People bringing in gold fillings for cash

HANNIBAL, Mo. -- With the price of gold through the roof, at least two business people in Hannibal who regularly purchase gold say people are walking into their businesses with gold fillings to convert to cash.

"We get teeth every day. It's not odd," said Bobby Heiser, owner of Crescent Jewelry. "People that have their old crowns, they're worth a lot because they're like 16 carats. I've had people bring complete bridges in, even with the teeth. I don't pay as much if I have to take the teeth out. That's not pleasant."

"We get gold teeth in, and we buy them, believe it or not," said Lori Maddox, owner of Rags to Riches Pawn.

Some people retain their gold fillings through the end of their life. But what then? Can family members ask to remove the gold from a deceased family member's mouth?

"We've actually been asked that question before," said James O'Donnell of the James O'Donnell Funeral Home in Hannibal. "If the family asked for that, we would arrange it, but just as with everything else we do, we would have it done in a professional, dignified manner."

In the past, he said, the amount of gold was not worth the expense. But now that gold is trading at over $1,100 an ounce, O'Donnell acknowledges that "it doesn't take too much [gold] to add up to a lot."