How to Spot a Fake Gold Bar

Gold bars are a favorite target for counterfeiters because they are simple shapes and easy to copy. Here are the common fakes and the checks that help catch them.

Common counterfeits

• Tungsten-filled bars. Tungsten weighs almost the same as gold, so a bar can be drilled and filled, or built around a tungsten core, and still weigh about right.
• Plated bars. A thin layer of gold over brass, copper or another metal. These are often too light or the wrong size.
• Fake packaging. Copied assay cards, sealed packs and serial numbers.

Checks that help

• Weight and dimensions. Weigh the bar on an accurate scale and measure length, width and thickness. Compare them with the refiner’s published specs. A bar that weighs right but is the wrong size is a red flag.
• Assay card and serial number. Check that the card, the bar’s serial number and the refiner match. Some refiners let you check serial numbers on their own sites.
• Magnet. Gold is not magnetic. If a strong magnet grabs the bar, it is not solid gold. Passing doesn’t prove much, since tungsten isn’t magnetic either.
• Ping test. Gently tapped, gold and silver ring with a clear, long tone. A dull thud is a warning sign. It takes practice to judge.
• Electronic verifiers. Tools like the Sigma Metalytics Precious Metal Verifier read a metal’s electrical properties without harming the bar, and can check through many plastic cases and assay packs. They can catch plating and hidden inserts near the surface.

Not sure about a bar? Bring it in and we’ll test it in front of you. See also how a precious metal verifier works.

Related pages: Selling gold · Gold coins · Silver coins

These guides are general information, not financial or professional advice. They are a baseline reflecting our opinion, and Apex Gold Silver Coins is not liable for any errors or for decisions made based on this information. Prices and values change; bring your items in for a current offer.