Mackerel Dime - Coin Community Forum

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Author	Replies: 6 / Views: 1,611
eaglefly New Member Canada 18 Posts	Posted 11/01/2013 7:27 pm How do I tell if it's 80 percent silver or 50 percent silver? Report this Post to the Staff

dialog_gvf Pillar of the Community Canada 1581 Posts	Posted 11/01/2013 8:19 pm Visually, you can't. I expect, like quarters, the different compositions would ring differently, but you'd need a audio spectrum analyzer app. Report this Post to the Staff
rachums107 Pillar of the Community United States 3345 Posts	Posted 11/02/2013 12:43 am dude just weigh it Report this Post to the Staff
nalaberong Pillar of the Community Canada 2805 Posts	Posted 11/02/2013 12:47 am The densities of copper and silver are pretty close, and so on a small coin like a dime, weighing won't reliably work. Report this Post to the Staff
kuh_85 Pillar of the Community Canada 2366 Posts	Posted 11/02/2013 12:38 pm Also the published specs are the same for both coins. I've seen a couple of threads & youtube videos on doing the audio spectrum analyzer thing that seem to promise good results but since they've only shown a few coins it really needs a larger, controlled test to confirm. Most dealers have simply accepted them as the average 65% in the past. Report this Post to the Staff
1945V Valued Member Canada 386 Posts	Posted 11/02/2013 12:49 pm Samboyyellowsub posted the method for using the spectral signature of the ring generated during a coin drop. https://goccf.com/t/79454&SearchTerms=spectrum His method seemed scientifically valid to me. The trick is to use a 1966 coin as the reference for 80% silver and 1968 silver for the 50% reference. This seems to be the only nondestructive way of telling the difference between the two type of 1967 coins. Report this Post to the Staff
Libertad Pillar of the Community Canada 3692 Posts	Posted 11/02/2013 10:45 pm Take a known 800 coin and a known 500 coin and run them against the unknown coin in an acid test. Or try a specific gravity test. Most dealers use the median bullion weight for those. It's hardly even worth your time. Edited by Libertad 11/02/2013 10:46 pm Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 6 / Views: 1,611

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