How to Test If Your Gold Is Real at Home

How to Test Your Gold at Home

If you have some gold to sell, you may first need to verify that your gold is actually worth something. While regular gold investors may already own equipment for testing, the average person will probably need to try other options. You may be wondering how to test if your gold is real without the use of fancy equipment. Luckily, you can test your gold for authenticity right at home with things you probably already have laying around!

Home Tests to See if Your Gold is Real

We always recommend getting your gold tested by a professional. However, if you want to make sure the trip to the gold buyer will be worth it, you can do these preliminary tests to check for authenticity. Use these tests with caution. Some of these may cause damage to your items if you aren’t careful.

Gold Hallmarks and Letter Marks

The easiest way to test your gold for authenticity is to check for markings and stamps on the gold. Authentic pieces are usually stamped with letters, numbers, or other markings that give basic information about the gold piece. There is usually a hallmark that will indicate what kind of gold you have. You can find these by looking for 10k for 10 karat, 14k for 14 karat, etc. There may also be letters that indicate if your gold is filled plated, or electroplate. GF means gold filled, GP means gold plated, and GEP means gold electroplate. However, even if your gold plating is real, it doesn’t always mean that there is enough gold to be considered true gold.


Test if Your Gold is Real With Vinegar

You can test to see if your gold is real by putting a little bit of vinegar onto it. Put your piece of gold on a flat surface or hold it in your hand. Carefully pour some vinegar onto the gold, or use a dropper to put a few drops onto it.  If the gold changes color, then it is not pure gold. However, if the gold remains the same, or stays shining, then the gold is real. You can also put some vinegar into a glass and let the gold soak in the glass for 5-8 minutes. If the gold changes color (even slightly) after rinsing it, then it is not real gold.

The Makeup Test

You can test to find out if gold is real or not with just a little bit of liquid foundation. Although this method isn’t 100% reliable, it’s an easy way to test in a pinch. Take a small amount of liquid foundation and blend it into your hand. Set with powder, and after it’s dried down, rub your gold on the area. If the area turns black, it’s more than likely real gold. However, if you rub gold on clean, dry skin that’s free from lotions, makeup, and oils, there should be no residue left from the gold after rubbing. If a black or greenish mark appears on clean skin, it may not be real. Test your gold on both clean, dry skin and skin with the liquid foundation to see if there is any difference.

Real Gold Won’t Stick to a Magnet

Another very simple test you can do is to use a strong magnet against your gold. Real gold is not magnetic, and therefore, should not stick.

Ready to sell? Contact us today!

Always talk to your CPA or Financial Advisor before making investments.

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Which Items We Buy Put the Most Money in Your Pocket?

items we buy

If you are just getting started in investing in precious metals, you may be wondering which items we buy put the most money back in your pocket. While the market is always changing, there are items that guarantee to get some money in your pocket every time. Some of these things you may even have laying around your house waiting for you to cash them in.

Items We Buy

We buy gold, silver, platinum, coins, bullion, and diamonds. However, our main focus, and what will give you the biggest return on investment is gold and silver. We buy items in all conditions and in nearly every form including jewelry, coins, flatware, dishware, dental gold, bullion, PCGS & NGC coins, bars, and more.

 

Items We Buy

What Items We Buy Gets You the Most Back

It may be surprising, but the items we buy that guarantee you get the most are items that you might already have at home. Jewelry, flatware, silverware, and other common household items are often worth some money if they’re made from real gold or silver. So, if you have some fancy silver dishes that your great-great aunt left you when she passed, you may want to get them appraised.

Another place you can often find these types of items for little to no cost to you is at estate sales and yard sales. Many times people just want to get rid of their things without either knowing or caring how much their items are worth.

What to Know Before You Sell

The most important thing to know before we buy your items is: DO NOT CLEAN OR POLISH YOUR ITEMS. Your items will actually decrease in value if you polish, buff, or clean them. Please leave items untouched. If they are dirty, antique, or broken, that is perfectly okay!

This article gives a good overview as to why you especially shouldn’t clean coins before having them appraised.

Always talk to your CPA or Financial Advisor before making investments.

Items We Don’t Accept

We do not buy gold or silver plated items, and we also do not buy items that we cannot guarantee their authenticity.

 

Have some items you’re ready to sell? Contact Us today to get some cash in your pocket.

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How to Test the Worth of Your Silver and Gold

Test the Worth of Your Silver and Gold

Is that old silver dish your grandmother gave to you actually a hidden treasure? Did you stumble across a gold coin that you think might be worth something? It’s all a possibility! You can test the worth of those metals at home to see if they are actually a goldmine or not (pun intended). You can perform these tests before deciding to bring them to us to have them appraised.

How to Test the Worth of Silver at Home

Look for Authentication Hallmarks

Authentication hallmarks are a stamp on the metal from the manufacturer. These stamps give you information like the purity of the silver, the manufacturer, and the date the silver was manufactured. Common hallmarks are 925 (sterling silver), 900, or 800.

Magnet Test

Real gold and silver are not magnetic. You can use a magnet to see if it is drawn to your items. If your items stick to the magnet, they are not real silver or gold.

