One Ounce Nugget

chlsbrns

Bronze Member
Mar 30, 2013
1,636
656
Detector(s) used
Excalibur II
Primary Interest:
Other
I cast the one oz nugget shown below from some of my fines. It's my first time casting anything. I think it turned out ok but I'm going to try and cast some GNARLY Nuggets.

I'm going to try casting arrowheads, doubloons and other cool things.
 

Attachments

  • oz-nugget.png
    oz-nugget.png
    208.1 KB · Views: 440
  • oz-nugget-2.png
    oz-nugget-2.png
    205.8 KB · Views: 402
Upvote 0
I love this thread and metal working has always been a passion. Please remember that we must be Charter members to offer services for a fee. I really like your work and had the pleasure to hold a pile of gold coins once from the Atocha. I actually borrowed them for a while. What a thrill gold is ! I have a lot of silver to melt and need that furnace.My brother used to cast jewelry he bought it by carrot in beads and rods.
Keep showing your work!
 

It's not brain surgery, but what you are doing is not easy either. It definitely requires tool skills and an artistic flair for the moulds.
Nuggets are probably about the easiest and most worthwhile items to fabricate.
I mean, they have universal appeal, and don't require fabricating time consuming "one of a kind" molds.
It sure beats 18 hour days in Arizona 120 degree heat, and or the Mexican or Australian outback.

In fact, you might even possibly be able to patent a particular style or brand.

I guess others could then copy your original style fabricated nuggets, (Imitated imitations) but imitation is the purest form of flattery, but I digress......

Tools yes but It's not that hard. A mould is clay and only used once.

I don't think that many experienced miners would think my one ounce nugget was a natural nugget. To make an authentic looking nugget is not easy. Its easy to push a skull pendant into clay and pour in melted gold. Its easy to make a two sided coin. Making an authentic looking nugget would take more time than its worth. It amazes me that people buy the obvious fakes being sold on ebay.
 

It's not brain surgery, but what you are doing is not easy either. It definitely requires tool skills and an artistic flair for the moulds.
Nuggets are probably about the easiest and most worthwhile items to fabricate.
I mean, they have universal appeal, and don't require fabricating time consuming "one of a kind" molds.
It sure beats 18 hour days in Arizona 120 degree heat, and or the Mexican or Australian outback.

In fact, you might even possibly be able to patent a particular style or brand.

I guess others could then copy your original style fabricated nuggets, (Imitated imitations) but imitation is the purest form of flattery, but I digress......

It's slightly hotter than a furnace in AZ ...
 

Another Atocha bar...
 

Attachments

  • 1438412246737.jpg
    1438412246737.jpg
    115.9 KB · Views: 86
1698 1\2 doubloon. A real one of these would be worth about $10,000!
 

Attachments

  • 1438413394739.jpg
    1438413394739.jpg
    133 KB · Views: 96
  • 1438413410328.jpg
    1438413410328.jpg
    119.5 KB · Views: 92
Its called progress.
I think he deserves a premium for his artwork.
If you are concerned for the buyers, it serves them
right for not spending an afternoon figuring out how
to tell purposely fabricated nuggets from naturally
formed ones.

So, as long as you can get away with it you feel as if you're
doing nothing wrong? (rhetorical)

People who would take advantage of others in this manner are dishonest,
and have no honor or integrity.
 

Just for clarification, my comment was directed specifically at those who
would manufacture an item, then knowingly misrepresent the item at it's sale.

Nitric: you're a collector of counterfeit coins, so when you purchase one
you are quite aware of what it is you are buying. Now, if you went to buy
a [supposed] authentic coin, and then found it was a fake the seller had
manufactured themselves, being are a stand-up person you would take
appropriate measures against that manufacturer/seller.

When someone decides to produce a fake coin, then try to market it as the
real thing they are committing fraud.

Spent many years in business, and seen numerous instances when companies
would bend, or flat out break the law in order to procure a sale. They're
attitude was "so long as I can get away with it, it's OK".

I wouldn't accept it as being "OK" then, and haven't changed a bit since.
 

Last edited:
Just for clarification, my comment was directed specifically at those who
would manufacture an item, then knowingly misrepresent the item at it's sale.

Nitric: you're a collector of counterfeit coins, so when you purchase one
you are quite aware of what it is you are buying. Now, if you went to buy
a [supposed] authentic coin, and then found it was a fake the seller had
manufactured themselves, being are a stand-up person you would take
appropriate measures against that manufacturer/seller.

When someone decides to produce a fake coin, then try to market it as the
real thing they are committing fraud.

Spent many years in business, and seen numerous instances when companies
would bend, or flat out break the law in order to procure a sale. They're
attitude was "so long as I can get away with it, it's OK".

I wouldn't accept it as being "OK" then, and haven't changed a bit since.

No, most of what I ended up with were an old coin dealer friends mistakes and some of my own mistakes. From my greed and lack of knowledge making bad purchases not knowing what I was doing!:laughing7: That was no ones fault but my own. (this is coming from someone who made many mistakes):laughing7: The sellers actually taught me a lot! So I guess I paid them for a lesson! I've had some very expensive "lessons"!:laughing7: I saved and used them for a reference, and to show other people what to look for. They are worth more than Gold or silver in that case.

I'm getting topics mixed and and off subject. So, I erased posts. There is a fine line between fraud and the way it's represented. I am mixed on the idea that people should also really know what they are buying to protect themselves. Anyhow, I erased posts, because it's off topic for thread, And I don't want to ramble my nonsense.:laughing7:
 

Last edited:
Tools yes but It's not that hard. A mould is clay and only used once.

I don't think that many experienced miners would think my one ounce nugget was a natural nugget. To make an authentic looking nugget is not easy. Its easy to push a skull pendant into clay and pour in melted gold. Its easy to make a two sided coin. Making an authentic looking nugget would take more time than its worth. It amazes me that people buy the obvious fakes being sold on ebay.

Actually, making a nice nugget that can't be seen as a fake is really easy. You don't even need a mold. Some of us have that knowledge, I learned it from an old miner as a child. Personally, I just don't do it or even pass this knowledge on these days. If you do decide to cast for others I would be interested as will be many others. You should come up with a Pirates, scull coin of your own and then... I will trade you some fines :)
 

Hi Reed, I found a pretty cool coin. 1 3/4". It doesnt show a back side so its probably blank on one side. I'm still deciding about casting but thought I would show the coin for opinions.

Not sure what buckets and boomers would think about casting their coin but I would ask first.
 

Attachments

  • 1438568999653.jpg
    1438568999653.jpg
    74 KB · Views: 127
Last edited:
Hi Reed, I found a pretty cool coin. 1 3/4". It doesnt show a back side so its probably blank on one side. I'm still deciding about casting but thought I would show the coin for opinions.

Bucket and Boomer are nice guys. You should check out their prospecting videos, some good work on the later ones. I hope you aren't considering casting and selling their copyright design?

Heavy Pans
 

That would be good for them but I like your skull as it just add something around the outside to finish the coin and call it good. Maybe an old Indiana Jones style. - Indiana Jones coin.jpeg


The Disney coin is nice but the Indiana Jones above is ausom :)
$_3.JPG
 

This would make a bad azz casting! It's 1 3/4", two sided and would need approximately 44 grams of 24k. Less grams would be needed if it was cast at a lower karat.
 

Attachments

  • 1438746760015.jpg
    1438746760015.jpg
    104.9 KB · Views: 96
Another thing that might be a possibility for you. Not sure how hard it would be. At one time I wanted my own silver rounds made with my designs, as like a memory type thing of a brother that passed away. To pass out to family and friends. Also had a design I had for a business we had for a short time. Anyhow, the cost wasn't too horrible if bought in large amounts. I want to say maybe $400 for set up then so much each up to a 100 or something, then price dropped after that. Can't really remember details.

You might make a fortune going down that road too. Pets,people,business,etc... If I remember,at that time I didn't have too many options for quality detailed work. Most looked generic, to me at least. Just throwing that out there! If I had the tools and skill, I would push something along those lines also, and at a fair price.
 

Last edited:
Nitric,
I actually had a Roand mpx-90 metal printer. It prints on metal. I printed on silver and gold bars. The print heads are really expensive so it wasn't worth it to continue printing on the bars.

The first two bars are one oz silver bars the third is ten oz gold.
 

Attachments

  • 2faces.jpg
    2faces.jpg
    57.6 KB · Views: 105
  • chief2.jpg
    chief2.jpg
    65.3 KB · Views: 96
  • pirate-bar-front.jpg
    pirate-bar-front.jpg
    46.1 KB · Views: 108
Last edited:
Wow! I feel like I'm stuck in the past! I missed some time somewhere!:icon_scratch:

That's Cool stuff! Or maybe I just never really stopped to notice them before!:dontknow:
 

This one is 39mm so slightly larger than a morgan silver dollar.
 

Attachments

  • 1438829532031.jpg
    1438829532031.jpg
    75.4 KB · Views: 132
  • 1438829545165.jpg
    1438829545165.jpg
    78.5 KB · Views: 120

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top