Aquebogue Store Buys Gold, Silver -- And Memories

The counters in the U.S. Gold & Silver Redemption Center, located on Main Road in Aquebogue, are rich with history.

Gold, silver, Confederate currency and coins intermingle with World War II memorabilia, including gas masks, helmets, medicinal tins, a Nazi pin -- while, across the store, a curio cabinet is filled with Hummels and Lladro figurines that might have come straight from grandma's dining room.

The family business, which opened a year ago June, specializes in buying gold, silver, coins and militaria, said Chris Burns. "It's a little bit of everything," he said. Other war memorabilia includes daggers and bayonets; the store also buys and sells jewelry -- a Tiffany piece was for sale recently -- as well as sports collectibles.

A large truck outside lists all the collectibles the owners buy; customers stream in with coin collections and other memories to redeem for cash. 

But Burns said typically, those selling their treasures don't feel any sense of sadness at parting with a piece of the past. "It's not hard for them," he said. 

Would you ever part with your collectibles, gold, or silver? Share your thoughts with Patch in the comments section.