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Posted 03/09/2012 11:51 am
As an avid amateur gold prospector I can say that I have never pulled anything out of the water that shape. That is not to say that gold isn't formed like that though. Erosion from water can do a lot to gold over time.
Really, the only way to be sure, and this isn't fool proof if the faker has any real brains, is to ask where the nugget came from and then perform a purity test.
What I mean is this: gold in California has a different purity than gold from North Carolina/Georgia does. Obviously, if it tests to greater than 23K, it is probably refined and a fake. Like I said though, this is not fool proof as anybody with half of a brain can duplicate a natural karat by adding impurities.
Furthermore, you can find 22 karat + gold in Cali even though it is more likely to be closer to 20-21 karat.
Am I making sense? I'm starting to confuse myself. Nuggets do carry a premium over spot price. But it has to be a pretty special looking nugget, and usually, the bigger the better.
Josh
Really, the only way to be sure, and this isn't fool proof if the faker has any real brains, is to ask where the nugget came from and then perform a purity test.
What I mean is this: gold in California has a different purity than gold from North Carolina/Georgia does. Obviously, if it tests to greater than 23K, it is probably refined and a fake. Like I said though, this is not fool proof as anybody with half of a brain can duplicate a natural karat by adding impurities.
Furthermore, you can find 22 karat + gold in Cali even though it is more likely to be closer to 20-21 karat.
Am I making sense? I'm starting to confuse myself. Nuggets do carry a premium over spot price. But it has to be a pretty special looking nugget, and usually, the bigger the better.
Josh
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