Is this gold?

[Sam K]

I didn't find this with my metal detector, I found it while walking along a beach on Puget Sound. It was green when I found it which made me think it was copper, but I soaked it in 20% muriatic acid for about 10 minutes and it came out looking this this. It looks like it's a nugget with a mic of gold/copper, but I'm not sure. I posted this in the What Is It forum, but my thread seems to have died and I didn't really find out what it is, so I thought I would ask here. It's about an inch long and weighs an ounce. I can scratch the gold colored part pretty easy and when I scrape it on the bottom of a ceramic cup it leaves a gold colored streak. On my Ace 250 on the Target ID it blinks around to everything but stays on the 10 cent mark most of the time. Can anyone say for sure what kind of gold content this contains, if any, and what it could be worth?

 

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[Lanny in AB]

If you want to find out if the outside coating/layer is gold--take it to a jeweler with an electronic tester and test the surface. Or, find a friend with one, or you can buy them on the Internet.

From what I can see in the photograph, it looks like copper with a coating of gold. Perhaps there is some gold running with the copper inside as well. It's no secret that many copper mines often extract paying quantities of gold along with the copper; so, it's in the realm of possibility.

Perhaps another more likely possibility--many "novelty" nuggets are made from native copper nuggets plated with gold--you know, the ones they sell so you can fool your friends when you're out panning/sluicing/detecting--they look quite real. You can always find them for sale on Ebay.

Visually--it appears to be a copper chunk/piece/nugget coated with gold. It's quite difficult to ID something like you have there from only looking at pictures. See if any of the above ideas will work for you, and post here when you find out what it is.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[EagleDown]

I would heed Lanny's excellent advice.

From the pictures, (especially the first one,) it appears identical to ore that I've seen and found. And, if you look at the top/left of the first pic, it does look like raw gold. (I won't go into a discourse on "sulfides" and "tellurides".) In any case, it looks good enough have tested. Then, if it is indeed gold, a good geologist should be able to tell you where it originated.

Eagle

 

[Sam K]

Thanks for the replies, it's sounding like there is gold in it, but I do want to get it tested. Does anyone know of a reputable place near Seattle, WA? I also have a coin collection from my great grandmother that I would like to get appraised or at least looked at by a professional and my mom wants to get her mothers wedding ring appraised also. I doubt there's a place that will do all three, but any suggestions on places to check out?

 

[EagleDown]

You'll probably have to make 2 stops. Let's face it, if you want an appraisal on coins, you wouldn't want to take them to a jeweler. Most that I've found know little about the value of coins. The same goes for the jewelry; you wouldn't take it to a coin shop, (unless you just wanted the gold or silver value.)

My advice: Check around and find a jeweler who is well established, (preferably for several years,) then check with the local Chamber of Commerce to try to find what kind of reputation he/they have. If they've ever been reported for "shady dealings", it should show up. Same for the coins.

I don't know about Washington, but I've found that jewelers and coin shops around here are happy to help, and have never charged me for appraisals or even purity tests.

Eagle

 

[Tank69]

Sam get ahold of JuJu an talk to him he is a local an you can trust him . Give him a yell

 

[Sam K]

It's been a while, and I haven't really followed up on it at all. I think it's pretty unlikely I would sell it. I have two more questions, would cleaning/polishing it decrease value, and if it doesn't, what would be the best way to clean/polish it? I soaked it in warm soapy water and it removed some dirt, but it's still pretty dull and the copper has some green on it.

 

[2bits]

Purdy rock there Sam, just send it to me and I will dispose of it! Prolly just fools gold..heehe

 

[russau]

what a excellent find!

 

[DesertNuggets]

What's the verdict? Was it gold?

 

[2cmorau]

sudsy ammonia works great shaken not stired

at the end of the season i put all my gold in a jar, with sudsy ammonia and shake for about an hour watching the game or a movie

 

[Sam K]

DesertNuggets, I have had it tested yet, I'm not sure if I will unless I find a cheap tester, and I haven't been looking. It is pretty soft, and leaves a gold(ish) streak on ceramic, so I think it a mix of copper and gold. I also see small bits of rock in it, and on the left side of the second picture, there's little 'waves' that make it look like it's been melted. I guess I should find out for sure if it's gold and how much gold might be in it some day...
2cmorau, I will try the ammonia method. I have tried vinegar for a little, but that didn't seem to make much of a difference. I did manage to get the copper looking bits a bit shinier.

 

[DesertNuggets]

DesertNuggets, I have had it tested yet, I'm not sure if I will unless I find a cheap tester, and I haven't been looking. It is pretty soft, and leaves a gold(ish) streak on ceramic, so I think it a mix of copper and gold. I also see small bits of rock in it, and on the left side of the second picture, there's little 'waves' that make it look like it's been melted. I guess I should find out for sure if it's gold and how much gold might be in it some day...
2cmorau, I will try the ammonia method. I have tried vinegar for a little, but that didn't seem to make much of a difference. I did manage to get the copper looking bits a bit shinier.

You can buy a gold test kit on eBay for like $10. It'd be worth knowing with todays gold prices.

 

[Lanny in AB]

sudsy ammonia works great shaken not stired

at the end of the season i put all my gold in a jar, with sudsy ammonia and shake for about an hour watching the game or a movie

I'll have to give that a try!

All the best,

Lanny

P.S. Sam, if you ever find out what it is, let us know.

 

[thompy]

i know much of the gold that was mined around here had copper and silver mixed in, and over a few feet of depth the mixture ratios changed alot. that is a nice piece

 

[Beam66]

Did you ever come to a verdict on what this is? My son found something similar on a beach north of Seattle. It looks a little different under magnification, but maybe similar?