According to Wikipedia, while a market for old, low-background steel was real phenomenon for a few decades, that’s pretty much over.

World anthropogenic background radiation … began to fall in 1963 … and by 2008 it had decreased to only 0.005 mSv/yr above natural levels.[9] This has made special low-background steel no longer necessary for most radiation-sensitive uses, as new steel now has a low enough radioactive signature.

So you may consider your friend’s estate-sale theory in light of that time-line.

but it carries some weight

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