Down and Dirty . . . Why Making Money in Precious Metals Sometimes Means Getting Your Hands Dirty

Platinum ScrapRecycle and Refine GoldRecycle Precious Metals
Written By Barry Lenson

There are times when buying precious metals is a very clean business. One example? You walk into an estate sale and buy a set of sterling tableware in a wooden storage box. Then you carry it to your car and drive it home. Your hands don’t even get dirty, and neither do your pants.

Then there are other times when acquiring precious metals means getting dirty, maybe even filthy. But many investors don’t mind doing that if the potential profits are worth it. (Plus, smart investors wear facemasks, long gloves, and other protective gear to avoid risking their health.)

Here are some examples of times when getting down and dirty is worth it.

Pulling Insulation Out of Walls in Old Buildings

This is one of the grossest and dirtiest ways to get your hands – and probably the rest of you too – dirty.  Plus, old insulation is often home to mold, insects, and rodent infestations. But it is often something you have to do if you want to get your hands on . . .

Pulling Out Floorboards and Walls

This is also dirty work. But sometimes necessary if you want to obtain . . .

  • Gold-containing dust and dirt that has accumulated in factories

  • Valuables that were hidden by people who wanted to conceal them

  • Wiring that was installed behind walls

Digging Up Sand and Dirt

It is profitable to dig up tons and tons of sand and dirt if it contains silver or gold. The good news is, you can generally send just a small sample of it to Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners for testing – you don’t need to send it all to find out what it is worth. But you may have to deal with large amounts of sand and dirt if you are looking for precious metals in . . .

  • Sand that collected near runoff drains outside of factories that processed gold or silver

  • Sand and dirt that collected outside of mines

  • Sand from streambeds where gold chips and nuggets can be found

Exploring Underground Discoveries You Made with a Metal Detector

Let’s say you are exploring outdoors with your metal detector, which gives you a signal that something big is waiting for you to dig up underground. Are you really going to ignore that? Of course not. You are going to get digging, even though pulling items out from the ground is often strenuous. Who knows? You could find . . .

  • A box of treasure that someone buried (hey, this really does happen, even though it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience)

  • A coin, bracelet, or small item of jewelry that someone lost

  • A gun, bayonet, or other weapons that could have collectible or historic value

Sometimes You Have to Get Dirty If You Want to Get Rich!

Has any successful treasure-hunter ever said, “I am really sorry I had to get my pants dirty when I found that precious metal that was worth $100.00 (or $500.00, or $1,000.00 or more)? We don’t think so. We have only heard people talk about how much money they made after we recycled their gold, silver, or platinum scrap.

Find something? Give our precious metal scrap consultants a call at 800-426-2344 to find out about how we can test your finds, extract the precious metal they contain, and pay you promptly at current trading prices.

Barry Lenson
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