The $1,000 Platinum Lab Crucible that Wasn’t

Recycle Precious MetalsRecycling and RefiningRecycle Refine Silver
Written By Barry Lenson

. . . Lessons in Hunting for Recyclable Platinum Scrap

For a couple in New Jersey, it was time to clean out the basement. A corrugated cardboard box they pulled off a shelf contained some interesting metal items they had inherited, but never really examined. They found a small silver-plated candle holder and a sterling silver lid that had probably once been paired with a candy dish or some other bowl.

And then there was one very interesting item that got the man and his wife excited. It appeared to be a platinum laboratory testing crucible. It was just the right shape. It was discolored in a bluish way that made it look like platinum that had been exposed to high heat. Better yet, it weighed about 30 grams. That meant that if it were really made of pure platinum, it would be worth about $1,000, more or less. A very nice discovery, if it turned out to be platinum.

The Story Continues . . .

The man and his wife used silver polish to clean up the item. And because the tarnish came off quite easily (discolorations on platinum are more difficult to remove), they were pretty sure that the item was made of silver, not platinum.

Once the tarnish was reduced, there were two more indications that the item was made of silver, not platinum:

  • First, there was a small square stamp on the bottom of the item. It was impossible to read any letters that this square contained, but there was clearly not a “P” or another indicator that the item was made of platinum.

  • Second – and this is more conclusive – there was a decorative border running around the top of the item, just below the rim. (You can see it in the photo that accompanies this post.) To the best of our knowledge, no platinum lab crucible has ever had decorative borders or other embellishments; crucibles are utilitarian testing devices and their appearance doesn’t matter.

So the Verdict Is . . .

The couple had found a sterling silver baby drinking cup. Given its weight, it was worth about $25 in silver. Incidentally, sterling silver baby cups are still being made today. Reed & Barton and other companies make them – they are elegant small gifts to give to newborns.

That was a bit of a letdown, of course. The couple was hoping they had discovered a laboratory crucible worth $1,000, and it turned out to be worth much less.

But should they be disappointed? Not at all. Even though they had not gotten the amount of money they were hoping for, they were reminded that silver baby gifts are an important category of precious metal collectibles that are worth looking for.

The World of Sterling Silver Baby Gifts

Silver baby gifts like these are worth looking for:

  • Drinking cups, like the one we write about in today’s blog. Most of them have handles and decorative touches.

  • Baby combs and handheld mirrors with decorative silver handles.

  • Rattles, also with decorations.

  • Spoons! As you know, when a baby is said to have been born with “a silver spoon in its mouth,” that is taken to be a good sign. And the best way to get a silver spoon to a baby is to give one as a gift. They are perennial favorites.

What Precious Discoveries Have You Made?

Don’t let that couple from New Jersey claim all those recyclable silver gift items. Get out there and find some for yourself.

And when you do, call our precious metal recycling consultants at 800-426-2344. We are here to answer all your questions about making more money from your precious metal items!

Barry Lenson
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