As a suggestion to all my Authors Den friends, those I know and those I do not know,  most of us have “junk jewelry”: broken or unused odds and ends that are sitting buried in a drawer or a jewelry box.

Within the last week the price of gold has risen to above a thousand dollars an ounce and the price of silver has gone to $14.44 an ounce.... Week ending 2/21/09

I’d suggest digging that gold or silver jewelry (or coins) out and finding a local stamp and coin, or jewelry store that will test to make sure what you have is really gold, then give you a price to buy what you no longer have any logical use for.  

You may also look in you telephone book under "Numismatic"

In the Los Angeles area a very reputable company is:

California Numismatic Investments, Inc. 

800- 225-7531

Money is very tight for many, many people, and you may have a unremembered small fortune buried someplace within your home.

Just a suggestion.