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How to Test Scrap Gold

Current gold prices shock those who lived before prices were variable. Gold was $35 an ounce in the United States through the 1950s and 1960s---up until 1971 when President Nixon ended fixed-price gold. With gold prices high, scrap gold has new meaning, and it can make you money---if you can identify it. Not much gold is pure or 24-karat gold. Common gold percentages are 10-karat, 14-karat and 18-karat. A 10-karat gold ring is 10/24 gold---not quite 50 percent gold content. You can test scrap gold for gold content in different ways.

Things You'll Need

Loupe or magnifying glass
Gold test kit
Electronic gold tester

Instructions

Senses
- 1
  Use your senses for preliminary testing on scrap gold. Feel it. Gold feels very smooth, and it flows when heated, so it does not have sharp edges.
- 2
  Look at it. Check the color. The color is not a gaudy yellow like some imitation jewelry. Look for gold marks. Although this is not foolproof, items incised with a gold content mark are more likely gold.
- 3
  Check the scrap gold with a loupe or magnifying glass on the edges where wear is most likely. If the edge shows wear, your piece is probably plated gold or costume jewelry.
Acid Test
- 4
  Purchase an acid test kit. This kit for testing scrap gold comes with a stone and various bottles of acid that test for different karats of gold.
- 5
  Find a spot that is least visible for scraping. This test is invasive and does some damage to your jewelry or scrap gold. Rake the scrap gold across the stone to make a visible line.
- 6
  Drop a tiny amount of one of the acids on the line on the stone and watch for the result.
- 7
  Check to see if the acid dissolved the line, or if the line held without dissolution. If the acid dissolves the line, use the 10-karat acid to test again. If the 10-karat acid solution dissolves the metal line, the scrap is not gold or is less than 10-karat gold. Some old gold is 9 karat, but American standards no longer consider less than 10 karat as gold.
Electronic Test
- 8
  Purchase an electronic gold tester. This tool operates on batteries and uses a gel to make a seal for testing. If you intend to buy and sell much gold, it is faster and more accurate than the acid test kit, and worth the purchase.
- 9
  Connect the testing pen and clipboard to the electronic tester.
- 10
  Turn the pen top counterclockwise to place a small amount of the gel on the end of the pen.
- 11
  Place the edge of the scrap gold under the clip, and turn the tester on. Touch the pen to the gold and push the "test" button.
- 12
  Wait for the result. A number will show on the screen. The number translates to a karat amount as shown on the front of the gold tester, so you can determine if your item is 10-karat, 14-karat or 18-karat gold---or somewhere in between those fractional amounts.

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