Silver Test

Want to know the metal content of your silver bullion and coins? It’s easy using silver test acids from Wizard.

Unfortunately, fake silver coins (especially Chinese counterfeits) are being seen in increasing numbers and it’s important to be able to determine if your coins are the genuine article. True coin experts can gauge if a silver coin is real just by looking at it. Ask them and they’ll tell you that the fake one “just doesn’t look right.” It might have a sheen that doesn’t look true, or an unmatched seam. Other coin professionals use weight as a test, or the silver “ring test,” as silver has a distinctive sound when struck lightly by another metal.

If you’re not quite at an expert level for detecting fake vs. real silver, we carry a number of very good coin books on detecting counterfeits. For non-numismatic bullion coins and bars, a simple acid test will help solve the puzzle. The coin or other item is rubbed onto a silver touchstone, and the acid is applied. The resulting color created by the interaction of the metal and the acid will tell you how much silver is actually contained in your bullion: A light, creamy color indicates a high level of silver (90-100%); a gray color indicates a 77-90% silver content; and a light green color means your bullion has about 65-70% silver.

Test Your Coins for Silver

It’s fun to test your coins for silver or other metals. If your child is interested in coins, metal testing can be one of the more entertaining and interactive aspects of a kid’s coin collecting hobby.

Teach your child to learn the differences in value between precious metals, or learn yourself, while conducting silver testing. Our testing acids come in sturdy 12-gram plastic bottles which maximize safety while allowing the user to carefully release just one drop at a time.

Feel free to contact our resident wizards if you have questions about silver testing, or any other aspect of coin collecting. That’s what we’re here for – we love talking to our fellow collectors!

While you’re at it, find other essential coin testing tools at Wizard, such as coin magnifiers and weight scales, all at prices you can afford.