Silver id

[truckinbutch]

I have a thumb-sized blob of heavey,grey patinaed metal that I recovered from fire site/pit on an old farmstead.Thumbnail will not scratch it.
Is there an easy way to determine whether this is silver or just a lead alloy such as babbit bearing material?

 

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[patpall22]

what kind of detector do you use? what kind of tones, signals, or numbers come up when you run the coil over it. Also a pic would help.

 

[truckinbutch]

Bountyhunter Landstar.
Was relic hunting in all metal when I found this several years ago.Not even sure where it is to get pic right now.

 

[jewelerdave]

If its a lump you dont have to worry about damaging it.
Most likely if it was just in a normal fire it could be lead or pewter etc.

Take a file, scrape a small bit off, and collect it.

Take a drop of nitric acid and a couple drops of water, and put the shaving in there, let it dissolve.
Once it has dissolved some, pull out the metal if any is left.

Drop a bit of salt on it. If white clumps form, thats silver chloride and you have a silver alloy of some type.
If nothing happens. Its just junk.

.

 

[truckinbutch]

Thanks and sorry it took so long to see your post.No telling what I may turn up in this unhunted area that goes back to 1700's.

 

[bradyboy]

from a fire pit?
sounds like aluminum cans - common