While hunting for a fallen bead under my desk today, I picked up a number of bits and scraps of wire from projects past. Normally I just toss them, but I've started to save them (at least the sterling and gold-filled bits) to sent to Rio Grande for recycling and cash.

Rio accepts silver, gold, gold-filled, palladium, fired PMC and platinum items.

What's it worth? Below are the rates on the day I checked the site.

For credit:

Solid fine and sterling silver scrap is calculated at 75% of the current silver market and applied to your Rio Grande account. (Note: Because sterling silver contains less pure silver by weight, and because Rio pays both sterling and fine silver at this percentage, you will actually receive payment in the equivalent of 81% for sterling silver).

Solid karat gold is calculated at 75% of the current gold value and applied to your Rio account.

For cash:

Silver and gold payments are calculated at 65% and paid in a check.

 Also:

Silver dust is paid (or credited) at 40% of current market.  Gold-filled scrap is paid (or credited) at 1.89% of the current gold market (market price x .0189)
Palladium and platinum scrap are paid (or credited) at 60% of their current metal value.