My first gold! (Maybe?)

[Brian B]

I make my way selling books, so as I was traveling Saturday between towns that had closing bookstores for me to pick the bones of, I passed a church in a town, and it had a big rummage sale sign out front. It was like 3:30-4 o'clock when I stopped. It was a college town, and for some reason I always seem to find current textbooks at rummage sales anyways. I missed a whole box, some how got every box around it, then my girlfriend says did you get these? Nope, but she did. LOL. (we're kinda in competition with each other at times). Anyways I start to leave and see some earrings hanging on a bulletin board by the door. I remembered the treasurenet advice about ALWAYS check out the jewelery boxes. So I did. At first look I could tell most of it was dollar store stuff, but when I looked in this shoe box seen a lot of plastic and chinsy metal, but one piece caught my eye as soon as I looked in. I flipped it over, and it was labeled 14k. I was like "really?" Being as I know not much about these type of things, I didn't what to spend too much, just because I don't really know what I am buying. It was a late afternoon, and probably the second or third day, so I don't see how it was missed if real.I asked how much it was, because it wasn't labeled . Not many were, but the ones that were, were all marked a quarter. They didn't know, asked what one I wanted, I said this one. They said whatever. I said is a quarter good? They said perfect. Pics are crappy, because I used my phone, and not a camera, but hope you can make it out. It's about the size of a 50 cent piece. I think the pearl is real, because it has divets, or maybe a scaly quality, but not bad. But it's not like a perfect smooth surface. Any info or advice you guys can give would be great. Did I score? yay or nay?

[J-dude]

Hard to tell from the pics but I would say that if it is stamped 14k then more often then not I have found it to be gold. Always good to get them tested...any jewelry store will probably do it for free.

[diggummup]

I agree with the jewelry store testing for free. What is it anyway? It doesn't look like a chain of any type.

[GibH]

I agree with the jewelry store testing for free. What is it anyway? It doesn't look like a chain of any type.

Original post said earring.

Rub the pearl across your teeth. If it feels gritty, have it checked. If it's smooth, it isn't real.

[diggummup]

I agree with the jewelry store testing for free. What is it anyway? It doesn't look like a chain of any type.

Original post said earring.

Rub the pearl across your teeth. If it feels gritty, have it checked. If it's smooth, it isn't real.

He mentions earrings on a bulletin board earlier in the post but then he starts digging in a shoe box. Earring would make sense though from the look of it.

Anyways I start to leave and see some earrings hanging on a bulletin board by the door. I remembered the treasurenet advice about ALWAYS check out the jewelery boxes. So I did. At first look I could tell most of it was dollar store stuff, but when I looked in this shoe box seen a lot of plastic and chinsy metal, but one piece caught my eye as soon as I looked in. I flipped it over, and it was labeled 14k.

[Brian B]

Got it checked today. Lady at the counter louped it. There was an older fellow cleaning/fixing a watch for another customer. She gave it to him, saying it was stamped, but didn't "look quite right". he checked it out, and agreed. Told her to test it. She took it in the back and come out. It passed! I asked about the pearl, because of the scale/divits, i thought it was real. She said yes, and it was likely a freshwater pearl. Said it was worth a couple hundred.

As for what it is: I think it's what you would call a broach. The piece is kinda ropey, and the pearl hangs from the bottom. It just pins on like a medal. I just measure/weighed it myself now. It's about an 1 1/2 inches across. Some more, some less because of the irregularity of the pattern. It weighed 12 grams.

[Randyd]

It looks like it might be made from gold Precious Metal Clay. (PMC)
Which is why it would look funny to the jeweler if he hadn't seen any before and still test as gold.

[GibH]

It looks like it might be made from gold Precious Metal Clay. (PMC)
Which is why it would look funny to the jeweler if he hadn't seen any before and still test as gold.

You learn something new everyday. I have never heard of that before.

[diggummup]

$200?? Yeah right! Unless she's talking about the pearl, of which I have no idea of value. If it weighs 12 grams it's worth $410.26 melt value at todays spot price. I wouldn't take any less than 90% of that. I'm holding on to my gold and silver for as long as possible, I don't see either going down in price anytime soon.

[creeper71]

$200?? Yeah right! Unless she's talking about the pearl, of which I have no idea of value. If it weighs 12 grams it's worth $410.26 melt value at todays spot price. I wouldn't take any less than 90% of that. I'm holding on to my gold and silver for as long as possible, I don't see either going down in price anytime soon.

well I think you mean any major dip. the next high for gold IMHO is 2000.00 once that is hit alot will sell an it will take another hard hit.. Silver I think SILVER 55-60.00 it will take a hard hit..

[jerseyben]

$200?? Yeah right! Unless she's talking about the pearl, of which I have no idea of value. If it weighs 12 grams it's worth $410.26 melt value at todays spot price. I wouldn't take any less than 90% of that. I'm holding on to my gold and silver for as long as possible, I don't see either going down in price anytime soon.

That's about right, at least for gold buyers in my area. They typically offer 50% of actual melt value which is only useful for determining the REAL value of your finds (just double their offer, walk out, mail to refinery of your choice).

[Brian B]

It looks like it might be made from gold Precious Metal Clay. (PMC)
Which is why it would look funny to the jeweler if he hadn't seen any before and still test as gold.

That's what it looks like almost, dried "clay". I never heard of such a thing either. Any more info's on a refinery of good repute?

[goldinmypan]

PMC is like small (microscopic) bits of gold, silver, copper, bronze mixed in with a matrix. When fired in a kiln or with a torch the matrix burns off and the metal fuzes into a solid piece. I only have experience with silver and the result is pure silver. i think the same is true of gold PMC; the result would be 24K.

[diggummup]

It looks like it might be made from gold Precious Metal Clay. (PMC)
Which is why it would look funny to the jeweler if he hadn't seen any before and still test as gold.

That's what it looks like almost, dried "clay". I never heard of such a thing either. Any more info's on a refinery of good repute?

midwest refineries

PMC is like small (microscopic) bits of gold, silver, copper, bronze mixed in with a matrix. When fired in a kiln or with a torch the matrix burns off and the metal fuzes into a solid piece. I only have experience with silver and the result is pure silver. i think the same is true of gold PMC; the result would be 24K.

True

[batcap]

It looks like it might be made from gold Precious Metal Clay. (PMC)
Which is why it would look funny to the jeweler if he hadn't seen any before and still test as gold.

That's what it looks like almost, dried "clay". I never heard of such a thing either. Any more info's on a refinery of good repute?

midwest refineries

PMC is like small (microscopic) bits of gold, silver, copper, bronze mixed in with a matrix. When fired in a kiln or with a torch the matrix burns off and the metal fuzes into a solid piece. I only have experience with silver and the result is pure silver. i think the same is true of gold PMC; the result would be 24K.

True

I've only been selling to ARAGold.com, Midwest seems like a good back up. Either way, if you want the most from your gold find, you have to know what it's worth before you sell it. That means acid testing or electronic testing. Acid tests are inexpensive, but electronic kits are less expensive, less destructive, and more reliable over the long haul.

You're a treasure hunter-that's why you read this board, right? If you stumbled onto a piece that a jeweler says is worth a couple of hundred, find out how much it's really worth. PPL here are saying that it could be 24K, even at 18K it would be a very special find. A cheap $25 acid test kit will give you an idea of what you have in karats.