{"id":3077,"date":"2014-09-25T08:00:22","date_gmt":"2014-09-25T12:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/?p=3077"},"modified":"2026-04-16T20:16:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T20:16:43","slug":"testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/","title":{"rendered":"Testing, Testing, 1-2-3 :  Numismatic Testing Methods"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" style=\"float: right;border: -px solid black;margin: 10px\" title=\"numismatic testing\" src=\"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/101515964.jpg\" alt=\"numismatic testing\" width=\"354\" height=\"236\" \/>Coin collectors and dealers utilize various methods to analyze their coins, including analytical and non-analytical methods, and ascertain their <a href=\"http:\/\/www.niton.com\/en\/metal-and-alloy-analysis\/applications\/goldanalysis\">precious metal content<\/a>. Non analytical methods involve examining the overall presentation of the coin with simple tools such as a loupe or a magnifying glass. The mint year, any surface alterations, special marks, and visible damages will often provide information regarding the general condition of the coin and its authenticity. Other non-analytical testing methods include a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=enBD3GsIaJU&amp;feature=youtu.be\">ping test<\/a>, in which the coin is struck with a piece of metal. Based on the sound reflected, information can be ascertained as to whether a coin is alloyed or consists of a high concentration of gold or silver (the pure, or near-pure gold will make a dull non-lasting sound, whereas pure silver produces a sustained ring).<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt\">Analytical Testing Methods<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Analytical testing methods include the usage of electrical conductivity devices for gold content measurements. These devices take advantage of the fact that gold is an excellent electrical conductor, and therefore measuring the electrical conductivity of a coin can provide information regarding its gold content. This method is typically restricted to the measurement of just a few metals, typically Au (gold) and Pt (platinum). Unfortunately, the Ag (silver) content &#8212; which is of high interest to numismatics professionals &#8212; cannot be detected by electrical conductivity testers, nor can they provide clear indication of the presence of any alloying metals such as copper or zinc. So typically they provide only qualitative results. These devices are also prone to false readings due to cross-contaminations of the testing probes.<\/p>\n<p>Acid tests are often used to determine the Au karat-value of a coin. Acid tests, by their nature, are qualitative and have limited accuracy. The tests work by applying a series of acids to determine specific karat value ranges, namely 10k, 14k, 18k, and 22k. Based on chemical reactions that take place, or the lack thereof, the user may conclude that the karat value of a coin or jewelry item lies within a certain range, e.g., \u201cabove 14k and below 18k\u201d. What the test does not reveal is the actual gold concentration, the existence and concentration of other precious metals or alloying elements, or any indication of gold plating. The acid test is also destructive and by no means is acceptable when it comes to evaluating high-value numismatic coins. The acids used are corrosive and require special protection.\u00a0 In fact, we have come up with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thermoscientific.com\/content\/dam\/tfs\/ATG\/CAD\/CAD%20Marketing%20Material\/CAD%20Marketing%20Documents\/Infographics\/infographic-noacidjewelry.pdf\">eight reasons jewelers should not use acid to test jewelry<\/a> that we have outlined in an infographic.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt\">How Can XRF Analysis Assess a Coin&#8217;s Precious Metal Content?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrumentation provides a fast, accurate, and most importantly, nondestructive alternative for assessing the metal composition of coins, and are currently used by jewelers, manufacturers, and most importantly, numismatic professionals.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/info3.thermoscientific.com\/XRFeBookDownload\">How does portable XRF work? <\/a>\u00a0Each of the elements present in a sample produces a unique set of characteristic x-rays that is a &#8220;fingerprint&#8221; for that specific element when illuminated by primary x-rays.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thermoscientific.com\/en\/product\/niton-dxl-precious-metal-analyzer.html\">XRF analyzers<\/a> determine the elemental composition of a sample by measuring the energy of the characteristic x-ray emitted by the different elements in the sample when it is illuminated by primary x-rays. By simultaneously measuring the fluorescent x-rays emitted by the different elements in the sample, a portable XRF analyzer can rapidly determine those elements present in the sample and their relative concentrations.This is referred to as the elemental composition of the sample. Almost instantly you will have an accurate purity analysis for on-the-spot sorting and valuation of gold, silver, and all precious metals&#8230;as well as quantification of other desirable and undesirable elements.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of the method used to evaluate coins, there is a great value in avoiding any damage to a collectable coin as this may diminish its value by thousands of dollars in certain cases.<\/p>\n<p>Take a look at this application note that discusses in more detail the various analytical methods of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thermoscientific.com\/content\/dam\/tfs\/ATG\/CAD\/CAD%20Documents\/Application%20&amp;%20Technical%20Notes\/Portable%20Analyzers%20for%20Material%20ID\/Handheld%20XRF\/Numismatic-App-Note-Final-1.pdf\">numismatic testing<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Coin collectors and dealers utilize various methods to analyze their coins, including analytical and non-analytical methods, and ascertain their precious metal content. Non analytical methods involve examining the overall presentation of the coin with simple tools such as a loupe or a magnifying glass. The mint year, any surface alterations, special marks, and visible damages<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":3144,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"division":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3077","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-precious-metals","8":"entry"},"_selected_authors":[1206],"_selected_reviewers":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.8 (Yoast SEO v27.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Testing, Testing, 1-2-3 : Numismatic Testing Methods<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Testing methods to verify precious metal content in collectible coins include the usage of electrical conductivity devices, ping tests, and xrf analysis.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Testing, Testing, 1-2-3 : Numismatic Testing Methods\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Testing methods to verify precious metal content in collectible coins include the usage of electrical conductivity devices, ping tests, and xrf analysis.