There are different reasons why people collect and invest in precious metals. Primarily, there are natural occurring metallic element. They are rare finds. Precious metals include gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Among all the precious metals, gold is the most popular. Because gold is the most sought after metals among collectors and investors, a lot of people want to take advantage of it, they produce fake ones just to make an easy profit. If you are one of those people who are into gold buying and do not want to be victimized by the opportunistic people, here are some of the things you need to know to distinguish authentic gold from fake ones.

Bite Test
Gold is fairly speaking very soft. Gold traders bite on the gold coins to determine if the coin is made of pure gold back in the old days. Coins before the 20th Century are most of the time made of pure Gold. Simply put, when you bite on a genuine gold coin, you will see markings of your teeth. If markings are not evident or simply if you could not bite the coin, it is not pure because there are other added metals on it which makes it harder. Having said that, do not just look at the appearance of a gold coin. Try to bite it to see if it is soft or hard to bite.

Check The Hallmark
One definite characteristics of gold is its hallmarking stamped on the metal to notify the owner the karat weight of the gold. The number of karats of gold is where its price relies on. However, it does not always mean that the coin is already fake if it has no hallmark. There are just some gold coins who have markings to prove their authenticity and it is good for the first time buyers .

Examine The General Characteristics
You will be surprised to notice that you will become detail oriented if you are into this kind of precious commodity. Just like with gold, you will find yourself very meticulous when it comes to year of minting, featured image on the coin and the weight of it. Moreover, if you have a particular gold in mind, certainly, you are well acquainted with the general characteristics. Therefore, if you see a Krugerrand, you will definitely have second thoughts if it is misspelled.

Validate The Legitimacy Of The Seller
Checking the legitimacy of the seller is the easiest way to tell if the gold is genuine or not. You can ask him or her simple questions about the product he or she is offering. Listen to their answers and research on them before you buy the gold. Do not be easily fall by their smile and charisma. You can also Google the person or the company if they have bad reputation. Read feedbacks and commentaries from past clients. Also, check if they are member of an accredited group to ensure that they are following the bylaws of gold trade.

Scratch Test
Using a small file, you can create a little scratch on the gold piece. Pick a concealable spot. Use a dropper when applying nitric acid. If no change is evident, it means that the gold is real. If the scratch changed to green color then perhaps the gold is plated.

When dealing with gold, it is important to be wise. Check your source and the gold piece. Do not be easily believe or deceive. There might be illegitimate company that may come your way and try to fake you. Don’t forget to check out their company. Throw simple questions on them. To avoid being faked, keep these things in mind. Gold is a valuable metal and it is only prudent that you get what your money is worth.

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