How to tell if gold is real

Most fake gold is caught by one thing: the price. Real gold is never sold below the value of its gold content for long, so an offer that looks too good is the first and best warning sign. The tests below help when you already own a piece, or want to check what you are being offered.

What makes fake gold hard to spot?

Fakes range from crude to very convincing. Crude ones are plated brass or steel coins that are too light, the wrong size or magnetic. Better ones use tungsten, a metal with almost the same density as gold. One published comparison gives gold's density as 19.30 g/cm³ and tungsten's as 19.25 g/cm³. Wrapped in a thick gold layer, a tungsten core can match a real bar's weight and size closely, and surface tests may only read the gold skin.

That is why no single test is enough. Each one checks a different property, and a fake has to fool all of them.

Which home tests work, and what are their limits?

How do you do the weight and size test?

Use a jewellery scale that reads to 0.01 g and a digital calliper. The US Mint's own consumer advice is to check that a bullion coin meets its "published specifications as to weight and diameter". A small difference (a few hundredths of a gram) can come from wear or scale accuracy. A difference of a few tenths of a gram on a 1oz coin, or a coin that fits the weight but is visibly too thick or too wide, is a reason to stop.

What about acid tests and scratching?

Acid test kits are used by jewellers on scrap, but they mark the item and only test the spot you scratched, so they can be fooled by thick plating. Do not scratch or file investment coins and bars: the damage lowers their resale value even if they are real.

Can a hallmark tell you if gold is real?

For jewellery, often yes. In the UK, gold items above a minimum weight must be hallmarked by one of the independent assay offices, which tests the metal before striking the mark. Our guide to gold hallmarks shows what a genuine UK mark looks like. In many other countries, stamps such as "14K" or "750" are applied by the maker rather than an independent tester, so treat them as a claim. Bullion coins and bars are not hallmarked; they rely on the mint's design and the refiner's markings instead.

What are the official specs for popular gold coins?

Compare your coin with the figures the issuing mint publishes. Our gold coins guide has a page for each coin with fuller specifications.

Figures from the US Mint, Royal Canadian Mint and The Royal Mint (including its Krugerrand archive listing), checked 11 October 2026. The Royal Mint lists the Britannia's gold content rather than its total weight. Sovereign total weight is calculated from its 0.23542 oz (7.3224 g) of fine gold at 916.67 fineness.

Notice that the Eagle and Krugerrand are heavier and slightly larger than the Maple Leaf and Britannia, even though all four contain one troy ounce of gold. They are 22 karat, so the extra weight is copper and silver alloy. A "Maple Leaf" that weighs 33.9 g is wrong, and so is an "Eagle" at 31.1 g.

How do mint security features help?

Modern bullion coins carry features that are hard to copy. The Royal Canadian Mint says its Maple Leaf's radial lines create a light-diffracting pattern, a small laser-engraved maple leaf shows the year's numerals under magnification, and its Bullion DNA system registers coin images in a database to authenticate coins dated 2014 and later. The Royal Mint lists four visual features on the current Britannia: micro-text, a latent image that changes as you tilt the coin, tincture lines and surface animation. A magnifying glass is enough to check most of these.

How can you check a gold bar?

Small bars are usually sold sealed in a tamper-evident card. Our guide to assay cards explains what should be printed on one. Check that:

• The serial number on the bar matches the card, and the seal is intact.
• The refiner is a known name. Bars from refiners on the LBMA's lists are the most widely accepted; see what is Good Delivery gold.
• The maker's verification tool agrees. PAMP Suisse bars in CertiPAMP packaging can be checked with its VERISCAN app, which scans the bar's surface and compares it with a stored image of that bar's microscopic "fingerprint". APMEX notes you must scan the card's QR code inside the app, not with a normal phone camera.

Counterfeiters copy cards as well as bars, so a card is evidence, not proof. Larger cast bars are often sold loose with the details stamped into the metal; see cast vs minted gold bars.

Which professional tests give a definite answer?

Sheffield Assay Office describes XRF as non-destructive, with results "with no damage to the test item". The LBMA calls fire assay the "gold standard" for accuracy and notes that XRF analyses surface composition. Sigma Metalytics says its devices test through plastic capsules and assay cards as long as there is no metal in the packaging, which means you can check a sealed bar without opening it. Many bullion dealers and pawnbrokers own an XRF or Sigma device and will test a piece for you; UK assay offices offer laboratory analysis.

Worked example: does the price make sense?

On 10 October 2026, gold's spot price was £3,171.03 an ounce. The cheapest 1oz Britannia we found from a UK dealer that day was £3,259.95 (Chards, 2.80% over spot), and a London dealer would buy one back for £3,067.15 the next day. All figures are from the GoldVetted premium tracker.

Now imagine a marketplace listing for a "1oz Britannia" at £2,900. That is £271 (8.55%) below the value of the gold alone, and £167 below what a dealer would pay you for a real one. No legitimate seller has a reason to do that. Either the coin is fake, or the listing is a scam that will never deliver. Check today's numbers with the gold value calculator.

What should you do if you suspect fake gold?

1. Stop and keep everything

   Do not resell it. Keep the item, packaging, receipts, listing screenshots and messages.

2. Get an independent test

   Take it to a reputable dealer with XRF or ultrasound, or to an assay office. Ask for the result in writing.

3. Contact the seller and your payment provider

   Card payments and some platforms offer dispute processes, which usually have time limits, so act quickly.

4. Report it

   Report counterfeits and fraud to the police or national fraud service where you live. Our gold scams guide lists the main reporting routes and common tricks.

What does this mean in the US, UK, Canada and Australia?

Common mistakes

• Trusting one test. A magnet pass or a correct weight on its own proves little.
• Trusting the packaging. Fake assay cards and coin capsules exist.
• Testing in a way that causes damage. Scratches and acid marks cut resale value.
• Buying on price alone. The cheapest listing below spot is the most likely to be fake.
• Buying from strangers online. The US Mint advises caution with classified ads and online forums.

How do you avoid fake gold in the first place?

The simplest protection is where you buy. Established dealers source directly from mints and refiners, test what they buy back, and stand behind what they sell. Our guide on how to buy gold covers choosing a dealer step by step. If you are in the UK, the dealers in our price checks include Chards and The Royal Mint itself; in the US, see our country page for priced dealers.

Not financial advice. GoldVetted provides general information to help you compare options. It is not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Gold prices go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you pay. Check tax rules with the official source or a qualified adviser before you act.