverSeeker but it’s perfectly sound logic though. If it’s made a copper, it will be either 86% lighter, or 17% larger, or a mix between those two. I guess this highlights that likely no single test is accurate and requires a minimum of two unique forms of measurement to determine validity. Anyway, I still appreciated your video. Thank you.
I actually built a full rare earth magnet slide when I first got into PMs - and was quickly disillusioned when much of my common house change slid just as slowly as silver did.
That's because all US coins except for 35%, 40%, and 90% silver coins, 1943 steel pennies, and post-82 zinc pennies have a high percentage, above 75%, of copper and therefore diamagnetic.
This is new to me. I have seen brokers just use a magnet to see if something that should not be magnetic, sticks to a magnet, but have only seen them use other testing methods to verify precious metals and purity.
Silver is a good thermal conductor. So if you put an ice cube on top of your silver item, then the ice cube will start to melt quickly. An ice cube placed on silver will melt quicker than on iron and a little quicker than on copper.
Bring a rare earth magnet, a scale, and a ruler (a sound test app is also good). You will also need the information of the coin that you are purchasing (weight and measurements). A fake may pass one of the tests, but not all of them
OWWW.....that hurt ....lol great video, you did a perfect job explaining how this works. Definately another option for checking your silver. Thanks for sharing. SALUTE>
What was the weight and dimensions of the Fake Silver coin that passed the magnet test? Surely the dimensions (using calipers) and the weight would differ enough?
My father in law left my kids each a couple silver morgans when he passed. All fake. 2 of them were in the right weight range while the other 2 were way light. All failed the ping test 😌. It was enough to get us all into collecting coins tho. Great video!
Just getting into this topic, but I already figured out that the the 925 and magnet tests can be bypassed/faked. The problem is that people just repeat what they've read online and never take time to do research on the basics. But as always, I'm always the exception and not the norm.
Testing the mass of a coin is highly reliable, very inexpensive, and repeatable. A jeweler's scale, an appropriately sized vessel filled with water, dental floss or thread, and a calculator are all that are required. It does take a little more time to perform and requires getting your coin wet, but I consider this test a valuable tool in my verification "toolkit".
I have counterfeit non-silver coins that give the same ping as silver coins. The solution is to use a balance and the ramp test as metals with other densities will weigh more or less.
Unlike gold, silver has a specific gravity that is fakeable. Lead is denser than silver, copper, tin, and zinc are lighter. So there's a ratio where an alloy of copper and lead that has the same density as silver. But is that alloy diamagnetic?
Just getting into this topic, but I already figured out that the the 925 and magnet tests can be bypassed/faked. The problem is that people just repeat what they've read online and never take time to do research on the basics. But as always, I'm always the exception and not the norm. To answer your question, yes. Going back to the "basics" copper is diamagnetic while tin and zinc are not magnetic.
Pure or coin silver will make a fairly drastic eddy current test. To do so space a rosette of rare earth magnets spaced about 2x the target coin thickness. A silver coin will act like it is falling through molasses. So will other metals like copper, but silver is a bit slower. It is a quick test to test for plated. Another way to use a magnet is that for metals of similar density it requires a nickel layer that will attract a small re magnet to the coin. 🤓
just weigh the coins and measure them. If the copper coin is the same size it will be much lighter than 31 grams. Silver eagles should be ~ 3 mm thick, very easy to measure with a pair of calipers
I thought the "pocket pinger" has that built-in plastic extrusion to strike the coin so you don't need to use any external stick, pen, whatever. Or...is there a reason you don't use the built-in striker? edited to fix typo edited to be more precise
The lenz effect is much stronger with silver than the copper so silver will slide much slower. So even tho they are both diamagnetic the ailve is more diamagnetic
Its so bad I won't buy except from a reputable dealer, which I don't have in my area so I will order from SD or other bullion dealer. Its not worth getting ripped off.
I don't know why I watch this video I guess I find it entertaining I bought a sigma metaletics detector when I first got into silver. Best thing I ever did I bought a fake Platinum coin and I got a refund I paid like $900
I bought five 2023 Silver Eagles from a seller in China. The coins shipped from Kentucky. They passed the size , weight and magnetic slide tests and they are real silver. The weight test was spot on. Always test silver three or four ways . Spend a little to have peace of mind.
is there any metal or combo of metals that would pass both the slide and the weight test, in one coin? If not, that may be a nice cheap and easy combo for people to test their silver.
Use multiple but Weight + Magnet isn't enough, I'd at least at the ring test to that also. Additionally if it's a government issue like an Eagle I'd also check the size and thickness with a pair of calipers.
This video is mislabeled I think it should say "why you shouldn't trust the silver magnet test on BULLION" this won't work on a necklace or a ring or something the sure fire way is call around to jewelry or pawn stores and ask if they have one of those handheld xray testers they tell you the exact percentages of the metal content in them....most good jewelry and pawn stores have them now!
doing these test and the specific gravity test with water and a scale seems like it would be more that sufficient to prove the quality of the silver and even the % silver. So I guess no one needs a sigma device. 🙂
Sigma provides speed AND accuracy. Specific gravity test is slow and messy so if you're testing a lot of items at once the Sigma is definitely useful. But is it NEEDED? No
