Can I sell my gold teeth?

Can I sell my gold teeth?

January 26, 2012 1654 view(s)

Maybe you have recently tripped, fallen and knocked out a few of your teeth. But as luck would have, it was a gold tooth that is now in the palm of your hand. If you are pressed for cash you may be wondering if this can turn a once unfortunate situation into a positive one.

So how much money can you get for your new found gold? According to MSN Money, most gold crowns weigh one-tenth of an ounce. Most crowns are made with 14 karat gold, so it may be worth around $100. On the other hand, a filling will be much smaller and therefore worth less.

If you are interested in selling your gold dental work, you may want to get appraised right away because it is nearly impossible to know the purity of the gold used unless the dentist told you. There are a number of differently gold alloys used in dentistry so your crown could be anywhere from 10 to 22 karats. Therefore, if the gold used on your tooth is only 10 karats, it may be worth as little as $40.

In order to find someone in the business of refining scrap dental work, try consulting the local dental lab or pawnshop. You may also be able to find a reputable dealer online. Keep in mind that a dealer may charge you a refining fee and sometimes higher fees are charged for smaller amounts of gold.

The Atlantic explains if all of teeth were covered in gold, those 32 teeth could earn you $4,234 - that's a lot of iPads!  Otherwise, you can certainly sell your gold teeth; just keep in mind that you likely won't strike it rich.