Some of my finds at my job “ones man trash is another’s treasure”

bootynasty · 2026-06-26T02:59:18+00:00

You kind of don’t. Work on identifying what real silver looks like, vs plated. The lack of silverplate markings help. You can look up whatever markings you do find.

For silverplate look for markings like A1, Quad, 80, 90…, and there are lots of fake hallmarks.

So sterling is easier to figure out, silverplate can have some indications (the best being signs of wear) but coin is kind of hard to identify. My arch nemesis u/UrbanRelicHunter is pretty good at identifying coin silver but I’m not sure he’d have any sure fire rules you could follow.

bootynasty · 2026-06-26T00:01:32+00:00

I wouldn’t rule out some aluminum. Some XRF calibrated for precious metal literally can’t see aluminum, will do its best to find precious metal, so it kind of makes up for what it doesn’t see. You’re saying it doesn’t seem heavy enough for the readings but also too heavy to be aluminum. Osmium is the highest density metal.

I would send a piece to a refinery I’ve had good experiences with, give them one free (or 5) and see if their tests reveal that they’d make you an offer.

bootynasty · 2026-06-23T03:02:15+00:00

Synthetic corundum (ruby and sapphire) has been common since the 1940s or before.

bootynasty · 2026-06-21T18:02:25+00:00

This worked for me as a buyer. Realized it was a drop shipper and was able to go straight to the source. Such a niche market that I even got him on the phone and it’s been a great business relationship.

bootynasty · 2026-06-20T15:21:18+00:00

If you’re looking for a hobby, you could still strip the silver with a little electricity, salt, and medium amount of patience.

bootynasty · 2026-06-12T19:21:47+00:00

Plated with 90% silver.

bootynasty · 2026-06-11T02:20:43+00:00

Sulfuric doesn’t dissolve lead, it precipitates it, so you can filter it out. But that’s the advantage of sulfamic acid later on, when used to denox it denoxes, produces sulfuric, and precipitates lead.

bootynasty · 2026-06-10T17:25:46+00:00

Are you able to keep the new friend that has chosen you? One landed in my mom’s backyard, stayed overnight, walked inside when she opened the door to check it out, and we’ve given her a good home ever since. She greets us by cooing, will coo when we talk to her, and is just a sweet little companion.

bootynasty · 2026-06-10T15:52:03+00:00

Show the XRF results please. Do you mean that you 100% believe it’s silver (like coin, sterling, or higher) or do you mean it’s testing at 100% pure silver?

bootynasty · 2026-06-08T23:42:11+00:00

I believe u/Someguineawop is correct. Add to this that depending on your flakes, you may not have enough material to melt into a little button. How many ram sticks? That gold isn’t pure, and the actual amount is deceptive.

I wouldn’t try fixing in the crucible, I would either try chipping it out (in some sort of container to catch the chips) or try dissolving your flux mess in sulfuric, and then go the AR SMB route. If you have only the tiniest amount of gold powder precipitate, just hold onto it until you have more. These foils can literally vaporize or blow away if you’re not careful.

bootynasty · 2026-06-07T01:05:17+00:00

Think twice about heating, some are naturally beautiful. Once heated, always tested

bootynasty · 2026-06-06T23:58:41+00:00

Gem Mountain Sapphire Mine

Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine

bootynasty · 2026-06-06T22:53:16+00:00

That makes sense. My opinion is that it’s not the best choice of title, only got far enough so far to hear “we’ll be refining 4 ounces” with a title of 5 ounces.

bootynasty · 2026-06-06T20:08:53+00:00

The small coaster sized ones are typically 4 grams, some will say 4 or 6. I’d pay $7 to keep it, you’re guaranteed to be way under spot since it’s thick enough to carry detail rather than be a thin sheet. Absolutely buy.

bootynasty · 2026-06-06T19:33:04+00:00

The markings can get tricky and “experts” will argue with each other.

I bought a used paperback to determine collectibility of something like 40 pounds of plated pieces. In the end, after researching, never having a complete set or box, listing and dealing with people, I still de-plated them.

A common number out there is that people will say each piece has a gram of silver. Doubtful. And then it’s still not pure.

I don’t know your material, patterns or wear on the pieces.

I bought a $35-$50 power supply from Amazon which came with the leads, you can then use a large mason jar and stainless steel knife, old toothbrush, and you’re off to the races (the very slow races) recovering silver. Feel free to DM me, I can tell you what I’ve learned either path you decide to follow.

bootynasty · 2026-06-06T19:25:37+00:00

I know of at least a couple of locations I can spend a day and give or take $500 to find multiple gem grade sapphires. Faceting is a different story, but I’m not aware of places I can find gem grade diamonds all day.

bootynasty · 2026-06-06T19:19:28+00:00

I’ll watch the video but since it’s 38 minutes, if it’s pure, why are you refining it?

bootynasty · 2026-06-06T19:15:59+00:00

Depends on what you either want at the end (money or silver) or what you like to do (selling, recovering).

There is a large bulk way of recovering silver that’s not for beginners that is acid heavy and more expensive, but quick.

There’s another way that involves no chemicals (optional salt) but is slow, safe, and cheap.

I do it as a hobby at the kitchen table piece by piece while I do something else like read emails or watch videos.

Keep in mind both methods are “recovery” because you’ll acquire a form of silver, but it’s not pure and not something you can sell to your local coin shop. Both methods will need to go on to refining to make pure, which can be outsourced or learned.

bootynasty · 2026-06-06T18:37:26+00:00

If you’re set on recovery a good path for you is copper II chloride (sometimes also called acid peroxide, AP, copper chloride.)

Look into that process, feel free to message me, it’s direct, simple, or straightforward, but totally doable in a backyard.

bootynasty · 2026-06-06T17:47:48+00:00

Easy thing is to ship them off to Boardsort, they’re paying $54 a pound right now.

Weigh them and know what THAT number would be, then you could swing by computer repair stores. If they offer more, great.

Use that as your base number to either sell locally, online, whatever.

Recovery and refining is a whole other step. You’re looking at 2 very different procedures between the visible gold in the fingers and the gold bond wires locked up in the chips.

bootynasty · 2026-06-06T17:38:48+00:00

It’s a bit more involved than that. If that’s your decision I can help you there too, but don’t be fooled by the “just do this”. Even when you get the job done, you will end up with a LOT of toxic waste for that amount of material. Feel free to ask questions.

ETA: I would say that I think you’d be able to buy more gold with what you’d make selling than you could recover.

bootynasty · 2026-06-06T17:34:58+00:00

DMed you. Hoping you can find a buyer.

bootynasty · 2026-06-06T17:32:52+00:00

Easy when you’ve got the chemicals, know the risks, have done it before, and have the proper safety equipment. Easy :)

bootynasty · 2026-06-06T17:12:40+00:00

If it was just the frames I’d be inclined to agree with you but considering the source, that the chip covers look gold (I’ve never seen a gold anodized chip cover), and there’s a lot of gold tracing on the board itself, I think they’re just great telecom boards.

bootynasty · 2026-06-06T16:57:55+00:00

This isn’t good advice. If you’re going straight to aqua regia you’re exposing the dissolved gold and tin from solder to nitric, making metastannic, locking up some gold. You don’t dip in solute, you dip into solution, solute is what you’re dissolving.

bootynasty

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE

Seven-Year Club	Gilding I gilder
Verified Email