ORLANDO, Fla. -- A dental gold rush is being reported at pawn shops in Florida and elsewhere as people sell piles of gold teeth, dental caps, fillings and even bridgework to cash in on the metal's high prices.

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RELATED: Beachgoers Hunt For Gold

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Local 6 reported that people are getting as much as $50 for each gold crown they turn in to pawnshops.

Some people are bringing piles of gold teeth into dealers across the U.S. because of the economy and the metal's historic price run.

"People are really cashing in. If a dentist passes away, their kids come in with a big pile of gold teeth," said Scott Taber, owner of Taber Coins, a coin dealer who buys dental gold and then resells it to a gold smelter.

He said he used to see only a few customers a month selling gold teeth but now gets that many each week. "People are digging up the gold and starting to sell it," he said.

Taber said heavier pieces of dental gold can command prices of several hundred dollars.

Local 6 reported that pawn shops are reporting no shortage of people willing to cash in on dental work.

Gold set a record of $1,038.60 an ounce on March 17 and has since fallen to about $920, but experts say it could soon resume its upward climb.

Beachgoers Hunt Gold On Beaches

Last month, metal detectors were sold out near Port Canaveral beaches as people hunted for gold on beaches when gold hit $1,000 an ounce.

Piles of gold poured into beachside pawn shops apparently from the metal detector owners on beaches.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.