...hmmm . . . anybody know if 55gal oil drums are galvanised?
If it isn't galvanized it will probably be painted. Most unlikely to be both galvanized and painted, so if it's some colour like green or red or blue or black then it's very likely not galvanized. Zinc is a dull grey colour, a bit like dull aluminium. There will usually be runs and spots, it behaves a bit like raindrops when the steel part is lifted out of the molten zinc bath and then it freezes. Zinc is much softer than steel, you can scrape it off galvanized steel with a knife where it's thick enough. It comes off in little curls like a tiny feather stick. Don't do it if you don't want to damage the galvanizing. Some things are zinc plated, it's a much thinner layer of zinc than galvanizing and it looks even more like aluminium. It tends to be a bit shinier. It weathers/burns off much faster than proper galvanizing.
If it isn't galvanized and also isn't painted, it's probably made of polythene.