Basics of Testing Gold & Silver and Identifying Fake Bullion

[@viperviperpiro]

This is by far the best testing of Precious Metals video i ever watched! good job Patrick! thanks!!! liked!

[@SilverBullion]

Thanks, I want extend your thanks to Vincent, Jessica, and Gregor as well, they all played a roll in creating this video. Even the guys in the vault helped greatly since they did much the shooting. Total team effort.

[@RealLifeFinance]

Brilliant Video!

[@mohammedmoustafa9289]

Yes, it is

[@andrewwald6504]

This is by far the most thorough video treatise of the various testing methodologies I have seen, and is the ONLY video that accurately describes the need for combination testing. By far, too many bullion dealers rely only on XRF and density only, which makes one wonder how much gold plated tungsten is out there. Kudos for setting the standard that I can point bullion dealers to!

[@mwql23]

Clear and comprehensive information on testing bullions, and pit falls! Much appreciated

[@PhilosopherRex]

Great video. You guys covered more in one video than I've found anywhere youtube.

[@SAJ_2021]

Best video on KZbin about precious metal testing far none!

[@SilverBullion]

We plan to release the pocket-sized TSH Bullion Tester soon. It tests for genuine gold and silver using the magnetic susceptibility principle mentioned in this video. Email us at [e-mail] if you are interested and want to be informed when the TSH Bullion Tester is released. **UPDATE** The TSH Bullion Tester is no longer for sale. Nonetheless we would still like to thank each and every one of you for your support and interest in the project.

[@ConsciousOne369]

Silver Bullion TV what’s the price for this device:)?

[@paddlingfan1]

Please tell us what percentage of gold and silver you receive to be tested turns out to fail testing because it is fake. Thank you

[@sanpedrosilver]

Interesting idea! I’m sure I could help you sell them if developed 👍🏼

[@bootangy]

@@ConsciousOne369 ouch

[@ConsciousOne369]

@@bootangy Ouch, as in I never received a response:(?

[@gblargg]

Your vault's test-everything approach is interesting and yields so many benefits. You avoid customers who give you fake bullion then hold you responsible when years later you return their fake bullion. It allows random testing of things in the vault, and if they fail, you know that someone in the vault is tampering with items, as you know that when it first came in it was genuine. And for insurance purposes, you also have documentation that anything missing was definitely genuine.

[@bonzo2212]

That was a very interesting and educational video. Thanks to all the SB crew for such important information.

[@sanpedrosilver]

Sigma verifier usually does the trick but you guys have all the great toys. Good vid 👌🏼

[@RedShiftedDollar]

A quick rough test of silver purity is to rapidly pass a strong magnet across the metal’s surface. Since silver has the highest electrical conductivity, the eddy current induced will produce a strong magnetic drag effect. You can train yourself to build an intuitive feel for how strong this effect should be. Silver will be the strongest out of all metals. The test doesn’t require physical contact with the metal either.

[@dameanvil]

0:00 🪙 Introduction to testing gold and silver and identifying fake bullion. 0:08 🏦 Emphasize buying from reputable dealers. 0:24 📚 Understanding material properties for testing gold and silver. 1:00 ⚖ Density test: Common but not very reliable alone. 2:22 🔊 Ultrasound test: Effective for detecting gold-plated tungsten bars. 4:44 ⚡ ECM test: Measures electrical conductivity; highly effective for silver. 6:51 🧲 Magnetic test: Gold and silver are repelled by magnets; useful for detecting fakes. 7:56 🔬 X-Ray fluorescence test: Surface composition analysis; limited to surface layers. 9:03 🔄 Always use multiple testing methods for best results. 9:48 🚫 Limitations of non-destructive testing. 10:01 🔍 Case study: Surface contamination affecting X-ray test results. 11:02 🧊 Case study: Porous old silver bars challenging for ultrasound testing. 12:12 🕳 Case study: Tiny pores causing ultrasound test failure in gold bars. 13:03 🏢 Industry practice: Most vaults do not extensively test stored bullion. 15:17 📜 Certificates: Easily faked and not reliable. 16:22 📦 Packaging: Straps on boxes can be easily applied; not a seal of authenticity. 17:12 🛡 Recap: Buy from trusted sources, use multiple testing methods, and don't overly rely on certificates or packaging.

[@ronaldchew4147]

Absolutely! The video provides exceptional guidance on authenticating precious metals, offering comprehensive methods for verifying their genuineness.

[@islandaerial3414]

Great video. Trusting dealers up till now has been positive.

[@jpeterson9087]

Super informative. Appreciate the clear and detailed breakdown of testing!

[@sureshkumarmadevan3011]

Excellent video and extremely informative. I've been a buyer at Silver Bullion Malaysia.

[@amjad6290]

Thanks for this lovely explanation.

[@parzival1176]

Water displacement test is quite accurate and fairly easy to do

[@ahmadboudhak9369]

Thank you so much, by far the best video on testing PM!

[@mrpipton]

Amazing video. Thank you!

