With the overall increase in demand for physical Gold and Silver we wanted to provide an update so that CelticGold readers understand the basics of how to identify counterfeit products. Another way to detect fake gold bars is the weight them. There are however more subtle differences in ⦠They are as exact as can be. Usually, fake gold coins are somewhat larger or thicker, so they are heavier and less detectable as fakes. I am founding Partner and CEO of RiskHedge. How you can make money selling gold bullion, How the 2020 presidential election could influence the price of gold. How to Spot fake Gold According to GoldBroker.com most pieces of real gold, including coins, bars, and jewelry, should have a stamp that shows the purity of the gold. Also,the Australian Counterfeit Consumer Commission. They are as exact as can be. If they start making the bars of proper thickness, they will err on weight. That should not be a real issue other than you will only get prices from dealers that have had a chance to inspect the coins. Even better, if you need to sell it, you can do it within a few clicks on your computer. Skin discoloration from wearing fake gold jewelry is not a myth. First of all, if you are buying from a reputable gold bullion supplier, you have little to worry about. Check the MarkingsMuch like an original painting, an authentic bar of gold will have unique engravings from its producer. This accounts for the spot price, refining and minting premium, and transportation costs, plus dealer overhead and profit. This procedure takes advantage of gold high melting point (1,064 celsius) to test its purity.Vibrations?There is increasing evidence that the vibrational force of gold can help determine the level of purity. However, the best advice is to invest in small gold bars (10 oz. Knowing your Silver and Gold dealer can go a long way in identifying Gold and Silver counterfeit products. You will see if the bar is too thick, like so: US Nickel vs. Read about the exciting and surprising news about gold and silver that made headlines in 2020. Fake gold bars - blocks of cheaper metal plated with gold - are relatively common in the gold industry and often easy to detect. Gold (.999 fine) is not magnetic. It is much safer than storing at home or in a bank vault, and your bullion is available for delivery at all times. In the past we have written about fake gold bars and how investors can identify the authenticity of Gold and Silver bullion. Gold is often heavier than it looks, and this can be a very easy way to spot a fake. LBMA is an international organization that sets standards for precious metals trading all around the world. Buy at the lowest price guaranteed! Packaging is easier to fake than gold itself as it doesn't require any specialized skills to print something. When one goes to buy gold they want real gold, not some cheap substitute like a fake tungsten gold bar. Fake gold is, though. At APMEX there is a team of seasoned numismatists with over 100 years ⦠They have over 150 members from 30 countries, among which are the biggest banks and financial institutions. So what's all this about the fake Royal Canadian Mint Gold Bar? To the untrained eye, all gold products are the same and differ only in the color due to finishing applied. You can measure the height and width of a gold bar with the use of a caliper, a professional tool that can be purchased online for $25 USD. To perform this test, a mixture of gold, soda ash, borax, litharge, flour, and silica must be made. in green assay CERTICARD security case are counterfeit if Larger bars will have a larger difference in weight of course and smaller bars, a lesser difference in weight. Ultrasound is the only affordable and conclusive non-destructive method to test gold bars and silver bullion in your home. 6. Read this post to find out. Pay attention to price. If there is any abnormality you are likely holding a counterfeit in your hands.The ‘Ping’ TestGenuine gold will make a resounding ping sound when it comes in contact with another metal. In general, the risk of buying fake gold bars or coins is minimal as long as you stick to well-known sovereign coins like Eagles or Maple Leafs and buy from reputable LBMA-approved dealers. As a general rule, fake gold is a product that is marketed as gold but is in fact made of another cheaper metal, is a gold-plated version of another metal, or has a purity too low to be sold as gold. Before buying coins, look up their dimensions on an official mint site. Pay special attention to any slight inconsistencies across the entire bar that are at odds with the producer’s style.Weight is a Huge IndicatorA common counterfeit maneuver is to fill a gold bar with tungsten or some less valuable metal. Not a great deal but enough to warrant further investigation. While gold is a lot more stable of an investment than a random ETF, it is still liable to some minor risks. