wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

re Ben's comment "beware of the places that quote in pennyweight/DWT". Pennyweights are the standard measure for gold scrap, not grams. Grams are the standard unit of weight when you buy a gold chain, but not for gold castings or scrap. But it makes no difference what the unit is. The conversion factor is 1 pennyweight = 1.555 grams. Do the math.

I would strongly suggest checking out the Silver and Gold Exchange before selling gold or silver to ANYONE. I did a great deal of research, online and offline, and learned a lot about this business. I checked pawn shops, jewelers, "gold parties", hotel "buying events as well as the online buyers, including the "as seen on tv" guys. I found that the Silver and Gold Exchange paid more than anyone else I could find. I liked the fact that they post the prices they pay per gram (beware of the places that quote in pennyweight/DWT) on a live price chart at http://SilverAndGoldExchange.com I also checked out their Better Business Bureau report and found they have never had a single complaint as opposed to HUNDREDS of complaints some other companies have! I recommend them 100%

Lisa Miller's comment about selling your gold for 8% under the market price of gold only applies to gold bullion and coins, not gold jewelry. That would be impossible considering that 14 karat gold is nominally 58.3% gold and is sold at 13 1/2 karat or 56.25%. If you click the link to my website posted on the gold selling segment, then click the "Local Shopping" link at the upper right of the home page, you can download a pamphlet that explains all that. the link is located right below the box with the live precious metals prices.

glenn beck is not cute, Brian. He just called the President a racist who hates white people and white culture. Sad that I feel obliged to say that that is wildly irresponsible and dangerous. It is bad enough that he has a big audience, but do you need to increase his Q ( or whatever it's called.)

Just a word for sellers. It's one thing to sell broken gold for scrap price but look over what you have first. Anything signed by a good maker or antique could be worth a lot more than scrap value. A little signature like Tiffany or Cartier can make a piece demand much more. Even unsigned pieces with great workmanship should be worth more than scrap. I assure you these buyers know what is what but they are certainly not going to tell you.

"The only thing that never loses value"? "It's gone up every year"? Isn't that what they used to say about real estate?

Two things:

1. For god's sake, don't spread the news around if you're burying gold in your basement.

2. Check to make sure that gold jewelry or whatever is not *more valuable* as an artifact, antique, etc.

Back when silver was soaring decades ago, British buyers saw two and three-hundred year old tea services being melted down -- things that were vastly more valuable as collectibles.

I went to 47th Street a few weeks ago to buy a ring for my stepdaughter.

As I was parking and walking down the street, I was approached by several vendors asking "are you SELLING?" It's been a year or so since I've been to the Diamond District but the experience is usually about people approaching you to get you to BUY in their shop.

I was really struck by the shift.

So we've gone from tea parties to Mr. T parties?