The Ice Worth Test

Real sterling silver will melt ice exceptionally fast. Even when silver is at room temperature, it has high thermal conductivity. Place the supposed silver on the ice (or vice versa), and set another piece of ice by itself as a control. If the piece with the silver melts much faster, it is probably real silver.

 

gold worth test

 

How to Test the Worth of Gold at Home

Acid Tests

You can buy home acid tests that consist of rubbing your gold on a test stone, and then dropping different acids on it. The acids come in correspondence with different gold karats. To test your gold, you drop the acid of the karat you think it is onto the gold. If it stays the same color, it is that karat. However, if it turns brown, it is a lower karat. If it disappears, it is not real gold.

Skey Tests

If you’d like a test that’s safer and still relatively cheap, you can also get a skey test from different online retailers. To perform this test, you place the gold on the testing plate, and touch the probing pen to the gold. Then, the device will instantly give you a reading of what karat your gold is! You can get a testing device on Amazon for $325.

Ready to Bring in Your Gold and Silver?

If you’ve already performed a test to see if your gold and silver are worth anything, or if you want to leave it to the experts, we are here and ready to help! Contact us today to have your precious metals appraised.

(Always talk to your CPA or Financial Advisor before making investments.)

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Silver Price Predictions for 2023

Price of Silver for 2023

While the price of gold for this year is a bit more unpredictable, the price of silver seems to be steadily rising. Because our current supply of silver is insufficient, pricing for silver has seen a consistent rise in cost per ounce. The silver price prediction for 2023 is expected to continue on this upward trend.

If you’ve got a lot of silver to sell, now is the time to do it! Check your home for hidden treasures that might be worth more than you think!

Silver Price Prediction for 2023

Silver prices started at $24.18 this year. With the increasing demand, prices are expected to hit $30 by the end of the year. Experts believe that prices will rise all the way up to $100 per troy ounce over the next ten years. This means that each year the price will raise by $10. The chart below shows the ten-year forecast for silver.

Year Mid-Year Year-End Tod/End,%
2023 $27.72 $32.65 +39%
2024 $34.77 $36.72 +57%
2025 $41.76 $46.41 +98%
2026 $47.06 $47.75 +104%
2027 $52.53 $57.26 +144%
2028 $61.94 $66.59 +184%
2029 $71.20 $74.83 +219%
2030 $75.91 $80.18 +242%
2031 $84.42 $88.64 +278%
2032 $92.84 $93.33 +298%
2033 $97.33 $101.31 +332%
2034 $104.93 $108.86 +365%

(Coin Price Forecast)

selling silver

 

Short Term Forecast

If you’re looking for a short-term forecast for silver pricing, see the chart below.

Month in 2023 Price
February $24.05
March $24.81
April $25.66
May $26.47
June $27.31
July $28.12

 

Looking to Sell Silver in 2023?

If you’re keeping an eye on these silver price predictions for 2023, you may be ready to sell soon. We buy silver jewelry, coins, silverware, medallions, and billions. Learn more about what we buy here. Contact an expert on our team when you are ready to sell.

(Always talk to your CPA or Financial Advisor before making investments.)

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Is Now a Good Time to Start Investing in Gold?

Gold bars on dollars

With inflation still on the rise and talk of an inevitable recession, you may be wondering if now is a good time to invest in gold. Gold is considered a hedge against inflation, as its prices continue to rise despite the state of the economy. Since the price of gold often works directly against the cost of the U.S. dollar, now is the best time to buy gold. Always talk to your CPA or Financial Advisor before making investments.

Investing in Gold and Hedging Inflation

This is one of the best times to start investing in gold since inflation continues to be on the rise. Gold hedges inflation because it preserves wealth in an environment where the U.S. dollar is declining in value. However, as with any investment, you should also be aware of the risks involved. The price of gold fluctuates slightly every day, but there are trends you can analyze and follow to determine when the best time to sell your investment is. You should consider a long-term horizon if you are looking for portfolio diversification in gold investing.

Types of Gold Investments

If you’re thinking about investing in gold, you may be wondering what your options are when it comes to trading the commodity. Don’t worry, you don’t have to have a room full of gold coins or bars like Scrooge McDuck. There are several ways to invest in the commodity, and you can either physically own gold or not.

Investing in Gold 2023

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)

An ETF is a type of pooled investment that operates similarly to a mutual fund. But unlike a mutual fund, you can trade ETFs the same way that regular stocks can. You can also track not only your gold investments, but you can also monitor your gold investing strategies with an ETF.

Mutual Funds

Mutual funds are another form of “mutually” owned stocks, bonds, and other forms of investments. They offer a variety of strategies and styles for investing. They are often ran by professionals who manage the funds, decide which securities to invest in, and when to sell them.

Gold Stocks

Gold stocks are also another way to invest in gold without buying a physical commodity. When investing in gold stocks, you invest in the companies that mine and refine gold. Stocks of course come with risks since the prices of the company’s shares directly tie to the price of gold. Additionally, they are also based on the company’s profitability and expenses, which leads to even more risks.

