Looking for Valuables in an Old House? Remember that Stuff Rolls!
If you bought an old house, you should search it carefully for bits of gold, silver and even platinum that could be hidden from sight. And if you are about to sell an old house – maybe one that was owned by a family member – you will obviously want to search it carefully to be sure you will not be leaving any precious metal items behind.
We have written on this blog before about all the places to look for precious items people have concealed in their houses – behind loose bricks in the basement, behind false panels in closets, and under floorboards.
Today, we would like to offer some slightly different advice about how to find gold scrap, silver scrap and platinum scrap in old houses, by reminding you of a simple law of physics . . .
Round and spherical items roll!
Look at it this way. If you drop cube-shaped items like dice, they might bounce and roll a little, but they will typically remain pretty close to the point of impact.
Round and spherical items behave differently. If you drop them onto a floor, they can roll quite a distance before coming to rest. Those items can include:
Coins
Rings
Lost links and clasps from chains
That explains why round and sphere-shaped metal items are the most likely to be hiding in out-of-the-way nooks and crannies in old houses.
And where should you look for them? Here’s a quick checklist of places to look. You might want to save this list, because someday it could literally put money into your pocket.
Places to Look for Lost Items
Behind baseboard heating units and radiators
On the floor beneath and around book shelves and cabinets – even those that have been “permanently” installed
In the corners of drawers and shelves in old dressers and other pieces of furniture
Underneath and between floorboards, where small metal items often end up if they have rolled across floors
In sink traps
In garbage disposals, which can be searched more easily than you might expect.
An Inexpensive Tool that Can Make Your Searching Easier and More Effective
Consider investing in an optical/electronic scope that can make it much easier to do visual inspections between and under radiators, cabinets and in other tight spaces. These tools, which you can buy from Amazon.com or from hardware stores, are called either borescopes or endoscopes.
Some of them have long flexible probes that connect to a base unit that is equipped with a small optical screen; you insert the probe under that floorboard or into any tight space, and you can see what is hidden there. Still other borescopes connect visual probes to laptops, using USB cables. And as you might expect, new models are being introduced that connect the probe to a smartphone, which acts as a display.
You can find a growing number of these nifty devices on Amazon.com, if you search for the terms “borescope” and “endoscope.”
We wish you happy and profitable hunting! And when you have found those rolling, round items, why not call us up and tell us about your discoveries? We are here to reclaim the gold, silver, and other precious metals they contain and pay you promptly for their full value. Why not call us at 800-426-2344 to learn more?
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Hunting for Platinum? These Three Facts Can Help You Find More
Why Historical Buildings Are Among the Best Places to Look for Platinum, Gold and Silver Scrap