You're right about that thinking they have gold. A one day a week "antique/junk" seller told me she had 8 mint straights with ivory scales. She threw away the case and strop. She thought the strop was a small belt. She brought me one straight with bakelite scales and said she had found a pricing list for straights and bakelite was rare and not plastic and wanted $65 for a no name poor shape straight.