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14K yellow gold has copper color

HELLO,
I HAVE PURCHASED A 14K YELLOW GOLD HOLY MEDAL ON EBAY [on eBay] FROM A BIG SELLER THAT I JUST RECEIVED. IT IS STAMPED 14K. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE THERE IS A ROUND GROOVE IN THE BACK OF THE MEDAL THAT HAS A COPPER COLOR RING HALF WAY AROUND IT. I'M WONDERING IF IT MEANS THE MEDAL IS PLATED GOLD OVER COPPER? I CONTACTED THE SELLER WHO SAID IT IS JUST "OXIDIZED" AND THE COLOR CAN BE BUFFED OUT WITH A SPINNING WHEEL BY A JEWELER OR SENT BACK TO HIM TO BE DONE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN OR HEARD THIS WITH 14K YELLOW GOLD BEFORE THAT IT CAN BE OXIDIZED AND TURN COPPER ANYWHERE. TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE IS HE TELLING ME THE TRUTH THAT A COPPER COLOR CAN JUST MEAN IT IS OXIDIZED AND CAN BE BUFFED OUT? OR DO YOU THINK IT IS PLATED OVER COPPER?

I BOUGHT AN ACID AND BLACK STONE KIT [on eBay or Amazon], AND I SCRAPED SOME OF THE BACK MICROSCOPIC GOLD ON THE STONE AND ADDED A DROP OF ACID ... THE SCRAPINGS STAYED, BUT HAVE NOT TURNED ANY COLORS OR BUBBLED. SHOULD THEY HAVE DISAPPEARED OR TURNED COLORS OR BUBBLED? THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP! THANX, TRISH

Trish Carney
gold buying customer - Orland Park Illinois
November 16, 2009

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Hi, Trish. I suspect you'll enjoy thread 12044 although it has nothing to do with your question, only your portrait.

I can't accuse an unknown seller of dishonest dealing based on a verbal description of a discoloration on an article. But if you had said you found the medal in your attic and wanted to know if it was plated or 14K, I would have told you I doubt that it's 14K. Hopefully someone familiar with the stone testing kit will reply. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey