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 Replies: 14 / Views: 7,998 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1454 Posts |
Two weeks ago, I found a large, 130 gm sterling silver spoon at a yard sale for $5. Also found a sterling bell hallmarked from Mexico at another estate sale for $10. IIRC, it weighed around 5 oz. I saw one very much like it sell for over $100 on ebay! Those were probably my best PM-related finds this season, but far from my only ones. I probably bought 15-20 sterling silver rings, all in the neighborhood of $4-5. This could have been my best year ever for finding silver on the cheap since I started looking three years ago. I'd say I strike out altogether 99% of the time but it's that other 1% that makes it all so worth the effort of going. I've even asked people who don't have any PMs amongst their sale items if they have any that they're interested in selling, with surprising results from time to time. If you're not already doing so, and you have the time, I urge you to give it a try. I just do it in my small coastal town, or the next one over, on the weekend in the summer, but if I had access to a larger city, I'd probably go year round. Anyone else have any luck? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1192 Posts |
Found this at goodwill looking for toys haha. I got it for .20 and turned out to be 3/4 of a ounce of silver. The funny thing is every couple of weeks I find vintage toys for cents worth their weight in silver. Which I then convert into silver haha.   Edited by Bertensgrad
10/08/2015 6:24 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4333 Posts |
Everyone around here rackets their silver, marked way up. I never score, and I always ask for any old coins also. Too many non-working and retired folks around here line up hours before the sales! The good stuff disappears fast. The best I came this year was the silver state spoon collection my wife inherited from her grandmother...I had lusted over those and my wife turned them over to me for inspection. ALL junk metal! Sounds and looks like you guys scored some nice ones. When I listen to LED ZEPPELIN...so do my neighbors...
Roll hunting since '77
Dirt fishing since '72
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1192 Posts |
Yeah I just look after work sometimes thst spoon was a total fluke just saw it on a cart of stuff they were stocking and grabbed it. I go through bulk toys that everyone think is junk but I get nice gems out of it weekly for practically nothing.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3692 Posts |
I'd be interested to see a picture of the Mexican hallmark. Each hallmark is given a number that correlates to a specific maker and can be tracked down. Some from Taxco can be quite valuable if they're old and legit, especially William Spratling. Traevin, you pretty much stole those items! "Pictures or it didn't happen!"
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1454 Posts |
Edited by traevin
10/09/2015 7:38 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1454 Posts |
I couldn't seem to get a clear img of the hallmark, Lib, so I'll just tell you what I see: Sanborn Mexico .925, with what looks like three owls perched on a branch and a stylized GZ underneath, which I assume is the initials of the maker?
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3692 Posts |
"Sanborns", that's the name of a department store, much like Sears. They bear the 3 owls and sometimes 3 cats. http://www.925-1000.com/mexican_marks4.html#M Founded in 1903, started producing silver in 1923, but looks like a modern marking post-1979. http://www.silvercollection.it/MEXI...RKSCDUE.htmlThat "GZ" mark has me puzzled and I have a vague idea of what it may mean. Usually Mexican marks have 2 letters followed by a number. The first is the city of assay, for example, Guadalajara, Guanajuato... the second is the maker's name, and the number is a designation for that second letter because there will be many. But since yours has no designation number it's hard to say with certainty. In other countries GZ will simply be the name of the maker or their company. Does it sound nice when you ring it? Seems heavy, thinner bells ring forEVER. Edited by Libertad
10/09/2015 10:04 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1454 Posts |
I know this might come off as weird for a guy but I LOVE the sound a sterling bell makes when it rings. The reverberation is so pure, clear, clean, and musical-sounding, I'm drawn to it like Pavlov's dogs. But I know what you mean about thinner sterling bells. This one's a little deeper in tone than the lighter ones and the ringer's quicker to be absorbed by the heavier PM layer and goes silent much faster than the lighter versions.
But yeah, I've had my eyes peeled for any Stratling, Antonio Pineda, or Margot de Taxco pieces. No trove's yet, though :)
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Valued Member
Australia
208 Posts |
Today I had my all time best gold find at a garage sale! Looking through the rings looking for sterling silver I found these. Got both for $6. Both are marked 14K, I hope that is visible in the pics. One ring is stoneless and probably scrappable. I will ask a jeweler if the stones in the other are real, I believe they are. In that case I would try to sell it on ebay. Melt value for 9.2 grams of 14K white gold is $200!    Edited by Misterpostman
10/12/2015 7:05 pm
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New Member
United States
24 Posts |
Did it seem like these people were stricken for money? Or were they just having a garage sale to get rid of junk? If it was the former I would consider giving it back. Just my 2 cents.
Edited by Padeen
10/12/2015 10:44 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1454 Posts |
Padeen,
What if we're both stricken for money? Do we then compare bank accounts? But you know, forget I asked. This isn't the thread to discuss altruism vs. capitalism so instead of highjacking this thread, you are more than welcome to start another one so people can answer your philosophical question someplace else since you're not in ANY WAY contributing to the topic I started. Please delete your post so others aren't tempted to get us even more off track. Do the right thing, and thanks in advance.
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Valued Member
United States
85 Posts |
As a side job I buy storage units, go picking, run a store etc. I was looking at jewelry, something I never do and found these. It was at an estate sales ran by professionals who always price at retail. Vintage sterling cuff links from a local car club. I sold them to buy some .999 silver but soon after I regretted it considering they're local. Paid about $2 and sold for $90 if I remember correctly.  We hit yard sales a lot. My wife found her first silver the other day. A silver fork (not plated). I was ecstatic for her. Edited by Ryans Rust
10/13/2015 6:51 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2019 Posts |
Reminds me of the time I was metal detecting on a beach, this older couple walks by and says, and I quote " I hope you put anything valuable you find in the lost and found section of the local newspaper" I replied, "why of course" and smiled.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7390 Posts |
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Replies: 14 / Views: 7,998 |
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Posted 10/08/2015 7:45 pm
#score!
