If you’ve been letting your metal detector gather dust, now could be the time to take it out and hit outdoor areas in search of gold, silver and platinum.

Nearly every week, a new story reports on finds of precious metals that have been discovered using metals detectors that are probably no more advanced than the one you already own.

The most recent of these news stories reports something rather incredible. Earlier this year, amateur metal prospectors found more than 100 French silver coins underground in a field in Poland. And like all tantalizing discoveries of hidden treasure, this one is mysterious.

If you’ve been around for more than a few years, chances are you have fielded phone calls from pushy companies that try to get you to buy silver coins and all kinds of other “investments.” The usual pitch centers on opportunity: some trend is about to make today a great time to buy some investment. And if you don’t, you are going to lose money or overlook an incredible investment opportunity.

Some people who go looking for recyclable silver are applying this simple strategy...They go to a bank, buy rolls of coins and then sort through them, looking for coins from certain years that contain silver. If they can find just one or two old silver coins, they can recycle them and make money. And the more coin rolls they buy, the more money they make. At least, that’s the theory....

That’s why this could be a very profitable season to go looking for valuable items that people have lost during the summer months. Rings, watches, cellphones and other stuff is out there waiting for you, so let’s review some of the strategies that can help you find them. 

We really like hobbyists who spend their time looking for bits and pieces of silver to recycle. Luckily for us, some of those smart silver-hunters like to post videos on YouTube that explain all the places they hunt for silver. Today, we’d like to share four of their more eye-opening videos with you

Silver bullets have figured in legends, TV shows and movies for years. The Lone Ranger, a hero from the early days of TV, fired silver bullets as symbols of justice and honor. Golden guns have been the stuff of legend too. One example? In the film “The Man with the Golden Gun,” an evil assassin named Scaramanga, who packs a golden gun, is trying to shoot James Bond. Are there really silver bullets and gold guns that you should be on the lookout for? Can you find some in antique stores or for sale online, buy them at low prices, and recycle them profitably with us? Let’s take a closer look.

If you have been waiting to recycle or sell silver until trading prices rise, we invite you to consider a Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners Pool Account.  Our Pool Account offers significant benefits, including the ability to sell your silver when prices rise in the future.

If you happen to be in London this week, I’d urge you to visit the British Museum. A treasure of 5,200 coins found by a man named Paul Coleman has just gone on display there. Mr. Coleman isn’t a coin collector exactly. He’s a hobbyist who found the coins last year with his metal detector in Lenborough, a small town north of London. The coins were buried in a lead container, probably in the 11th century. They are made of silver and show images of two kings named Ethelred II and Canute. Read more:

On average, quarters minted in 1964 or before contain 18% pure silver that is worth more than $3.25. In 1984, everything changed. That was the year when the U.S. Mint started making copper-nickel clad quarters for circulation. They contain no silver.