Sigma vs Pingcoin: Do You Really Need a $1,500 Verifier?

You're serious about protecting your precious metals investment. You've heard about counterfeit coins flooding the market. You want to verify what you own.

So you start researching, and you find the Sigma Metalytics verifier. It's the gold standard (pun intended) for precious metals authentication. Professional dealers swear by it. YouTube reviewers love it.

Then you see the price: $1,489 for the Pro model. Plus wands. Plus carrying case. Plus the realization that you now need to become an expert in electromagnetic conductivity.

Is there another way?

Let's break down when a Sigma is worth the investment—and when Pingcoin's $29/year gets you 90% of the protection at 2% of the cost.

What Is Sigma Metalytics?

Sigma Metalytics produces electromagnetic testing devices that measure the electrical conductivity of metals. Since different metals conduct electricity differently, the device can detect whether a coin or bar matches the expected signature for its claimed composition.

The lineup:

• Sigma Metalytics Precious Metals Verifier (PMV): ~$1,489
• Sigma Metalytics PMV Pro Mini: ~$649
• Additional wands for different sizes: $79-199 each
• Carrying cases, accessories: Extra

The technology is legit. Electromagnetic conductivity testing is used in industrial applications and can detect sophisticated fakes that visual inspection misses.

What Is Pingcoin?

Pingcoin is a smartphone app that authenticates coins using acoustic analysis—the digital version of the centuries-old "ping test."

Tap a genuine precious metal coin, and it rings with a distinctive sound. Pingcoin captures that sound, analyzes the frequency spectrum, and compares it against verified reference data.

Pricing:

• Free tier: 10 verifications per month
• Premium: $29/year unlimited

Works offline. No extra hardware. Just your phone and your coin.

Head-to-Head Comparison

When Sigma Makes Sense

Let's be honest: there are scenarios where the Sigma is worth every penny.

You're a Professional Dealer

If you're buying and selling significant volumes of precious metals, the Sigma pays for itself quickly. At $1,500, you only need to catch a handful of fakes to break even. Professional dealers often verify hundreds of items per month—the peace of mind and time savings are worth the investment.

You Deal Heavily in Bars

Pingcoin is optimized for coins. The acoustic analysis relies on standardized shapes and sizes. Bars have more variation, and the app doesn't currently support bar authentication.

Sigma handles bars of various sizes (with the appropriate wands). If bars are a significant part of your collection or inventory, Sigma offers coverage Pingcoin doesn't.

You Want the "Professional Standard"

There's something to be said for using the same equipment the professionals use. If you're building a serious collection worth six figures or more, or if you need to provide authentication documentation for insurance or resale, the Sigma's professional reputation carries weight.

You Test Unusual Items

Sigma can test items outside Pingcoin's 37 supported coin types. Old coins, foreign coins, jewelry, and other precious metals items can all be tested with appropriate wands.

When Pingcoin Makes More Sense

For many collectors and investors, Pingcoin delivers the verification they need at a price that makes sense.

You're a Personal Collector or Stacker

You're not running a business. You're building your own collection or investment stack. You buy a few coins per month, maybe do some trading with fellow collectors.

At $29/year, Pingcoin costs less than a single Silver Eagle. You could verify coins for 50 years before hitting the cost of a Sigma.

You Primarily Buy Popular Coins

Pingcoin supports 37 coin types, covering the most popular silver and gold bullion coins:

• American Eagles (gold and silver, multiple sizes)
• Canadian Maple Leafs
• Austrian Philharmonics
• Australian Kangaroos and Kookaburras
• Krugerrands
• British Britannias
• Chinese Pandas
• And more

If your buying focuses on these mainstream coins—which account for the vast majority of bullion transactions—Pingcoin has you covered.

You Want Testing on the Go

Coin show. Estate sale. Meeting a private seller. Garage sale find.

In these situations, you need verification before you buy, not after you get home. Pulling out a phone is natural. Pulling out a Sigma with wands is... conspicuous.

Pingcoin lets you discreetly verify before you hand over cash.

You're Starting Out

New to precious metals? Not sure how deep you'll go? Start with Pingcoin's free tier—10 verifications per month costs nothing.

If you get serious, upgrade to premium ($29/year). If you eventually scale to dealer-level volumes, you can always add a Sigma later. But most collectors never need to.

You Value Simplicity

Sigma requires understanding which wand to use, how to position items, how to interpret readings. It's not rocket science, but there's a learning curve.

Pingcoin: Select coin type. Tap. Done. A toddler could do it (though we don't recommend letting toddlers handle your gold).

The Math: When Does Sigma Pay for Itself?

Let's run the numbers.

Sigma PMV cost: $1,489 + $100 accessories = ~$1,600 total

Pingcoin premium cost: $29/year

Years to break even: $1,600 ÷ $29 = 55 years

Or think about it differently:

Average fake coin loss: $50 (silver) to $2,000+ (gold)

Fakes needed to justify Sigma: 1-32 depending on what you're buying Fakes needed to justify Pingcoin: Less than 1

The question isn't whether verification is worth it—it clearly is. The question is how much verification you need.

Both Can Detect Tungsten Fakes

Here's the key technical point: both methods can catch the sophisticated tungsten-core fakes that fool weight tests.

Why tungsten is dangerous:

• Tungsten has nearly identical density to gold (19.3 g/cm³ vs 19.32 g/cm³)
• A tungsten-filled fake will weigh correctly
• It will pass the "heft" test
• Visual inspection catches nothing

How Sigma catches it:

• Tungsten has different electrical conductivity than gold
• The reading will be off even if weight is perfect

How Pingcoin catches it:

• Tungsten has completely different acoustic properties
• A tungsten-core coin sounds "dead"—short ring, wrong frequencies
• The app detects the frequency mismatch instantly

Both work. Different physics, same result: the fake gets caught.

The Honest Take

We make Pingcoin. Obviously we think it's great. But we're not going to pretend it replaces a Sigma in every scenario.

Sigma is better for:

• Professional dealers with high volume
• Bar verification
• Unusual or unsupported coin types
• Maximum coverage across all precious metals forms

Pingcoin is better for:

• Individual collectors and investors
• Mainstream bullion coins
• On-the-go verification
• Budget-conscious protection
• Getting started with verification

Best of both worlds? Some serious collectors use both. Pingcoin for quick field testing and routine verification; Sigma at home for comprehensive testing of high-value items or unusual pieces.

The Real Competition

Here's the dirty secret: the real alternative to verification isn't choosing between Sigma and Pingcoin.

It's doing nothing.

Most collectors don't verify at all. They buy, they hope, they trust. And most of the time, that works fine. But when it doesn't work—when that one fake slips through—the loss hurts.

A single fake gold Eagle: ~$2,000 loss A single fake silver Eagle: ~$40 loss Pingcoin premium for a year: $29

The math is obvious.

Try It Free

Pingcoin's free tier gives you 10 verifications per month. No credit card. No commitment. Just download and test.

If you're verifying more than 10 coins per month, premium is $29/year—still cheaper than a single coin.

Download Pingcoin

Test your coins. Know what you own. Sleep better.

Have questions about how Pingcoin compares to other authentication methods? Drop by our Discord community or check our FAQ.