If you have developed a passion for collecting coins and decided it’s high time to start investing seriously in your hobby, then one of the first lessons to learn is how to differentiate between the real thing and a fake. While appraising is the only 100% foolproof method, here are some other tricks to help you out.

1. Observe the details

The simplest way to determine whether you are about to purchase counterfeit currency implies analyzing its general characteristics. More often than not, fake gold coins will appear too shiny or too dull and could have a grainy appearance. In case you’re new to this, then it would help to carry a real gold bullion coin with you for comparison.

2. Learn the coinage’s characteristics

A further efficient technique to spot counterfeits implies measuring the coin and establishing if it has the right thickness, diameter or weight. In case you didn’t know, gold is among the densest and therefore heaviest metals, so a fake bullion will always be too light. Take note that the metals that are heavier than gold are usually very expensive and hard to work with. As far as the coinage’s diameter and thickness are concerned, remember that all minters have standard dimensions for their coins. Consequentially, fake coinage will also appear too large or too bulky.

3. The ring test

Coinage incorporating gold and silver make a distinct sound – most call it a ringing sound – when you flip them. Therefore, if the gold coin you are about to purchase doesn’t make any sound when flicked, then chances are you are dealing with a fake.

4. The scratch test

It is important to note that you should perform this test ONLY if you’re almost sure the bullion coin you are looking at is a fake made of pyrite. When scratched, gold will leave a yellow streak, whereas pyrite will have a dark green marking. An alternative for this test implies trying scratching glass with the coin: if it grazes the glass, then it is not gold.

5. Verify if the coin has magnetic properties

Remember that gold and silver are non-magnetic. Therefore, since a substantial percentage of counterfeit coins are made of iron-based metals, you can easily identify a counterfeit by using a magnet. Nevertheless, as professional collectors point out, this test is unable to pinpoint the coin’s exact metal content with precision.

6. The acid test

Even though you might think you’re going to destroy your investment by placing a gold coin in sulphuric acid, rest assured that gold is a noble metal that doesn’t dissolve in acids. However, acid tests will leave minor damage to the coin and could devaluate it, if it’s not handled properly. This is why the acid test is mostly recommended for collectors who have plenty of coinage and want to test a few items from the stack for authenticity.

7. Only purchase from a reputable retailer

In all fairness, if you want to avoid falling prey to the numerous scam artists on the market, then you should only buy gold and silver bullion coins from accredited retailers. Not only do they offer guarantees for their products, but because they have numerous resources, they can also help you gather the rest of the coins you might need for your collection.