A roadside trash pick-up find

Barberian

While picking up aluminum cans and trash along a fence line this week, I found a 5"x5"x10" heavy cardboard box containing a Wm Rogers silver-plate flatware set (weighing about 4 pounds) with a sterling-handled carving knife and fork. I also salvaged a spiffy wood-trimmed Mossy Oak wall clock, an unopened can of Bid Light, and about $7.00 worth of aluminum cans. Also spotted a drive train, several wheels, and sets of brake pads for salvage.

It's not exactly metal detecting but I'm at least hunting for metal. And the proceeds go toward purchase of "junk" Morgans, Walkers and Franklin halves.

pocketpiececommems

Nice finds and just like detecting you don't know what your going to find I turn my scrap into gold

johnny9434

nice find, as said abovw you never never know, congrats

SamByrd

That carving set may be Stieff it is a very nice find.

Ownerofawheatiehorde

Nice find!

Barberian

Thanks! I just looked it up and it's a pretty good match for a Stieff Rose Sterling Carving set. I don't see Stieff stamped anywhere, though. Only "STERLING HANDLE" at the base of the handle. I think it's a "Machin's Mills" Stieff, a copycat pattern, but I need to research this more. It is interesting to read about how the dies for the handles are engraved and vary considerably over time. Apparently, people collect Stieff Rose silver flatware patterns. Has someone has identified the different die varieties? I assume yes.

The silverplate is made by Wm Rogers.

I was interested in scrapping the sterling handles but the gf wants it as a cutlery set.

CRHer700

Hey @Barberian , approximately how much money do you get for a single aluminum can to scrap it?

Barberian

Right now, RMC across from the airport in Lake City is paying $0.54 per pound for Used Beverage Container (UBC) aluminum. That works out on average to around 1.6 cents per can. I turn in 150-200 pounds at a time when I go to LC for other errands.

I don't hold for better prices anymore. I did that once for a few years and filled up half of a two-car garage with over 100,000 crushed aluminum cans. In classic fashion, the market near rock bottom didn't go into an upturn until after I turned in all of those cans.

I've recovered tens of thousands of cans from your neck of the woods because I like to ride over your way to hit boat landings, bars, parks, the HS football stadium, ice machines, etc. I don't know the heavy beer/soda drinking households over there like I do around my little town, though.

I love cycling and recycling, so I have great fun doing this on a recumbent bike. HOWEVER, do it mainly for fun and exercise because recycling UBCs doesn't pay all that well. Picking up roadways pays about $1.50 per hr.; going out on "garbage night" pays about $5-6 per hour. Tailgating at a major college football game can yield $100 or more. Bring a van.

Ginnie Springs pays out at least $40 per weekend visit, though there is a $15 entrance fee for cars. For some swashbuckling silliness, I want to land there from upstream via kayak to avoid the entrance fee, 'pirate' a few thousand cans, and head off downstream towing a float loaded with cans.

My garbage scow, Big Red, with a good day's haul.

CRHer700

I am asking because I have found a huge stash of cans, somewhere that no one ever goes: under the Buccaneer stadium. My sister is there all the time practicing softball, so I intend to bring some bags and "do the town a favor". Surely they can't complain if I take out the trash.
Can you just drive up to the recycle place, or do you have to schedule an appointment?

Barberian

Cool! Hidden treasure at Buccaneer Stadium! Been there! That's a good place to look as well as Hatch Park, Suwannee River Park, and the two ice machines in town. How many cans do you think you have in all in this stash?

First, I'd ask around to find out who saved those cans. I wouldn't want to pirate someone else's recycling efforts. If you cannot find the people who put them there, then note the payout when you turn them in and have that number if someone ever approaches you about it. If they feel cheated out of those cans, then negotiate a fair price since you did the legwork turning them in.

I always offer to split the proceeds with anyone who stops and offers to give me their large stash of cans at their house. I want to reward those who save their cans. Most folks pass on the offer and are happy to just get rid of them. I've met some really nice folks in the area that way.

One can drive in to a local recycling center without an appointment. There's one on 247 on the way to Lake City, and one in Live Oak, but I take my cans to the Recycling Center in Lake City while doing errands in town because they pay better. Keep in mind that transportation costs eat into any profits from recycling, so I try to haul large loads (150-200 pounds) each time.

At the Lake City Recycling Center on Washington Road out by the airport, drive in 100 feet or so and there's an office, scales, and guys weighing scrap. They will take your bags of cans and empty them into a large bucket for weighing. They know the weights of the buckets and will subtract that from your total weight. After they've weighed your cans, go to the office window and they will pay cash for what your cans are worth. It usually takes 3-5 minutes. They may ask for some identification for their records so bring an id.

Then I usually hit the local coin shop and purchase some silver bullion or junk silver. He doesn't carry my coin series but he is great for buying bullion and junk silver.