Authenticate your 1 oz Silver Austrian Philharmonic

How to spot a fake 1 oz Silver Philharmonic

The Silver Vienna Philharmonic has been struck by the Austrian Mint since 2008 and is one of the most popular silver bullion coins in Europe. It has no radial lines or micro-engraving, and its edge is plain, so you rely on measurements, a close look and a few simple physical tests. Used together, they catch most fakes.

What fakes exist

• Silver-plated base metal. Copper, brass, zinc alloy or copper-nickel ("German silver") with a thin silver coating. The most common type.
• Cast fakes. Made from a mould of a genuine coin, usually with soft detail and a grainy surface.
• Lead or tin alloys. Soft, dull-looking metal, often heavier or lighter than it should be.

Silver fakes are almost always simply the wrong metal, which the tests below are good at finding.

The checks, in order of usefulness

1. Weight

Weigh the coin on a scale that reads to 0.01 g and compare with the facts box. Copper, brass and zinc are all less dense than silver, so a plated fake of the correct size usually comes out light. A coin that's clearly off is a red flag. A correct weight on its own isn't proof, so continue with the other checks.

2. Diameter and thickness

Measure with digital calipers. A base-metal fake made to the right weight has to be bigger than a genuine coin; one made to the right size will be too light. Getting both right with the wrong metal is hard.

The Gold and Platinum Philharmonics share the same diameter but are much thinner, so compare with the silver figures in the facts box. Measure the thickness at several points on the rim.

3. Magnet slide

Silver isn't magnetic but conducts electricity very well, so a strong neodymium magnet sliding down a tilted coin is slowed noticeably by eddy currents. The Silver Philharmonic is a fairly thick coin, which makes the effect easy to see. Tilt the coin at about 45 degrees and let the magnet slide.

• Magnet sticks: fake, with iron or steel in it.
• Slow, steady slide: consistent with silver.
• Fast slide with little braking: suspicious.

Copper also conducts well, so a copper-core coin can show some braking. Treat this as a screen, not proof.

4. Edge

The genuine edge is plain (smooth), with no reeding. A reeded Silver Philharmonic is wrong. Turn the coin slowly under a loupe and look for a seam line, a change in colour or finish compared with the faces, or plating worn through to a coppery or yellowish metal on the rim.

5. Design and surface

Obverse (Musikverein organ): individual organ pipes should be crisp, including the small ones. "REPUBLIK ÖSTERREICH" should be evenly spaced, with the umlaut on the Ö. Check "1 UNZE SILBER 999" and the face value "1,50 EURO".

Reverse (instruments): the cello, violins, harp, bassoon and Vienna horn should have clear detail, with strings and f-holes visible under a loupe. "WIENER PHILHARMONIKER" and the year should be clean.

Surface: cast fakes often look grainy, with soft lettering. Plating can wear through on high points, showing a different metal underneath. Genuine silver can tone or show milk spots over time; that's cosmetic, not a sign of a fake.

6. Ping test

Balanced on a fingertip and tapped gently, a genuine Silver Philharmonic gives a clear, long ring. Plated base-metal fakes often sound duller, shorter, or at a noticeably different pitch. Use the ping test at the top of this page to compare the coin's ring with the frequencies expected for a genuine Silver Philharmonic.

The ping test is one strong check, not a final verdict. Background noise, how the coin is held, a bent or damaged coin, or testing inside a capsule can throw it off, and it could miss some fakes. Use it alongside weight, measurements and the magnet slide.

7. Ice test, specific gravity and XRF

• Ice test: silver conducts heat exceptionally well, so an ice cube on a genuine coin melts noticeably faster than on glass or a base-metal coin. Copper also conducts heat well, so this is only a rough screen.
• Specific gravity: weigh the coin in air and then suspended in water; the ratio should be close to that of fine silver. Good at exposing plated fakes.
• XRF or a conductivity tester, available at many dealers, gives a more reliable answer if you're still unsure.

Date notes

• The Silver Philharmonic was first issued in 2008, so a coin dated earlier than that is not genuine.
• It has always carried a euro face value; a "SCHILLING" denomination on a silver bullion Philharmonic is wrong.
• The design barely changes from year to year apart from the date, so one fake die can be reused for many years. A convincing design isn't proof on its own.

If you suspect a fake

1. Stop. Don't sell it, trade it or pass it on.
2. Re-run the tests and add the ones you skipped: weight, calipers, magnet slide, loupe, ping test.
3. Take it to a reputable dealer for a second opinion or an XRF check.
4. If it is fake, contact the seller and the platform you bought through, keep the records, and report it where appropriate.

Buying from established dealers with a return policy avoids most problems. Prices well below what other dealers charge, or sellers who won't accept returns, are warning signs.

For the gold version, see the Gold Philharmonic guide.