I sure hope it's Gold

[Quisp]

I hit up a playground yesterday for a short bit in between rain showers. It's the type with the wood mulch all over. I found this chain 3-4 inches down in the wet mulch and didn't think much of it as it was pretty tarnished. I figured it was either gold plated and worn off or was a non-precious metal. This evening I decide to look it over better and spotted an 18K mark on the clasp. I got out some gold jewelry cleaner and dunked it a few times and it started to come alive. There are still some discolored spots "pits" but the more I cleaned it the more it looked like gold. In the picture of the clasp I had to shine the light at an angle to get the 18K to show, so the pits look much darker that they really are. I don't have a gold testing kit so I'll have to find a jeweler who can tell me for sure. If it's gold it would be my first big gold. Let me know what you think.



Thanks,
Dan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATE - It tested as Zinc and Copper. What a bummer! Thanks to all for playing along.
Dan

 

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[Qball]

looks like swag to me

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

18k stamp is a good sign, but sometimes these are still fake. A gold chain like that will have significantly more weight in your hand than a gold plated brass one. If I were you I would use some very fine sand paper on one of the "pitted" areas. If you sand it and it is all nice shiny consistent gold color then you may be in luck. If a different color metal emerges, then plated. Good luck.

 

[ScubaDetector]

Here is something to try. Hold it on one end and if you have a powerful rare earth magnet like the ones found in hard drives, move it close to the chain. If the chain moves at all it is probably fake. With dark spots on it I have my doubts it is real. 18K doesn't tarnish.

Good luck!!

 

[against the wind]

Sweet find,, have it tested,,
If it is real,, you have $890. worth of melt gold value.

 

[vpnavy]

Nice find (rather real or not) Quisp. Thanks for sharing...

 

[Quisp]

Here is something to try. Hold it on one end and if you have a powerful rare earth magnet like the ones found in hard drives, move it close to the chain. If the chain moves at all it is probably fake. With dark spots on it I have my doubts it is real. 18K doesn't tarnish.

Well, at work this morning I gave it the earth magnet test. So far so good. Also, under a microscope i can see that the "pits" are actually some kind of black splatter (tar, paint or pitch?) on the surface. The black is not in the nooks & crannies where the links come together so maybe it's something picked up from the wood chips in the playground? I was able to scrape some off with a exact-o knife and it's gold colored underneath. Funny how getting something under good light and magnification helps. At lunch I'm taking it over to a local coin dealer who buys gold. I'll keep you all posted. Fingers crossed.

Dan

 

[john845]

18k has a high gold content in the alloy. I dont see it pitting like that if it is real still get it test... nice find

 

[Quisp]

18k has a high gold content in the alloy. I dont see it pitting like that if it is real still get it test... nice find

John845, thanks. Getting it tested today. "Pits" now appear to be black splatter on the surface.
Dan

 

[Hawks88]

I like it. Congrats on the gold chain find.

 

[smokeythecat]

I also like it. I don't know if it's gold or not, but I still like it.

 

[ScubaDetector]

John845, thanks. Getting it tested today. "Pits" now appear to be black splatter on the surface.
Dan

I hope that is black splatter!!

I like your name. I remember Quisp and Quake cereal when I was a kid. I liked Quisp, did not like Quake.

 

[Quisp]

Well, it tested as Zinc and Copper. What a bummer! Thanks to all for playing along.
Dan

 

[dirtdigginfool]

Well, it tested as Zinc and Copper. What a bummer! Thanks to all for playing along.
Dan

Yes, bummer! At least it got your heart rate up for awhile! You'll get'em next time..Ddf.

 

[Quisp]

Here's the funny part. I have an Equinox 600 due to arrive on Thursday. I have yet to tell my wife about it (shhhhh!). It would have been great to have it paid for before I broke the news to her about it.
Dan

 

[dirtlooter]

I found a huge 14k made in Italy men's bracelet, totally fake! got my heart rate up for a moment or so

 

[Javadroid]

Well, it tested as Zinc and Copper. What a bummer! Thanks to all for playing along.
Dan

Still an exciting find! Gave you a taste of what that hefty gold chain will feel like once it does come to you! Congrats, and cheers to you for your upbeat spirit!

 

[Professor of Engineering]

I would be happy with the find...sure wish it was real!