[@SilverBullion]

Thank you.

[@independentthinker9113]

SUPERB information. Thank you so much.

[@AGBullion]

Sigma Metalytics has since developed the Pro and Investor models which are capable of fully authenticating bars/coins as they measure resistivity, conductivity and density (specific gravity). We’d be happy to send one for an updated video series :)

[@mmmddd4366]

Well Patrick passed the test in; Providing valuable content.

[@johnwade7673]

Wow! This is the by far best presentation concerning bullion identification that I have seen. Thank you for sharing this video with us.

[@tulasideviful]

Most helpful video I have seen yet!! 😊😊

[@ingevankeirsbilck9601]

Great video! I have a question about case study 1: could the original result be due to the customer having touched the coins with his bare hands?

[@martinchoi4954]

Great video, very educational. Thanks!

[@damrunner1]

Well Done! Thank you Patrick!

[@SilverBullion]

Thanks, I want extend your thanks to Vincent, Jessica, and Gregor as well, they all played a roll in creating this video. Even the guys in the vault helped greatly since they did much the shooting. Total team effort.

[@anonymous071985]

So a DIY magnet test is to zero a magnet on a home scale, then place metal above magnet. And if weight changes the metal is lightly pulling the magnet up?

[@AnonomusKity]

Invaluable content!!! I was wondering if you knew the name of the device at 7:43 that measures the magnetism of the coins. I want to purchase one.

[@tlason1001]

That is a magnetic tester.

[@akashagarwal2404]

I think u did mistake by staying ECM are bypassed by fake copper coin as gold beacuse they have significant differnce in conductivity (44 &59 respectively) . It should be more like copper coin used to fake as silver as they have 59 &61 respectively

[@cschaka1]

WOW ! GREAT info ! Thank you so much for this video !!

[@not_nostradamus683]

Excellent job. This was my biggest question mark.

[@k98killer]

I always do weight, density, and magnetic tests, though with constitutional silver, I do an acoustic test instead of density (I flip the coin with my thumb and listen for the ringing sound).

[@dolwangga]

Do you usually get heads or tails?

[@randyblanton1197]

Thank you for such an exceptional and informative video!

[@trailbossx2]

Most excellent,,,totally useful vid,,,,thanks so much!!!!😎

[@REALJABER]

VERY USEFUL AND PROFESSIONAL VIDEO.

[@svenp6504]

Super cool! This one is going to get a lot of views...

[@isra9862]

Can these tests be performed on jewelry as well?

[@darrenstewart1568]

Very informative, good content 😊

[@kiwus87]

Problem is that testing is prohibitively expensive for your everyday investor, with those tools costing hundreds of dollars. Very good video though, greatly appreciated.

[@gblargg]

With coins, one can check weight, dimensions, and do a ping test with a smartphone app at very little cost. The ping test verifies the speed of sound (celerity). Coins are far better than bars for ease of verification.

[@kiwus87]

@@gblargg Didn't know about the app. Good tip!

[@jmccormick1490]

@@gblargg what is the app called that you use

[@gblargg]

Bullion Test for Android. If you're a cheap-skate like me (irony, eh?) you can find the full version on apk archive sites, just be careful of malware.

[@demri123]

Do a specific gravity test. Silver is 10.49 density

[@jondoe9718]

Copper will test positive as silver on the ECM test.

[@gblargg]

ECM just measures resistivity. Only a combination of measurements constitute a proper metal verification test.

[@petebusch9069]

What is the purpose of the serial number? do people look that number up for some type of verification?

[@1royalwolf]

Here’s me running a magnet down my silver thinking I’m a pro😂😂😂

[@NathansHVAC]

All kinds of pro

[@romeisfallingagain]

extremely informative. thank you for the video. I was wondering about this

[@karencai4177]

thanks very much for the video Patrick, very useful.

[@petebusch9069]

When buying gold or silver at a dealer is it common for buyers to bring in their own testing equipment or do most just trust the dealers word?

[@andrecc1996]

Does ultrasound test work on sealed gold bars (5 gram Pamp Suisse for example)? I'm planning to get a cheap ultrasound tester for simple testing purposes.

[@ly8370]

No, ultrasound can't penetrate the plastic blister. For blistered gold bars, only conductivity and magnetic tests are realistic. But gold has a unique conductivity that no other metals come close.

[@russsherwood5978]

thank you for the video,, i,m always wondering if the metals i,m buying are real or fake. evan though i buy from dealers, i still get the feeling that fakes can still be sold,,,, when will that pocket tester be on the market for sale to the public?? subbed and thumbs - up

[@poiluparadis]

Wow. Thanks for this.

[@periperihustle4561]

nice video! as a new gold/silver buyer, i'm thinking to invest in the precious metal verifier by sigma. has anyone else used this or found a cheaper way to check your gold/silver?

