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How to Tell if Silver Coins Are Fake

For thousands of years, until the decades after World War II, silver was the dominant metal in coinage. You need only think of the denarius, which oiled the wheels of the Roman Empire or the silver dollar, which glinted on the green baize tables of many a wild west gambling joint. Post World War II, most silver currencies were downgraded to base metal alloys, which can look superficially similar to the old coinage. In addition, out-and-out fakes began to creep onto the market. However, it is reasonably easy to tell the difference between a silver coin and a base-metal doppelganger if you know a little about the properties of silver itself.

Things You'll Need

Digital scales
Jeweler's loupe

Instructions

- 1
  Rub the edge of the silver coin with a tissue. When silver reacts with air, it makes a black residue. A swift polish will restore the shine to a dull old piece of silver, and the tissue will come away grubby. A base-metal coin won't polish up in this way.
- 2
  Inspect the design of the silver coin with a jeweler's loupe. Silver is a soft metal. When it wears, fine details lose their definition. This subtle blurring is again something you don't see on base-metal coins.
- 3
  Weigh the coin on a pair of digital scales, and then compare that to the weights of a similar-sized coin you know to be silver and another you know to be base metal. Silver is heavier than most alloys. Fakes will therefore be lighter than the genuine article.

Coin Collecting