They are so widespread, they’re even starting to show up on television. We’re talking those “cash for gold” operations, asking you to send old no-longer-wanted pieces of jewelry or anything else with gold in it, in exchange for a quick payment.
It has permeated the mainstream media, including a story by the Associated Press on Oct. 21, 2008 titled “At pawn shops, the cash-strapped trade in memories.” It goes beyond pawn shops, explaining how more people are trading in their gold to deal with the challenging economic times.