Hello, I am considering selling this specimen. It weighs 3.7g and I have absolutely no idea what it is worth. I know it might be difficult to tell with photos only, but a rough guidance would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance.
What is this specimen worth please?
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Mate, it's not just "difficult" - it's impossible. You need to do an SG test to work out how much of that 3.7 grams is gold and how much is ironstone.
Visually, it looks like there's more gold than rock, so if there's 2.5g of gold at say $120/gram, it would be worth around $300 - rough guidance only, as requested.
Visually, it looks like there's more gold than rock, so if there's 2.5g of gold at say $120/gram, it would be worth around $300 - rough guidance only, as requested.
Goto Supacheap Auto and buy some Septone Alibrite. It is 1% hydrofluoric acid, which is the only easily obtainable acid that will dissolve most rocks. It wont dissolve gold. A week or 2 in 25ml of pure Alibrite, pref somewhere warm but well away from living areas and kids, and your nugget will at least look a million dollars.
After aciding if you take it to a jewellers and get it ultrasound cleaned ( or buy a cheap cleaner) it will look 10 million dollars
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I usually just ebay all my found specimens at the entire weight of the piece regardless of how much rock is in it. for example: 3.7g at gold price, + any fees (ebay fee calculator works best) on auction for 7 days. usually get a few bids and it sells for more than gold price. Never had any problems, always do signature delivery. I have also met a few collectors this way and can deal with them away from ebay. I never soak or destroy specimens in acids anymore as they are worth more in their natural form.
Good AdviceGoto Supacheap Auto and buy some Septone Alibrite. It is 1% hydrofluoric acid, which is the only easily obtainable acid that will dissolve most rocks. It wont dissolve gold. A week or 2 in 25ml of pure Alibrite, pref somewhere warm but well away from living areas and kids, and your nugget will at least look a million dollars.
After aciding if you take it to a jewellers and get it ultrasound cleaned ( or buy a cheap cleaner) it will look 10 million dollars
Keep your specimen and sell the GPS co-ordinates of exactly where you found it
Hydroflouric acid also sold 100% rust reverser - available bunnings autobarn etc
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Using acid risks deglazing any natural sheen and at worst risks dissolving the binding ironstone for the enclosed “nuggetty” gold to fall into pieces.
Selling as a specimen involves a buyer knowing how much gold it contains so you have no choice but to learn how to do a SG test. It is quite easy and there are threads on this forum on how to do one.
Selling as a specimen involves a buyer knowing how much gold it contains so you have no choice but to learn how to do a SG test. It is quite easy and there are threads on this forum on how to do one.
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That's incorrect. Hydrofluoric Acid is a restricted substance & isn't readily available over ~1%. Some restricted cleaning products I've seen contain ~35% but even at that are restricted for supply & transport being highly toxic.
Laboratories use it at around 70% as over 70% just fumes with air contact.
To give an idea of how toxic this acid is: 1990's an Australian laboratory technician was dissolving sedimentary rocks with hydrofluoric & hydrochloric acid in a fume cupboard. He inadvertently spilled a small quantity (100-230ml) of ~70%w/w hydroflouric acid into his lap while handling outside of the fume cupboard. He was seated & only wearing wrist length pvc gloves. To cut a long story short he became unconcious after being admitted to intensive care, his condition continued to deteriorate & his right leg was amputed after 7 days. He passed away in hospital after 15 days from multi-organ failure.
This stuff is nasty.
Any laboratory safe use documents I've read now require face shields/safety goggles, full pvc apron/coveralls with sleeve protection & mid length gloves, rubber boots, at least 2x people present when in use, & a ready supply of calcium gluconate gel.
In many cases these requirements are for hydrofluoric acid over ~1%w/w.
Hydroflouric acid <0.1% is Schedule 5 poison, <1% is Schedule 6 poison & >1% is a Schedule 7 poison.
Users located in an industrial area or on a mine site require a permit to legally purchase & use hydrofluoric acid in Schedule 7.
Rust converter/remover/reverser etc. usually contains Phosphoric Acid at best or a solvent.
Thank you for putting that up. Anyone recommending hydrofluoric needs to get educated.
