# large lot of cpu's



## viacin (Oct 30, 2008)

Founn this, It seems like a nice lot for the price to me. Just thought I'de share for anyone looking for some scrap, hope it helps someone out. I'm trying to learn how to price these things. What does everyone think of the price and gold content?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lot-568-CPUs-486-Pentium-30-6-lb-Scrap-Gold-Recovery_W0QQitemZ200268190893QQihZ010QQcategoryZ162134QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

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You are bidding on a mixed lot of CPU's sold for the recovery of Precious Metals only.

SHIPPING is FREE!!

Photos are of the actual items, organized by type.

Lot includes:

(3) Pentium Pro's(Ceramic) with the big gold cap: net weight 9.1 ounces

(18 ) 486 class processors and (7) 386 class processors(all Ceramic,all with gold bottom net weight 1lb 2.7 ounces

(6) AMD K5 processors with gold top and gold bottom: net weight 8.0 ounces

(4) Cyrix 6x86 with gold top and (4) Miscellaneous processors with gold bottom: net weight 9.7 ounces

(5) 486 class processors with black bottoms: net weight 3.9 ounces

(226) Pentium's (Ceramic): net weight 14lb 9.1ounces.

(65) AMD K6 Ceramic processors :net weight 3 lb 2.1 ounces

(230) Pentium/Celeron (Fiber): net weight 9lb 13.2 ounces

Total count (568 ) Processors: total net weight 30.61 pounds


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## lazersteve (Oct 30, 2008)

I wouldn't buy them.

You would be hard pressed to break even once you consider chemical costs. This doesn't even take into account the labor and waste disposal considerations. A fair price (to make a very small profit) would be $300-$325. 

As typical with ebay electronic scrap pricing, it's skewed to the seller and forgets that the buyer wants to make a profit also.

I would personally invest the $540 into buying karat jewelry. A lot less chemicals, labor, and waste.

The seller likely got these items for next to nothing and is trying to make killing on the scrap with no regard to what a buyer must go through to get the gold out.

I'm sure he'll find a buyer and I'm sure they won't profit if they process the scrap themselves.

Steve


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## viacin (Oct 31, 2008)

so what you're saying is, from a monetary and labor point of view karat jewlery is much better than e-scrap? That does make alot of sense, of course.

When pricing jewlery scrap, I would assume you could go by the karat scale as a guideline? As in, 14k really is 58.33 % pure gold? I ask because most "standards" are fibbed on, and I could see this varying from different manufacture's morals and abilities. Maybe they have to assay it though? I don't know.


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## Husker (Oct 31, 2008)

viacin said:


> so what you're saying is, from a monetary and labor point of view karat jewlery is much better than e-scrap? That does make alot of sense, of course.
> 
> When pricing jewlery scrap, I would assume you could go by the karat scale as a guideline? As in, 14k really is 58.33 % pure gold? I ask because most "standards" are fibbed on, and I could see this varying from different manufacture's morals and abilities. Maybe they have to assay it though? I don't know.



"fibbing" is such a soft word. Many times, the numbers are pretty accurate. However, frequently, they are quite a bit off, anywhere from 1/2 karat (very common), to sometimes several karat off, to even NON gold stamped with karat hallmarks. You have to be very careful when buying karat jewelry, especially, if it is a decent sized lot of ALL the same looking stuff. I found 120 gram of very heavy chains and a couple of rings at a antique show, all marked 14k. Made a low offer (about 50% spot for the day), based upon an electronic test (I have an electronic gold tester). NONE of the stuff was gold at all (likely plated brass). All of the stamps looked good, but there was no company hallmarks on the items. If I had been buying just based upon the Karat mark, I would have been out of a grand that day.

There are other times, where I have found jewelry, which was marked as something but tested as something else. Couple of times I have had 22K marked stuff, and both times, it tested right at 18K. You have to inform the seller of this, and make an offer. If they refuse, thinking it is worth more, then simply thank them, and move on. 

One other thing to watch for, is older stuff that is unmarked, but tests good. It has has half decent chance of simply being gold filled. A file, or strike plate will quickly tell if you are dealing with gold filled.

As for escrap, the best way to make money on it, if you can get it for free, is to sell on ebay. Usually, you can get MORE money, than the actual gold value. Same goes for pins. As for buying escrap on ebay, look elsewhere, you will simply lose money on almost all auctions. 

Same goes for buying karat on ebay. Frequently, karat sells for spot price, or even over spot (if you subtract the weight of the stones which most sellers leave in, and quote within the weight of the lot). A lot of people buying crap on ebay who would probably do better simply buying gold coin bullion for the price they pay.

There "are" precious metal deals to be found on ebay, but you have to look hard to find them.

Jim.


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