How to Recycle Tie Tacks, ID Bracelets and Other Small Items They Just Don’t Make Any More

Recycle and Refine GoldRecycle Precious MetalsRecycle Refine Silver
Written By Barry Lenson

Forty or fifty years ago, men were apparently wearing a variety of small jewelry items that are no longer very popular today. 

In a moment, we will list what some of these items are and how you can recognize them when you go hunting for gold, silver, and platinum items that are worth recycling. But before we give you a list of these items, we would like to mention the following fact . . . 

The value of these items depends on the metals they contain.

Many of these items are made of silver. Some are made of silver that have gold accents. Many are made of base metal that has been lacquered with a yellow clearcoat to make them look like they are made of gold. And then there is the fact that a small number of these items – the ones you should be hunting for – are made of karat gold. 

How can you tell? In most cases, they bear stamped inscriptions that tell you their metallic content. If you are lucky enough to find them in their original boxes and packaging, you will see that those materials will almost always state what they are made of, such as “14K Gold Plated” or “Sterling Silver.” 

If you come across an item – or hopefully a collection of them – that are unstamped or unmarked, that is no problem. Call our precious metal refiners at 800-426-2344, tell us what you have, and we will explain how to determine the value and, if appropriate, how to recycle your finds for maximum dollars, at current trading prices. 

Bear in mind that many of the items we are about to describe were made by businesses, organizations, and other entities and given out as rewards for their members. So if you find, say, a tie tack that bears the logo of a company or the emblem of a civic organization like the Kiwanis or the Lions, or General Motors, don’t be surprised. 

What Are These Little Metal Items?

Tie Accessories

These items were intended to keep ties flat against men’s chests – and to keep ties from blowing around. They fall into several categories:

  • Tie bars and tie clips are long bar-shaped pieces of metal, often with a spring-loaded clip underneath that attaches to the tie and keeps it from flopping around. 

  • Tie pins and tie tacks are small thumbtack-like pins that are inserted through the tie. They lock into small metal devices that are located on the back of the tie. Some tie tacks and tie pins also have small chains that are inserted through a buttonhole to, again, keep the tie from blowing around. 

The majority of tie accessories are inexpensive items that contain very little gold. But if you are on the lookout, you could find some that are from bona fide jewelry manufacturers like Tiffany. So take a close look at items in this category before passing them by.  

Lapel Pins

These are small thumbtack-like pieces of jewelry. They are inserted though the lapel of a sportscoat or suit jacket, and then they are inserted into a small metal device that holds them secure. 

Most all lapel pins were created by organizations of some kind – anything from the Ford Motor Company to a college to a golf club. Don’t be puzzled, just look at the back of these items to see if there is a marking that indicates what they are made of. 

ID Bracelets

Forty or 50 years ago, jewelry companies made an earnest attempt to convince men they should wear ID bracelets. In most cases, these bracelets contained only the wearer’s initials; in other cases, these bracelets were sold “blank” and the owner could have his name or initials engraved on the front.

Most of these bracelets are only thinly plated with gold or are “gold toned,” which means they are essentially worthless. But there are exceptions, so be sure to take a close look at these items to see if they are stamped with their metallic contents.

If You Find a Collection of These Items . . .

These are small items and as we note above, most contain only very small amounts of gold or even silver. But the good news is that it is not unusual to find a large collection of these items for sale online, at an antique store, or in other places your metal-hunting takes you. 

Whether you have only one item or a large number, give our precious metal refiners a call at 800-426-2344. We have seen some precious metal investors make a nice return after buying these small, easy-to-overlook items. Could you be one of them?

Barry Lenson
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