Honker 18K for $50!

FelixtheCat

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A guy at my school brought me an 18K ring yesterday that he said he bought from a guy on the street for $50 over the weekend. :roll: He brought it to me to evaluate it because he knows I detect and know a thing or two about gold. Although it looked good, the moment he put it in my hand it just didn’t feel to be the right weight and I told him so. I told him to try a magnet to it and see and he told me a bit later that he had, and nothing happened. I told him to bring it to me tomorrow that I would bring one of my powerful magnets and test it. Well today I brought the magnet and my digital scale to do a specific density test in water to rule out if it was plated over something other than stainless steel. He gives me the ring and I noticed the plating on it was terrible as it was already changing tone on the inside. I put the magnet to it and voila it sticks! Although he was already suspect of the ring he feels totally duped know. I guess the old adage “if it’s too good to be true…” applies here. I don’t understand how he would pay $50 for that when any pawn shop would’ve paid at least double if it were real. :roll: I guess he learned something.
 

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I'm sure you earned some street cred for applying STEM knowledge and techniques to real-life scenarios. :yes:
 
Well if he bought it to melt.. ya he got fully duped and the old adage Caveat Emptor applies.. If he bought it to wear.. Well he has a nice looking ring at 50 bucks.. seems like a pretty good deal too..
 
About a week from now your going to have one of the other teachers walk up to you and say. Little Johnny sold me this beautiful 18k ring for 75.oo. :shock:
 
They tried that on me a couple times. Will tell you they found a gold bracelet by the pier. Then say they will sell it to you cheap since they need gas money to get home. That scam has been around a long time. Start at $50. Then go down to 3$:lol:
 
Something else you need to pass along having to do with those wonderful street finds. Most states have laws for receiving stolen property. The only real test is.... he knew or SHOULD HAVE known it was stolen. If it was 18k and he paid $50..... from someone he didn’t know and it turned up stolen....ouch. He best not have a rap sheet lol. People forget this ....all the see is a STEAL on something expensive.
 
Strolling through the streets of Tijuana , the vendors will run up on you. Grab your hand and throw a gold bracelet on you and say " that's looks beautiful my friend ". Then they hold another one up and fire a bic lighter under it. They say "look real gold , it doesn't burn off". They start off at $20 , end up at $5 before taking it off your wrist.
 
Terrible for him,,,,,good thing it was only fifty bucks,,,,I swear in the last 8 years since I have been hunting I find more SS and other junkers than I did when I first started hunting,,,,the thieves will always be there but hopefully some day we get back to more good finds and people start wearing more gold than SS,,,,,,I found a 14k white women's band the other day and swore it was SS because it was square on the edges,,,When in question I automatically think SS until I know,,,I would have went home thinking SS except Dew was with me and his bird eyes gave me the good news,,,,,,:laughing:,,,at a glance his looks good,,,,,,,,GL HH
 
Terrible for him,,,,,good thing it was only fifty bucks,,,,I swear in the last 8 years since I have been hunting I find more SS and other junkers than I did when I first started hunting,,,,the thieves will always be there but hopefully some day we get back to more good finds and people start wearing more gold than SS,,,,,,I found a 14k white women's band the other day and swore it was SS because it was square on the edges,,,When in question I automatically think SS until I know,,,I would have went home thinking SS except Dew was with me and his bird eyes gave me the good news,,,,,,:laughing:,,,at a glance his looks good,,,,,,,,GL HH

Back in the day there was no such thing as SS , titanium , tungsten and such. In fact finding silver jewelry was a nuisance.
 
Felix..... I have a friend who calls that ring, Miami Gold

Back in the day, "here"... Brass rings were very popular. I would bet I dug 30 brass rings at one beach this year. Stainless was often used also,,

I do save the old SS rings, most are Signets. I would date most 40's and 50's.. second row, first ring is nickel...heart shaped.
 

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Back in the day, "here"... Brass rings were very popular. I would bet I dug 30 brass rings at one beach this year. Stainless was often used also,,

I do save the old SS rings, most are Signets. I would date most 40's and 50's.. second row, first ring is nickel...heart shaped.
So your the one "plating and passing " !
Didn't get that stuff here really until the 90s. I remember some brass , but more copper.
 
"Miami Gold" LMAO!!!

Back in the day, "here"... Brass rings were very popular. I would bet I dug 30 brass rings at one beach this year. Stainless was often used also,,I do save the old SS rings, most are Signets. I would date most 40's and 50's.. second row, first ring is nickel...heart shaped.
Tony wants to have a chat with you...:laughing:
 

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I used to do a lot of old home sites in fields. Id come across those brass rings too Joe...... and a few times they would be marked 18K.:laughing: How many wives got one of those babies.:lol: Im sure during the depression money was tight.
 
He got screwed by the traveling gypsies. I've seen that exact ring many times, and every time it was from the traveling gypsies that have been hitting coin and jewelry shops. No i'm not kidding. Let me guess....person who sold it had a Roma accent.
 
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