I have a bar that that has me puzzled. It looks like

Julio · August 20, 2011 1:42PM

silver but does not have the sound. It's non magnetic. Has M&T stamped on it. I don't have specific gravity yet. I know Platinum is hard to melt but I don't really want to take a blow torch to it. It's too heavy to be tin. Well that all I have so far. I'll get my scales tomorrow and see if I can find something to check the specific gravity. I All help or suggestions for any way I might identify this thing; greatly appreciated. Take care. jws

zrlevin · August 20, 2011 2:26PM

Could it be one of those silver plated eBay scam jobs?

Julio · August 20, 2011 2:39PM

I don"t think so. My father gave it to me. He an engineer and worked at M&T now Atochem. I'd ask him but his mind has faded. He's 92 years young. He may have gotten it when he retired along with his gold watch. He obviously wanted to protect it, it's in a jewelry box that was not designed for it. jws

piecesofme · August 20, 2011 4:46PM

Put a decent strength magnet to it. If the piece moves,

if it doesn't, sell it. Silver is on one hell of a run and it may not ever be worth more than it is right now,

p.s.
a pic of it posted here would really help you out in determining just what it might be.

Julio · August 20, 2011 5:28PM

Piecesofme, I've pretty much ruled out silver. It just does not have the high pitched sound. I'm thinking it may be platinum. I know that's a long shot but if it's not silver I can't figure what on earth it could be. A friend told me I could put a blow torch to it and get it white hot, he said, if it's still there after that it was platinum. I'm scared to do that I'm a wimp. I may be able to rule out Platinum. It looks to have tarnished a touch. Brassy {is that a word} Coppery color

. jws

Julio · August 20, 2011 6:20PM

Description/Technical Characteristics

Platinum is one of the densest and heaviest metals, highly malleable, soft and ductile. It is extremely resistant to oxidation and to corrosion of high temperatures or chemical elements as well as a very good conductor of electricity and a powerful catalyzing agent. Platinum is soluble only in aqua regia. This precious metal has silvery-white color and does not tarnish. Google. This thread is useless without pics. I'll try to get one tomorrow. jws

Julio · August 20, 2011 6:37PM

I'm beginning to think this must be a rare earth metal. I should be so lucky. They are all worth a pretty penny. Now if I could just figure what the heck it is. Well I can rule out Iridium, it does not tarnish either. Well so far all my rudimentary guesses are taking me nowhere fast. I wonder what would happen if I sent it to a smelter? jws

tydye · August 20, 2011 8:47PM

SG would really narrow it down. You dont have a scale?

Julio · August 20, 2011 9:16PM

I have a scale a good one, it's at my mother in Laws. You know how to perform a SG with something I might have. {common household item}. jws

PerryHall · August 20, 2011 9:33PM

Does it have "SILVER" or "999 FINE" or any indication that it's anything other than a base metal paper weight on the edge? A pic would help.

Julio · August 20, 2011 9:42PM

M&T is the only Thing stamped on it. Which was a chemical co. where my dad used to work. It looks just like a old pour bar. Scale on the way and I hope to get a pic. up if it ever quits raining. It doesent have that silver ping to it at least to my ears. jws

Julio · August 20, 2011 10:04PM

It is 3.30 OZ and 1 1/2 X 1/4 inch. jws

PerryHall · August 20, 2011 10:32PM

<< It doesent have that silver ping to it at least to my ears. jws >>

Doesn't prove anything one way or the other. A poured bar may have a few interior air bubbles that would keep it from having that silver ping.

CaptHenway · August 20, 2011 10:37PM

Know a high school science teacher who could perform a specific gravity for you?

PerryHall · August 20, 2011 10:38PM

I would take it to a jeweler for testing. I believe they use a grop of nitric acid to see if there is a reaction. If it's been plated they may have to nick the edge first to expose the interior.

Julio · August 20, 2011 10:40PM

Your right PerryHall now silver seems to be back in the running. I feel like I'm running circled. From what I can get off Google there is no fool proof test short of a Lab. No dealer I know is gonna buy it without the test results. jws

Julio · August 20, 2011 10:48PM

I don't think your average science teacher and lab can give me a definitive answer. According to google it takes some pretty sophisticated equipment. jws

hammered54 · August 20, 2011 11:07PM

bstat1020 · August 20, 2011 11:40PM

A picture is worth a thousand words!