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Analyzing Metals\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-09-25T12:00:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-16T20:16:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2014\/09\/101515964-1024x683.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"683\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jonathan Margalit, PhD\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jonathan Margalit, PhD\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jonathan Margalit, PhD\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/952d3b4e4c5a5b18342615052819e71f\"},\"headline\":\"Testing, Testing, 1-2-3 : Numismatic Testing Methods\",\"datePublished\":\"2014-09-25T12:00:22+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-16T20:16:43+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":664,\"commentCount\":6,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2014\\\/09\\\/101515964.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Precious Metals\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\\\/\",\"name\":\"Testing, Testing, 1-2-3 : Numismatic Testing Methods\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2014\\\/09\\\/101515964.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2014-09-25T12:00:22+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-16T20:16:43+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/952d3b4e4c5a5b18342615052819e71f\"},\"description\":\"Testing methods to verify precious metal content in collectible coins include the usage of electrical conductivity devices, ping tests, and xrf analysis.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2014\\\/09\\\/101515964.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2014\\\/09\\\/101515964.jpg\",\"width\":3543,\"height\":2362,\"caption\":\"numismatic testing - hand holding coin and magnifying glass\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/metals\\\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Testing, Testing, 1-2-3 : Numismatic Testing Methods\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/\",\"name\":\"Analyzing Metals\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/metals\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/952d3b4e4c5a5b18342615052819e71f\",\"name\":\"Jonathan Margalit, PhD\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b915f8dcd634caced33ce3510dd1ba9a1060e4ada120150a6c075e4ef6546f05?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b915f8dcd634caced33ce3510dd1ba9a1060e4ada120150a6c075e4ef6546f05?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b915f8dcd634caced33ce3510dd1ba9a1060e4ada120150a6c075e4ef6546f05?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Jonathan Margalit, PhD\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/author\\\/jonathan-margalitthermofisher-com\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Testing, Testing, 1-2-3 : Numismatic Testing Methods","description":"Testing methods to verify precious metal content in collectible coins include the usage of electrical conductivity devices, ping tests, and xrf analysis.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Testing, Testing, 1-2-3 : Numismatic Testing Methods","og_description":"Testing methods to verify precious metal content in collectible coins include the usage of electrical conductivity devices, ping tests, and xrf analysis.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/","og_site_name":"Analyzing Metals","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thermofisher","article_published_time":"2014-09-25T12:00:22+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-16T20:16:43+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":683,"url":"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2014\/09\/101515964-1024x683.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Jonathan Margalit, PhD","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@thermofisher","twitter_site":"@thermofisher","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jonathan Margalit, PhD","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/"},"author":{"name":"Jonathan Margalit, PhD","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#\/schema\/person\/952d3b4e4c5a5b18342615052819e71f"},"headline":"Testing, Testing, 1-2-3 : Numismatic Testing Methods","datePublished":"2014-09-25T12:00:22+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-16T20:16:43+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/"},"wordCount":664,"commentCount":6,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2014\/09\/101515964.jpg","articleSection":["Precious Metals"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/","url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/","name":"Testing, Testing, 1-2-3 : Numismatic Testing Methods","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2014\/09\/101515964.jpg","datePublished":"2014-09-25T12:00:22+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-16T20:16:43+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#\/schema\/person\/952d3b4e4c5a5b18342615052819e71f"},"description":"Testing methods to verify precious metal content in collectible coins include the usage of electrical conductivity devices, ping tests, and xrf analysis.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2014\/09\/101515964.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2014\/09\/101515964.jpg","width":3543,"height":2362,"caption":"numismatic testing - hand holding coin and magnifying glass"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/testing-testing-1-2-3-numismatic-testing-methods\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Testing, Testing, 1-2-3 : Numismatic Testing Methods"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#website","url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/","name":"Analyzing Metals","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/#\/schema\/person\/952d3b4e4c5a5b18342615052819e71f","name":"Jonathan Margalit, PhD","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b915f8dcd634caced33ce3510dd1ba9a1060e4ada120150a6c075e4ef6546f05?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b915f8dcd634caced33ce3510dd1ba9a1060e4ada120150a6c075e4ef6546f05?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b915f8dcd634caced33ce3510dd1ba9a1060e4ada120150a6c075e4ef6546f05?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Jonathan Margalit, PhD"},"url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/author\/jonathan-margalitthermofisher-com\/"}]}},"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":5,"label":"Precious Metals"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2014\/09\/101515964-1024x683.jpg",760,507,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Jonathan Margalit, PhD","author_link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/author\/jonathan-margalitthermofisher-com\/"},"comment_info":6,"category_info":[{"term_id":5,"name":"Precious Metals","slug":"precious-metals","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":109,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":5,"category_count":109,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Precious Metals","category_nicename":"precious-metals","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13568,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/how-handheld-xrf-technology-exposed-counterfeit-silver-coins-sold-online\/","url_meta":{"origin":3077,"position":0},"title":"How Handheld XRF Technology Exposed Counterfeit Silver Coins Sold Online","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"May 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary Counterfeit silver coins are becoming a growing problem in online marketplaces, putting coin collectors, precious metal investors, pawn shops, and bullion buyers at financial risk. A recent \u00a0NBC Connecticut investigation uncovered fake American Eagle silver bullion coins being sold online at prices far below market value. Although the coins\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Precious Metals&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Precious Metals","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/precious-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Silver coins and silver bullion","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-482324309.