Kcbushinski wrote:
I disagree, because a lot of boards from the 60s and so forth used excessive amounts of precious metals in higher amounts because the technology was not available. Now modern conventional methods use less gold and silver
Please do not read this as mean-spirited or condescending because I do not mean it that way. You can disagree if you want, but when it comes down to it, Boardsort judges each board and gives it a grade based on the components on the boards. I have been there in person, many times, and know how they look at material and what they are looking for.
If you have a processor on it, they will grade it a certain way... more IC chips, get graded differently... a couple copper transformers, graded another way... it is much more about the components on the boards. That is why they ask for pictures to more accurately grade the boards.
While it has been my experience that older boards do tend to grade higher, saying that all 'vintage' boards have excessive amounts of precious metals simply isn't true. The older components may have a higher PM content, but it is often offset by their size (and lower board population). Older chips are bulky and have smaller lead counts than their modern versions. Older capacitors have PM's, but are 100 times lager than current MLCC's. Modern BGA chips have higher gold content than some of the best gold cap processors. It really comes down to the components.
In regards to your original post, they do not have a separate classification for older boards. If they grade it as such, they will count it as telecom... if you happen to have a board with a gold cap chip soldered into it, they will upgrade it beyond that. I have also brought them something they classify as 'pin board'. These are old boards that have a whole lot of wire wrapped gold platted pins that they give their own class and was an even higher grade last time I brought some in. Those are the highest grades they give boards unless you have a specialty item. I'm pretty sure most of your items will fall into these categories, but post some pics if you can, just to be sure... the mods will be able to give you a pretty good idea so you know prior to sending in material.