For the most part, leaving the fingers on is the more profitable thing to do based on the calculations shared below.
There are two main reasons why people trim gold fingers:
1) They are chemically refining gold themselves and are incredibly efficient in their methods, or are doing so as a hobby where profit isn't as important.
2) They are trimming fingers from mid-grade boards (some high end power boards have a gold finger connector) where the trim will not effect the board price. (still midgrade with or without the finger).
Trimming fingers from "Gold Finger Cards" or "Gold Memory" devalues the item more than the combined weight and value of the board and its attached gold finger.
One Clean Gold Finger weighs about 1 gram, or 0.00220462 lbs.
An average Gold Finger Card weighs about 0.25 lbs. (generously)
The value of that one card with fingers intact, at today's rate of $3.70 per pound = $3.70 * 0.25 lbs = $0.94.
The value of that same card with the fingers removed at $1.50 per pound = $1.50 * 0.25 lbs = $0.38.
The value of the Clean Gold Finger at $50 per pound = $50 * 0.00220462 lbs = $0.11.
Results:
The combined value of the trimmed fingerless card + the separate clean finger = $0.49
- vs -
The single value of the unmodified card with fingers intact = $0.94
Keep in mind these are average weights but as you can see there is quite a margin between the two.
Bottom line = Save your time and your trouble and keep the fingers on the board unless in the rare occasion that it will not effect the price of the board.
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