So, picture this as a scenario. You have gone to a pawnshop to try and sell a gold item. They tell you that your gold is fake. You are furious, and highly insulted. However, you realise that you could’ve perhaps spotted this ahead of time.
The thing about gold is that you can spot it when it’s not real, and there are quite a few tips in easy ways to check. Here are some of the best ways to spot fake gold, and this is what a lot of pawnshops will do to identify real gold.
The Hallmarks
If you look at the gold, can you spell a hallmark? This might be an inscription on the gold, it could be a logo, or it could be a very subtle detail that is the tell-tale sign of a particular brand.
When it comes to creating fake recreations, a lot of manufacturers leave out these details. Obviously, pretending to be something you are not is false advertising, but if you can’t spot a hallmark, then your gold may not be legitimate, because all the real, quality items will have these identifying marks.
Discolouration
Something that you may not know about gold is that it does not rust. That’s why gold is used as the official backing for currency all across the world, because it has an incredibly long lifespan. It doesn’t break down in rust like other metals, which means that if your gold item is starting to show discolouration, it’s probably fake.
If your gold has any traces of silver, bronze, or even green, then it’s not real gold. It’s a cheap imitation, painted up to look like the real thing. Spotting this ahead of time will definitely help you to avoid embarrassment.
Ask a Pro
At the end of the day, the fake gold industry is built around the premise of tricking people. So, occasionally, you’re not going to be able to spot the signs, which is why asking an expert to check for you is a good idea. Most pawnshops will know an expert who can identify fake items for them if it’s not immediately obvious, and to be honest, there is no shame in it.
Knowing whether your item is fake or not will allow you to take the appropriate action, and it will also save you from trying to sell an item that you proudly described as being pure gold.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to spot fake gold is not particularly difficult, but the majority of people don’t think to check for these things.
Hopefully, this knowledge will equip you with the necessary skills to identify whether or not your gold is fake, and this will prevent you from trying to sell it in a situation where you expect to make a lot of money.
If a pawnshop does tell you that your item is fake, it would probably be sensible to believe them. These are going to be professionals with experience at spotting these items, because unfortunately, it’s a very common problem that people have.
