Identification guide · Metals & Alloys
How to Identify Tin
Tin is usually silver, gray, and dull gray with a metallic luster and is opaque. It has a Mohs hardness of 1.5. A fingernail (Mohs 2.5) scratches it easily. Its streak is silver-gray. It is most often confused with Aluminum, Lead, and Pewter; the tests below separate them.
Tin identification checklist
| Color | Silver, Gray, Dull gray | Look at a clean, dry surface in daylight. Color zoning, banding or spots are as diagnostic as the hue. |
|---|---|---|
| Luster | Metallic | Turn it under a lamp: a true metallic shine reflects like polished metal and stays opaque at thin edges. |
| Transparency | Opaque | Hold a thin edge up to a bright light and note whether light passes through. |
| Mohs hardness | 1.5 | A fingernail (Mohs 2.5) scratches it easily. |
| Streak | Silver-gray | Drag a corner across unglazed porcelain (the back of a bathroom tile) and check the powder color. |
| Cleavage | None | |
| Fracture | Ductile to uneven | |
| Specific gravity | 7.31 | Very heavy, metallic heft (specific gravity about 7.31). |
Tin look-alikes and how to tell them apart
Aluminum is harder (Mohs 2.75) than Tin (Mohs 1.5), so Aluminum will scratch Tin and not the other way round. A fingernail (Mohs 2.5) scratches it easily. Tin vs Aluminum →
Both sit near Mohs 1.5, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Tin vs Lead →
Pewter is harder (Mohs 2.5) than Tin (Mohs 1.5), so Pewter will scratch Tin and not the other way round. A fingernail (Mohs 2.5) scratches it easily. Tin vs Pewter →
Sterling Silver is harder (Mohs 2.7) than Tin (Mohs 1.5), so Sterling Silver will scratch Tin and not the other way round. A fingernail (Mohs 2.5) scratches it easily.
Field tips
- Look for a soft silver-gray metal.
- Tin can appear duller than polished silver or chrome.
- It is common in solder, plating, pewter, and educational element samples.
- Tin coatings may be thin and attached to a different base metal.
Tin identification FAQ
How can you tell if a rock is Tin?
Check the color (silver, gray, and dull gray), the metallic luster, a Mohs hardness of 1.5 and a silver-gray streak. Photographing it with the StoneSnap app gives a match in seconds.
What is the hardness of Tin?
Tin has a Mohs hardness of 1.5. A fingernail (Mohs 2.5) scratches it easily.
What is the difference between Tin and Aluminum?
Tin (Mohs 1.5, metallic luster) and Aluminum (Mohs 2.75, metallic luster) look alike, but hardness, streak and heft usually separate them. See the full Tin vs Aluminum comparison for a side-by-side table.
Is Tin worth anything?
Entry-level Tin specimens sell for around $1, typical collector pieces about $15, and premium examples $120 or more depending on size, quality and locality.
What color is Tin?
Tin is most often silver, gray, and dull gray. Color varies with impurities and locality, so confirm with hardness and luster rather than color alone.
