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    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
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    #1

    Mar 31, 2008, 08:45 AM
    Is it Silver or Lead?
    What are a couple of Test to Determine Silver from Lead?
    This is not Homework, More of a hobby.
    excon's Avatar
    excon Posts: 21,482, Reputation: 2992
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    #2

    Mar 31, 2008, 08:51 AM
    Hello Strat:

    They don't look alike nor do they feel alike. Lead is gray, soft and heavy. You can crease it with your fingernail, and its weight is notable.

    Silver is beautiful and hard as a rock. If you put a silver thing next to a chrome thing, you can tell the silver... I don't know how, but you can. I can, anyway.

    excon

    PS> (edited) If you're talking about how to identify it in its raw form, like in a vein in a rock, I'm sure there are chemical kits that you can buy that will tell you.
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
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    #3

    Mar 31, 2008, 09:21 AM
    Thanks excon, know the softness difference, Is there a chemical test? I'm sure there is a Flame test. Since these Round Poured weights are hard, I am thinking someone made
    Silver weights out of Silver Bar? Many Spannish Treasure Galleons went down around here.
    Take Care
    polesapart's Avatar
    polesapart Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #4

    Dec 14, 2009, 06:09 AM
    Subjective: Silver's look and feel are helpful identidiers and silver has a nice ring to it when struck, lead just thuds. Buy a cheap gram scale ($10) and a micrometer and check you silver's specific gravity (10.5 for pure silver. While not perfect, these observations will screen out most of the fakes.
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
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    #5

    Dec 14, 2009, 06:37 AM

    Gram scale won't do, they are the size of Softballs. The person who cast these was an old Treasure Diver that has since Past.
    FlyYakker's Avatar
    FlyYakker Posts: 378, Reputation: 41
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    #6

    Dec 17, 2009, 10:42 AM

    Get a bigger, but accurate, scale. Not sure if they are precise enough, but the local butcher's or grocer's scale would (should) be properly calibrated and would take the weight.
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
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    #7

    Dec 18, 2009, 06:29 AM

    For Specific Gravity, beside the weight, wouldn't I also need the Volume?
    Maybe place in quart container filled to the top, then see how much water overflows? And do you know the formula.
    FlyYakker's Avatar
    FlyYakker Posts: 378, Reputation: 41
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    #8

    Dec 19, 2009, 04:57 PM

    That is anyway to do it, but if the balls are uniform in diameter you can calculate the vollume.

    Here is some data on water - including weight/volume. Water properties: Water Science for Schools: Physical and chemical water properties

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