Is a Gold Plated Light Fixture Ideal for Refining?
I have an 18k gold plated wall sconce light fixture. It retailed for $2300 new. Since it was so expensive, I’m wondering if it has more than just the typical thin layer of gold plating and if so, would it be possible to salvage the gold? – From David
Hi David,
Without seeing or testing the light fixture I cannot say for certain if the gold on your light fixture is more than a plating. However, usually the retailer and/or manufacturer will let the buyer know if an item contains a significant amount of gold because it would be a major selling point for them.
Also, it can be easy to get hung up on the retail price of an item, but it is very different from the melt value of the item. Even though the retail price is high does not mean that price translates to the precious metal value, which is the only value that refiners take into consideration.
If the piece is not damaged, I would guess that the retail value of it would be worth more than the precious metal value. Arch Enterprises would not be able to offer you a return for the gold plated item because there would not be enough gold to extract. I would check to see if your wall sconce is a brand name and even if you could sell pieces of it separately. Hope this helps!
Tags: gold, gold plate, gold value
