Something To Sink Your Teeth Into

Every so often, a project comes along that I don’t see often. It’s a welcomed opportunity to learn something new.

The refined gold granules and ash residue before they are melted into a brick.

Another jeweler referred me to this wonderful woman. Her late husband had been a dentist, and over the years, he had accumulated teeth with gold attached to them. She had been holding onto them, not knowing what to do. That is exactly the kind of problem I love to solve.

I took the teeth to a refiner. The process is fascinating. The teeth containing gold, along with copper and borax, are heated to 3,000 degrees. Then the molten liquid is poured into a graphite container. Once everything is cooled it becomes a solid brick of metal (gold and copper). The teeth evaporate during the heating process because they are made of calcium.

From Dental Gold to a Gold Brick

The next step is to take the brick of gold to my refiner to be assayed, which means the gold content is tested and measured by drilling into the brick and removing a sample to test. When dentists use gold fillings, they can be a variety of karats. This is why assaying the brick is important to determine its value.

My client received a substantial profit from items that had been sitting in her safe. She had no idea what it was worth but she was happy in the end.

That is why it’s vital to work with a professional who knows the fine jewelry industry inside and out.

Tip: If you have old gold sitting in a drawer and you are not sure what to do with it, consult a professional. You may be surprised by what it is worth.