My Best (fake) Gold Chain 18k/24in/1ozt

[midalake]

GOD, I have found SO MANY chains.   Sometimes one needs to do an acid check! Sometimes the clasps do not comply with the truth! 

[Compass]

Wow- that's a big chain Mitchel- congrats!!!! An 18k chain that size is on my bucket list!

[kac]

Nice one, poor bugger that wore it probably has a crooked neck from that weight!

[midalake]

13 hours ago, mn90403 said:

I just came back from a night hunt.  I went back to a beach where I had been with my son in the morning and found one of his lost toys.  That was a good sign.  I walked a couple of miles patch hunting with the 15" coil on my 800.  I found penny patches and an ear lobe ring but it was pretty slow.  On my return trip I got a few quarters and one earring.  I had still enjoyed my 3 hours.  I got back to the area where we had been in the morning and took a little break.  When I resumed I walked about 10 feet in the damp sand and got a target.  It was shallow so I carefully scooped and I got a glimmer.  It was all in the scoop.  It had balled up in the sand only about 1-2 inches deep.  It had the nice deep colors but I didn't have my glasses. (Should I take another break?  haha)  This was just over an hour ago.  I was near my starting spot and car so I got there and looked.  I couldn't read the mark so I had to use two reading glasses and a little flashlight and voila it was 18k!  I measured it at 24 inches and it weighs just over 1 troy ounce. (1.045 ozt/32.57g)  Sometimes being 'lucky' is better than being good.

Did you happen to acid check that chain? PLEASE do not take this the wrong way. But I have AT LEAST 10 chains stamped "gold" and they are not gold!  Looking at your picture "the color is off" ESP 18K

[mn90403]

1 hour ago, Raphis said:

Congratulations on a spectacular find, Mitchell!👍🏼  

Over the many years that I posted my finds (beach and turf) across 4 different detecting forums, in addition to viewing thousands of other posters’ pics of their finds, I have developed a “sixth” sense, if you will, of being able to tell  whether a piece of gold/silver looks to be a counterfeit, regardless of its karat stamping...granted, the pic(s) have to be detailed/high quality to be able to tell this, and yours have the “detail”.

I’m praying your necklace is the real McCoy...🙏, but I think you should test its metal content..but only if “you” care to.....I never trust a marking on a piece of jewelry anymore, because I’ve been burned royally by even my own finds...

I have found more than I want to admit, pieces of gold jewelry that were stamped with a karat value, only to test the metal, and it turns out to be a fake piece.  😌  Some details I see on your necklace make me hesitant to immediately want to accept it’s 18k stamping...also a 24” solid 18kt chain of the width of yours would/should be 2-4 times your measured weight...

I’d first hit it with a magnet, then if there’s no magnetism, test it with 18 kt gold acid..Whenever I find a gold piece on a hunt, I usually can’t wait to get home and do a scratch/acid test on my find.

Cheers, Mitchell!

HH,

Dan (Raphis)

 

I share some of your trepidation and would be prepared to post a correction.  I'm uncertain of the weight coming to exactly 1 troy as to be an example of a fake or of the real McCoy.  It is not magnetic.  I found an iron chain a couple of days before and it sounded low and in fact had negative numbers.  It is iron and magnetic.

I normally take this sort of thing to my coin dealer and they shoot it with an XRF so that will be done when they open.

[mn90403]

30 minutes ago, midalake said:

GOD, I have found SO MANY chains.   Sometimes one needs to do an acid check! Sometimes the clasps do not comply with the truth! 

That 'claw' has me a bit concerned.  I have to do a bit of 'prove up' I guess.

My wife has a 20" 18k chain but it also has some religious ornaments hanging from it.  It weighs much less.

[Mikeguard01]

Nice chunky 18K chain Mitchell. I sure hope it tests good, but still a nice hunt and save.

HH

Mike

[The Seeker]

Very nice chain, I really hope it’s real. HH

[mn90403]

I just got back from the coin store and gold seller.  They have been good to me and I've bought a few things from them.  I handed them the chain from across a barrier of door and drop box because of the potential for BLM and Antifa riots and they shot it with an XRF.  It shows nickel and copper.  They showed me the display so I know they are correct.

Those who said it was not the right color were correct.  I should have been more diligent before posting but we sometimes want it to be as labeled.  This analysis confirms to me the Nox numbers of 13-14 when I found it.  I don't know what the real gold numbers would be for a chain that size but probably lower.

On with the next finds.

[Compass]

Well that's disappointing news Mitchel but we have all been fooled before and the fakes are getting better all the time. Don't get discouraged- you'll get one!