Put one up so we can see!!!!

tydye · August 20, 2011 11:57PM

search my user name and specific gravity. I had a redneck set-up and formula that worked for me. My search function is broke for some reason and I dont know the formula off the top of my head

stevek · August 20, 2011 11:57PM

I agree, it's likely just a low value paper weight...having more sentimental value than monetary value. I think if there was any valuable metal there, it would have been stamped as such.

Advertising specialty companies makeup things like this all the time, usually with a minimum order of say 50 or 100 depending on the item - there's probably a small box full of these sitting in a company storage closet somewhere.

PerryHall · August 21, 2011 12:19AM

<< I agree, it's likely just a low value paper weight...having more sentimental value than monetary value. I think if there was any valuable metal there, it would have been stamped as such. >>

Don't forget that in the mid-1960's silver was only worth a little over a dollar per ounce.

stevek · August 21, 2011 12:58AM

<< 

<< I agree, it's likely just a low value paper weight...having more sentimental value than monetary value. I think if there was any valuable metal there, it would have been stamped as such. >>

Don't forget that in the mid-1960's silver was only worth a little over a dollar per ounce. >>

That's right... and I'm not saying it might not be silver, when I stated "low value" I meant compared to what the OP posted that it may be platinum and thus some small fortune there of some sort. In my opinion it's certainly not platinum or some other extremely valuable metal...hopefully I'm wrong and it consists of some highly secretive strategic metal worth millions of dollars per ounce.

PerryHall · August 21, 2011 1:14AM

<< 

<< 

<< I agree, it's likely just a low value paper weight...having more sentimental value than monetary value. I think if there was any valuable metal there, it would have been stamped as such. >>

Don't forget that in the mid-1960's silver was only worth a little over a dollar per ounce. >>

That's right... and I'm not saying it might not be silver, when I stated "low value" I meant compared to what the OP posted that it may be platinum and thus some small fortune there of some sort. In my opinion it's certainly not platinum or some other extremely valuable metal...hopefully I'm wrong and it consists of some highly secretive strategic metal worth millions of dollars per ounce.

>>

Agree that it's not platinum. At best it's silver. At worse it's silver plated brass, copper-nickel alloy, pewter, or some other base metal.

MsMorrisine · August 21, 2011 1:26AM

the toning has me thinking it might be silver.

also you only posted 2 dimensions of it's size. all the dimensions are needed? is it rectangular or a trapezoid?

Julio · August 21, 2011 1:47AM

Well I'm back to thinking it's silver or may be. Someone a few post ago said silver bars unlike coins make the loud thump sound, because of air bubbles, I didn't know that. My logic to thinking it's not paper weight is it was stored in a jewelry box. I just can't picture Dad storing a paper weight in anything or thinking I would want a paper weight. That kind of leads me to believe it stands a fair chance of having some monetary value. Well it's all speculation on my part but worth pursuing. I spoke with Mr. Booker about a half hour ago he worked at the plant with Dad. He remembers seeing it on Dads desk but not one in any other offices. Well I'm hoping for silver but it could well be a paper weight that looks exactly like an old pour bar that weighs 3.30 ounces. jws

stevek · August 21, 2011 2:10AM

The nice "jewelry box" doesn't necessarily equate at all to the item's value. I've seen $20 fake rolex watches sold by NY street vendors which come in beautiful looking jewelry boxes...and I've seen genuine expensive Rolex watches come packed in a box that could easily be mistaken for a box containing a cheap Timex watch. LOL

Pokermandude · August 21, 2011 2:30AM

I'm thinking it's likely silver, but hard to say. I suppose there is a chance it's platinum and not marked...

PS- silver doesn't always ring. I have a few silver rounds (that I know to be good) that sound nothing like most silver. Depending on the dimensions, it just might not be conductive to vibrating the same way as most other silver bars/coins/etc. There's also a youtube video where some guys had a 100oz Engelhard bar which didn't ring when struck. They cut it right in half, and sure enough, it was pure silver.

