Silver Nugget

[RandyinWV 0]

Found this silver nugget while walking  the bank of the South Branch of the Potomac river in WV.  Was on top of the ground with a bunch of other larger rocks from a recent high water event.   It's weight is 50 Grams and is about 3 1/2 inches in length.  I know the value of silver is around $16.00 per ounce.  My question is there a market for this in nugget form?  Thanks!

Edited September 29, 2019 by RandyinWV

[RandyinWV 0]

Sorry for posting in the wrong forum.  Please move to the appropriate place.  Thanks!

[Au Seeker 3,041]

Welcome to the forum Randy!

I moved your topic to a more appropriate forum.

Have you had the "silver" nugget tested to be sure it's silver?

I ask that for 2 reasons, silver nuggets are usually tarnished when found, your's looks to have a bit of white oxidation instead, also for the size it is it would weight more than 50 grams, IMHO.

From seeing the white oxidation, the weight and also it appears to have been melted into the shape it is I'm thinking it's either melted aluminum or possibly Babbitt, which is an old time bearing material which was melted and poured into old machinery bearing housings.

To show what I mean about silver being found tarnished here a photo of a chunk of almost solid silver assayed at 96% pure.

[BMc 992]

RandyinWY,  I was wondering how you know that it's a silver nugget? If it has been certified as silver, it's origin would appear to be possibly an interesting anomaly.

"According to the West Virginia Geologic Survey, no native silver has been recognized to date in West Virginia.Jan 24, 2019"

 

[Stillweaver hillbelli 215]

Should weigh much more than that if it truly was Ag... it is something else.

[Bedrock Bob 3,717]

2 hours ago, RandyinWV said:

Found this silver nugget while walking  the bank of the South Branch of the Potomac river in WV.  Was on top of the ground with a bunch of other larger rocks from a recent high water event.   It's weight is 50 Grams and is about 3 1/2 inches in length.  I know the value of silver is around $16.00 per ounce.  My question is there a market for this in nugget form?  Thanks!

The answer to your question is yes there is a market for silver in "nugget form". Meaning a lump of native silver and not necessarily a natural piece of free metallic silver.

Native silver nuggets are generally black as coal. White chloride are common on the surface of finished silver shot. If your specimen is indeed silver it is not a natural nugget. But man made lumps of silver in odd forms are very common too. Probably much more common than native silver nuggets.

My advice is an xrf test. That is the quickest way to find out just exactly what you have. If it is silver it is an alloy.