Coin shop anecdote. (Watch related)

topstuf

I had a pocket watch come in one day.
I held it to my lip before testing.
Customer asked why I did that.

I... think.... I convinced him that I could taste gold.

Then I clued him in.
Gold will warm faster than plated metal. The base metal doesn't conduct heat as well as gold.
A GF or plated item will be cold longer than a solid gold piece.

Try it. It takes a bit of experimenting, but works.

Timbuk3

Interesting, thanks for the info !!!

BryceM

Cool trick.

We all know the ring test - it's amazing how difficult it is to get around this one. Back when I was into aquariums I could tell you the temperature of the water within 1 degree just by feeling it. It's also pretty easy to feel the weight difference between a copper 1982 cent and a zinc 1982. The human body is equipped with some amazing sensors. Training them takes a little work.

Kkathyl

Weirdo

ChrisH821

Checks out.
https://www.engineersedge.com/materials/specific_heat_capacity_of_metals_13259.htm
Although if this chart is correct, looks like gold plated lead would throw you a curve ball.

topstuf

@ChrisH821 said:
Checks out.
https://www.engineersedge.com/materials/specific_heat_capacity_of_metals_13259.htm
Although if this chart is correct, looks like gold plated lead would throw you a curve ball.

It can. I bought one watch that seemed good. Even tested a pretty deep cut.
But it ....BOTHERED ...me.
Couple days later after fretting, I cut that sucker in HALF!

Yup... THICK gold overlay but ..... not the center.

Mexican JESUS medallions ...MUST... be cut in half. Almost ALL are spurious.

ricko

Well... I like the idea of the taste test..... ... I just tried to taste an 18K ring....hmmmm.... Could not tell the difference between that and a silver quarter....guess I eat too many Ghost Peppers.... Cheers, RickO

SiriusBlack

@ricko said:
Well... I like the idea of the taste test..... ... I just tried to taste an 18K ring....hmmmm.... Could not tell the difference between that and a silver quarter....guess I eat too many Ghost Peppers.... Cheers, RickO

Did you try adding Tabasco?

OldEastside

This is Boonk Boonk and I about 30 years ago, she loved doing my hair when I got out of the shower, another little talent she had was she loved to steal my wife's and my gold Jewelry and hide it in her little stash, anyhow I bought her a bunch of cheap swap meet gold plated jewelry of her own and she wouldn't touch it. I'd dangle it in front of her or lay it on her and she would just look at me like I was nuts, But if I took the real stuff 14 carrot or better she'd snatch it from me and run off with it, over the years I tested her knack with family and friends when they were over and Boonks was always right 100% of the time, she would only steal 14 carrot and above and stick her little nose up to anything less. I sure Miss that Little Girl

Steve

TommyType

@OldEastside said:
This is Boonk Boonk and I about 30 years ago, she loved doing my hair when I got out of the shower, another little talent she had was she loved to steal my wife's and my gold Jewelry and hide it in her little stash, anyhow I bought her a bunch of cheap swap meet gold plated jewelry of her own and she wouldn't touch it. I'd dangle it in front of her or lay it on her and she would just look at me like I was nuts, But if I took the real stuff 14 carrot or better she'd snatch it from me and run off with it, over the years I tested her knack with family and friends when they were over and Boonks was always right 100% of the time, she would only steal 14 carrot and above and stick her little nose up to anything less. I sure Miss that Little Girl

Steve

Wish I could find some useful function for OUR cats....

topstuf

@ricko said:
Well... I like the idea of the taste test..... ... I just tried to taste an 18K ring....hmmmm.... Could not tell the difference between that and a silver quarter....guess I eat too many Ghost Peppers.... Cheers, RickO

As far as I know, it only works with pocket watches. The OLD books say to use your cheek.
But sometimes it's fun to improvise.

mustangmanbob

@BryceM said:
Cool trick.

We all know the ring test - it's amazing how difficult it is to get around this one. Back when I was into aquariums I could tell you the temperature of the water within 1 degree just by feeling it. It's also pretty easy to feel the weight difference between a copper 1982 cent and a zinc 1982. The human body is equipped with some amazing sensors. Training them takes a little work.

