At Specialty Metals, Smelters, and Refiners, we understand the importance of discerning the true nature of your precious metal scrap. Whether you're a jewelry enthusiast, a medical device manufacturer, or a collector, knowing whether your material contains platinum, iridium, or a combination of both is essential for ensuring its value and utility.

Precious metals can be found in old dental appliances, especially in old crowns, bridges, porcelain-to-metal facings, fillings, and gold wire.

How much gold, silver and other precious metals can you find in dental scrap, and what kind of appliances should you be looking for? Let’s break it all down by looking at the precious metals that have been used to make dental appliances.

It’s been a long while since we wrote an advisory about investing in gold-plated tableware. So . . . why should we write about it again? The simple reason is that the price of gold is high now. . . and that means this is a good time to think again about investing in gold-plated knives, forks, and spoons. 

Are coins and bullion bars good investments? In today’s post, you will learn what you need to know to make a good decision about whether to sink your money into these popular investments. 

The platinum group metals - platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, and ruthenium look pretty much the same. They are all bright, shiny white metals that do not tarnish. And if you’re dealing with platinum group metal scrap – the stuff that is left over after different industrial processes – it all looks pretty much the same. 

Have you noticed a big change in computers over the last few years?

We’re not talking about the fact that DVD/CD drives have disappeared from most of them – even though that is true. Nor are we talking about the fact that there is no longer a place to plug in an ethernet cable. 

If you read this blog regularly – and we believe you should – you probably think you know everything about precious metals. 

Well maybe you do . . . and maybe you don’t! In our post today, we are going to delve into some of the most common misconceptions about your favorite precious metals – platinum, gold, and silver. 

Another way to identify precious metals . . . 

Do Precious Metals Have Distinctive Smells or Tastes?

We have written on this blog before about what gold, silver, platinum, and other metals look like. Gold is yellow and doesn’t tarnish, for example. Silver is white in color and does collect a layer of chalky tarnish. And platinum is white in color and doesn’t tarnish. 

The platinum group metals (PGMs) consist of six chemically and physically similar elements: platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), and osmium (Os). These metals are often alloyed with each other and with other elements to create materials with specific properties for various industrial and other applications. 

We recently posted an article, “What Is Rhodium Oxide?” on this blog. If you missed it, we’d  urge you to read it now. Rhodium is a precious metal that should definitely be on your radar.

Platinum engagement rings are not rare. Maybe you called off an engagement and your former fiancé gallantly said, “I gave the ring to you . . . it’s yours, so keep it.” Or maybe you find some platinum engagement ring blanks (rings that have not yet had stones mounted in them) in a jewelry manufacturing company that went out of business. 

What do you get when you mix platinum and iridium, two ultra-valuable white, shiny metals? You get a very valuable alloy with high density and resistance to corrosion and oxidation, even at high temperatures. Those characteristics make the alloy particularly useful. 

Rhodium oxide is a chemical compound formed by rhodium, a rare and precious transition metal, and oxygen. There are multiple oxides of rhodium, but the most common is rhodium(III) oxide, which has a chemical formula Rh2O3. In this compound, rhodium exhibits a +3 oxidation state.

Gold is currently trading at $1906.20 per Troy ounce. That’s where it was trading in late September. By the end of September, that price had fallen more than $100.00. But since then, the trading price has rebounded to its end-of-September level and now looks very strong. 

Recycling platinum and platinum scrap is not a job for hobbyists. Some potential risks include:

Inherited items can sometimes be worth more than people expect. There are several reasons for this:

Rarity and collectability - Items that are rare, unique, or have historical significance can be valuable. People may not always be aware of the rarity or historical importance of an item they inherit.

There are times when you inherit a piece of jewelry or a watch that holds great value for you because it belonged to someone you loved. When that happens, you put it away somewhere safe and take it out and wear it on special occasions. You would never think of selling it. 

A famous American politician was recently indicted on charges of taking bribes in exchange for doing political favors. We certainly have no comment on this case or on the innocence or guilt of the accused man, but what interested us was the fact that when his home was searched by FBI agents, they reportedly found gold bars that were worth about $100,000. They reportedly also found about $480,000 in cash.

We recently asked Dan Fried, Founder and CEO of Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners, to name a few places where platinum can be found. Some of his advice was surprising and if you follow it, we predict you will find platinum that you can recycle for money. 

If you are looking for excitement or romance when you are investing in precious metals, few investments can equal ancient Roman or Greek coins. Some of these coins bear the images of historical figures like Julius Caesar or Nero. Others are especially beautiful – true ancient works of art. And then there is the fact that just holding one of these coins in your hand makes you feel like you are in touch with ancient history.