Don’t Get Swindled By this Silver Con

Imagine what your world may look like a year after the grid goes down…

Life as you know it has changed forever. 

Many of the unprepared had died of starvation or disease. But you survived on your wits and the emergency supplies you had stored away… 

After some early growing pains, folks have adjusted to life in a powerless, cashless society. And with a bumper crop during the spring, you now have plenty of extra food to trade at the market. 

But before you can even finish setting up your stall, a stranger from out of town offers to buy the lot… with a handful of silver.

Now, you know that silver is a valuable asset, even in this economy. 

Like gold, it held its value after the collapse. Yet silver has some distinct advantages.

Yes, gold will always be an excellent store of wealth. It’s perfect for buying land or large amounts of cattle. But it’s far too valuable for daily trading. 

That’s where silver picks up the slack. 

Because it’s less valuable by weight, it’s far more practical for trading. You can easily trade an ounce of silver for clothes, groceries or other small purchases.

That’s exactly why Currency Wars author Jim Rickards rates silver as the “perfect medium of exchange in times of trouble.”

In fact, Jim says that now is the time to stock up on silver. “It’s smart to keep 20–50 ounces of pure silver on hand in the form of American Silver Eagles from the U.S. Mint,” says Jim.

“Twenty ounces will cost less than $400 at today’s prices, including commission, from a reputable dealer. In desperate circumstances in which cash and digital money are no good, a pure silver ounce will gladly be accepted by stores with goods to sell.”

The problem is, how do you tell if the silver you’re being offered is real?

With most traditional businesses gone the way of the dinosaur, you won’t be able to take it to a professional appraiser. (They’d charge you a fortune for a simple test anyway.)

But you can instantly check the authenticity of the silver with some quick and easy techniques…  

Silver Authenticity Test #1: The “Ping” Test

Real silver will sing for you. 

Unlike less valuable base metals or silver alloys, the real McCoy will emit a high-pitched, ringing tone. 

You can test this by tapping two pieces of silver off each other, spinning a coin or ring on a flat surface or dropping the piece of silver from a height of six inches. 

If the silver content is high, you should hear a sound like a bell ringing.    

Silver Authenticity Test #2: The Ice Test

Silver has the highest thermal conductivity of any common metal or alloy.

This means it transfers heat fast… really fast.

If you can get your hands on some ice, place it on the silver and it will start melting as if it had been placed on a hot surface.

Watch the ice carefully to make sure it’s not just melting as it would at room temperature. 

This works best with flat pieces of bullion or coins. It won’t work as well on irregular-shaped pieces like jewelry. 

Silver Authenticity Test #3: The Magnet Test

Silver exhibits weak magnetic effects, which can be tested with a strong neodymium magnet (you can pick up one of these super cheap on Amazon).

Hold the magnet against the metal. If it sticks firmly, it’s not real silver. 

However, if it sticks gently to the metal and slides off easily, there’s a good chance it’s silver. 

When combined with the two other tests above, this method will give you a strong indication whether or not you’re holding real silver. 

But if you’re still not sure, it’s time to break out the big guns.

Silver Authenticity Test #4: The Acid Test

Make sure you get the permission of the silver owner before you apply the acid method. 

For this test, we’ll be using nitric acid, which can cause permanent discoloration to the silver. 

Mind you, it won’t reduce the intrinsic worth of the item. But folks might not want you marking up a family heirloom. 

You can pick up a bottle of silver-testing acid online for less than $3. You should buy one of these now and store it in a safe place until you need it.

To test the metal, start by making a small scratch on the surface. 

If you aren’t able to scratch the metal, you can stop here. If the metal is too hard, you probably have stainless steel on your hands.

Using a dropper, drip a tiny amount of acid inside the scratch. If there’s no reaction, it’s not silver. 

If the there is a reaction and the metal changes color, you have some sort of silver on your hands. 

You’ll be able to work out the purity of the silver from the color, which will range from 10KW to sterling silver.

Don’t worry about memorizing these colors. Your acid testing kit will come with a small color chart to compare the reaction against.

As always, keep sending me those emails. They let me know what you want to read and help me zero in on the most urgent problems. And I’ll be featuring reader questions here regularly. Click here to send me one right now.

All the best,

Owen Sullivan
Editor, Money & Crisis

Editor’s note: The strategies you read in Money & Crisis were developed with the help of Jim Rickards, the best-selling author of Currency Wars and The Death of Money. 

For a limited time only, Jim is sending readers a FREE copy of his brand-new hardcover book, The Road to Ruin: The Global Elites’ Secret Plan for the Next Financial Crisis. 

This shocking account of the next financial crisis reveals one of the biggest threats to your wealth today… and shows you the simple steps you can take to protect your money and your family. Claim your FREE copy now. 

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