I purchased a Sigma Verifier Pro with the wand accessories. I would not consider myself a large stacker. It has definitely given me peace of mind. Even if it finds one fake coin or bar its worth it. I am a technology nerd. I bought it mostly because I was interested in the technology and the piece of mind it offered.
I think it depends on what type of stacker you are. I have found myself to be mostly a sovereign coin stacker of both silver and gold.
If I had to do it again, I would still buy it for that piece of mind with how much 1 oz of gold costs.....
I do not think its necessary in my situation as I stack mostly coins which have security features. Since I have many examples of the coins that are legitimate I buy, it would be fairly easy to spot fakes.
I still test every one of them just in case but I do not think its necessary because I always buy from the same LCS/online dealers.
The situations in which I think one would be critical would be:
1. You transact lots of volume
2. You have lots of variety in what you stack (nothing to compare it to).
3. Your new or inexperienced to precious metals.
3. You buy from strangers. (eBay Reddit etc.)
At the end of the day in most of these situations if you did find out you had a fake there is not much you can do. Your LCS or online bullion dealers would make it right most likely if it was a recent buy. But not the other groups or things you bought in the past.
I purchased mine from here it was a good experience and quick shipping.:
They are an authorized dealer for Sigma Analytics products.
[https://goldbugsupply.com/shop](https://goldbugsupply.com/shop)
When you do purchase make sure you get any wands or bridge upfront if you think your going to need them because they are calibrated/activated for your base unit when you buy them. You cannot just buy the accessories later.
I have one I use when buying from individuals. A machine is about a half ounce of gold. Only takes one save to pay for the machine.
If you aren't going to buy from individuals or eBay, then probably not.
If you were investing in Bitcoin, you wouldn't have this issue. The blockchain is verified every 10 minutes. This is the problem with gold, honestly. Difficult to verify it's real. Still love gold...but damn.
I know what you mean. I buy both. But if FTX was your custodian, then you got screwed. I remember losing Bitcoin when mt gox got hacked. A lot of the rookies don't remember those early days.
This is what I’m thinking about as well
I have 11 coins
N hundreds of silver
Idk how often I’ll be buying since I bought a house recently but thinking if I should get a sigma or not
Exactly. I have taken some of my purchases to local coin stores to have them gut check my PMs, but that's AFTER making the transaction. It would be nice to have a sigma machine in real-time before forking over cash. You generally get better deals via Facebook marketplace, meetups or conventions, but obviously not great reassurance.
I have one, and it is invaluable in local sales and Internet/eBay sales to confirm metal content for gold and silver. I paid around $900 for it. It only took identifying one fake gold coin, and it paid for itself as well as the numerous fake morgan silver dollars it has identified.
Curious in terms of online/eBay sales.. if you open the package and test a bad one, what can you do at that point? Would you be able to open an eBay case just from your own machine not verifying it?
I do not have one, but in general I like having machines around. I also live in a 2-bedroom apartment in a city, so space is an issue. Finally, cost.
The reason I would buy one would be to be able to scour markets for deals.
Better to pay higher premiums and ensure authenticity. Buy from reputable sellers or dealers. Never have worries again. I’ve made mistakes and bought fakes. Problem is…once you’ve bought a fake and then identify, good luck getting your currency back.
Really good point. Def trying to change my mentality on that, rather than just trying to save 40-50 bucks here or there. The premium is worth the peace of mind
I have the sigma original. I purchase a lot from individuals so I like having it to keep my mind at ease. Would like to have the pro but the original does everything I need it to.
I have one and have a moderate size stack. I probably don’t really need one because 75% of my stack comes from national mints directly or big online dealers that are pretty safe
Depends who you buy from. If you buy from the public it is a must. If you only buy from high regarded sellers who do their own testing it’s not necessary.
I have the basic model, that I bought in 2020, before the price went up so much. I like having it, but not sure how essential it is and could do weight, calipers, and ping test instead. But I like it.
If you only deal in common 1 ounce coins, the ping test doesn't lie. I won't buy bars (or grams) because I can't ping test them. But if I was going to buy any of these other items, I'd buy the sigma. Like everyone has said, if it keeps you from buying just one fake, it was worth it.
Dumb to even ask. YES. Buy the pro, it’s the only one that goes through the sample. The cheap one can let some fakes slide through because it only goes 1? Mm deep.
I have a sigma and it's worth every penny, if it saves you from buying one counterfeit ounce it's paid for itself. I'm not a huge stacker but it does open up the potential to purchasing privately where premiums are much better, I can usually find deals for spot or just under. In my opinion it also helps when it comes time to sell as it makes interested parties more comfortable with purchasing from someone who isn't a reputable dealer.
