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VeriGold Sound Ltd

Idea

Over the past few years we could have noticed a rapid growth of interest in silver and gold as safe capital investment. The continually increasing prices of precious metals and the unstable situation on the world markets seem to suggest that in the nearest future this trend is not going to change.

Unfortunately, the people that invest in physical gold and silver may quite easily become victims of fraud. The high prices of coins and bullions bars increases the counterfeiters’ activity. Fortunately, there is a number of efficient and useful methods to protect ourselves from counterfeit.

So far, the most popular methods of gold coins and bars verification were the Fisch device (or scale and calliper), magnet, spectrometer and acids.

These methods were fully sufficient for gold/silver plated brass (or other alloy). Some of these methods could detect also debased coins. However, none of the above can handle with tungsten-filled bars or coins. Melting or cutting may reveal a forgery.

Fake Tungsten-filled Gold Bullion Bar

Fully aware of all of the risk, we have decided to find a solution based on the wisdom of our ancestors and the modern technology.

Dating back as far as the ancient times1 experienced traders were able to distinguish between pure gold and fake coins listening only their sound. They did not need to bite coins, measure or pour acid, it was enough to listen the characteristic "ring" of the coin. They heard the same as that what we may now measure with the help of high-tech devices for sound registering and analysis.

Each coin has its own, characteristic „sound image” and the smallest change of shape or chemical composition makes a difference. Moreover, the „sound DNA” is almost the same in every environment.

We have decided to put the sound patterns of original coins into smartphone's memory (iPhone, Android device etc.) and we have developed an algorithm which compares the pattern with the recorded sound. Thus, the CoinTrust was invented.



Methods of comparison

  Gold/silver plated Debasement Tungsten filled Coins Bars Destructiveness Price Veratility
Fisch device yes no no yes no none low small
Spectrometer yes yes no yes yes none high full
Ultrasound test yes yes yes yes yes none high full
Acid test yes yes no yes yes high low full
Melting / cutting yes yes yes yes yes total destruction high / low full
Normal mode (CoinTrust)

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

none

low

small

large*

* the amount of tested coins/bars is still increasing.

The basic version of the CoinTrust app allows to verify gold Krugerrand 1oz and silver Maple Leaf 1oz. Testing other kinds of coins and bars requires the purchase of the additional patterns.See the full list

1 We may come across a trace of this method in The New Testament, where St. Paul writes that without charity he is become "as sounding brass".

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