1st gold! Earring with strange hallmark.

[bootey_hunter]

i was out with a friend doing some night hunting at the beach and came across i nice low tone on my Ace 250. dug up a gold hoop earring in dry sand at about 5" deep. i didnt think it was real because there was no "k" hallmark. instead there was a "GHEL" hallmark on the clasp.. i wish i could post pics but i dont have a camera YET! i checked the earring with a magnet and it didnt stick. i also bit it to see if it left teeth imprints which it did.. all signs point towards real gold...weighed 4.10 grams on my jewerly scale.

any thoughts on what the "GHEL" means??

thanx guys HH!

 

[creeper71]

Not much any of us can do to help without Photos...

 

[Tony in FL]

I know HGE = Heavy Gold Electroplate. My guess, and I hope I am wrong, is that GHEL is a spin on the same words i.e. Gold Heavy Electroplate. A gold test kit should be able to quickly tell you if it is real gold. You can pick one up at very little cost.

 

[bootey_hunter]

thanx tony.. where can i pick one up? im new to this hobby.

 

[Tony in FL]

thanx tony.. where can i pick one up? im new to this hobby.

I got one over the holidays (had put it on my wish list). Just do a search on GOLD TEST KIT on Amazon.com. You will find plenty - some as low as $13.99. Of course you can get more deluxe kits for more $$$ that come with a larger variety of testing acids, a case, and other useful testing items. It all depends on how much you want to spend.

 

[scaupus]

I just found one in hllywd fl. It's too light to be gold, and if it were it would be marked with a "k" - as you mentioned, there is none. GHE is usually used to mean gold heavy electroplate. L may be a manufacturer's initial.

 

[hammong]

GHEL is definitely electroplate, and you'll find a gold test kit will test POSITIVE on the ring ... but only the surface is gold, inside is most likely a copper core. Still a nice find, I treasure all of my ring finds even the Cracker Jack box ones. =)

Greg