Tayyib checkThe tests a piece passes
As recorded in the assayer remarks on every certificate.
XRF
INSTRUMENTSurface fluorescence at three points or more, to screen fineness and detect plating before the piece is opened.
Visual
BY HANDHallmark, edge, casting marks and laser serial checked against the register entry. Tampering usually shows here first.
Liquid
BY HANDAcid testing on an inconspicuous point, to confirm the surface reading on pieces where a drilled sample is not appropriate.
Scratch
BY HANDA touchstone comparison against known standards, the oldest of the tests and still the fastest at the counter.
Weight
INSTRUMENTMass to the recorded decimal, in grams and in ūqiyah, checked against the stated size for the form.
Purity machine
INSTRUMENTConfirmatory purity reading, with fire assay on a drilled sample as the reference method where the piece allows it.
Certified by IDCC, IMC and MAC. Passed all metal tests, including XRF, visual, liquid, scratch, weight and purity testing, using purity machines. That sentence appears on the certificate itself and it is the summary of the six columns above.
Becoming a licensed assayer
Qualification in precious metals
Formal qualification in assaying and hallmarking. Council assayers hold qualifications from bodies such as The Birmingham Assay Office and The Royal Mint.
Laboratory discipline
Evidence of working to a controlled method with documented tolerances, whether in metals or in an adjacent scientific field.
Mastery in assaying from MAC
Assessment by the Muslim Assayers Council, after which the assayer is licensed under a numbered identifier that appears on certificates.
Shariah grounding
Familiarity with what the council will and will not certify, and why, so a piece is refused for the right reason.
Ongoing supervision
Work is subject to unannounced spot checks. A breach found on review suspends or revokes the certification concerned.
What the council will not certify
IDCC does not provide compliance certification for coins, bars, or any assets featuring facial photography of humans or animals (eyes), in adherence to Shariah principles. According to the Hadith, images with faces are discouraged, and IDCC products respect this Islamic tradition by abstaining from including such photos.