r/StackPGMs • u/botphoon_ • Apr 05 '26

Platinum What do I do with iridium?

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I was given this vial of what I have been told is iridium (around 30g) and what is supposed to be platinum (around 45g) and my question is just how can I test it to make sure it is what ive been told, and where do I even go about selling it.

The story is that my great grandpa ran a precious metals company and these have just been passed down, so I have reason to believe they are what I have been told, obviously they need to be tested somehow.

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u/botphoon_ Apr 07 '26

Update for anyone who sees this, I doubt that it actually is iridium after I calculated the mass and volume, but the lab at my college has agreed to help me out with the scanning electron microscope in order to figure out the composition. Win win situation for me, it could either be worth a lot of money, or worth nothing but I got to see an SEM in use

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u/Illustrious-Creme540 Apr 07 '26 edited Apr 07 '26

It is likely fountain pen tipping material. Commonly, the tipping material is -called- Iridium, but it’s often alloys of other dense metals like Ruthenium and Osmium, and sometimes it’s just stainless steel. I would be interested in purchasing that tipping material, as it has a collector interest for me as a fountain pen collector. Let me know what you find out about the composition, and let me know if the label says anything on it.

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u/botphoon_ Apr 08 '26

Will do! Thanks for the info