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. Most fake gold bars that I've seen are too yellow and are visibly plated. Secondly, as this Wikihow article points out, there are a number of DIY tests you can use to ensure you have the real thing.How Should I Invest in Gold Bars?Gold Bullion Suppliers works with customers and industry to improve how to test if a gold bar is real, impure gold, and potential abnormalities in production. Skin Test. You ⦠How to Detect Counterfeit Gold â Fake Coins and Bars Prior to 2012, all non-destructive Gold testing methods (i.e. The great thing is: it’s easier than before to learn how to test if a gold bar is real. If the dealer sells you gold at or below spot, they either have hidden fees to make up for losses or are selling fake gold. Highly accurate â reads underneath coating and plating, with a new 2mm depth measurement. Avoiding Fake PAMP Suisse Gold Bars To combat these more sophisticated fakes, PAMP Suisse has developed a new technology called VeriScan. If it’s a ping, you have the real thing. Put simply: the geometrical properties of pure gold will have a specific vibration reaction, and any change to the internal structure of the metal will be revealed in a different vibrational pattern. However, in doing so they shift the weight just enough to be noticeable. According to Stu Mills at the CBC, a fake gold bar was purchased not so long ago from the Royal Bank of Canada. Can also detect counterfeit silver, platinum and palladium bullion. As long as your bullion stays in the custody of LBMA-approved vendors and vaults, there is no question about the authenticity of your metals. That way you decrease the likelihood of tungsten filled bars, the most common method crooks today use. This incredible system details the surface data (topography) of each bar while they're still in the production line, analyzing each bar's microscopic topographyâessentially like its fingerprint. Fake 1 oz Gold Bar US Nickel vs. While there are countless manufacturers in operation, there are a select range of top-notch refineries that suppliers rely on. Remember that precious metals are weighed in troy ounces. Universal solution â can detect fake gold bars and coins. This is also the reason why we encourage our customers to buy precious metals for storage in one of our LBMA-approved international gold vaults. The best way to ensure the authenticity of gold products is buying gold bars and coins strictly from LBMA (the London Bullion Market) approved dealers, mints and ⦠ALL Perth Mint gold bars [2.5, 5, 10, 20, 1 oz.] And once again, the best way to protect yourself from counterfeit coins is working with a reputable LBMA-approved bullion dealer. Bring a digital scale to a local shop where you would like to buy gold. Learning how to test if a gold bar is real starts with markings. As noted, just recently the Royal Canadian Mint came under suspicion for a fake 1 oz gold wafer. We’ve all heard stock market sob stories... A friend of a friend tried investing $1000 in a penny stock because they thought it would make them millions. In order to make sure you are not getting duped by the market, it’s imperative that you confirm the authenticity of the gold bar you just purchased. Silver and gold are not magnetic, but a lot of other metals are. It is the same storyâ¦listed on Craigslistâ¦inherited and selling well below spot. Counterfeit products exist in almost all industries, and precious metals are no exception. There is the odd piece about fake gold popping up across the market. Expecting to see how many millions they accrued, it turns out the stock has gone from $5/share to bankruptcy.But most of us gold owners don't often ask how to test if a gold bar is real?File that under ‘Amateur Investment Mistakes’. I hope this helps you make the right decision and invest in precious metals safely. There are coins like the American Gold Eagle and the Gold Krugerrand that are made of 22-karat gold (.9167 fine) and weigh more than one troy ounce (they contain one ounce of pure gold with some alloys to increase strength. In addition, I suggest that you learn the basics of how to identify fake gold. If you decide to take coins into your own custody (let’s say at home), dealers will have to inspect them before purchasing them. The photo of all counterfeit bars were wired to NCIC[Doug Davis], Perth Mint Australia and Pamp Suisse Switzerland. Put the nickel next to the bar and look from the side. You can measure the height and width of a gold bar with the use of a caliper, a professional tool that can be purchased online for $25 USD. If a magnet is attracted to what youâve been told is a gold bar or coin, then itâs not .999 fine gold (or 99.9-percent pure). Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. All you need to do is click the gold together with a piece of clean metal and observe the sound. The 1 ounce bar in plastic should weigh about 38 gram (31 gram for gold and about 7 gram for plastic). We analyze what could happen to the price of gold if Joe Biden or Donald Trump wins the election in November 2020. Some coins and bars also have their weights stated on them, such as the 2019 Britannia coin pictured below. ⢠The fake product is encased in an ⦠In identifying fake gold, an important starting point is to gain knowledge about the different types of gold jewelries. If it’s a thud, the bar is likely filled with any range of metals other than gold.Is it Magnetic?One of the easiest ways how to test if a Gold Bar is real is with a rare-earth magnet. Reputable dealers use a number of tests to ensure the bullion they purchase is not counterfeit. There has been a lot of rumor, neither credible nor verifiable sources, about bars containing both gold, the Ancient Metal of Kings and tungsten, the âheavy stoneâ. Gold jewelry and coins can be melted down to extract the ⦠Had a fake Perth Mint bill of sale. This is the reason all