Julio · August 21, 2011 4:36AM

Yes I've got 2 counterfeit watches now. One a Baume and Mercier & the other a Hamilton in nice fancy boxes. When my brother gave me the 1st. I had it checked at three reputable jewelry stores and all concurred it was fake I told him the 1st. one was a fake & the genius bought me another for my next birthday. We can't both be right. M&T is a French Co. The Andrews plant was bought by Atochem. Dad worked for both companies as plant Engineer. M&T and I believe Atochem were also in the salvage business. Just not the Andrews plant. So it's no stretch to say they had platinum and silver from those operations. Now rather this is Silver, Platinum or some other rare earth element remains to be seen. I'm pulling for which ever one is the most expensive. It very well can be a paper weight. I have my fingers crossed. I still don't see what good a picture will do, you can't test a Pic.

SUMORADA · August 21, 2011 4:58AM

I'm short on time this evening but the link below will help I think.........

Link

Julio · August 21, 2011 4:59AM

What is that to the right of the T. Looks like a fella wearing a hat playing a bag pipe. I scraped away some tarnish before the pic. and just noticed it. Wish I had some aciton {sic} it needs a good bath. Plus or minus for paper weight? Oh yea the box he had it in was not the box it came in. No way it would fit the the slot to hold it in there without rattling around. I'm about out of ideas and short of taking it to the filling station and melt it down and monitor the melt temp. I'm still kinda where I started. This thing could be 5, 6,7,8, 9% ,9999 pure. So I would have to separate whatever. Who woulda thunk. The smelter is starting to look better. Now if it is .999 pure no separating. jws

dorkbar · August 21, 2011 11:04PM

May I recommend a lead suit and a Geiger counter?

PerryHall · August 21, 2011 11:27PM

<<

>>

That looks more dark gray than white. Doesn't look like silver, toned or otherwise.

TomB · August 22, 2011 12:35AM

Does not look like silver.

jeremym · August 22, 2011 1:28AM

<< May I recommend a lead suit and a Geiger counter? >>

Quoted for truth.

pmac · August 22, 2011 2:45AM

<< 

<< It doesent have that silver ping to it at least to my ears. jws >>

Doesn't prove anything one way or the other. A poured bar may have a few interior air bubbles that would keep it from having that silver ping. >>

With this hypothesis, wouldn't an SG test be thrown out the window? SG is the ratio of the weight water and X of the same volume. Your bubbles would skew any SG test, wouldn't it.
As far at the bagpiper goes, I see Archimedes there in the "toning".

mkman123 · August 22, 2011 6:07AM

doesn't look like silver. Who knows what it is. Maybe titanium or what not???? Hope you find out!

Pokermandude · August 22, 2011 6:21AM

Yeah, definitely doesn't look like silver.

Was the box it was housed in a regular jewellery box? Any chance it was lined with lead? It's certainly not impossible that it is some sort of radioactive material.

PerryHall · August 22, 2011 7:08AM

<< It's certainly not impossible that it is some sort of radioactive material. >>

I sure hope not!!!

MsMorrisine · August 22, 2011 7:34AM

could it be the white balance?

.

Amigo · August 22, 2011 8:22AM

First thing I would do is have the jeweler test it with acid. Very easy to do silver and platinum testing.
If you have any doubt, I'd spend 35 bucks for an assay. SG would probably lead to more confusion and doubt.

123Slider · August 25, 2011 12:47PM

Still curious what this is???? Any updates?

Julio · August 25, 2011 12:54PM

I'm about 95% sure it's a paper weight. Still want to do a specific gravity test. jws

1jester · August 25, 2011 2:59PM

Looks like it certainly could be silver.

johnny9434 · August 26, 2011 7:01AM

<< Could it be one of those silver plated eBay scam jobs? >>

lmao, could be, might be

1jester · August 26, 2011 2:10PM

<< 

<< Could it be one of those silver plated eBay scam jobs? >>

lmao, could be, might be >>

I don't see how. This bar predates ebay by decades.

I have a bar that that has me puzzled. It looks like

Comments