Someone had posted some time back a government auction website, and I have kept tabs on it for scrap, bidding on it several times. This last time there was a miscellaneous auction from a fed building for what looked like lost and found (keys, glasses, rings, cell phone, etc). I took a chance, put a $50 max bid, and actually got it at $48. Got it home and started separating everything. Half a dozen nice sterling pieces in there, a 10k marked earring, several junk rings and necklaces, and one really nice marked 14k with 3 stones men's ring. I figured it was probably plated, but still looked nice. I took it to a jeweler friend just in case, and he confirmed it was 14k, with 3 diamonds weighing a total of 1/2 carats. CHA-CHING CHA-CHING!!!!!!!!!!! He said a comparable new one would cost about $1500.
I honestly did not think I was going to win the auction, as there were two other people bidding, and my high bid was placed at 9 a.m., and the auction for this particular item did not close until 6:45 p.m. As the day went on, it slipped my mind so when 9 p.m. rolled around I remembered and figured "Oh well, I forgot to check so I probably got outbid and nothing to do about it now". Very surprised the next morning to see an email saying I was high bid.
For anyone who might want to check the site out, it is GSA Auctions®, General Services Administration, Government Site for Auctions
I can guarantee I will be paying more attention to it.
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