How can you tell gold at home?

Testing Gold at Home

Here are some simple ways to test if you have real gold at home:

Appearance

• Gold has a distinctive bright yellow color and metallic luster.
• Real gold is very dense and feels heavy for its size.
• Gold does not tarnish, corrode, fade, or oxidize under normal conditions.

Magnet Test

• Gold is not magnetic. If a magnet sticks to your metal, it is not real gold.

Scratch Test

• Gold is soft and can be scratched with a sharp steel point. Make a small scratch on an inconspicuous area.
• Fool’s gold like pyrite is harder and won’t scratch as easily.

Float Test

• Drop your gold item in a glass of water. Real gold will sink right to the bottom. Fool’s gold is less dense and may float or slowly sink.

For more accurate testing, professionals use methods like specific gravity tests, acid tests, and X-ray fluorescence. But these simple home tests can help indicate if you have real gold on hand.