scrap gold in cell phones?

[jason_recliner]

Consider also that seven year older phones may contain significantly more precious metal.

 

[Goldwasser]

is about $1.15 per unit; silver - about 20 cents worth; and platinum, roughly 7 cents/unit.
Biggest problem with scrap cells is the fire retardant used in the plastic cases. Nasty stuff.
Scott Andrews

It's really $1.15 each? Are you sure?

Yes, I would say $1.15 per phone is right on target based on today's gold price, at least when you look at it from a value per pound basis.

Assuming the average cell phone with case minus battery weighs about 5 ounces and buyers (myself included) will pay around $3.75 per pound for them currently, it comes to $1.17 per phone on average.

The older phones may contain more PM's (do not know either way) but they also weigh more. So from a buyers perspective when purchasing by weight, the newer phones may have a better weight to pm ratio than the older phones but I am only speculating there.