"ANYONE HELP!!!! I purchased this dish that I am guessing is a ash tray that is marked 99.99 Fine Palladium 1923. It also has a makers mark that is a capital A. I buy gold platinum etc..... So i have testing acids for 10k 14k 18k 22k Platinum and Silver tester. The only information I have found is that Aqua Regina(which I think is one of my acids) and Iodine are the only 2 easy tests you can do. The only reaction I have found is after a while the 22k acid will slowly start to bubble-Keep in mind is doesnt really dissolve it but just bubbles on it. I tried iodine but it was stuff you get at a grocery store and I am almost positive it is not pure enough. There is no color variation, I have scratched it(pretty deep) with no change in appearance. If this is real(which I believe it is) I knocked this out of the park but I want to make sure It is real before I make a fool of my self. It weighs I believe 118+ DWT from what I was told. It was to heavy for my scale so I can not veryify." Dan
Hello Dan,
If you have a dish or ashtray made out of pure palladium from the twenties it is possible that you have something that is more valuable than the current scrap price.
Period hollowware and flatware are not my area of knowledge but it may be worth looking into.
Testing acids – which I do not recommend anyone use without the proper training and safety precautions - are one way to test for gold and other precious metals. To test for palladium you rub the item on the test stone and then apply a drop of Aqua-Regia – if the item is palladium the test mark should turn red.
You can do a test for palladium using iodine – however (as far as I am aware) this is a test for 950 Palladium (or 95% pure) the alloy most commonly used in jewelry today. I frankly don’t know how reliable this test is or what kind, if any, reaction one can expect in testing for pure palladium – I have never used this method. The test itself is very easy – just place a drop of iodine on a clean surface of the piece - as the iodine dries the area tested should turn black.
There are also reasonably priced electronic testers available for precious metals – which if you are buying scrap may be worth the investment. In the end though it sounds like you may have to have a professional take a look at your dish and do the testing.
Dave
David W. Nytch CGA www.westandcompany.com
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