Silver Is All Around Photographs

Recycle photographic filmRecycle Refine SilverPrecious Metal Investment
Written By Barry Lenson

Over the last few months, gold has been occupying center stage for people who invest in precious metals. And with good reason! As we have noted on this blog over the last few weeks, the trading price of gold has broken all previous records.

But before you turn your back on other precious metals, we would like to point out something that is obvious, but easy to overlook . . .

Silver is worth much less than gold or platinum, but it is much easier to find

So the message is that even though silver might not be giving you goosebumps of excitement in the current climate, you can still make money trading in silver scrap. Why? Because there are plenty of sources of it. And if you start collecting it and having us recycle it for you, it can still pay you an ROI that is worth pursuing.

And Silver Can Be Found Nearly Everywhere in Photographic Materials

Every time you put a finger on a photograph that was taken during the pre-digital era, chances are you are touching silver that can be extracted and refined. Where? Here’s a checklist.

Silver Photo Frames

We’ll start our checklist with the most visible and obvious places silver can be found in and around photographs – silver and silver-plated photo frames! For the better part of a century, people have been displaying photographs in silver frames. They are so common; it is almost possible to forget they are there. But if you find an old photo displayed in a white metal frame that is tarnishing, you have found a silver item that is probably worth snapping up and sending to Specialty Metals for testing and processing.

Silver and Silver Gelatin Prints

Classic, century-old black and white photographs were often printed using gelatin and copious quantities of silver that can still be extracted. Just be sure that the old photo you have bought isn’t from a famous photographer from days gone by. If it is, its collectible value could far exceed the value of any silver it contains. But if you can buy a stack of antique B&W photos for a few dollars – which is often possible – snap them up and give us a call.

Photographic and X-Ray Film

Whether they have been developed or not, these varieties of film contain silver that can be extracted. It is not difficult to find these materials in testing/X-Ray facilities that are moving or shutting down, in hospitals that are reorganizing, and in many other medical facilities. You can sometimes buy hundreds of pounds of film and recycling it can pay you a good return.

Processing Chemicals

Liquid chemicals that were used in darkrooms and processing labs in pre-digital days contain silver that can be precipitated out. These chemicals, like many of the materials we describe above, can be found in good quantities in x-ray labs and in companies that processed photos on film.

And Instant-Camera Film Too

You won’t make a fortune buying one small packet or two of old, unused Polaroid film. But if you can get your hands on a lot of it, you could have found an investment that will pay you a substantial return.

Find Silver in Those Places? Why Not Call Us?

Our precious metal refining consultants are standing by at 800-426-2344 to tell you how to turn your photographic discoveries into cash. We invite you to give us a call today.

Barry Lenson
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