Card sockets — PCMCIA, CF, SD, SIM

PCMCIA and CompactFlash carry the gold; SD, microSD and SIM trays are stainless-and-plastic decoys.

Au 0.8–2.5 g/lbCu ~150 g/lb

eBay typical$60–250per lb

Refiner pays$120per lb

Metal in it$197per lb at 4 Aug 2026 spot

Confidencelowof the yield figures

How to spot it

PCMCIA and CardBus sockets are long two-row headers with 68 fine pins plus a metal cage and eject lever, on laptop and industrial boards. CF sockets are shorter, 50-pin. SD sockets are stamped stainless shells with 8–9 flat contacts; microSD and SIM trays are almost entirely stainless and plastic.

Metal content

Metal	Quantity	Notes
Gold	0.8–2.5 g/lb	calculated — PCMCIA 68-pin and CF 50-pin carry 15–30 µin on real contact area; SD and SIM carry flash gold on tiny areas
Copper	~150 g/lb	phosphor bronze and BeCu contacts

At 4 Aug 2026 spot prices that works out to $197 per pound of contained metal — Gold 1.5 g = $196, Copper 150 g = $1.60. A refiner paying $120 returns about 61% of that, which is normal: refining costs money and the buyer takes a margin.

Safe removal

Working temperature: Hot air 340–370 °C

Hot air at 340–370 °C with a wide nozzle, working the perimeter, supporting the whole socket so contacts don't tear off into the board. Strip the steel cages off and scrap them separately — they badly dilute your gold-grade weight. Snap the plastic and keep only the contact combs for the highest grade.

Hazards

☠ Lead — dust more than fume

NEVER dry sweep or use compressed air on a scrapping bench. HEPA-vac or wet-wipe only.

☣ Beryllium copper

NEVER put BeCu in a grinder, a sandblaster, or a melt.

💨 Fumes, ventilation and open flame

NEVER burn boards, wire insulation or plastic. Ever.

Before you scrap it

Working PCMCIA and CF sockets sell $3–12 each to industrial and retro-laptop repairers, though the population is small and refiner payout on clean contacts is competitive.

The common trap

Weighing the metal cage and plastic body along with the contacts is the standard mistake and it can halve your apparent grade. SIM trays and microSD holders are effectively worthless — don't let them into a gold lot.

Questions

How much gold is in card sockets — pcmcia, cf, sd, sim?

Gold: 0.8–2.5 g/lb. Copper: ~150 g/lb. At current spot that is about $197 of contained metal per pound.

How do you identify card sockets — pcmcia, cf, sd, sim?

PCMCIA and CompactFlash carry the gold; SD, microSD and SIM trays are stainless-and-plastic decoys.

How do you remove card sockets — pcmcia, cf, sd, sim safely?

Hot air at 340–370 °C with a wide nozzle, working the perimeter, supporting the whole socket so contacts don't tear off into the board. Strip the steel cages off and scrap them separately — they badly dilute your gold-grade weight. Snap the plastic and keep only the contact combs for the highest grade.

Is card sockets — pcmcia, cf, sd, sim worth more working than as scrap?

Working PCMCIA and CF sockets sell $3–12 each to industrial and retro-laptop repairers, though the population is small and refiner payout on clean contacts is competitive.

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