A system for verifying authenticity of precious metal coins and bars, comprising: a sensor system defining a sample region configured to receive at least one of a precious metal coin or a precious metal bar therein; a sample support arranged to support said at least one of said precious metal coin or said precious metal bar in said sample region ; a data processor configured to communicate with said sensor system so as to receive a detection signal therefrom and to provide an output signal; a data storage device configured to communicate with said data processor , said data storage device storing at least some physical properties corresponding to a precious metal of interest; and an output display configured to communicate with said data processor to receive said output signal and to display information based on said output signal, wherein said sensor system detects at least one of a bulk electrical property of said at least one of said precious metal coin or said precious metal bar, wherein said data processor is configured to process said detection signal from said sensor system and to retrieve a stored physical property corresponding to a precious metal from said data storage device to provide said output signal such that said output signal includes at least a measured value of said bulk electrical property and a corresponding range of expected values of said bulk electrical property, wherein said output display uses said output signal to display information based on said measured value of said bulk electrical property and said corresponding range of expected values of said bulk electrical property for a user to be able to make an authenticity verification of a metal element or alloy of said precious metal coin or said precious metal bar irrespective of how said precious metal coin or said precious metal bar looks, and wherein said output display is configured to provide numeric and non-numeric information for validating said precious metal coin or said precious metal bar. a sensor system defining a sample region configured to receive at least one of a precious metal coin or a precious metal bar therein; a sample support arranged to support said at least one of said precious metal coin or said precious metal bar in said sample region ; a data processor configured to communicate with said sensor system so as to receive a detection signal therefrom and to provide an output signal; a data storage device configured to communicate with said data processor , said data storage device storing at least some physical properties corresponding to a precious metal of interest; and an output display configured to communicate with said data processor to receive said output signal and to display information based on said output signal, wherein said sensor system detects at least one of a bulk electrical property of said at least one of said precious metal coin or said precious metal bar, wherein said data processor is configured to process said detection signal from said sensor system and to retrieve a stored physical property corresponding to a precious metal from said data storage device to provide said output signal such that said output signal includes at least a measured value of said bulk electrical property and a corresponding range of expected values of said bulk electrical property, wherein said output display uses said output signal to display information based on said measured value of said bulk electrical property and said corresponding range of expected values of said bulk electrical property for a user to be able to make an authenticity verification of a metal element or alloy of said precious metal coin or said precious metal bar irrespective of how said precious metal coin or said precious metal bar looks, and wherein said output display is configured to provide numeric and non-numeric information for validating said precious metal coin or said precious metal bar. <EOS>