The horror ...

[catbert]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzc59gyZpAo

[FredRydr]

This is part and parcel of the vintage pen trade. At Renningers Antiques Market where pens are found "in the wild" each Sunday, there are several gold buyers waiting for customers to bring them "scrap," mostly old jewelry but inevitably a few nibs beyond reasonable repair, or just unwanted. And pen repairers have their gold scrap pile to cash in from time to time. There's nothing new about it. When I collected antique cars, stories were shared about the crushing of desirable collectible cars and parts for their scrap value.

Desk pens are prime targets for this, since it is true that mundane examples languish unsold until they are scrapped for the gold. Sadly, nibs could be sourced from desk pens for use in more popular models.

[Medieval]

The gold in each nib is only worth about £5. They would get a lot more for the complete pen.

[AzJon]

The gold in each nib is only worth about £5. They would get a lot more for the complete pen.

The exception, of course, is if the nib is mangled. Nib retipping, not even solid repair, usually starts around $80. This is often worth more than the pen itself. Retipping really is saved for pens that are personally loved or of high value, imo. A sheaffer nib missing a tine or mangled isn't worth much. Mangled it is worth less than its own value, so it would be worth more as scrap, from monetary perspective.