Okay, what is it? Brass or Gold?

[diggummup]

I went to an Estate sale today. The house belonged to a woman named Teresa James. She was a W.A.S.P. (WOMEN AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS) back during WWII but that's not the story. The story is this "bag" of "gold dust" I found in her house. It was in an old paper bag and on the bottom of the bag someone wrote "put in glass jar". Now i've seen plenty of brass shavings when I worked next to a machune shop and these don't look like brass. For one thing they aren't as shiny and they are more settled than brass shavings usually are. My question is are those gold test kits they sell on ebay capable of testing this stuff? Do they contain nitric acid that is strong enough to dissolve something that isn't gold?

Here are some pics-


I put it in a jar myself.



Here's the bag I found it in.


some larger particles



more particles


and more still


yup more


A different view

These are all different photos as I turn the jar around in a circular motion. None of the larger particles are the same particle. What do you guys think? This little jar weighs about a pound or more.

 

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[littleneckhalfshell]

at a pound weight, I would hope for you that it is gold, wouldn't that be a hoot. However, from the pictures, it looks like brass with a brownish patina. Gold does not tarnish, and though often of a 'soft' not bright surface, it is yellow, and should not darken or discolor with age. I have some gold in quartz and it is as yellow as the day it came out of the ground. Maybe the camera is not showing what you see in person, but to me it looks like brass with some 'age' on it. Hope I am wrong, and may it be a golden day for you. Try a file on one of the larger pieces, if you get a color change where you cut it, well it was fun while it lasted. Of course gold with a lot of copper alloyed with it, can give darken a bit due to the copper oxidizing. good luck

 

[Silver Searcher]

They look like Brass lathe shavings to me hope I'm wrong

SS

 

[AU Seeker]

Take it to a Jeweler and they should be able to test it, if not take it to a better Jeweler, the first one was not a real Jeweler.

You can do a fairly simple test if you have a reasonable accurate set of scales, weight the approximate same amount of water and then weight the jar of metal, if it is brass it will weight about 8 to 9 times the weight of the water, if it is gold close to 24k it will weight around 19 times the weight of the water, if it is gold and not pure it would still weight more than brass, unless it is less than 12k, I would do the Jeweler thing if in doubt .

The specific gravity of brass is 8.3 to 8.7, the specific gravity of pure gold is 19.2, which means brass weights 8.3 to 8.7 times the weight of the same amount of water, and pure gold weights 19.2 times ,etc.

http://www.reade.com/Particle_Briefings/spec_gra.html

Good luck and let us know which it is!!

Too hard to tell from the picture.

Skip

 

[Bikerboyzx6r]

I dont think you can get gold to shave like that and it looks way to dull!
It looks like shavings from a harder metal!

If it is Gold........ I will have a Porsche

HH Dan

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I say brass. Maybe it looks dull and more settled because of age?

I think its a reminder note to put into a glass jar to look like gold dust/shavings. I would definetly have it tested though.

 

[diggummup]

It's all good I don't really think it's gold neither but one can hope can't they!
I'll take it to a jeweler and find out.

 

[diggummup]

On a related issue check this out-
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,321961.0.html

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I have a Nitric Acid test solution, I can test it for you. If you still have my number give me a call. Im heading out to dinner soon.

I love estate and yard sales. If you need a tagalong let me know.

 

[bradyboy]

Sure looks like brass machine drill shavings
Brady

 

[Breezie]

Open the jar and smell it. Brass has a very distinct odor, and gold has no odor. Also, if you handle the shavings, the odor will get on your fingers, and it will take soap/water to remove it. Let us know after you sniff. Breezie

 

[Gonehunting]

looks like brass (gun) polishing material. like you put in a tumbler....

 

[waterfalljay]

Open the jar and smell it. Brass has a very distinct odor, and gold has no odor. Also, if you handle the shavings, the odor will get on your fingers, and it will take soap/water to remove it. Let us know after you sniff. Breezie

And then you can change the title of this thread to "Sniff My Brass!"

 

[Breezie]

Open the jar and smell it. Brass has a very distinct odor, and gold has no odor. Also, if you handle the shavings, the odor will get on your fingers, and it will take soap/water to remove it. Let us know after you sniff. Breezie

And then you can change the title of this thread to "Sniff My Brass!"

LOL too funny!

 

[diggummup]

I don't smell anything. I got a little time off tommorrow, gonna go to a jeweler I know. It's good to have dreams I guess. LOL

 

[Tony in SC]

Gold would be"Gold", not dull. Tony

 

[lennon631]

It looks like something I smoked back in 69', no, wait, not MEEEEEEE, I mean a friend of a cousin's next door neighbor, that's what I meant to say....

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

It looks like something I smoked back in 69', no, wait, not MEEEEEEE, I mean a friend of a cousin's next door neighbor, that's what I meant to say....

I thought you might say you didnt inhale.

 

[goldguru]

I say brass. Maybe it looks dull and more settled because of age?

I think its a reminder note to put into a glass jar to look like gold dust/shavings. I would definetly have it tested though.

Agreed those circular lenght wise chips come from a milling machine using what called an End mill
as seen with this Pic

http://www.mctooling.com/user_images/7771131.gif

 

[Wayupnorth66]

I hope its gold....god bless ya if it is