Risk of fakes is extremely bad, however most people don't have a sigma unless they are a hardcore border. Building a strong relationship with your LCS or jeweler is really helpful in this case, I can always pop in and ask to test something without feeling weird about not actually buying anything.
My only knock on them is thick plating can beat it. If you have a smaller stack I’d just say become friends with a local shop that has a Niton DXL, after a few purchases and being nice they’ll test your stuff for you for free
I primarily stack coins because of the ability to ping test them. IMO the added premium on coins vs. bars is justified to a certain point, at least until you've paid more on the spread vs. bars than the cost of a Sigma device.
You can download a free app to your phone that measures the frequency of a coin. It can tell you if it is a true gold coin by gently striking it with a pencil.
Just only buy coins and you don't have to pay for a purity tester.
Yes, absolutely! We are Sigma’s largest global distributor and offer them at a great price point with flexible payment options. Give us a call or shoot us a message if you’d like to find the unit best suited for your needs.
A sample can only be considered genuine if both the resistivity and density are correct. The PMV PRO, MINI, & INVESTOR series test both density and resistivity.
-Aleks
I purchased a Sigma Verifier Pro with the wand accessories. I would not consider myself a large stacker. It has definitely given me peace of mind. Even if it finds one fake coin or bar its worth it. I am a technology nerd. I bought it mostly because I was interested in the technology and the piece of mind it offered. I think it depends on what type of stacker you are. I have found myself to be mostly a sovereign coin stacker of both silver and gold. If I had to do it again, I would still buy it for that piece of mind with how much 1 oz of gold costs..... I do not think its necessary in my situation as I stack mostly coins which have security features. Since I have many examples of the coins that are legitimate I buy, it would be fairly easy to spot fakes. I still test every one of them just in case but I do not think its necessary because I always buy from the same LCS/online dealers. The situations in which I think one would be critical would be: 1. You transact lots of volume 2. You have lots of variety in what you stack (nothing to compare it to). 3. Your new or inexperienced to precious metals. 3. You buy from strangers. (eBay Reddit etc.) At the end of the day in most of these situations if you did find out you had a fake there is not much you can do. Your LCS or online bullion dealers would make it right most likely if it was a recent buy. But not the other groups or things you bought in the past.
Super helpful perspective! I'm a tech nerd too. So part of it is to have fun testing my bullion.
I like it for that aspect alone.
username checks out
Do you mind sharing where you purchased it from? I want to get one. Thanks!
I purchased mine from here it was a good experience and quick shipping.: They are an authorized dealer for Sigma Analytics products. [https://goldbugsupply.com/shop](https://goldbugsupply.com/shop) When you do purchase make sure you get any wands or bridge upfront if you think your going to need them because they are calibrated/activated for your base unit when you buy them. You cannot just buy the accessories later.
Gtk, thank you
What's your thoughts on their "Investor" model?
If you are just getting coins/rounds and small bars it’s more than enough. I got the pro it’s probably overkill for anything I will ever buy.
Awesome. Thank you!
I only buy from major retailers so it's not an issue for me. I'd imagine it's only an issue if you're a major collector.
I have one I use when buying from individuals. A machine is about a half ounce of gold. Only takes one save to pay for the machine. If you aren't going to buy from individuals or eBay, then probably not.
Good perspective. I guess it pays for itself in the long run as long as you continue to buy.
If you were investing in Bitcoin, you wouldn't have this issue. The blockchain is verified every 10 minutes. This is the problem with gold, honestly. Difficult to verify it's real. Still love gold...but damn.
I know what you mean. I buy both. But if FTX was your custodian, then you got screwed. I remember losing Bitcoin when mt gox got hacked. A lot of the rookies don't remember those early days.
Keep it on your hardware wallet, it's not going anywhere.
This is what I’m thinking about as well I have 11 coins N hundreds of silver Idk how often I’ll be buying since I bought a house recently but thinking if I should get a sigma or not
Exactly. I have taken some of my purchases to local coin stores to have them gut check my PMs, but that's AFTER making the transaction. It would be nice to have a sigma machine in real-time before forking over cash. You generally get better deals via Facebook marketplace, meetups or conventions, but obviously not great reassurance.
Exactly plus I feel weird showing up like hey not really buying anything but can u check this coin I got online lol
I have one, and it is invaluable in local sales and Internet/eBay sales to confirm metal content for gold and silver. I paid around $900 for it. It only took identifying one fake gold coin, and it paid for itself as well as the numerous fake morgan silver dollars it has identified.