[@RealLifeFinance]

Recently bought the sigma. Amazing machine! Had some fakes that were 70-80% gold and silver fakes. It easily caught them. Even picked up bullion which was thick coated with legit .999 gold. Its already paid fir itself in two weeks

[@periperihustle4561]

@@RealLifeFinance awesome, thanks jason

[@sergiojaramillo8448]

Very informative but in this date and time probabl wiser to store it at home

[@geoffrey.geoffrey]

ultrasound test no.1

[@nafismridha997]

This is an excellent video

[@nickandyou1470]

Is there a list of trusted sources ?

[@patrickchong2668]

Such a informative video

[@stormforge68]

Great video, learned a lot. 👍

[@kirigayakazuto-t2k]

what is the magnet tester mechine name ?

[@thegoldenloot3023]

thank you so much for a very informative video.

[@MrMilanoLau]

Is it possible to use a multimeter to do a conductivity test?

[@massimilianoilardi3571]

Salve il test vorrei vedere oro 24k e oeo 18carati che differenza fa

[@marcswanson7066]

Excellent!

[@birgitnielsen-j6f]

Informative video! However, if - and I say: if! - a fake tungsten 1 oz "krugerrand" can fool the Fisch tester, the tungsten fake will fail a ping test anyways. So I continue to rely on my Fisch tester for my preferred choices of coins 🙂

[@SilverBullion]

Swewt. Yes coins are easier to test because of specific dimensions and won't fit in the tester as you mentioned. However there is no standard dimensions for bars to which counterfeits exploit this. Great point you made! Tanks for sharing.

[@BoxStudioExecutive]

@@SilverBullion That's easily avoidable by not buying bars.

[@4play699]

Very useful information. Thank you.

[@williamgras5598]

Excellent video

[@mmaz8829]

Very informative video.

[@chrisabrams7136]

Do electromagnetic tests/ X-ray tests/ ultrasonic tests affect the precious metal that is being tested at all? Do they do any damage to the properties of the metal? I’m on the fence with buying a sigma PMV PRO but I don’t know enough about the science of metals and if those types of tests will do any underlying damage to the gold or silver.

[@SilverBullion]

These are known as nondestructive testing. They do not affect the metal being tested.

[@paganphil100]

How about the specific gravity test? Its very easy to do, its accurate and it doesn't require very expensive testing equipment, just a set of scales and some water (preferably distilled water).

[@tigerlilly3727]

combine that with ultrasonic (like with the TM8812), magnet slide, and youre laughing all the way to the bank :)

[@davidg8879]

Very helpful video thankyou.

[@GillAgainsIsland12]

The Chinese counterfeit everything. So, this video provides very useful information.

[@HeritageStacking]

Great video thanks.

[@Arneaud]

Where can i sell my gold at spot price

[@tanchi6856]

Great video and is very informative. I would be interested in the pocket tester and have sent an emailed. Thanks.

[@MetroidMan90]

Amazing video.

[@Dave-id3gw]

When input "silverbullion.com" into my browser, it opens "ccsilver.com/" .... I realize this is not your page, but it's very misleading & dangerous for a potential buyer

[@cometier]

Very useful video

[@Freddy-Da-Freeloadah]

Great Video! Now I just need to get rich... IMHO

[@przybyla420]

Just take it to a good jeweler and offer it to them at a really low price. If they look it over and aren't interested, you’re in trouble.

[@sjs928]

Good to know...but PRECISELY why I stay with U.S. constitutional silver and pre-33 gold coins...some ARE counterfeit , but the incidence is very low.

[@markrahman1381]

A Highly Professional Video 5 Star Service by Johor Bahru Branch

[@escapefelicity2913]

Get rid of the background noise

[@ConsciousOne369]

Escape Felicity what background noise?

[@escapefelicity2913]

@@ConsciousOne369 preferably ALL

[@moeluv]

Thanks 🇺🇲

[@guloguloguy]

WOW!!! THANK YOU, FOR THIS VERY INFORMATIVE, AND HELPFUL VIDEO!! ["SHARED" ON GAB.AI, and Xephula.com]

[@VerifyVeracity]

So far (2020-12-01) 12 counterfeiters have given this video a thumbs down.

[@joelgordon604]

Can’t believe you melted those antique Soviet bars, some cool history destroyed

[@chrisbudesa]

Undoubtedly several were saved by either the owner or refiner.

[@GuildF40]

Tried to message you twice and twice " The response from the remote server was: 550 5.4.1 Recipient address rejected: Access denied. AS(201806281) [PU1APC01FT022.eop-APC01.prod.protection.outlook.com]"

[@SilverBullion]

By phone?

[@serdgeedgerunner]

Go back to school and study science. Then you will be smart enough not to "invest" your blue collar money to silver, but payoff your credit card debts :)

[@ekanata]

But the U.S. government doesn’t pay off its debt…why can’t I keep rolling over balances to 0 percent APR cards?

[@ducthiennguyen1020]

My shop really need it, how can i contact with you? im from vietnam, ho chi minh city. Tks

[@SilverBullion]

We had to reconsider development as there were inconsistencies in readings due to magnetic and electronic fields interacting with each other. We do have another tester for sale if interested.