✅ SOLVED Does gold corrode?

[mmelugin]

Got to get under an old building that dates back to 1850. It was a hotel. It burned down twice. Found this hunk of metal that is fairly heavy and gold in color. Not sure if gold corrodes after a fire and sitting in ash for long periods of time. Might be copper with the greenish patina but I'm just not sure. I did order a kit for testing but I know y'all are faster than amazon. Too bad there isn't enough room for me and my detector in there. This place has potential for all kinds of goodies. Thoughts?....

 

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[Ace 250]

take it to a coin store

 

[mmelugin]

take it to a coin store

I would but my local coin shop is not very welcoming. They act like its Fort Knox half the employees behind the counter have guns on their hip and the only time I went in there they acted like I was wasting their time when I was trying to grade a double eagle I had found. I'm not against guns by a long shot but what they act like isn't very friendly.

 

[Silver Searcher]

No Gold does not corrode....your item does look like copper/brass.

SS

 

[Ace 250]

srooy about the coin store but the won i go to is nice but he does have a gun but i would to

 

[capt-zero]

Gold itself does not corrode, but frequently the metals it's alloyed with do. I'm not sure if what we see in the pic is corrosion so much as fire conglomerate around what ever you've found. If you feel uncomfortable at the local coin shop, most pawn shops and jewelry stores can test metals for you. It does look worth checking out.

 

[yaxthri]

I think capt-zero is right with the conglomerate theory, maybe a pile of jewelry melted at this fire you mentioned and created this different metals mass.

 

[Bryanhashemi]

what ever that was could have been gold plated. Looks like one side of it burned more than the other if there was a fire

 

[CRUSADER]

answer to your question; No the element Gold (AU) is inert & does not corrode.

However, as others have say, other base metals mixed with it, do.

 

[mmelugin]

Thanks all

 

[Jason in Enid]

You might try soaking this in some acid first. It should dissolve the carbon buildup. If it's gold, it will come out looking very nice and golden. If it's not gold, it will start dissolving.

 

[dieselram94]

I think it was a gold plated item that went through a fire...