When you find a term you don't understand, you can find most of them in the Glossary of Common Terms.orang said:
Dave
Gold powder 24K - how to verify it's genuine?
- Thread starter raidaru
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Dave
The bright shiny pure gold flakes in Goldwasser are real 24K gold leaf ground or broken up into pieces.
https://www.google.com/search?q=goldwasser&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi8v4_0o8HYAhXn7oMKHQEpDJkQ_AUICygC&biw=1366&bih=596#imgrc=cGn9Y8NeezU0YM:
Search for gold flakes ebay on the forum. There were maybe a 100 threads on this subject. When the forum was young, about 8 or 9 years ago, there were many unscrupulous sellers selling fake gold leaf on EBay (and, still are) and implying it was real gold. It was usually sold in small glass vials. In every case, with no exception that I recall, there was zero gold in this stuff. It was all a shiny brass type copper alloy. It looked like the stuff in your last photo on this thread.
None of the items labeled "gold leaf flake" on this or any other ebay page contain any gold at all, that I can see. This scam, and it definitely is a scam due to its mislabeling, has been running for at least 10 years and EBay has done nothing about it.
Right now, the gold spot is $1318/tr.oz., or a little over $42/gram. Real Gold Leaf sells from about double to triple the gold spot, depending mainly on how much you buy. Compare the prices on this page and then tell me whether there's any real gold there. Also, the bulk density of real gold leaf pieces is probably less that that of feathers, literally. I saw some that was claimed to be real leaf in vials. It looked like a lot, but to weigh the gold, you would need at least a 3 place scale. A 3-1/8" square sheet (9.77 sq.in.) of 24K gold leaf weighs about .015g - about $0.63 worth of gold. That figures about .0000044" thick. When a glass sign-artist sticks a sheet of leaf flat on a window, you can see light through it.
The reason I'm harping on gold leaf is that it's one of my passions. I've applied real gold leaf to 100's of my hand carved mahogany or redwood signs and it takes a fair learning curve to handle it. Even a slight draft (or a sneeze) will blow it around the room. It's nearly impossible to touch it with your fingers without tearing it. The standard way to cut it into pieces is with a fingernail. You pick it up with about a $60, 3" or 4" wide brush (called a gilder's tip) made of squirrel hair. You first rub the brush through your own hair to get a slight static charge and a little oil on it so the leaf will slightly stick to the brush.
It is truly a lot of fun to gold leaf.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=gold+flake&_sacat=0
https://www.google.com/search?q=goldwasser&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi8v4_0o8HYAhXn7oMKHQEpDJkQ_AUICygC&biw=1366&bih=596#imgrc=cGn9Y8NeezU0YM:
Search for gold flakes ebay on the forum. There were maybe a 100 threads on this subject. When the forum was young, about 8 or 9 years ago, there were many unscrupulous sellers selling fake gold leaf on EBay (and, still are) and implying it was real gold. It was usually sold in small glass vials. In every case, with no exception that I recall, there was zero gold in this stuff. It was all a shiny brass type copper alloy. It looked like the stuff in your last photo on this thread.
None of the items labeled "gold leaf flake" on this or any other ebay page contain any gold at all, that I can see. This scam, and it definitely is a scam due to its mislabeling, has been running for at least 10 years and EBay has done nothing about it.
Right now, the gold spot is $1318/tr.oz., or a little over $42/gram. Real Gold Leaf sells from about double to triple the gold spot, depending mainly on how much you buy. Compare the prices on this page and then tell me whether there's any real gold there. Also, the bulk density of real gold leaf pieces is probably less that that of feathers, literally. I saw some that was claimed to be real leaf in vials. It looked like a lot, but to weigh the gold, you would need at least a 3 place scale. A 3-1/8" square sheet (9.77 sq.in.) of 24K gold leaf weighs about .015g - about $0.63 worth of gold. That figures about .0000044" thick. When a glass sign-artist sticks a sheet of leaf flat on a window, you can see light through it.
The reason I'm harping on gold leaf is that it's one of my passions. I've applied real gold leaf to 100's of my hand carved mahogany or redwood signs and it takes a fair learning curve to handle it. Even a slight draft (or a sneeze) will blow it around the room. It's nearly impossible to touch it with your fingers without tearing it. The standard way to cut it into pieces is with a fingernail. You pick it up with about a $60, 3" or 4" wide brush (called a gilder's tip) made of squirrel hair. You first rub the brush through your own hair to get a slight static charge and a little oil on it so the leaf will slightly stick to the brush.
It is truly a lot of fun to gold leaf.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=gold+flake&_sacat=0
Cruz. Nz
New member
I have a bunch of packets of gold powder from the united states bronze powder works dated 1947. One of them says 24k fine karat gold and has 2oz on packet do you think this would be real? I can include photos if it helps
Cheers
Looks alone mean nothing. Chemical testing of the powder is the only way to be certain.
Martijn
Well-known member
A drop of nitric will tell.
kurtak
Well-known member
Take it to one of your local pawns shops &/or "we buy silver/gold" store
they will have testing acids for testing karat jewelry - they can test a "small" pinch of the powder with their test acid & tell you if it is real or not
not all but "some" of these shops have what is called an XRF & if they do AND if the powder is in a clear plastic packet (bag) they can shoot it with their XRF & tell you what it is - this would be best as they don't need to even open the packet (if it is clear plastic bag) so call around & ask if they have an XRF - if not they will have the testing acids - best is if you find a shop that has both
the other option is to test it yourself BUT you will need to go buy some HCL (hydrochloric acid) some bleach & some lead free tin solder - these are all things you can get at your local hardware store
if you decide to try this option we can tell you how to do the testing with that stuff
Try the local pawn shops &/or we buy silver/gold store first as you wont need to buy anything to test it
Kurt
kurtak
Well-known member
Correct, but if it do not react with Nitric the chances are it is pureish Gold.
But even if it reacts it can be less pure Gold.
For self testing, I think your method is more precise.
B00$TEDukes
New member
It may be very collectable no? The right collector might crap there pants for that old timey stuff.. Heck they might even take care of the testing. Face to face of course.. or is that common?
It may, if the packet is in pristine unopened condition and the correct buyer is there.
I think a pawn shop or auction house may be the place to go to.
rachelsuhu
New member
Did you by chance find this Jeweler at your local pawn shop?
Golddigger76
Well-known member
Rachel,
When you are asking a question or wanting to comment to a particular person hit the reply button in the lower right hand side below the post you are referring to so everyone knows who you are talking to.
kurtak
Well-known member
Hi,
What you have is called "Bronze powder" and is used by decoration makers, carpenters who make painting frame, stucco painting and so on. It is mixed with either glue (obtaine from bones, in old days) or epoxy resin in modern days. It is a very light material even in large quantities.
Pete
