Quiz: Which Disappearing Medium Is the Biggest Source of Silver?
In the beginning of the age of sound recordings, there was the Edison cylinder, a wax-covered tube-shaped record that could play just one song on Edison’s phonographs. That cylinder was replaced by flat disks that spun at 78 RPM and were better because they produced better audio quality and could deliver two songs because they had two sides. Those disks were then replaced by flat vinyl disks that spun at 33 RPM and could play about 30 minutes of music on each side. Then came the CD…
You’re getting the idea. Over the last century, all kinds of media – for audio recording, video recording and the recording of still images – have consistently been replaced by new media that have been better in one way or another. And every time something new hit the marketplace, large quantities of the old “stuff” got tossed away, got sold at discount prices, or was snapped up by collectors.
Just one of the many types of silver-bearing film worth recycling in large quantities with Specialty Metals Smelters & Refiners. Credit: bizoo_n/iStock.
Where Can You Find Silver in Obsolete Media?
Some of the outgoing, obsolete media contains silver that can be extracted profitably. The question is, do you know which? Here’s a quiz to test your knowledge.
Audio Recordings
Do Edison wax cylinders contain silver?
Answer: No, they do not.
Do 78 RPM records contain silver?
Answer: No, they do not.
Do 45 RPM records contain silver?
Answer: No, they do not.
Do 33 RPM records contain silver?
Answer: No, they do not.
Do audio CDs contain silver?
Answer: Yes, but in tiny quantities.
Video Recordings
Do 8, 16 or 35 millimeter films (either processed or unprocessed) contain silver?
Answer: Yes. Large quantities could contain enough silver to recycle profitably.
Do Sony Laser Disks contain silver?
Answer: Yes, but in tiny quantities.
Do VHS cassettes that can be played in VCRs contain silver?
Answer: No, they do not.
Do DVDs or Blu Ray Disks contain silver?
Answer: Yes, but in tiny quantities.
Photography, X-ray and Still Imaging
Do old 35 millimeter and other still photography films (either processed or unprocessed) contain silver?
Answer: Yes. Large quantities could contain enough silver to recycle profitably.
Do chemicals that were once used to process film contain silver?
Answer: Yes. Large quantities could contain enough silver to recycle profitably.
Do photographs on paper contain silver?
Answer: Yes. Large quantities could contain enough silver to recycle profitably.
Do old x-ray films (either processed or unprocessed) contain silver?
Answer: Yes. Large quantities could contain enough silver to recycle profitably.
Do CD-ROM and other disks that are used to store images contain silver?
Answer: Yes, but in tiny quantities.
So, What Do You Have to Recycle?
We hope you enjoyed today’s quiz. We also hope it led you to think twice about what you have collected…or what you should be collecting. If you have items that contain recyclable silver, call us at 800-426-2344 and talk to us about what they could be worth. Please be sure to mention today’s post and ask about the free or discounted shipping we offer on some items that are sent to us for testing.
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It’s Time to Reclaim Silver that’s Hiding in Old Darkrooms and Film Processing Facilities
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Why It Pays to Find a Refiner for Silver, the Forgotten Precious Metal