Silver What is it?

[IronSpike]

My friend found this unusual piece of silver (It weighs 2.2 oz).

Looks like silver to me The test kit is in route.

IMO a very unusual piece. Could it have been spills from silver smiting? Maybe looted silver melted down for easier carry/transport?

Then again I have a good imagination and can see all sorts of design in the piece

What's your thought?

 

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[IronSpike]

A blacksmith not the same as silversmith, but agree would have same capabilities to work metals. Maybe the blacksmith was used to letting the spills drop on ground and forgot to recover the silver spill Or maybe it was spills saved/stored for later usage. Who knows maybe more silver to be found

 

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[savant365]

A blacksmith not the same as silversmith, but agree would have same capabilities to work metals. Maybe the blacksmith was used to letting the spills drop on ground and forgot to recover the silver spill Or maybe it was spills saved/stored for later usage. Who knows maybe more silver to be found

You know if someone wanted to melt down some silver for whatever reason they would probably take it to the smitty. Maybe a jewelry maker wanted to turn some silverware or silver coins into jewlery? Maybe he was making silver bullets and selling them to folks who were afraid of werewolves? Or even better, the blacksmith was a thief and he melted down the silver he stole or fenced for other thieves and spilled some. Thats what I love about this hobby, anything is possible and the the history is as unlimited as your imagination. I often wonder how some of the things I find got lost in the first place. Just what happened for this coin or ring or whatever to wind up here in the dirt for me to find years and years later. We will probably never know (and I am sure the blacksmith was a fine upstanding citizen) I was just doing a "what if" senario.

Now hurry up and get that blob tested and confirmed to be silver so you can tell everyone "I told ya so!"

HH Charlie

 

[IronSpike]

savant365 you're right it's a great hobby and it doesn't hurt it to have a good imagination

The blacksmith clue is probably the best lead we have and even with that it doesn't prove anything.

I will have to state that this forum is great to keep the imagination somewhat controlled.

The bleach test indicated silver and if the test kit doesn't arrive today reckon pics will be posted Monday.

Scheduled delivery is 6/1. Have a nice weekend.

 

[IronSpike]

After joining the new NC metal detecting club "Old North State Detectorists" my friend and I went to his place and detected a bit. His son was there and he had a great idea on how to test whether the metal is silver (those college kids are pretty smart )

He filled a cup with water until it was full (measured the cc that he put in it). Then he dropped the item and measured the remaining water. This way he had the mass and we already had the weight. He did the math and came up with a density of 9.2 grams/cubic cm. This indicates it's a silver alloy as native silver is 10.5. Maybe it is a piece of silverware that melted in a fire.

We'll still do the acid test on Monday and post pics.

 

[IronSpike]

maybe it was melted down during the Civil war.....didn't a lot of that go on then?

Could have been, but guess it would be considered wild speculation In other words impossible to document.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

maybe it was melted down during the Civil war.....didn't a lot of that go on then?

..by the Confederates.

 

[Monty]

Go to a foundry of any size and you'll find the floor covered with bits of slag. Slag is anything that is not poured into the mold. Could be spilled, dripped, dipped or just slipped out. They used several tons of slag to put in a road bed from a huge foundry next to the steel mill here in town. I have even found it in city parks where they needed fill. Monty

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

As far as the testing of this unkown metal, I can show you how to make your own test solution for all metals if you are interested. You need Nitric Acid and a pinch of Potassium Dichromate. I make this metal testing solution and it works great.

READ THIS: http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,24080.0.html

 

[traderoftreasures]

impressive. 8)

 

[IronSpike]

As far as the testing of this unkown metal, I can show you how to make your own test solution for all metals if you are interested. You need Nitric Acid and a pinch of Potassium Dichromate. I make this metal testing solution and it works great.