gold bullion at the Hard Assets Alliance comes from LBMA-approved mints and refineries. This is just one example of the research being conducted into gold testing today. In addition, real gold will not rust or discolor when wet. But while there might be a surprising story in the news once and awhile, instances of fakery are actually super rare in the precious metals industry. © 2021 Forbes Media LLC. Thermal Conductivity Testing for Silver. Buying counterfeit bullion is one of these risks. Silver is one of the best conductors of thermal energy found ⦠In comparison to this representation of a genuine Kangaroo Minted Gold Bar in black card, the fake features several obvious discrepancies: ⢠The fake black card omits our black swan âwater markâ logo on the front. Author has 124 answers and 153.1K answer views If you are talking about a Credit Suisse gold bar it should have a serial number on it that you can look up, a small scratch on the back should show only gold. Dealers can bid for your coins or bars sight unseen because they know that the chain of custody is unbroken. However, some metals will fool the magnet-test.Fire AssayThe testing method of choice for professional analysts who want to know how to test if a gold bar is real is fire assay. Test and detect the purity of gold and silver coins and bars with our advanced precious metal scanning machine to detect fake or counterfeit coins. Gold and Silver counterfeit products are damaging to the industry. Trustworthy gold bullion dealers will sell gold bullion at 1.5% to 10% (or more) over the gold spot price (small fractional coins can have even larger mark-ups). Two people living in Ocean View, Delaware were arrested this week for selling over 38000.00 in fake gold bars. However, there are many safeguards to protect yourself from buying fake gold. So always bring a set of calipers to a local shop for measuring. Traditional non-destructive silver and gold test methods by density and X-ray spectrometry are incapable of detecting fake bullion and bars with thick gold or silver plating. in green assay CERTICARD security case are counterfeit if the serial number starts with the letter "A" ___see bar below ser# A266401___ ALL Perth Mint gold bars [2.5, 5, 10, 20, 1 oz.] Technology is helping buyers avoid scams. HOW TO SPOT A FAKE 1 OZ GOLD BAR, what to look for - YouTube They waited around for a year before checking the stock. EY & Citi On The Importance Of Resilience And Innovation, Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit — And Pushing For Change, Crisis Catalyzes Demand For Digital Infrastructure, MoneyStamps Of South America - As Investments, They’re Different – Part 1, Covid-19 Related Municipal Defaults Begin, The Dynamics Of Price Discovery In The Stamp Market, Covid-19 Virus Affect On The Stamp Market, Magnetic (real gold will not stick to a magnet). The fake gold bars listed by starpower18 [sitting in my addidas shoe box next to me] sold within 5 hours for $1,249. We opened one up and the weight was off and when acid testing it just disappeared with 10kt acid. If the coin is too large or too thick, it’s almost certain the coin is a fake gold product. The ultrasound method is non-destructive and should only take a few seconds per bar. Perspiration on the skin creates a chemical reaction with the gold. X-ray fluorescence, acid test, and spectrophotometry) analyzed the outside surface only â not penetrating deep enough to reach the core. So it does happen! Performing Acid Testing Buy an acid testing kit for a more precise estimate of gold karat purity. This way, their authenticity is guaranteed. It’s highly unlikely that a trustworthy dealer would offer you a counterfeit product, but knowing how to inspect gold bars or coins won’t hurt. If you buy the most popular 24-karat, one-ounce sovereign coins, they should feel dense and heavy—and weigh exactly one troy ounce. You can put a magnetic to the bar and if it sticks then your gold is in fact an alloy. For this test, simply hold the gold in your hand for a few minutes. Using a strong magnet, you can test gold to see whether itâs legitimate or not. Simply take a measurement of the gold bar and compare it with the weight indicated on the bar itself.DimensionsAll gold bars are pressed in exact dimensions with a machine by the producer. If it’s a well-known producer, you can compare the marks on your bar with others. A lot this stuff ends up on Alibabaand duping consumers into thinking they have the real thing. Susan Headly recently published an article on the topic, shedding light on the fact that a lot of fake bullion comes from illegal Chinese operations. If you are still not sure, then there are a few, non-invasive tests you can perform: The Ping test: Lightly strike your gold bullion with another coin and listen for a ping (long, high-pitched ringing) sound. Most pieces of real gold, including coins, bars and jewelry, should have a stamp that shows the purity of the gold. How to Spot Fake Gold In a moment we will look at ways that you can test your gold to determine if it is real, but you can also simply look at it, searching for specific marks and stamps. As consumers, it’s important we remember that coming across counterfeit bars is extremely rare. If you’d like to buy from a local dealer, despite the risks associated with taking possession of gold, make sure that you check the dealer’s reputation or get recommendations.