I came across an auction where the seller stated he was selling a silver proof set but disclaimed that the coins in the set were not silver and that he was taken. He stated that the buyer of the set must acknowledge that the set was clad even though it was in a silver proof set holder before he would accept payment and ship the coins. This bothered me - that someone could and would actually open up a (50 state quarters) silver proof set, remove the silver coins, insert clad coins and sell it as silver. I felt bad for him. I have bought a number of 50 state quarters proof sets, so I set out to determine if mine were silver or not. There is nothing like peace of mind. I had a couple of 50 state quarters proof sets both silver and clad from 2007. When comparing them visually, it isn't always easy to notice the difference, but there seemed to be a little more white and white frosting on the silver coins. Having to look at all the sets would be time consuming and frustrating, so I set out to figure out another way. I have an electronic balance. Its a fancy name for electronic scale. It measures down to the .0001 gram. I weighed the 2007 clad and silver proof sets and noticed that the silver sets weighed around 5 grams more than the clad, when complete with cardboard, certificate of authenticity and plastics. I then set out to weight all of the proof sets in all years 1999-2009 in their boxes and plastics, and noticed that they all weighed within +/- 2 grams of the average for each year. In order to determine - in real life terms - if there WAS indeed a weight difference in silver vs clad proof coins, I looked up on the internet what the weights were of clad vs silver halves, quarters, and dimes and here is what I found: Half dollar: Clad: 11.34 grams Silver: 12.5 grams Quarter dollar: Clad: 5.67 grams Silver: 6.25 grams Dime: Clad: 2.268 grams Silver: 2.50 grams Equating differences in the 1999-2008 Proof Sets: Clad half + clad dime + 5 x clad quarters = 41.958 grams of metal Silver half + silver dime + 5 x silver quarters = 46.25 grams of metal note: There are no differences in penny, nickel, and dollar(s) DIFFERENCE in silver vs clad sets = 46.25 grams - 41.958 grams = 4.292 grams (For the 2009 set, the difference is 4.872 grams due to the extra quarter) In conclusion, if the sets I had were within +/- 2 grams of average, I felt that everything was ok. Luckily everything was. For those who are interested, here are what I found the weights of the boxed silver proof sets to be and justification for the differences between years: 1999: 154 grams (I only have 1 set, so that is based on it alone) 2000: 164-5 grams (increase due to an 8 gram gold dollar added in 2000) 2001: (not measured but I believe it would be 164-166 grams as in 2000-2003) 2002: 165 grams 2003: 165-166 grams 2004: 170-171 grams (two nickels in this set versus one in 2001-2003) 2005: 170-171 grams (two nickels in this set versus one in 2001-2003) 2006: 165-166 grams (back to one nickel) 2007: 270-271 grams (due to the additional 4 gold dollars, extra 2 cardboard boxes and extra plastic holder for the dollars) 2008: 250 grams (20 grams less than 2007 may be due to 3 cardboard holders vs 1) 2009: 255-6 grams (without pennies. The extra/sixth silver quarter in this set accounts for the increase of 6.25 grams) The above constitutes my opinion and findings only and does not reflect those of any other company or individual.
There's a really simple way to tell the clads from the silver proofs. Best advice I have heard. Easiest to learn too. Here's a quote from Doug in another thread explaining it:
Ok; I'm game; does the tissue test work for coins in the proof sets? I like the weight test better. It sounds more scientific.
Sounds like it would if you place a known silver coin on the proof set and compare the color with other coins in the set. Use just one layer of tissue facial or TP. On toned silver this sometimes doesn't work.
I believe the OP intention was a way of telling silver from clad without removing the sets from their packaging.
In fact it makes the silver coins obvious! I learned this at a coin show and tested it out on Proof Sets inside of their cases!!! It works better and more simply than weight. Inside the cases or not. Try it, it's simple to test and once you see, you'll agree. It's the easiest way to tell.
The tissue test works, it works fast, you don't have to take the coins out of their cases, and it can test several coins at the same time. In the picture above you can see the obvious difference, and that is with a 40% silver coin. The difference is even more obvious with the 90% silver coins. As for the weighing being more scientific, there is science behind the tissue test as well. The reason it works is because silver is the most reflective of all metals reflecting some 95% of all the light that falls on it. The coppernickel reflects only something like 60%. So very little light that passes through the tissue is bounced back by the coppernickel, while almost all of it is bounced back by the silver.
Wow. You learn something every day. This is the first I've heard of the tissue test. I will definitely use it should the time come. I have the 2000-2008 silver proof sets. Should try it out I guess. As far as weighing these, packaging and all, one gram isn't very much. I'd think there could be 2+ gram differences in the packaging from set to set, from varying plastic thicknesses. Maybe not.
Yes there would be so much package weight varieation that wighing them in the sets would be worthless. You wold have to remove the coins from the holders. On your silver proof sets compare the color difference between the silver coins in the set and the nickel five cent piece. It has the same composition as the outer layers as the clad coins. The size doesn't matter because you are looking for the whiteness of the coin through the tissue.
The weight test is pretty good if you don't want to remove the proof sets from the box. Although I have lots of proof sets, the cardboard box still requires me a lot of care to open without causing a crease in the cardboard. Thus, I like the weight test if you're going to check the authenticity of the set without having to remove it from the box. Plus, I don't usually bring tissues with me to an auction or coin show but do carry around a portable pocket scale. I must say though, the tissue test is an interesting thing to add to my arsenal for checking for fakes. Like someone else already mentioned, I usually just look at the edges and can tell whether they're silver or clad without the need for weighing the set.
Interesting test method...I just bought a 2008 silver proof set off ebay...now I gotta test it out to make sure it hasn't been tampered with!
This works on white coins. It a coin is tarnished it may not show the difference in color whether it is silver or not.
I'd think this test would be unreliable. First, are the clad and silver packaging materials of equal weight? Second, I could easily increase the weight of a "sealed" cardboard box by sliding a brass shim into it, or even a few sheets of heavy paper. The weight difference for five silver vs. five clad quarters is a hair under 3 grams; for a clad dime and half vs. silver, it would be under 2 grams. That's not much. Wish I still worked at the lab with the micro-Xray system...
I guess they could do that but I'm thinking that they are just trying to sell them to the less educated. Plus, the brass shim would fall out if someone acutally opened the box. It would be hard for the seller to explain that one.