READ THIS: http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,24080.0.html

Did you buy your ingredients at a local chemical store or on line? It would be very neat to have a test that can test for all metals Appreciate your tip

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I bought them at a local Chemical Supply. Only two ingredients- Potassium Dichromate and Nitric Acid. The test solution is on the right. I could tell you if thats silver in 10 seconds.

 

[Newt]

After joining the new NC metal detecting club "Old North State Detectorists" my friend and I went to his place and detected a bit. His son was there and he had a great idea on how to test whether the metal is silver (those college kids are pretty smart )

He filled a cup with water until it was full (measured the cc that he put in it). Then he dropped the item and measured the remaining water. This way he had the mass and we already had the weight. He did the math and came up with a density of 9.2 grams/cubic cm. This indicates it's a silver alloy as native silver is 10.5. Maybe it is a piece of silverware that melted in a fire.

We'll still do the acid test on Monday and post pics.

I think your on to something.
Newt

 

[IronSpike]

Caw Caw Caw. Reckon I'll have to eat crow

The bleach test wasn't that conclusive, but we both thought we saw black in a crevice

The test kit arrived and here's pics of the results. The silver test didn't generate any color so we tried the gold test and it turned black, which means it's not gold nor silver.

We'll have to get the ingredients that Big Cypress Hunter provided info on.

Stay tuned

 

[IronSpike]

Ordered the ingredients on line at this site:

http://secure.sciencecompany.com/index.aspx?NCP=1

The shipping cost is rather high so guess if you can find a local chemical store that would be a cheaper option.

 

[searcher]

I am sorry that it is not silver.

It makes me really wonder what it is though.

My next thought would be a nickle alloy of some sort.

Searcher
eagerly awaiting the outcome.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

We'll have to get the ingredients that Big Cypress Hunter provided info on.

Stay tuned

I like my test solution, but the only problem is that lead, tin and aluminum will test the same. (yellow) Nickel will turn blue.

apply a drop of solution- watch for color reaction.

Wait one minute, check the color of the soloution, wipe it off and check the color/mark on the metal for the following color.
`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(start) ( after one minute )
Brass--Dark Brown --------------------------light brown
Copper--Brown--------------------------------cleaned copper
Gold--None-------------------------------------none
Nickel--Blue------------------------------------scarcely any
Lead--Yellow----------------------------------leaden
Tin--Yellow------------------------------------dark
Silver(pure)--Bright Red-------------------grayish white
Silver .925--Dark Red----------------------dark brown
Silver .800--Brown-------------------------dark brown
Silver .500--Green--------------------------dark brown
Palladium--None-----------------------------non
Platinum--Vandyke brown---------------none
Iron --various -------------------------------black
Zinc --light chocolate---------------------steel grey
Aluminum---Yellow ---------------------no stain

 

[searcher]

BCH
Can a person burn some sulfur on suspected silver and if it tarnishes almost immediately then it is probably silver?

I heard this somewhere...

Searcher
H.H.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

You may have a similar solution. I will have to search for the proper mix. As far as I remember it was Nitric Acid with a little distilled water and a pinch of Potassium Dichromate. Be VERY CAREFUL with the Nitric Acid. Its probably expensive to ship.


90 per cent Silver will turn a beautiful RED with my mix.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

BCH
Can a person burn some sulfur on suspected silver and if it tarnishes almost immediately then it is probably silver?

I heard this somewhere...

Searcher
H.H.

I dont know. I found this metal testing solution online years ago and I made up a batch. The link in now gone. I can tell what percent silver with one drop.

Silver(pure)--Bright Red-------------------
Silver .925--Dark Red----------------------
Silver .800--Brown-------------------------
Silver .500--Green--------------------------


Im thinking its a lead based solder or aluminum. Aluminum can get surprisingly heavy when melted into moulds.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

You may want to read some old TN posts about this test solution.
Just search Potassium Dichromate.



http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,60402.0.html

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,24080.0.html

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,227387.0.html

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,201559.0.html



I found this chart in an old TN post but it looks a little different than mine. I notice they are using Potassium Bichromate or maybe a typo?