“I just got a beautiful piece of silver-plated jewelry,” says a man in New York. “Is there any chance that the silver is plated over gold?”

That’s a logical question

Jewelry makers use lots of different ways to indicate the purity of the metal that they use in their products. They stamp certain pieces of jewelry as 24K gold, 18K gold, Sterling Silver, and in lots of other ways. And just as soon as you think you have started to understand what all the different terminology means, along comes this term, and you wonder what the heck it is . . .

Nobody likes a recession. But the fact remains that if another recession starts soon, precious metals are a good place to have your assets invested.  

During the last big historical recession of 2007-2009, the trading price of gold rose about 24%. In the same period, the Dow fell by about 35%. And something similar, though not as extreme, happened in preceding recessions. In the less-severe recession of 2001, gold prices rose more than 4%, while the Dow fell about 15%.

Would you like to make $100 or more today by sitting at your kitchen table snipping gold contacts? If you would, here’s what you need to know.

If you go to your local bookstore and say, “I am looking for a book that will tell me everything I need to know about investing in platinum scrap,” the salesperson will probably respond with a shrug or a blank stare.

You see, there aren’t any books that can tell you what you need to know about making money recycling platinum scrap. But that’s okay, because we have covered everything you need to know right here on the Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners Blog.

Have you heard about the new alloy of platinum and gold that is said to be the most indestructible metal ever made . . . one that is as hard as diamonds and virtually abrasion-proof? We have heard about it too. It sounds like a hoax. After all, gold is a very soft metal. Platinum can easily be scratched, as owners of platinum engagement rings have discovered. So how can it be that combining these two not-so-durable metals could result in a super-metal that is virtually indestructible?

Another school year is about to begin. And because we are thinking about education, we would like to ask this question . . .

What is the best way to educate young people about investing in precious metals?

With platinum trading on the London Fix for $831 per ounce, it’s no wonder that precious metal investors look to platinum as a top investment today. Its trading price falls about halfway between the current Fix price of only $17.25 for an ounce of silver, and $1510.80 for an ounce of gold. Plus, traders realize that although platinum is rarer than gold and certainly a lot rarer than silver, many kinds of platinum scrap are not too difficult to find. They know that if they can buy platinum scrap at pennies on the dollar, which is often possible, they can send it to us for testing and recycling and profit handsomely on their investment.

“Why Thermocouples Could Be the Smartest Precious Metal Investments Today,” a post on this blog on July 19th, 2019, explained why investing in scrapped thermocouples is a very smart move for precious metal investors today.

In today’s post we would like to examine in more depth a question that we only touched on in that earlier post. Let’s explore it some more!

What is the most powerful tool for finding gold, platinum, silver and other precious metals?

When you think about that question, chances are you think about using a metal detector. And yes, a metal detector can be a great device to use when you are looking for precious metals in outdoor areas like the beach or open fields. There are other good tools too, like camera-equipped drones.

We are big fans of investing in precious metals. But we have sometimes seen people lose money, most often because they have misunderstood some of the basic principles and facts about precious metals.

We don’t want to throw a wet blanket over your enthusiasm for investing in silver, gold, platinum, rhodium and other precious metals. But because we know that the most informed investors are likely to make the highest profits, we would like to provide you with some reality checks in today’s post.

Do you like to buy silver, gold, platinum and rhodium bullion bars and coins?

If you do, you are making a prudent investment choice for these reasons . . .

• You know exactly what you are buying, because they are precisely measured, and issued by governments and reliable companies that are generally trustworthy.

• You can gauge whether your bars and coins are fairly priced, because you can compare their weight to current trading prices. (Note, however, that in most cases bullion bars and coins are sold at prices that are slightly higher than current trading prices.)

• They are convenient investments – easy to buy. Plus, they are packaged in sealed plastic containers that protect them, and which can be easily stored in safety deposit boxes, safes and other secure locations.

• You are all but assured that the precious metals they contain are pure.

• You can enjoy volume discounts, because many dealers will reduce the price per unit if you buy 10, 20, 50 or more at one time.

Okay, those are good reasons. But do they mean that you are making the most profitable investment possible in precious metals if you buy bars and coins? We’ll return to that question in a minute. But first, let’s consider a different question.

If you are a regular reader of our blog, you have noticed that we have written many posts about thermocouples in the past. Hopefully, you’ve been gleaning information about what thermocouples are and how you can profit from the platinum, rhodium, silver and other precious metals they contain.

Today is an especially good time to make money by refining older pieces of jewelry that were crafted in white gold.

Why? Here’s a bit of history that could come in handy if you are interested in making money by reclaiming and recycling gold scrap . . .

In the classic movie The Graduate, a man takes a recent college graduate aside and says to him, “I have one word to say to you . . . PLASTICS!”

That is a famous scene, and we have some similar advice for you. If you want to profit richly from investing in precious metals, “We have just one word to say to you . . . PLATINUM!”

In the days following World War II, army surplus yards opened in many parts of the country, selling all kinds of items that had been manufactured for the U.S. war effort. All sorts of items showed up – hats, coats, uniforms, tarpaulins, tents, and even some decommissioned “souvenir” hand grenades. There were even opportunities to buy electronic devices like field radios that contained small amounts of gold.

There are many reasons to avoid buying stolen items of jewelry. One practical reason is that if you do buy items that were stolen, they could be confiscated by law enforcement agencies. Another, more important reason is that even if you buy “hot” items without knowing they were stolen, you are supporting a number of criminal gangs that engaged in violent crimes. Even if you buy those items from pawn shops or legitimate jewelers and have no idea that you are trading in stolen goods, you are contributing to a form of crime that is big and getting bigger.

In the past, we have written about all the places where gold can be found in cars. Just for a quick review, it can be found in onboard computers and other electronic devices that have been used to monitor and control . . .

We have to say, the U.S. Mint is selling an especially attractive lineup of gold commemorative coins these days. If you visit the U.S. Mint’s website, here’s a selection of what you can buy . . .

If you went to see your physician a few years ago and you were having chest pains, chances are that your doctor sent you to get an x-ray (a technology that relied heavily on silver), an electrocardiogram (which used printed circuit boards that contained gold and silver), and a round of blood tests (which didn’t have much to do with precious metals of any kind).