Selling gold doesn't just mean bringing in huge pieces of jewelry or coins when you need money. If you're just trying to sell gold for scrap value, there are any number of places you can look to find gold. These are long-forgotten items that you likely have in your home or neighborhood. Get enough of these together, and you could find yourself able to trade them in for a tidy sum.

Your Jewelry Box: Old Piercing Studs

People are used to looking through old rings and necklaces to find gold, but those old piercing studs you have wedged in a spot in the corner may be just as valuable. Piercing studs are small, so they're often overlooked. But many of them are made from 14k yellow or white gold -- and not just gold plating. Gather those up and remove any stones from them (you won't get any money for the stones themselves; piercing stud stones tend to be glass, cubic zirconia, or another nice-looking stone that doesn't really add value).

Your Junk Drawer: Amusement Park Mementos

If you've ever been to an amusement park out west, you might have seen an attraction that allowed you to pan for gold or to buy gold flakes. These have value! It might not seem like much, but those few grams, plus those studs, can bring in some change. Check junk drawers, display cabinets, trophy cases, and any other areas where you might have precious metals on disply.

Your Display Cabinet: Old Trophies

Speaking of those old trophies, most of them are likely plated. Full gold trophies are not something you'd really get after a school contest. But check them out anyway -- the attached plaques could be worth something if the trophy was awarded after a very special event, such as an accomplishment at work.

Garage Sales: Old Knickknacks

Trawl through garage sales to see if anyone is selling any of the previously listed items. Many people don't realize that the items hold value, or they think it's too much trouble to drive all the way to a gold store to sell some earrings.

Contact gold buyers to get a full description of the gold-selling process. Find out what you might have to do to prepare the items to ensure the smoothest sale. When you bring them in, you'll be able to get an estimate, and you can compare that to values you get from other buyers.