How to verify the authenticity of gold?

The authenticity of gold can be verified in various ways. The simplest method for investors is to simply use certified solutions from manufacturers and distributors who label investment products. However, there are several other methods, which for some are merely curiosities, while for others they are actual techniques for verifying the authenticity of the precious metal.

Why should you pay attention to the authenticity of gold?

Currently, gold is not only the most desirable precious metal, but also the safest way to protect capital in times of inflation. Thousands of more or less wealthy investors diversify their investment portfolios using gold bars or popular bullion coins from mints affiliated with the LBMA. Their popularity means that not everyone chooses the 100% secure option of purchasing precious metals from mints. Many people opt for other, less reliable suppliers, which only fuels the market for counterfeits. It should be emphasized that gold counterfeiters today have truly advanced techniques for producing fakes. Their methods are sophisticated, so you should always be vigilant!

Methods for verifying the authenticity of precious metals

There are many methods for verifying the authenticity of precious metals, including gold bullion coins, pure gold bars, and investment products made of silver, palladium, or platinum. They can be divided into those that do not require specialized activities – often they can be performed on your own – and those that are used by experts based not only on many years of knowledge, but also on the use of appropriate equipment. Here are some well-known methods for verifying the authenticity of gold:

Archimedes' test

This verification method is merely a curiosity that can be treated as a fun activity at home. Archimedes' principle allows you to determine the density of a coin or bar by reading data from a special table. In simple terms, it involves dividing the weight of the product by the volume of water it displaces. The resulting density of gold allows you to indicate the approximate purity. For example, 24-karat gold has a density of approximately 19.30 g/cm³.

Magnet

This is another test that should be treated as a curiosity or a game. However, it is practical in cases where the gold being tested should have a high purity, even 999.9! In such cases, there is no question of the product having any magnetic properties. However, if the gold is of a lower fineness with admixtures of other metals, a strong neodymium magnet will cause the metal to react to the magnetic field!

Fisch's ruler

Such a device is inexpensive and allows you to examine several important properties of bullion coins, such as their thickness, diameter, and shape. A ruler with a counterweight also allows you to check the weight of the coin. The data obtained can be easily compared with the declarations of mints that mint popular bullion coins.

X-ray spectrometer

This device guarantees the highest reliability in verifying the authenticity of gold, especially gold bars. Measurement with an XRF spectrometer allows the composition of the alloy on the surface of the product to be determined based on the analysis of the X-ray spectrum characteristic of the metals contained in the sample. Elemental analysis helps to assess whether a given bar is indeed genuine.

Ultrasonic analysis

Its advantage over other methods is that it can determine the authenticity of the entire gold product, including its interior! A special ultrasonic head generates ultrasonic waves that propagate in a specific way depending on the type of metal. Such a test allows, for example, to check whether the bar contains tungsten imitating gold.

Conductivity analysis

It is worth knowing that all metals and their alloys conduct electricity to varying degrees. Conductivity analysis therefore allows us to determine quite precisely whether a given gold product, i.e., a gold bar or gold bullion coin, is actually made of the royal material! For this purpose, a device called a conductometer is used. It is used to measure the conductivity of metals and to check their magnetic properties.

The authenticity of gold in mints

Distributors such as our Mennica Skarbowa are certified and accredited precious metal sales centers that are subject to controls and cooperate only with verified manufacturers of gold and silver investment products. These are mints and refiners affiliated with the prestigious LBMA organization. It sets the world's best standards for the production, transport, and trading of precious metals, while also ensuring that each product is authentic. This is why bullion bars and coins bear special identification marks, and customers often receive gold and silver packaged in special packaging (e.g., CertiPack). The precious metals are also accompanied by the relevant documentation.

Thus, mints are the only 100% secure places where you can buy and resell authentic gold in various forms.