Hi all,
It’s been a while since I’ve posted. Lots of health issues and a move across country to Southern California have happened in that time.
I no longer make jewelry to sell as I did for 12 yrs. I am just making things at my garage bench for myself to pass the time and keep my fingers nimble.
I have some scraps, messed-up pieces etc that that I would like to cash in. The problem is that I cannot find a single refiner or supply company that will do business with a hobby meralsmith/jeweler. I do not have a business license (and I didn’t before either!) and I have no intention getting one. I used Rio Grande for a decade without any issues (buy and sell), But since I last sent my scrap in to them in 2021, they have changed their policy and they have even deactivated my buyers account!! I never qualified for a Hoover account and most definitely do not now!
I have zero problems providing information to meet the Patriot Act requirements, but every single place that I have looked into, including Elemental, require a State business license. I’m not spending a few hundred $$ just to get a certificate to get that same amount - or less- back from a refiner.
All of the local and national mail in “cash for gold/silver” places require what you bring/send in to be quality marked. And the ones that I have tried contacting to see if they take scrap from hobby metalsmiths/jewelers have not been very nice to me at all.
I melt my scrap into blobs for easy packaging - I have several oz of them, plus all the unwanted pieces I have no use for. I really could use the cash for medical expenses right now, and the amount I have here would easily add up to ~$300 dollars (based on what I used to get from Rio).
Does anyone know of any places (not Rio, Hoover and Strong, and Elemental) That will actually deal with a person that is a hobbyist?
As I am typing this, I’ve realized that all these recently instated requirements seem to mean that I can no longer make jewelry because I’m not even allowed to buy the supplies anymore! This is all kind of disheartening.
Any recommendations as to where I can try to sell my scrap?
Thanks in advance,
Lori