Determining if something is silver is a quick process that can be completed within minutes. In order to do this, you will need a quarter minted before 1964, another coin and the substance that you are testing.Continue Reading
Flip the quarter from before 1964 into the air. Because these coins are primarily made of silver, they can be compared to other substances to determine whether or not they are also silver. This test will not work with modern quarters. When you flip the quarter in the air, take special note of the ringing sound that it produces.
Examine your object. If the object your are testing is a coin, flick it in the air. If it isn't, tap it gently with your third coin. Listen to the sound that is produced when the material is flipped into the air or struck.
Repeat the above process until you can accurately determine whether or not the sound produced by the quarter is the same sound produced when you tap or flip the object you are testing. If they are the same, your object is likely silver. If they are not the same, your object is likely not made of silver.