Chemical 24k gold baseball cards

[matchoo5050]

I have like 500 old 1995 Pinnacle baseball cards that supposedly have 24k gold on them. It looks kind like tin foil on paper but gold. I was going to refine some scrap jewelry and a nugget of melted scrap gold should I toss the baseball cards in there? If so should I cut out the gold parts or just toss the whole thing in and let it fry? I do not have very much nitric acid 1L so I don't want to waste any.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[eeTHr]

You shouldn't mix dissimilar materials when recovering gold. It will cause problems.

Scrap karat jewelry needs to be inquarted before recovering the gold. If it is plated, then a different process is used. A different process is also used if it is layered (also called gold filled).

The process for the baseball cards would depend on whether they are cardboard or plastic. But trimming then down to just the gold part would be a good idea, either way.

It will be very difficult for you if you don't read the forum first. Since everything you asked is already thoroughly covered within the forum, and can be accessed using the search function at the top right of the page, those just getting started in refining are usually expected to try that first. And look over the various sections for the topics you want to learn, also.

Members are usually happy to answer questions about details of these processes, but are reluctant to write a whole book every time someone asks "how do I refine?" Know what I mean?

It's best to get at least a general idea of things first, so you will know what questions to ask.

 

[matchoo5050]

I was going to use this guide. http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread812741/pg1

So people have actually recovered gold from cards like these? I will do a search.

 

[matchoo5050]

From what I have found in this forum it is not worth trying to extract the gold from the cards. I have like 500+ of the things.

 

[Harold_V]

From what I have found in this forum it is not worth trying to extract the gold from the cards. I have like 500+ of the things.

Not being familiar with the cards, I'll withhold judgment, but if they're just cardboard, no plastics involved, they can be processed VERY easily by simply incinerating, then processing the ash. Volume would be reduced to very little. Key to success is in incinerating in such a way that values are not carried off in the smoke. A filtered fume hood works very well. It, of course, should be built for incineration. Mine was.

Harold

 

[goldenchild]

I'd be willing to bet that the "gold" on those cards isn't really gold leaf but the fake stuff like we always see on ebay. I'd also be willing to bet that the cards are worth more as cards. I would process one and make sure they are indeed gold leaf before sending them all to the fire.

 

[Geo]

im not so sure the gold is fake. the company Pinnacle Brands owned the rights to trading card companies like, Leaf,Dunruss and Score. some of their cards contained gold in different configurations. most was in the form of gold leaf that was anywhere between 21k-23k over steel base. after 1997, card packs began including one "specialty" card called an "insert" that was either holographic or had gold foil. it is a minuscule amount of gold. the true value of the cards is the cards them selves.500 of these "inserts" represents anywhere between $1,500 to $3,000 investment (depending on the pack) just buying the cards. i would suggest taking them to a card dealer and making a deal on the lot, it would almost have to be more than you would get in recovering the gold from them.

 

[goldsilverpro]

Most of that type stuff I've seen is 24K gold, but it is very thin. It is probably the thickness of gold leaf or, maybe, a tad thicker. Gold leaf is about 3.5 microinches thick, and is worth about $.06 per sq.in.

 

[robust57]

I'll buy the cards off of you for $15, that's about their value as cards.