Should I purchase an Earth Magnet?

dantheman984 · January 27, 2012 3:34AM

Hello everyone,
Do you think buying an earth magnet will be the best way to tell if a silver round is real or fake? If so, should I purchase a large one or a small one? Starting to get a little paranoid about fakes. Thank you for any help,
Dan

gecko109 · January 27, 2012 3:40AM

Magnets only attract to Fe. Most fake silver bullion coins will be a copper or lead base. Magnet wont help you. An accurate, but inexpensive digital scale that reads down to 1/100th gram will be your best friend. VERY rarely is a silver bullion round fake exactly 31.1 grams.

dantheman984 · January 27, 2012 3:44AM

Thanks for the info. I bought 3 rounds recently and they all weigh exactly 30 grams, so you think these can be fake?

gecko109 · January 27, 2012 3:46AM

<< Thanks for the info. I bought 3 rounds recently and they all weigh exactly 30 grams, so you think these can be fake? >>

If your scale is "dead nuts" accurate, then I think 30 grams is far too light to be legit. Put 6 U.S. nickels on the scale and tell me exactly what the reading is.

dantheman984 · January 27, 2012 3:54AM

30 grams.

gecko109 · January 27, 2012 4:08AM

Then those 3 silver rounds that weigh just 30 grams each are most likely fake.....sorry.

theDabbler · January 27, 2012 4:10AM

<< Magnets only attract to Fe. Most fake silver bullion coins will be a copper or lead base. Magnet wont help you. An accurate, but inexpensive digital scale that reads down to 1/100th gram will be your best friend. VERY rarely is a silver bullion round fake exactly 31.1 grams. >>

This isn't completely accurate. See using a small magnet to test silver and using a magnetic slide and pendulum to test silver

For the OP: A couple questions: How many coins are you planning to test at one time? Are they bullion (so you don't mind them getting damaged by sliding down silver)? Also, how much are you willing to spend? From what I could see, the magnets for a small magnetic slide cost at least $20. A decent size would be more like $40.

KUCH · January 27, 2012 4:14AM

How many grains are in one gram?

dantheman984 · January 27, 2012 4:16AM

<< 

<< Magnets only attract to Fe. Most fake silver bullion coins will be a copper or lead base. Magnet wont help you. An accurate, but inexpensive digital scale that reads down to 1/100th gram will be your best friend. VERY rarely is a silver bullion round fake exactly 31.1 grams. >>

This isn't completely accurate. See using a small magnet to test silver and using a magnetic slide and pendulum to test silver

For the OP: A couple questions: How many coins are you planning to test at one time? Are they bullion (so you don't mind them getting damaged by sliding down silver)? Also, how much are you willing to spend? From what I could see, the magnets for a small magnetic slide cost at least $20. A decent size would be more like $40. >>

Mostly bullion. Thank you for the info. The magnetic slide seemed pretty decent. It looks like I should look closer into these rounds.

gecko109 · January 27, 2012 4:29AM

<< How many grains are in one gram? >>

15.43

Kip · January 27, 2012 4:37AM

scales good enough are not that spendy

CaptHenway · January 27, 2012 5:24AM

<< 

<< How many grains are in one gram? >>

15.43 >>

15.432356

ModernCoin · January 27, 2012 5:38AM

A scale is by far and away your number one asset when buying PMs. I would also recommend printing out a cheat sheet with diameter/thickness info for most common types of bullion and carrying calipers with you too. You certainly shouldn't expect a dealer to let you carefully weigh and measure every coin in his bucket, but you could do a quick check on a coin or two if you're not sure.

Every stacker should have a rare earth magnet as well IMO as they're dirt cheap and are one more tool in your arsenal. I would never consider buying 14kt jewelry in particular without a rare earth magnet.

derryb · January 27, 2012 5:55AM

The premium for three silver eagles is probably cheaper than test equipment.

Pokermandude · January 27, 2012 5:59AM

A .01 accurate digital scale, a ruler and my ear is all I use to verify my purchases.

ricko · January 27, 2012 6:26AM

<< Magnets only attract to Fe >>

Hey Gecko....nickel and cobalt are magnetic as well...... Cheers, RickO

KUCH · January 27, 2012 6:50AM

<< 

<< 

<< How many grains are in one gram? >>

15.43 >>

15.432356

>>

Thanks, Capt.

gecko109 · January 27, 2012 6:53AM

<< 

<< Magnets only attract to Fe >>

Hey Gecko....nickel and cobalt are magnetic as well...... Cheers, RickO >>

You are correct....my mistake.

fastrudy · January 27, 2012 10:19AM

This is not so much what a magnet is attracted to. It is a consequence of Lenz's law. A magnet will slow down when dropped through (or near) a conductor. It will slow down the most when dropped through (or near) a very conductive material (silver is the most conductive metal). The fact that silver is most conductive guarentees that a magnet will be slowest sliding down it. Aluminum, iron, lead will all slow a magnet, but not as much as silver. All you need is a magnet and a known silver coin to determine whether a suspect coin is fake or real. ferromagnetism has NOTHING to do with this effect. Conductivity has everything to do with this effect.

Attempted to teach Physics for 33 years...then gave up.

BTW, it is not an "Earth Magnet" it is a "Rare Earth Magnet". Usually the "Rare Earth" element is Neodynium.

theDabbler · January 27, 2012 10:58AM

<< This is not so much what a magnet is attracted to. It is a consequence of Lenz's law. A magnet will slow down when dropped through (or near) a conductor. It will slow down the most when dropped through (or near) a very conductive material (silver is the most conductive metal). The fact that silver is most conductive guarentees that a magnet will be slowest sliding down it. Aluminum, iron, lead will all slow a magnet, but not as much as silver. All you need is a magnet and a known silver coin to determine whether a suspect coin is fake or real. ferromagnetism has NOTHING to do with this effect. Conductivity has everything to do with this effect.

Attempted to teach Physics for 33 years...then gave up.

BTW, it is not an "Earth Magnet" it is a "Rare Earth Magnet". Usually the "Rare Earth" element is Neodynium. >>

I suppose I should have indicated I was replying to the "magnet wont help you" statement.

In any case - the reason for my replying: by any chance do you know how strong the magnet needs to be to see this effect? Ebay has a lot of n35 grade/strength rare earth magnets. They are a lot cheaper than the more powerful ones, but I don't know if they are powerful enough to generate an easily observable difference.

fastrudy · January 27, 2012 11:20AM

You need a neodynium magnet. As soon as I saw this thread, I took a cylindrical neodynium magnet and slid it down a silver Eagle. Lenz's law (as always) worked fine. I am unfamiliar with the units (i presume) of magnetic strength that you stated. Just buy a rare earth magnet and this test should work fine

Stork · January 27, 2012 4:24PM

$15.70 and free shipping if you are Prime. I found this useful for my 0.8 vs. 1.0 vs. 1.2 gram aluminum Japanese coins...and get this too: Under $5 with the current vendor offering free shipping.. So basically $20 for an extremely accurate scale...A minimal outlay for an extremely useful purchase. I'm sure there are other equally great deals around...but these are the ones I happened upon when I needed a new scale. (I even wrote a couple reviews on them...they are still visible on the sidebar locations --the greyhound ones-- and no, I have zero financial interest in the companies etc).

I also have a couple of diameter measuring devices which have come in handy a few times...

and in case you are trying to figure out gold sovereigns, look for one of these--checks weight, diameter and thickness for the full and half:

Should I purchase an Earth Magnet?

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