How can trash be your best find?

[hiddentreazures]

Well, these lead soldered cans are some of our best finds because they are so difficult to find full samples of them online. There was a whole trash pile of them buried.

 

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[steelheadwill]

interesting. I found a 114 oz sterling tray in a box put out for trash, a helpful son cleaning out moms attic disposed of a pile of plated items, and amongst them was a 24" waiters tray. After discovering the value, ($8000 on Replacements.com)
I knocked on the door and spoke with the elderly woman. The Tray was a custom engraved wedding gift from 1932.
Tears and a hug accompanied its return.
This was my second silver trash find, got a pair of weighted sterling candlesticks from a box of 'old bibles' left out in front of a church... Keep your eyes peeled.

 

[jas415]

I love that you used a random banana for size comparison, cracked me up!

Yep, the 'old random banana' thing!! Just happened to have a handy banana standing by!

 

[steelheadwill]

Regarding The OP, they stopped using lead to solder cans because of the obvious health risks, don't know when, or how to ID old lead from moderns, Interesting topic I had never considered.

I came home the day after picking up the items to find my wife polishing them, (I prefer the patina)
That's when I examined the piece she was working on and discovered it was sterling.
Immediate photos for researching the item followed, hence the 'Banana Pic'.
I first reveled in the windfall then realized I had to knock. It came from a very small town where I used to live.
Shortly after I did the right thing, I recovered two 17th C silver coins from one hole in this town.
Perhaps it was just chance.