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If you're a person who is only interested is the gold value. However most collectors I've met are more interested in its natural shape, appearance, shifts of colour mixed with the gold. They tend to like spotty gold or tendrils of gold poking out of the rock. It doesn't have to be loaded with gold either, it could be smaller pieces dotted over the rock, or one piece poking out in such a way it captures your interest with your eyes giving that sense of wow. The rock parts have value too.
If it was my piece I would be selling it for $416 or $485 on eBay + 13.55 post (signature on delivery) and i know it would sell. Yes more than its gold content but collectors aren't interested in just its gold value, hence why they are collectors and not your average joe wanting it for its gold value.
It depends!
If you're selling the gold just crush it up and sell the gold.
Leave it as is.
If it was mine i would rather keep it.
Collectors will pay more than the gold content.
If you're selling the gold just crush it up and sell the gold.
Leave it as is.
If it was mine i would rather keep it.
Collectors will pay more than the gold content.
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Used to be 4% but its a very dangerious acid now only 1%Goto Supacheap Auto and buy some Septone Alibrite. It is 1% hydrofluoric acid, which is the only easily obtainable acid that will dissolve most rocks. It wont dissolve gold. A week or 2 in 25ml of pure Alibrite, pref somewhere warm but well away from living areas and kids, and your nugget will at least look a million dollars.
After aciding if you take it to a jewellers and get it ultrasound cleaned ( or buy a cheap cleaner) it will look 10 million dollars
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Hi Dean. What's the deal with insurance on a nugget sent to a buyer. Do you pay for that? And how hard is it to put in a claim, if the buyer says it's not as described. Or says it didn't arrive? I've received parcels that state. To be signed for, but they're just left at my front door!
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I never send big nuggets, big nuggets are pickup only, my cctv camera sees buyer when they pickup. Theres a sign stating this. Australia post offer insurance on all parcels by default up to 100 dollars, if you need more you pay for more. If its not as described they can send it back, i do a video of the return parcel before opening it, showing its not damaged in transit and a video when opening it if the item isn't inside then i have proof, and ebay will acknowledge it as i had one in the past come back with nothing inside and i could prove it with my videos. I won, not the buyer. Afterwards i block them, i block people who bid and not buy too. If it didn't arrive or was not signed for you have a claim with Australia post. Because your paying for a service and they aren't honouring it by getting a signature or they lost it. They will ask what was in the parcel so you need a receipt of something not on there ban list of items that can be sent to the same value or more to the gold value you sent. If buyer is lying it was delivered but Australia post claim says it was forward that correspondence onto ebay as it has more weight then your reply in a dispute I have had ebay buyer problems but have always won. And won all Australia post problems too. Most people don't do the extra steps and thus can't prove anything.
Also send tracking parcel updates to the ebay buyers email (a bunch of numbers and letters @ members.ebay.com) don't send to their phone number. The email will add ebay to see the tracking information, time of lodgement at post office, if there are post delays or other notices effecting delivery eg. Floods or fires as an example plus other info etc. Failing to do this you have to prove you sent it with a receipt and explaination for any delays, waste time chasing up parcels with Australia post for official reply, this way avoids all that. I still keep my receipts as a backup but never needed them.
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Hi Dean. Thanks for your excellent information regarding my queries. When I had parcels dropped at my front door, when it should have been signed for. I rang the manager of the mail centre with my complaint. He said all he could do was contact the contractor who employed the delivery driver, who, hopefully? would contact the drivers to find out why they didn't get my signature. He said that was as far as he could take it. It was up to the contractor to take any action against the driver. I asked if he could get back to me with any info from the contractor. He said they never get back to him! He then offered reasons/excuses, for them. They were over worked. Some of them didn't have a decent command of the english language, and had trouble reading instructions and addresses. The first parcel was worth a fair bit, and to come home and find it at my front door was a bit disconcerting, to say the least.
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If its associated with Australia post, like they might hire contractors to forfill deliveries on their behalf then you still have a claim with Australia post. You might need to contact Australia post directly via their website than deal with the local guy making excuses for his workers.
Hi Davo85. Have you managed to be able to do a SG test yet. Lots here interested and waiting to see the result?
The weight of gold contained is really the base line for any valuation.
