Lets all get scammed together

We have all seen the commercials for the gold and jewelry buyers. They are everywhere, in the papers, on the tube, billboards, pawn shop walls, etc. I've been selling gold and silver when the gold standard was 35. 00/oz. Now it is fluctuating between 900.00-950.00 for the same oz. Wow, they say you may have a fortune in your jewelry box. It's true, you might, or maybe not, but who will really tell you the truth. Do you think that these guys who are paying huge advertising costs are? Think again. A lot of us have Aunt Myrtle's turtles, a pair of turtle shaped pins with a green jade like stone and gold colored metal that you won't ever wear except when Aunt Myrtle is in town. How about that big gaudy pin from grandma Florence with all those white stones in it that shines and flashes like Times Square at night. You wouldn't be caught dead wearing that, right? Well, the old bus needs brakes and new tires, and you just saw an ad where someone at the local motel has rented a suite and is inviting you to come and show them your unwanted treasures from another life. Are they going to tell you the truth about the pair of turtles and the flashy pin? How do you know for sure? You won't!
Advise- do your homework!! The pin may be rhinestones and white metal, or may be diamonds and platinum. The turtles may be costume glass and brass or Chien Lung period Imperial jade and pure gold from China. That's where you need to take them to a qualified jeweler and appraiser and find out what they really are. It may cost you a few sou, but worth it. Go with the idea of not selling them at the moment and get the appraisal in writing if they are real.. You don't need a price, but just the info on what the metal is and what the stones are. Have any gold or platinum weighed in pennyweights. You see, gold is weighed in troy wt., not avoirdupois. A bathroom scale or a postal scale is not troy. There are 12 oz to a lb. troy and 16 to a lb av. Have them tell you how many carats the pin has in diamonds.
Then go home, put them back in the jewelry box and leave them in your will for your daughter or your heirs to worry with. Or if they are worthless let the grand kids play with them in the sandbox. This is way too complicated for me to explain in this thread. If you need a real answer, call me.
Seriously- see tomorrow's contuation.