Which Electronic Devices Contain the Most Gold — Reclaim, Recycle, and Sell your Precious Metal Scrap (2024)

It’s a good idea to collect large quantities of little smartphones that were made in the last five years – batches of 50, 100 or more – and send them to us to be recycled. The same is true for remotes. But let’s face realities. In order to make a good return on having us recycle them for you, you need a lot of them.

There are other older electronic devices that can put a lot more money in your pocket. We are talking about larger-sized electronic items that were manufactured between about 20 and 30 years ago. Let’s call it “the golden age” of electronics, because that was the time when comparatively large quantities of gold were used to make them.

Why are these items likely to pay you a sizeable return? They are still easy to find in junkshops and yard sales. You can even find them in the electronics recycling dumpster at your town recycling facility (be sure to ask permission before carting them away).

What Should You Be Looking For?

Here are some “golden age” items that have large printed circuit boards and therefore, comparatively large quantities of gold.

  • Jumbo old video-playing devices like VCRs and Sony Betamax players.

  • Old camcorders – the bigger the better.

  • Early digital still cameras – again, the bigger the better.

  • Big old desktop computers and peripheral devices like modems and scanners.

  • Old televisions – some old pre-flatscreen large living room models can contain gold that is worth $5.00 or more.

  • Old stereo components including amplifiers and receivers.

  • Electronic keyboards and musical instruments, which were “hot” items around 1990.

  • Early game consoles from Nintendo and Atari.

  • HAM radios, shortwave radios, and other large communication devices that were popular with hobbyists.

  • Coffee makers, toaster ovens, and other kitchen equipment.

Got Those Items? Call Our Experts to Find Out What They Could Be Worth

Our precious metal consultants are here to discuss all your precious metal scrap – we’ll explain what your “discoveries” might contain, how we can test them for you, and more. Whether you have gold scrap, silver scrap or something else, be sure to call us at 800-426-2344 to learn more. We are an electronics recycler near you – as close as your phone.

Which Electronic Devices Contain the Most Gold — Reclaim, Recycle, and Sell your Precious Metal Scrap (2024)

FAQs

Which Electronic Devices Contain the Most Gold — Reclaim, Recycle, and Sell your Precious Metal Scrap? ›

Smartphones: Smartphones are the electronic devices with the highest gold content, and the amount of gold in a smartphone ranges from 0.03 to 0.05 ounces. Computers: Computers, including desktops, laptops, and servers, contain gold in their circuit boards and connectors.

What electronics have the most scrap gold? ›

The components with the highest content of precious metal include:
  • CPUs.
  • Memory.
  • Circuit connectors.
  • Motherboards.
  • Cables and wires.
  • Hard drives.
  • Cell phones.

What electronics are worth scrapping? ›

Voltage Stabilizers, Radios, even TVs are some of the devices that I can think of. I feel Radios with inbuilt speakers are worth tearing apart for most of the components you've mentioned - capacitors, magnets, copper wire and in some cases, LCD screens. Where can I sell electronic scrap metals?

In which type of electronic device might you find more gold plated components? ›

Most companies that specialize in this field focus on motherboards, circuit boards, and CPUs because they tend to contain the most gold. One tonne of electronic waste can contain up to 800 times as much gold as gold ore.

Do TV remotes have gold in them? ›

Remotes of All Kinds

Just about every household has a batch of old remote control devices for old TVs, VCRs, and more lying around, sometimes quite a few. And each of them contains a small printed circuit board that contains a small quantity of gold.

What device has the most gold? ›

Desktop Computer
  • The largest circuit board in both laptops and desktops, the motherboard, is the part where the most gold can be found. ...
  • Many computers have been fitted with these tiny circuit boards, which are roughly the size of a packet of sauce, to make room for the RAM.

What electrical component has the most gold? ›

Motherboards and printed circuit boards – The motherboard is often the best potential source of gold in computers. The edges of most components on the board will have gold contacts and connectors where the wires slide in. You will often find thin layers of gold on the motherboard's surface.

What electronics have platinum in them? ›

Platinum: Platinum is used in hard drives and circuit boards components. Palladium: Palladium is used in cell phones, hard drives, circuit board components and capacitors. Copper: Copper is used in CPU heat sinks, wiring cables, cell phones, printed circuit boards and computer chips.

What appliances are worth the most to scrap? ›

Refrigerators and any appliances that use plumbing to operate - like an old rusted water heater - are especially worthy of collecting for scrap. This is because these appliances often have copper components; copper wire and plumbing scrap is valuable and gives you great profit.

How much gold is in an old TV? ›

Old televisions – some old pre-flatscreen large living room models can contain gold that is worth $5.00 or more. Old stereo components including amplifiers and receivers.

What household items have gold in them? ›

The processors and connectors in computers, tablets, and smartphones use gold. You can also find gold in televisions, gaming consoles, printers, or essentially anything electronic.

Where can I find palladium in electronics? ›

Valuable & Precious metals – where they are in Computers:

Palladium – Hard Drives, Circuit board components (capacitors) Copper – CPU heat sinks, wiring and cables, Printed Circuit Boards, Computer Chips. Nickel – Circuit board components. Tantalum – Circuit board components (some capacitors)

What computer parts have gold in them? ›

What Parts of a Computer Contain Gold? Gold in computers is primarily found in the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and memory chips. Gold is utilized in these parts due to its exceptional ability to conduct electricity.

How do you extract gold from electronics? ›

Researchers have recovered gold from electronic waste. Their highly sustainable new method is based on a protein fibril sponge, which the scientists derive from whey, a food industry byproduct. ETH Zurich researchers have recovered the precious metal from electronic waste.

Is there gold in old stereo equipment? ›

It's true there's often silver, platinum, palladium and gold in our damaged or outmoded electronics, not to mention plastic, glass and other materials that have some scrap value. The primary reason is that precious metals conduct electricity much better than alloys.

Is there gold in VCR players? ›

You can find some of gold it in but the refining process of that tiny amount of gold will cost you mare than the price of Gold. Are old VHS machines worth anything now? Sure they are, if they're in good working order. Over time, belts dry out or break, heads get worn over use.

How much gold is in a smart TV? ›

Not very much. In fact, almost none. Gold, at $1900 per troy ounce (31.3 grms), is too costly to use very much of it in any electronic device. The cheap TV sets will use tin plating where gold might be used in the higher end TVs.

How much scrap gold is in a computer? ›

How much gold is in a computer hard drive? It is possible to find gold plating in small traces, not only in hard drives, RAM memory sticks, but in many other components of desktop or laptop computers. The exact amount can vary around 0.3 gram of gold worth around $20.

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