Are you among the many who have been captivated by the allure of weighted silver? Perhaps you've inherited a set of candelabras that seem to promise a treasure trove of precious metal, or maybe you're considering recycling your silverware for some extra cash. Whatever your situation, it's essential to understand the reality behind weighted silver and its value.

In the world of precious metals, accuracy is paramount. Whether you're a seasoned investor or a newcomer to the industry, the quest for precise readings on metal composition can be fraught with challenges. One such hurdle comes in the form of X-ray guns, which, while widely used, may not always deliver the accuracy you need.

Not long ago we were chatting with a with a young man who was just starting to invest in precious metals. As we were talking, we realized that he thought that an alloy was something that results when two pieces of metal are welded together. That’s incorrect. (See the definition of “alloy” below.) He also thought that the process of annealing means melting a piece of metal. That’s again incorrect. (See the definition of “annealing” below.)

Placer gold, also known as alluvial gold, is gold that has adhered to rocks and other materials. Can you recycle it and make money? In most cases you cannot, because the amount of gold that can be recovered from recycling placer gold materials is very small. Yet large industrial gold collecting operations have been able to generate profits from placer gold because of the large quantities of soil and sand they are able to gather. 

Precious metal refining companies specialize in the extraction and purification of precious metals, such as gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, from raw materials such as ore, electronic waste, and scrap metal.

Churchyards and cemeteries are good places to find coins, jewelry, and other items that people have lost over the years. But do you have permission to search for them? be sure to ask before you take your metal detector out of its carrying case and start hunting in those locations.

While we were working online just the other day, an ad popped up urging us to buy a collectible U.S. coin from a company that was not affiliated with the U.S. Government. A few days later when we were watching TV, a similar ad appeared, also pitching collectible coins that were supposed to increase dramatically in value.

We are not accusing the companies that were behind those products of outright dishonesty. In our country, after all, any company is free to manufacture and sell any products it likes, provided the organization is not engaging in outright fraud. In the end, it is up to the buyer to beware and make an intelligent decision about whether to buy what is being offered.

Canada is the fifth largest producer of mined gold in the world, following behind China, Russia, Australia, and the United States. A trip to Canada to look for gold in streams could be a good idea or, at the very least, a profitable and fun adventure.

Here’s some information that will add to your adventure and possibly your profits too.

There is a story behind every business that closes and liquidates its fixtures, equipment, supplies and assets. Sometimes the story is sad because a business failed. Sometimes it was in an industry that was no longer profitable. Sometimes the owner retired, and that is not a sad story.

When an armored delivery truck was robbed near Los Angeles on July 11, 2022, thieves got away with jewelry that was estimated to be worth more than $10 million. The truck was on its way to an event in Pasadena and somehow, thieves got the jump on the driver.

According to news reports, the jewelry was owned by a number of businesses and individuals. Brinks, the operator of the armored car that was robbed, has promised to repay all the owners. And given the excellent reputation that Brinks enjoys, we are sure the company will.

The 2021 Annual Crime Report published by the Jewelers’ Security Alliance, a nonprofit trade organization, is a free downloadable report that we all need to read. At least, everyone who is involved with jewelry or precious metals should download and read it. It reveals, in depth, exactly where jewelry-related crimes are taking place. Also, it explains how many of those crimes are happening, and whether those crimes are becoming more or less frequent.

It has been a while since we have written a post about finding hidden treasure. But today, we would like to explore the topic again.

Why? Because news stories about finding buried treasure never seem to go away. Earlier this month, a treasure was found near Santa Fe that was buried decades ago by an eccentric man named Forrest Fenn. People have been searching for this hidden box of gold for decades. And the search was clearly worth the effort. The man who found it reported that the box contained gold and jewels valued at more than $1 million.

Are you just about to do some spring cleaning in your home, garage, or place of business?

That’s great. But spring is also a great time to make some new plans for profiting from precious metals. Here’s a checklist of ways to make sure that this spring and summer will be the most profitable time you have ever seen for collecting – and profiting from – gold scrap, silver scrap, platinum scrap and more.

Some people dismiss metal detectors as toys.

They shouldn’t! Every few months someone discovers something truly incredible when using a metal detector. We can’t think of another inexpensive device that has the potential to put so much money in your pocket.

“The gold price dropped from $1,783.90 an ounce at the end of October to $1,763.90 on 3 November, as the US Federal Reserve indicated in a statement that it would `begin reducing the monthly pace of its net asset purchases by $10bn for Treasury securities and $5bn for agency mortgage-backed securities.”

“Gold Prices Forecast for 2022 and Beyond: A Buy, Hold or Sell?” by Nicole Willing, Capital.Com, December 9, 2021

After Hanukah and Christmas, most people have tons of stuff to toss out and recycle. Whether you live in a residential neighborhood or an apartment building, you know the scene. Recyclable wrapping paper, ribbons and other “stuff” get hauled to the curb or put in receptacles.

Many precious metal investors believe that they will make a lot of money if they look for “one big win” in their investing. They will find one batch of gold scrap, platinum scrap or even silver scrap, make a lot of money from it, and then they will be set for life.

Of course, that does happen. (We could tell you stories about times when it has.) But looking for one big high-paying batch of metal is not the most effective way to spend years investing and ending up with a large sum of money from investments.

If you’ve been following current events, you know that legislation could soon be passed by Congress that will result in improvements in our country’s infrastructure from coast to coast. Bridges will be built and rebuilt, roadways will be improved, internet access will be improved in underserved areas, and many more improvements are planned.

If you’ve been following current events, you know that legislation could soon be passed by Congress that will result in improvements in our country’s infrastructure from coast to coast. Bridges will be built and rebuilt, roadways will be improved, internet access will be improved in underserved areas, and many more improvements are planned.

You find an item that’s made of metal. You don’t know exactly what it is. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a lot of money. Why not call Specialty Metals to find out?

What are the latest techniques in metal testing to be sure you are getting full value?

One thing for certain is that the old-fashioned kind of test that you have probably seen performed – the one where you rub a piece of jewelry on a stone and then drip some testing fluid on it, wastes a small quantity of precious metal. Why? Because in order to do the test, you have to rub off a quantity of that metal, you cannot reclaim it.