My "stupid" talent was navigation by sense, long before GPS. I was an Army Pathfinder, the guy who parachutes in BEFORE everyone else does to map out and mark the drop zone, and calculate where to guide the planes based on wind direction, speed, altitude of the drop, temperature, humidity, etc. The first thing, after landing, was figuring out where I was, and then where I needed to be. It was always at night, often cloudy or foggy (no starts) etc.

I was really good at figuring out how to navigate at night, no light, no star, nothing from an unknown point to the correct point. I got asked a lot HOW? The only thing I could say was it "felt" like this was north, etc. Maybe too much red meat (iron) that made me a compass, maybe part migratory bird, cannot say, My partner in crime was a true swamp Cajun, who had been hunting at night since he was born. Only guy I know who could shoot and hit at night consistently based on sound only.

The best part of the job? Once you went down range, if the main drop was cancelled or moved, you were stuck in bad guy country.

No Headlights

@OldEastside said:
This is Boonk Boonk and I about 30 years ago, she loved doing my hair when I got out of the shower, another little talent she had was she loved to steal my wife's and my gold Jewelry and hide it in her little stash, anyhow I bought her a bunch of cheap swap meet gold plated jewelry of her own and she wouldn't touch it. I'd dangle it in front of her or lay it on her and she would just look at me like I was nuts, But if I took the real stuff 14 carrot or better she'd snatch it from me and run off with it, over the years I tested her knack with family and friends when they were over and Boonks was always right 100% of the time, she would only steal 14 carrot and above and stick her little nose up to anything less. I sure Miss that Little Girl

Steve

Sounds like she was a 24kt friend
Pets are family

OldEastside

@No Headlights said:

@OldEastside said:
This is Boonk Boonk and I about 30 years ago, she loved doing my hair when I got out of the shower, another little talent she had was she loved to steal my wife's and my gold Jewelry and hide it in her little stash, anyhow I bought her a bunch of cheap swap meet gold plated jewelry of her own and she wouldn't touch it. I'd dangle it in front of her or lay it on her and she would just look at me like I was nuts, But if I took the real stuff 14 carrot or better she'd snatch it from me and run off with it, over the years I tested her knack with family and friends when they were over and Boonks was always right 100% of the time, she would only steal 14 carrot and above and stick her little nose up to anything less. I sure Miss that Little Girl

Steve

Sounds like she was a 24kt friend
Pets are family

She definitely was, plus she was a brat she was born in my closet when I was 23 and she left me when I was 46, so she stuck around a long time, like I said I miss that little girl

Steve

No Headlights

@OldEastside said:

@No Headlights said:

@OldEastside said:
This is Boonk Boonk and I about 30 years ago, she loved doing my hair when I got out of the shower, another little talent she had was she loved to steal my wife's and my gold Jewelry and hide it in her little stash, anyhow I bought her a bunch of cheap swap meet gold plated jewelry of her own and she wouldn't touch it. I'd dangle it in front of her or lay it on her and she would just look at me like I was nuts, But if I took the real stuff 14 carrot or better she'd snatch it from me and run off with it, over the years I tested her knack with family and friends when they were over and Boonks was always right 100% of the time, she would only steal 14 carrot and above and stick her little nose up to anything less. I sure Miss that Little Girl

Steve

Sounds like she was a 24kt friend
Pets are family

She definitely was, plus she was a brat she was born in my closet when I was 23 and she left me when I was 46, so she stuck around a long time, like I said I miss that little girl

Steve

Wow. 26 years. I’m sure her long life could be attributed to constant pampering. Great picture of her doing your hair. My wife got a kick
Out of it too.

mannie gray

@BryceM said:
Cool trick.

We all know the ring test - it's amazing how difficult it is to get around this one. Back when I was into aquariums I could tell you the temperature of the water within 1 degree just by feeling it. It's also pretty easy to feel the weight difference between a copper 1982 cent and a zinc 1982. The human body is equipped with some amazing sensors. Training them takes a little work.

Yes this is true.
We are more talented than we think (or, at least I think I am more talented than my wife thinks I am).
.......maybe I'm not though.🤔