As you have noticed, spring has sprung. That means that it is the official time of year to clean your house – and to clean out all kinds of unwanted stuff you have accumulated since, well, last spring!

And we have a suggestion for a way to not only clean out your home, but to make some money doing it and possibly do some good in your community . . .

“You shouldn’t just toss your old iPhone,” a friend tells you, “it contains a lot of gold.”

Your friend isn’t kidding you, because your iPhone does contain gold. But he or she is stretching the truth, because although your old iPhone does contain gold that can be reclaimed, it doesn’t contain a lot of gold. It only contains a little.

So how much? In today’s post we will answer that question, along with others that are probably on your mind. Let’s dive right in.

People think about more than corned beef and cabbage on Saint Patrick’s Day. Many communities hold parades. People think about wearing green clothing. They think about the fact that Saint Patrick, according to legend, drove all the snakes out of Ireland. Some people even think about Leprechauns, but only occasionally, because they are too busy eating corned beef and cabbage. Many people think about pots of gold that can be found at the point where rainbows touch Earth.

If you’ve been reading our blog, you know that you can reclaim gold from old cellphones and remotes. You also know that you can recycle the silver that is found in old knives, forks, and spoons.

But did you know that you can recycle gold and silver from the following sources too? They don’t contain much gold or silver but – as is always the case in recycling – if you can collect very large quantities of them and send them to us for testing and processing, they can be worth the time and trouble.

Ready? Here are some sources of gold and silver scrap you probably don’t know about.

What Will You Find Closer to Home?

Metal detector enthusiasts have recently found astonishing treasures buried in the British Isles. Last December, a retired police officer who was exploring on the Isle of Man found a cache of Viking-era jewelry that contained a gold arm ring, a silver brooch and other items that were apparently hidden 1,000 years ago.

April 15th coming up soon and it is time to start thinking about taxes.

By the way, the deadline for filing our federal taxes in 2021 is April 15th. You might remember that in 2020, the filing deadline was extended until July 15th, because of Covid-19. But this year the filing deadline is again April 15th unless (of course) you file for an extension.

What’s in Your Toolbox?

We have written blog posts in the past about metal detectors, drones, and other equipment that can help you locate gold, silver, and other precious metals outdoors. But what tools and equipment should you have on hand when you go looking for precious metals indoors? Let’s say, for example, that you are going to comb through an old jewelry factory, welding shop, or other building that is soon to be demolished or sold?

In January 2021, a gold coin that bore the image of Oliver Cromwell sold at a British auction for about $650,000.00. How much gold did it contain? We are not certain, but chances are the gold in the coin was worth only a fraction of what the coin sold for.

Why did that coin command such a high price? There are reasons . . .

It’s a good idea to collect large quantities of little smartphones that were made in the last five years – batches of 50, 100 or more – and send them to us to be recycled. The same is true for remotes. But let’s face realities. In order to make a good return on having us recycle them for you, you need a lot of them.

A lot of people buy metal detectors, take them out to the beach once or twice, then stick them in a closet or a garage because they didn’t find anything. In our informed opinion, that is a mistake.

Here are some common misunderstandings about metal detectors that could actually be robbing you of the dollars you and your detector could be making every day you head outdoors to do some hunting.

Let’s say you have a gold wedding ring that you would like to sell or recycle. Let’s also say it weighs 10 grams, which is pretty typical. So how much gold is in it, and what is it worth?

The first question to answer is, how much pure, 24K gold does it contain? (The 24K designation means pure gold.) Here things get a little complicated and require some calculation. But here’s what you need to know . . .

We don’t know whether you are a big fan of the television series Downton Abbey. But whether you love the show or not, we have noticed that it teaches some valuable lessons for those of us who profit from recycling precious metals. The creators of the show seem to have invested extra effort in historical accuracy, showing wealthy people as they really lived a century ago. Most of the lessons Downton Abbey teaches apply to recycling silver, with fewer applying to recycling gold.

It won’t be long until we get a new president. Will the change cause the trading prices of gold scrap, silver scrap, platinum scrap and other precious metals to rise or fall? Will those metal refineries, “we buy gold” stores near you and pawnshops be paying more for that old piece of jewelry you want to sell, or paying you less?

All kinds of statistics get thrown around in the world of recycling precious metals. Here are some we have heard . . .

1. “Cellphones contain about two cents’ worth of gold . . . “

2. “An old cathode ray computer monitor contains a nickel’s worth of gold . . .”

3. “A ton of electronics scrap should contain about 12 ounces of gold . . .”

The question that we used for the headline of today’s post – “Should You Be Looking for Gold Refineries that Buy from the Public?” – is an interesting one to consider.

It is interesting because, in fact, you should not be looking for a gold refinery that buys your scrap, for a very simple reason . . .

There are many reasons why this is a good time to make money in precious metals. Manufacturing businesses are downsizing or closing, and that gives you an opportunity to buy gold scrap, silver scrap and even platinum scrap from them. Jewelry stores are closing too. General businesses are downsizing too and selling off computers and other electronic devices. And then there is the fact that in the current economic climate, which is harsh, some people are eager to sell jewelry, household items, and other personal possessions that contain precious metals.

Why Just One Short Phone Call Can Get You Much More Money for Your Precious Metal Scrap

We all like to save time. Plus, we live in an age when people value convenience. But when it comes to getting the most from the precious metal and precious metals scrap you want to sell, looking for too much “false convenience” can cost you a lot of money.

Because gold was cheaper in years past, it was commonly used to decorate all kinds of relatively inexpensive items that can be easy to find – and undervalued - today.

Here are some common gold-plated and gold-filled items and forms of gold scrap that are worth snapping up in today’s market.

Our precious metal recycling experts hate to disappoint any customers or callers to our toll-free number. We really do, but sometimes we have to tell those potential customers that the big, impressive-looking gold items they are calling about aren’t worth recycling.

We are not done with the coronavirus yet. And make no mistake about it. Frightening as it is to say, the coronavirus is not yet done with us either.

But there are hopeful signs, despite the numbers that show that the virus is bouncing back again now that the colder weather has returned to many parts of our country. One hopeful sign is that every day brings us closer to a time when an effective vaccine will be widely available. (How we all long for that day.) Another hopeful sign is that more people have accepted social distancing, wearing masks, and practicing other safe protocols at work and at home.