[Jim/GA]

If you have an accurate ohm meter, reading across the posts of a 12 volt coil should be about 3 ohms. A 6 volt coil is about half of that. It is not an exact number, but close enough that you can tell 6 from 12 volt.

Or, doing what Tom says, a 12 volt coil will flow about 2 amps if connected to 6 volts. Instead of an accurate ohm meter, you need an accurate ammeter (that can tell the difference between 4 amps vs. 2 amps).