New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

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Non-precious metals

rgmcbrid		Posted : Wednesday, 6 July 2011 5:01:19 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 3/06/2010(UTC) Posts: 583 Location: Southland Thanks: 23 times Was thanked: 180 time(s) in 140 post(s)		I was wondering, do you detectorists save metal that you dig up? I was thinking that every time I go out I end up with a pocket full of crap that I throw away. Then I got to thinking that all those pocketfuls would eventually add up to a bucket full of copper, lead, brass etc. and that it actually might be worth some money. Admittedly I do not always know what it is that I dig up, a lot of it looks like melted blobs of aluminium but some could be zinc or tin or something along those lines. Is this stuff worth hanging on to?
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kiwikeith		Posted : Wednesday, 6 July 2011 6:27:40 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 28/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 648 Location: hector Thanks: 359 times Was thanked: 230 time(s) in 154 post(s)		hi rgmcbrid yes i keep all the interesting things eg bullets, horse shoes, old nails, even a 75mm dia steel ball covered in grease what ever that was hot rocks no. kiwikeith

Shilo		Posted : Wednesday, 6 July 2011 6:57:12 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Medals: Groups: Registered Joined: 29/01/2011(UTC) Posts: 573 Location: Kawhia Thanks: 17 times Was thanked: 285 time(s) in 185 post(s)		I keep all the lead I find, have about 60kg of sinkers etc in a bucket from 6 months of hunting. Figured it was an easy metal to sell when I have enough, and I can always melt it down into ingots for long term storage. I should have kept all the brass and bronze but never realised that I would find as much as I do - a lot of the beaches I hunt are littered with boat bits. By the way don't throw out those "worthless" old decimal coins (1c, 2c, 5c, 10, 20's and 50's). You can't cash them in at a bank but the Reserve Bank will pay their face value if you send them in and they quickly mount up (can also do this with modern currency that are in too bad a condition for the banks). Old pennies that aren't valuable will also be accepted - but they are worth more for their copper content then face value.
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rgmcbrid		Posted : Thursday, 7 July 2011 9:10:18 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 3/06/2010(UTC) Posts: 583 Location: Southland Thanks: 23 times Was thanked: 180 time(s) in 140 post(s)		Thanks guys, I think I will start hanging on to identifiable metals. I did save all the lead sinkers i found. Any idea what the stuff is worth?
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oroplata		Posted : Thursday, 7 July 2011 10:07:35 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered, Moderators Joined: 16/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,040 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 23 times Was thanked: 211 time(s) in 152 post(s)		http://metalprices.com/
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rgmcbrid		Posted : Thursday, 7 July 2011 4:49:51 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 3/06/2010(UTC) Posts: 583 Location: Southland Thanks: 23 times Was thanked: 180 time(s) in 140 post(s)		Thanks for that Oroplata; I am going to start hanging on to every bit of metal I dig up.
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madsonicboating		Posted : Thursday, 7 July 2011 10:18:09 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 21/03/2011(UTC) Posts: 674 Thanks: 187 times Was thanked: 157 time(s) in 127 post(s)		Yup I keep all copper, brass for scrap and lead for my beach sinkers (we made a die up for making sand grabbers). Half an ice cream container of old currency so far when its full I will courier it to the reserve bank. anything else that has historical meanings or just looks cool gets put in my treasure chest along with all the goodies. Weighed up 9.6 oz of silver not counting medals and rings etc just the other night. Man I wish that was gold and not silver :) All the rest of the crap gets removed from the parks and areas I do so thats my "being a tidy Kiwi" part done with too. If pulltabs were worth something, I'd retire tomorrow!! MSB
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oroplata		Posted : Friday, 8 July 2011 7:37:07 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered, Moderators Joined: 16/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,040 Location: Christchurch Thanks: 23 times Was thanked: 211 time(s) in 152 post(s)		Pulltabs are worth money, if you have enough of them. :)
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