Trying to identify mystery gold powder

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Marge

New member
Joined
Nov 13, 2018
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4
My father-in-law recently passed away and in his garage we found three soup sized cans of a gold powder. The cans are quite heavy. I have no idea how to figure out what it is.
I believe it is some sort of gold leafing powder left over from when he helped with the painting and renovation of his church but I am not positive. I just have no idea how to find out exactly what it is, what it is worth and how to find a home for it. Looking online, prices on gold leafing is all over the place from inexpensive to very costly though I could be wrong that this is what it is.
It is very powdery and sticks to everything it gets on. I have attached some photos of how it has been kept.
 

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Someone here will be able to test it for you, or tell you how to test yourself.
Giving a general location may help you find someone close to you.

Jim
 
Test for no-gold: pour HNO3+HCl on, it will stay as such - or lose color. If green - bronze. Otherwise - you got a chance
 
I live about 20 miles southwest of Chicago. I'd love to have someone actually see it to help identify it.
I've taken it to a local jewelry shop and to a store that buys gold and they had no idea what it was or what to do with it.
Lino1406 - where can I purchase HNO3 and HCl? I've seen gold test kits on Amazon. Would that work?
 
A gold test kit will work. Just put a small amount of the material in a plastic lid to test on, then put a few drops on the material and see what happens.

This will give you an idea about testing gold;
http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/download/file.php?id=1765

Also if you had a melting dish and a torch to see if you can melt it, and what it looks like when you do would give you an answer.

I am sure there is someone on the forum that you could send a small sample to that can give you an answer, if you want to do that.
 
I will send you my address in a PM.
If you want to send me a small sample, I will test it and give you an answer to if it is gold or not.

Jim
 
As Dave said. Jim's a safe bet mate.

My gut feeling is that it's not gold but here's to hoping that it is!

Jon
 
Thank you all very much.

I bought a small gold sample kit to see if it is gold. I don't want to waste Jim's time if it isn't.
If I can't figure it out I will send some off to him.
 
That looks like 'gold flake' that is used in auto paints and epoxies

May not be real gold, but it's still worth some $ ... according to Ebay about $25 /lb
 
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