I wrote a blog almost a year ago that covered discovering fakes for precious metals through hallmarks, acid tests, magnets, and density. This blog covers some non-traditional tests that cost very little - if any - money, and help to conduct tests without damaging the piece being tested. The tests mainly apply to larger items, like coins and silverware.

The Tissue Test
Take a regular facial tissue, and set it over the top of a coin, bar, or other flat silver item. If the piece is pure silver, it will show through the tissue as a bright white. Progressively less purity show as paler whites, leaving non-silver as not visible through the tissue at all.

I am unsure how exactly this works, but I believe it has to do with the unique reflective properties of silver.

The Smell Test
Silver will tarnish over time, whether plated or solid. Thus, it can be difficult to identify items, like silverware, that have ambiguous hallmarks. This test will be a dead give-away for some plated items.

Rub a small area of the item's surface with your finger to remove any oils or tarnish that have built up over the years. Then lift the item to your nose, and sniff that area. If the piece is plated, there will be a putrid odor that may make you gag. Real silver has a metallic odor that is tough to describe - but is unique.

One way to learn the smell of silver is to purchase a bottle of colloidal silver*, which can be found at homeopathic stores like GNC. You can use it to learn the smell in one of these ways: Mix a teaspoon of it with sinus rinse and flush your sinuses, or saturate a tissue with it, and take a whiff of the tissue right at your nostrils. Over time, you can identify the odor.

*Be sure to follow the directions on the bottle for maximum daily intake.

The Ringing Test
Silver has a distinctive sound when tapped with another hard object. The best way to test this is to suspend the item in a sandwich bag (or even balance atop a finger) and lighty tap it with anything hard (i.e. a hammer, a coin, etc.). Real silver will make a high-pitched ring that will last about 2 seconds. If the item is not silver, it may make a thud or a quick ring.

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There you have it: More tests to add to your arsenal.