Tiny Gold Scraps You Should Not Overlook
Finding a big gold nugget or other chunk of gold is every gold investor’s dream. And it does happen occasionally. It is far more likely that you will find small chunks of the precious metal – and likely that you will overlook some of them when you go hunting for gold in estate sales, antique stores, and even around your own house.
Let’s look at some of those common little chunks of gold. You’ll need to collect a lot of them before their value equals that of that once-in-a-lifetime nugget. But let’s face it. They are gold, and even a few ounces of them are worth a lot of money.
Studs and shirt accessories – These are the f, dumbbell-shaped mushrooms that are used like buttons to close the front of tuxedo shirts. They are easy to miss because of their small size, and the fact that they often end up rolling around the bottoms of drawers alongside cheap cufflinks, lapel pins and other plated items. Don’t miss them, older ones are often made of 14k or even 18k solid gold. (Note too that small jewels or pieces of black onyx is often mounted in one of the ends; their presence can distract you from the fact that the metal core of a stud is made of gold.)
Collar pins – These are the bright, shiny safety pin-like devices that were once popular shirt accessories. They are still used today, but not too often. They are inserted through eyelets in shirt collars underneath neckties, where they add a touch of elegance. Most of them are made of thin layers of bright gold, or gold-colored, metal. But don’t assume that all the collar pins you find rolling around in drawer bottoms or in jewelry trays at antique stores, are worthless. Some are the real stuff. One clue? Some solid-gold or gold-plated collar pins are stamped with “14 karat gold plated” or a similar hallmark that can tip you off.
Lapel pins – These are decorative pieces of jewelry, often decorated with enamel or surface engraving, that were issued by organizations to their members. (Think the Kiwanis, the Masons, etc.) More often than you would expect, they are plated with gold that can be refined by a precious metals smelter like Precious Metals Smelters and Refiners. Plus, they are pretty common items – you can collect 40, 50 of them and more and send them to us for profitable refining.
Gold charms – These are usually thin, gold-plated items that are about ½” in diameter. Forty or 50 years ago, one popular kind showed a girl’s or a boy’s profile that was usually engraved with a child’s name. The idea was for a grandmother to wear them on a charm bracelet; each one represented a grandchild. You can also find charms in the shape of cars, golf clubs, and all manner of things. So if you see something small and thin, don’t pass it by. Also remember that those charms were meant to be displayed on chain bracelets that were usually made of karat or plated gold.
Keep Your Eyes Open . . .
Again, remember that gold is gold, and that even small quantities of it can quickly add up to a lot of value. When you find the items we describe in today’s post, call Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners at 800-426-2344. Little tiny bits of gold can add up to big dollars for alert gold hunters.
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