Cherry Picker
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I just wonder how many have put good gold in their junker pile thinking because it was corroded it was worthless?
Is it a junker?
- Thread starter LongJohnSilver1
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LongJohnSilver1
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I'm sure it happens all the time. Gold isn't too hard to spot. It has to leave a mark on a touch stone, it has to survive acid and it should be heavy.
Probably not many if they have all the proper test equipment... look at this ring I found years ago... scratched gold, marked 14k, well its plate under it is silver so it has weight of silver and a couple layers of gold... I took a file and cut into band because it didn't have the proper weight from me finding so much gold over the years I knew something was off... I ended up smashing ring with a hammer then peeling off as much of the 14k I could before selling it for scrap...
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Cherry Picker
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I'm really starting to wonder about gold anymore. The last 5 pieces all stamped as gold ended up being fake.
KOB
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Here's the problem. I've dealt or should I say I haven't dealt with guys like Kansas hunter a couple of times. They usually just aren't experienced enough on gold and particularly if it comes from saltwater. Not really their fault as they just don't see/test enough of it. It's totally foreign to them. And it starts with a mental block when they look at it and have made up their mind. We don't normally get under 10k in the US. Most guys here will guess on the KT by how slowly it fades from the 10k acid test on the scratch stone. I've had guys offer 6kt prices on some. No thanks. Even those with the latest testing machines have problems as I've alluded to in other posts. Thankfully , we just don't get alot of 9kt or less. 10k is bad enough as it is when it's corroded out with verdigris.
I've had a few like that, They held up really well to the elements .. these said "Hand Laid Gold" and another "Rolled Gold"
Once you've dug a few years of oldies from saltwater and experienced the possible (Of your spots) it's rare to mistake gold in hand. Now thru pictures it easy for you really can't see the true characteristics of the ring or object. LongJohnsilvers gold has to be the harshest I've ever seen, i have seen similar but his is a true example of the worse.
My opinion, part of it... their are so many new face coming into the county, I started noticing it around 2013 when the demographics of Ocean City beaches (MD) started changing.
Kansashunter
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Now that the ring is in pieces, can you send a better (up close) picture of the marking? I
Mental block? I wouldn't say that. I buy scrap all day long, all karats and all types from expensive rings to gold teeth. I seen 9 ct all the time in older jewelry and I am familiar with that also. I also do not agree with your talk about gold deteriorating. I will admit that I do not agree with this. I realize there will be discoloring and possibly wear on the item but never would it just fade away over time. These rings that you speak of were probably gold plated. Yes, not everything that is marked "gold", is gold.