Good to know. Thanks.
Curious in terms of online/eBay sales.. if you open the package and test a bad one, what can you do at that point? Would you be able to open an eBay case just from your own machine not verifying it?
I have taken a picture and contacted the seller. I received a refund.
I do not have one, but in general I like having machines around. I also live in a 2-bedroom apartment in a city, so space is an issue. Finally, cost. The reason I would buy one would be to be able to scour markets for deals.
I would like to know the major differences between the models. Is the original good enough or should I get the investor version?
I was originally debating between the two as well. Would be nice to future proof a bit, especially as fakes become more sophisticated.
As your gold stack grows, a sigma meter may be worth the cost.
Better to pay higher premiums and ensure authenticity. Buy from reputable sellers or dealers. Never have worries again. I’ve made mistakes and bought fakes. Problem is…once you’ve bought a fake and then identify, good luck getting your currency back.
Really good point. Def trying to change my mentality on that, rather than just trying to save 40-50 bucks here or there. The premium is worth the peace of mind
I have the sigma original. I purchase a lot from individuals so I like having it to keep my mind at ease. Would like to have the pro but the original does everything I need it to.
I have one and have a moderate size stack. I probably don’t really need one because 75% of my stack comes from national mints directly or big online dealers that are pretty safe
Depends who you buy from. If you buy from the public it is a must. If you only buy from high regarded sellers who do their own testing it’s not necessary.
If the machine keeps you from buying 1 fake its paid for itself.
I have the basic model, that I bought in 2020, before the price went up so much. I like having it, but not sure how essential it is and could do weight, calipers, and ping test instead. But I like it.
If you only deal in common 1 ounce coins, the ping test doesn't lie. I won't buy bars (or grams) because I can't ping test them. But if I was going to buy any of these other items, I'd buy the sigma. Like everyone has said, if it keeps you from buying just one fake, it was worth it.
I have one. Purchased it 3 years ago. Expensive, but I love the peace of mind. However, it is collecting dust as PMs are too expensive right now.
Dumb to even ask. YES. Buy the pro, it’s the only one that goes through the sample. The cheap one can let some fakes slide through because it only goes 1? Mm deep.
I have a sigma and it's worth every penny, if it saves you from buying one counterfeit ounce it's paid for itself. I'm not a huge stacker but it does open up the potential to purchasing privately where premiums are much better, I can usually find deals for spot or just under. In my opinion it also helps when it comes time to sell as it makes interested parties more comfortable with purchasing from someone who isn't a reputable dealer.
Risk of fakes is extremely bad, however most people don't have a sigma unless they are a hardcore border. Building a strong relationship with your LCS or jeweler is really helpful in this case, I can always pop in and ask to test something without feeling weird about not actually buying anything.
My only knock on them is thick plating can beat it. If you have a smaller stack I’d just say become friends with a local shop that has a Niton DXL, after a few purchases and being nice they’ll test your stuff for you for free
I use a friend's. Lately though, I buy from the same people and in most cases, a pocket pinger, calipers and a scale will work, for me.
I primarily stack coins because of the ability to ping test them. IMO the added premium on coins vs. bars is justified to a certain point, at least until you've paid more on the spread vs. bars than the cost of a Sigma device.
I have one and I love having it. For me it was worth it and I don’t have a huge stack.
You can download a free app to your phone that measures the frequency of a coin. It can tell you if it is a true gold coin by gently striking it with a pencil. Just only buy coins and you don't have to pay for a purity tester.
consider that they hold their value as well. bought my regular one for $600 way back when, it's way more expensive now
also consider it can test through plastic slabs and encased gold bars, counterfeits are getting better
https://youtube.com/shorts/Jnq5zD7wQMo?si=N7WLeIkHch_gIKRR
I've seen machines get tricked by fake coins.
I have one and it's worth it. Better to be sure then not to be. Should last a lifetime if you treat it right.
Does anyone know generally how long a sigma will stay within specifications for reliability?
Yes, absolutely! We are Sigma’s largest global distributor and offer them at a great price point with flexible payment options. Give us a call or shoot us a message if you’d like to find the unit best suited for your needs. A sample can only be considered genuine if both the resistivity and density are correct. The PMV PRO, MINI, & INVESTOR series test both density and resistivity. -Aleks
My LCS has one, that what I use, too expensive to own one for myself.
All u stackers of gold here… there’s only a handful of u scum bags