Question: Better Gold Pricing?

John B.

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Jerrywh,
Doc Mark can answer this better but I have some 24K gold pellets ( called foils ) from my dentist friend. They are not in common use I understand and because of their construction cost a lot more than spot gold.
I believe you are correct that other than the very limited use of gold foils most of the gold used in the mouth is a lower alloy. Some dentists may have some 24k in stock as a hedge against cost increases and provide it to their lab for them to alloy for making crowns etc. for them.
Best.

Best.
 

jerrywh

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I've heard about those gold foils. Somebody was talking about using them for inlays awhile back. I don't see any advantage to it though. I think they have been replaced by some of the new composite stuff. They have Miracle stuff now.
 

John B.

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I remember when I took John B's engraving class way back when and learned to draw my own wire.At that time his suggestion was to charge 10.00 per inch of inlaid wire.I wonder what it would be now that gold is over $1000.00 oz????

Hi Silverchip (friend Dave A.)
I think the last class you were in with me was July 1990. Lots of water under the bridge for both of us since then.
And you have sure set the bar very high in the Western and bright cut field.
If I wasn't so darn old I'd have taken one of your classes in South America.

Dave, I've only had to add a couple of $$$ per inch since then for gold single line borders into steel.
Most of my gun outline borders are done in 24K 28 gauge gold, .013 or .33mm thick. One foot of this wire weighs .311 dwt. or less than 1/3 of a dwt.
Therefore there are well over 60 feet or 720 inches to the ounce.
When you were in class gold might have been around $300 per ounce.
Lets just say that gold wire price is around $1200 per ounce now.
Adding a couple of dollars, 720 inches X $2.00 = $1400 more than takes care of the raise in gold price.
Labor is still by far the higest cost of gold line inlay. I'm lucky to be pretty quick at it and can make decent money at these prices but nothing to say that others should not get more for their labor if they can.
I'm talking about 28ga, 24K gold inlay into steel. I know you inlay into a lot of more difficult and softer materials and that is a whole other ballgame.

Best to you and thanks for remembering the details of the old classes.
 

Mike Cirelli

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Brian most any refinery will refine your old gold and send whatever you want. I would suggest reliable refineries such as United precious metals or Hoover and Strong. I've been using United for years and quit satisfied with my returns.
 

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