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13418,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/buyer-and-seller-beware-how-to-detect-fake-gold-in-current-times\/","url_meta":{"origin":3077,"position":1},"title":"Buyer and Seller Beware: How to Detect Fake Gold in Current Times","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"April 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A Practical Guide for Jewelers and Pawn Shop Owners The rise in gold prices and continued market volatility have made precious metals more attractive\u2014not just to legitimate sellers, but also to increasingly sophisticated counterfeiters. For jewelers, cash-for-gold operators, and pawn shop owners, the ability to accurately verify gold authenticity and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General\/Industry&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/general-industry-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Clasp on a 14k Gold necklace with markings on a black background","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-1133424222_14k-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13598,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/how-rhodium-plating-impacts-gold-xrf-analysis-and-karat-verification\/","url_meta":{"origin":3077,"position":2},"title":"How Rhodium Plating Impacts Gold XRF Analysis and Karat Verification","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"July 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary Accurate gold analysis is essential for jewelry verification, precious metals trading, refining, and quality control. One of the most widely used methods for determining gold content is X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, a non-destructive testing technique that quickly evaluates metal composition. However, rhodium plating\u2014a common surface treatment used on white\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Metals &amp; Alloys&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Metals &amp; Alloys","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/metals-and-alloys\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Banner of a cube symbolizing element number 45 of the periodic table. Rhodium. (Rh)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/07\/iStock-2281505711.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/07\/iStock-2281505711.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/07\/iStock-2281505711.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/07\/iStock-2281505711.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/07\/iStock-2281505711.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/07\/iStock-2281505711.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13429,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/how-to-identify-aluminum-in-a-scrap-metal-recycling-yard\/","url_meta":{"origin":3077,"position":3},"title":"How to Identify Aluminum in a Scrap Metal Recycling Yard","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"May 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Identifying aluminum in a scrap metal recycling yard is more challenging than it might seem. While aluminum is one of the most widely used and recycled metals, its physical similarities to other materials, combined with the complexity of aluminum alloys, make accurate identification difficult. This challenge has significant implications for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General\/Industry&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/general-industry-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Scrap metal pieces laying in a pile","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/iStock-133993685_scrapaluminum.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10286,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/a-valentines-special-best-metal-elements-for-a-sturdy-piece-of-jewelry\/","url_meta":{"origin":3077,"position":4},"title":"A Valentine\u2019s Special: Best Metal Elements for a Sturdy Piece of Jewelry","author":"Mark Lessard","date":"February 10, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A Pleasant Garden article noted that \"from a global perspective, nearly 6 million couples get engaged on February 14th.\"\u00a0It\u2019s no surprise that many of those who \u2018pop the question\u2019 choose to do it on the day known for its message of love and affection. Those who have bought an engagement\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Precious Metals&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Precious Metals","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/precious-metals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ring in box with Valentine heart decorations","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/02\/istock-96917265_valentinejewelry.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13557,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/how-to-improve-inspection-of-small-metal-parts\/","url_meta":{"origin":3077,"position":5},"title":"How to Improve Inspection of Small Metal Parts","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"May 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Article Summary Manufacturers, quality control teams, and field inspectors face a growing challenge when verifying the composition of small metal parts. Components such as fasteners, weld wire, tubing, bolts, and machined pieces are often difficult to analyze accurately. These parts are critical to operational safety and product integrity, yet their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Manufacturing Quality Assurance&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Manufacturing Quality Assurance","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/manufacturing-quality-assurance\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"small metal fasteners","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/05\/iStock-1087432242.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/metals\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2014\/09\/101515964.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3077","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3077"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3077\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3144"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3077"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3077"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3077"},{"taxonomy":"division","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/metals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/division?post=3077"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}