Difference in Silver and Alloy

Russellp23

If you were looking at coins, could one tell the difference just by looking which is alloy/silver. How do the experts tell? the first thought that comes to my mind is a magnet, but seems like that could cause damage.

XpipedreamR

Silver coins have a whiter look. You can tell the difference by comparing silver and clad versions of the same coin.

You could measure the specific gravity of the coin to determine its composition.


Neither clad nor silver coins are magnetic, so that won't work.

Betta285

i usually just look at the rims of a coin to see if it has the clad layers in it

cladking

Silver has a very distinctive color which is usually apparent even on worn
coins and even when the fineness drops into the .500 fine range. This color
combined with how heavy the item feels in relation to its size is usually ade-
quate to know if it's silver or not. Failing this your best bet is to weigh the
item in water to determine it's density. Only steel, iron, steel clad, and nearly
pure nickel coins are strongly attracted to a magnet.

US coins can be told by date and Krause makes an excellent catalog for world
coins. This also provides the actual weight of the precious metal in a coin.

NoGvmnt

Drop it on its edge from about 5 feet on a concrete surface (or the floor of the bourse), if it rings it is silver.

Jim

lordmarcovan

Actually, the silver used in older US coins IS an alloy. Of silver (90%) and copper (10%).