Physical Gold

Buying physical gold is a great way to get a direct hold on the commodity. It’s less expensive than investing in EFTs. and can be easier when it comes to buying and trading. Physical gold, however, comes with its own set of challenges such as needing a place to store the gold, and determining which type of physical product is best to invest in. The three main types of physical gold investments are bullion, jewelry, and gold.

If you want to learn more about investing in gold, contact one of our professionals. Ready to start buying or selling? Check out our current stock of items.

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The Price of Gold in 2023

With a possible recession coming and interest rates continuing to hike to bring down inflation, it’s hard to tell where the price of gold is going in 2023. Last year, there was just as much uncertainty with gold pricing. At first glance, 2022 was hopeful as we started to recover from the pandemic. However, the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis led to interest rates continuing to skyrocket and have changed earlier predictions for the cost of gold. Our current predictions are based on multiple factors, but it’s important to keep in mind that these are just predictions and anything could happen.

How do you predict the price of gold?

The shortest answer is that you can’t. What we can do is look at past prices and the current economy to make predictions based on trends. The U.S. dollar, inflation and interest rates, and geopolitics are some factors we can examine to see how the price of gold may be affected.

The U.S. Dollar

Since gold is priced in dollars, the current value of the U.S. dollar has a direct impact on the price of gold.  Since gold is a commodity with an intrinsic value, that value changes over time. Gold is a direct competitor to other interest-bearing assets since it does not generate interest itself. Therefore, when the price of the dollar is high, the price of gold tends to go down.

Price of gold and the U.S. dollar

Inflation and Interest Rates

Globally, inflation has steadily continued to rise over the last year. Interest rates have been hiked to try to bring inflation back down, but so far, there has been little success. If inflation does somehow start to fall, but the interest rates continue to rise, gold’s value will decrease even further.

Geopolitics

With the unexpected war raging in Ukraine, restrictions that have been placed on Russia have greatly impacted the global economy. We’ve already seen strains on gas prices, worries over energy rationing in Europe, and the biggest concern is an impending war that expands beyond Russia and Ukraine. There are no doubts that these geopolitics will also affect the price of gold over the next year.

Get Started Investing in Gold

You may be wondering if now is a good time to start investing in gold. With inflation on the rise and an impending recession, now may be the perfect time to start your gold investment journey. Since gold acts as a hedge against inflation, investing now can guarantee protection from the declining purchasing power of money. Learn more about the different types of gold investments to decide how to get started.

 

The Current Price of Gold

You can check the current price of gold in real-time here. Always talk to your CPA or Financial Advisor before making investments.

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Should I sell my silver & gold bullion on Ebay?

Will selling your silver & gold bullion on eBay get you the best price?

If you are willing to sell your silver or gold bullion, you will surely want the best price for it. If you have plans to offload some of your collection or inherited jewelry from any family member, you may need a smooth transaction process.

There are three main factors to consider while selling a gold or silver article.

Price

The price depends upon what you are selling and what the amount is. Scrap metal, jewelry, bars, coins, and billions have different rates.

Convenience

Where you are selling your precious metal can determine the convenience and ease of the whole process. It may be a local pawn shop or some online store.

Safety

 You must be sure that the method of selling is a safe and transparent one that does not have any risks.

Selling gold and silver bullion at eBay.

If you are planning to sell your gold and silver bullion on eBay, consider the following facts.

  • The auction can end at a much lesser amount than you want for your product due to the inconsistency. Despite the high traffic rate, there is no predictability in the bidding system.
  • It may take a long time to sell your product.
  • eBay fees may take up to 12% charges which are pretty high.
  • You are worried about the shipping process as the item can get lost in the shipping process. To insure your item during shipment, you have to pay the additional cost.
  • eBay works on honor code, not verifying the authenticity of items listed. The buyer can also state that he received nothing, and without any content of proof of the item, the seller can win the case if a dispute is filed.
  • Only high brand names do best on eBay.

California Gold and Silver Exchange

Being an old and renowned business, California Gold and Silver Exchange is the one-stop place to sell precious metals and jewelry.

California Gold and Silver Exchange is safer and a better method for selling your gold and silver, freeing you from all worries. Their estimate is free of charge, and they are ready to answer your questions about anything you want to know. Committed to safety, they work with all things clear and transparent.

When you bring your item for sale, an accurate and thorough assessment is done to value them. It is given a price according to the current market. A full quote is provided to the customer for the purchase of the item. The jewelry in any condition and the price is paid according to the karat of gold. If you are not sure about the karat and your jewelry, they can evaluate it for you with no charge. With the XRF X-ray analyzer, they properly analyze your jewelry and its reasonable price.

Dental gold and silver

They also buy dental gold and silver crowns, bridges, and fillings containing gold. Even if the tooth is attached to it, they can separate it and assess its metal. So bring in your dental precious metal and fill your hands with cash.

Health safety in covid pandemic

California Gold and Silver Exchange has a site-specific protection plan for controlling the spread of COVID-19. Using hand sanitizers frequently, keeping social distancing, and limiting less than ten people in their business at a time allows clean work stations. Air filtration systems are present under the HEPA-approved standards.

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