Specifies a test method for the determination of the d.c. critical current of either Cu/Nb-Ti composite superconductors that have a copper/superconductor ratio larger than 1 or Cu/Cu-Ni/Nb-Ti wires that have a copper/superconductor ratio larger than 0,9 and a copper alloy (Cu-Ni)/superconductor ratio larger than 0,2, where the diameter of Nb-Ti superconducting filaments is larger than 1 [mu]m.