People have always appreciated gold. Wars were fought over them, voyages and some of the world’s most famous battles and adventures were sparked by gold. Gold coins have held a special place in the psyche of a lot of people and they continue to do so in the world of coin collectors and antique numismatists the world over. For connoisseurs, the allure of a gold coin goes beyond the fact that it is made of gold, but the story that each coin carries is important. The problem of fake gold is one that touches the gold coin community as well. Counterfeiters have come up with more refined ways to produce gold coins that would at first glance to a trained eye. This is why companies such as Brisbane gold buyers or gold coin collectors, in particular, will take more stringent measures to test the authenticity of gold coins being sold to them. If you have gold coins that you have inherited and the only thing that you can produce to prove their authenticity and even their provenance, don’t be surprised when a gold buyer requests to conduct further tests on what you have to sell.
Brisbane Gold buyers will typically perform the following tests on any coins you may be bringing to sell:
The Visual examination
Gold dealers use a magnifying tool like a jeweler’s loupe to conduct visual inspections of coins that are sold to them. They will examine the texture, the markings, the edges, the text spacing, and the seams up close. If there are any incongruities to what is expected from an authentic version of the said coin, then the buyer might handle the coin with suspicion, refuse to buy it or offer you a price far less than what you should be getting for an authentic coin.
Check the dimensions:
Gold coins are created with specific and precise dimensions. Mints not only set the gold content but they also produce coins with a specific weight, thickness, and diameter. A seasoned gold buyer with experience in gold coins will have this information on hand. Using a caliper, he will measure the thickness and the diameter of the coin. The buyer will also check the weight of the coin using a high-end digital scale.
Magneticity:
Gold is non-magnetic. This is probably one of the easiest ways of telling whether what you have is real gold or fake. A simple magnet will work just as well however, professionals use Neodymium magnets which tests traces of metals that react only to strong magnetic fields like iron, copper, and steel.
XRF Test:
Most gold buyers such as Brisbane Gold Buyers own and use an XRF analyzer to test gold. The XRF beam will test the surface and tell the gold buyer what purity the coin is. These tests are basically easy and non-invasive. You can perform one or two of these tests to satisfy your own curiosity. The point of it all is that a piece of paper authenticating gold coins may not be enough.
