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Thread: 1st trying to buy pewter...did I score or strike out?

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    1st trying to buy pewter...did I score or strike out?

    No markings that say pewter but gave it a try. They were a couple bucks each.

    Attachment 199275

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Well, strike one...the daily bread plate from what I googled is aluminum and 10 other alloys? The jury is still out on the sun and moon. It's as heavy as lead.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master


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    If they are pewter they usually have hallmarks on the bottom stating such. There are many pictures of the marks in the pewter sticky thread here.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master


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    Don't feel bad - that Daily Bread plate got me too. One of my first 'not pewter' purchases.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Pewter items must have some kind of stamp stating that the item is made from pewter. No stamp, I don't buy it. Pewter is soft and can easily be bent with your hands. I sometimes carry a small magnifying glass to help me read the trademarks. Plates as the one shown by the OP are common. The ones I have found were cast from aluminum.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master pjames32's Avatar
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    I too have a Daily Bread plate in my bucket of aluminum scrap!
    NRA Benefactor Member

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    The moon is pewter and was made by spoontiques. I weighed 1.3lbs after being removed from its stand. $3.99 it was more than you guys pay for your $1 a lb. but at least it's a start. It's in my pot as we speak.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master MyFlatline's Avatar
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    I got burned by a "contains Pewter" stamp. I Only buy if it says pewter, best luck at Goodwill for some reason.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    One of my first trips to Goodwill I found pewter, the next trip I found Sterling Silver. You can't use that #$%^& silver in boolits though!
    Plata o plomo?
    Plomo, por favor!

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Attachment 199291

    I just weighed it...1.15lbs

    I made it into thinner bars to snip off as needed to add to my mix.

    It had .15 lbs of some type of coating over the top of it I skimmed off. I hit it with the torch and it turned red and sparked a little. Maybe aliminum coating? Anyways $3.99 for a little over a pound of pewter I thought was good? Seem like it's going for around close to $20lb on the net.

  11. #11
    USMC 77, USRA 79


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    You will get better at it... after you scrounge for a while, you will be able to recognize out of the corner of your eye... at 100 feet.. lol
    Any technology not understood, can seem like Magic!!!

    I will love the Lord with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    Funny the plate almost got me once .... my gut said don't buy

  13. #13
    Boolit Master Cowboy_Dan's Avatar
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    I see so many of those plates at my local Goodwills. Quit even turning them over after third one, although I have seen them in several configurations (thicknesses, textures, &c.). Keep hunting, it seems to be boom or bust around here. Don't forget yard and estate sales, but some of them think pewter is worth silver prices.
    "It is wrong always, everywhere, and for everyone to believe anything on insufficient evidence."
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    "They hate you if you're clever, and they despise a fool."
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  14. #14
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    Melt that sterling into ingots and ebay it! 92.5% silver... unless it was plated.

    Quote Originally Posted by ghh3rd View Post
    One of my first trips to Goodwill I found pewter, the next trip I found Sterling Silver. You can't use that #$%^& silver in boolits though!

  15. #15
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    the bread plate is armatale or some rot like that. If an item doesn't say pewter I try bending it, if it isn't ductile then I pass.

  16. #16
    In Remembrance


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    The buy that got me was a `pewter` coffee and tea service with tray. There was a picture of the word pewter and a hallmark so I bought it sight unseen. Turned out that the serving tray was pewter and not the plated coffee/tea set. The tray still got me 2 lbs before smelting.Robert

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grmps View Post
    the bread plate is armatale or some rot like that. If an item doesn't say pewter I try bending it, if it isn't ductile then I pass.
    I haven't found much at Goodwill or other thrift stores in my area...the few items I found were candle stick holders and a small plate none were marked pewter, but I could bend the areas that are thinnest. I've read that the candle sticks may have sand or iron in the base for added weight...I haven't melted mine yet, but I know one of them is fairly heavy...so I suspect the worst...I think I paid 25˘ for that item, so I won't be too disappointed if the majority of the weight is a iron block.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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  18. #18
    Boolit Master


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    There might be gorilla dung in there for weight too! Don't melt that!

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    I did better today. The only thing over a buck was the picture frame. The sand dollar has to be over a pound.

    Attachment 199323

    The deer and vw I had laying around

    Attachment 199324
    The jumping buck is not getting melted though...too cool

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Attachment 199327

    I ended up with 1.7lbs today in lee bar weight and spent a total of $4.90

    My best buy was "breakfast" by cynthie Fisher. A ducks unlimited print from 91'

    Picked it up for $20! Its going above my 2 bobcat rugs, full body mount, and a mountain man bobcat hat I had made from my calling harvests.

    Attachment 199328
    Attachment 199329

    In haven't seen any mugs or dishes in my searches. I think they'll be hard to find in my area.

    Well, in yesterdays and todays finds I've spent $8.89 and ended up with a little under 3lbs. Guess it's better than $20 a pound on line. At 2% add I would have enough for 150lbs?
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 07-07-2017 at 05:03 PM.

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