Short answer
GoldPaid handles Georgian (1714-1837) gold jewellery by post UK-wide. Georgian pieces predate or coincide with the early years of UK compulsory hallmarking; the XRF reading confirms metal content directly. We flag any piece likely to be worth more on the antique market than at scrap. Free prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label, bank payment on acceptance, free return if declined.
Why Georgian pieces are different
Georgian jewellery (covering the reigns of George I, II, III and IV plus William IV, so 1714 to 1837) is the oldest category of British gold jewellery routinely encountered in private hands. Pieces in original condition are uncommon; most Georgian work that survived to the present has been reworked, recut or partly replaced at some point in the past two centuries.
The hallmarking position on Georgian pieces is variable. Compulsory hallmarking applied to London-assayed pieces of the legal weight throughout the Georgian period, but a significant share of Georgian work was produced below the legal weight (and so unmarked) or produced in regions where hallmarking enforcement was lax. Unmarked Georgian gold is common and not a sign of inauthenticity.
Foiled stones, closed backs and the Georgian construction style
Georgian diamonds and coloured stones were typically set in closed-back settings with a thin foil behind the stone to enhance reflectivity (in an era before electric light, closed-back foiled settings were the only way to make stones sparkle by candlelight). The foil is part of the piece; removing it or opening the back damages the piece historically and is not done as part of any valuation.
The XRF reading on Georgian pieces is taken on the metal mount itself. The closed-back construction prevents reading through to the foil; the metal alone is what the assay measures. Stones in Georgian settings are usually rose-cut diamonds, table-cut diamonds, or coloured paste in foil, all of which sit in specialist antique-market categories rather than modern stone-grading conventions.
Mourning rings, posy rings and seal fobs
The three most-encountered Georgian categories are mourning rings (typically gold with black enamel or jet, often inscribed with a deceased person's name and dates), posy rings (gold bands with engraved romantic verses on the inside, often given as wedding tokens), and seal fobs (decorative gold mounts on watch chains, holding a carved hardstone seal for letter-sealing wax).
All three categories have established antique-market demand and the designed-piece value frequently exceeds scrap. Inscribed mourning rings with documented family provenance can be particularly valuable to the specialist market. We flag any piece in these categories separately on the written offer.
The scrap-or-antique decision on Georgian pieces
Almost every Georgian piece reaches the written offer with a flag: this is likely worth more on the antique market than at scrap. The metal valuation is shown for transparency, but for genuine Georgian pieces it is almost never the right answer commercially.
Specialist antique dealers, named auction houses (Bonhams, Christie's, Woolley & Wallis, Tennants) and the better online specialist marketplaces routinely pay multiples of the scrap-metal value for Georgian pieces in clean condition with clear provenance. We suggest the specific route on the offer and you decide whether to follow it.
What happens, from first message to payment
- A photo and a question. Send photos of your georgian jewellery on WhatsApp. We reply with a quick indicative figure and answer whatever you want to know.
- A prepaid label, on request. Ask for the label when you are ready and we send a free, tracked, signed-for Royal Mail Special Delivery one, or a QR code for the counter.
- You post it. Any padded envelope is fine, posted whenever you choose.
- We assess and write it up. Calibrated weighing plus an XRF assay produce a written, itemised offer for you to read at home.
- Your decision. Accept for payment by Faster Payments, or decline for a free, tracked, insured return.
Postage, tracking and cover
Royal Mail Special Delivery cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. Every parcel uses Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed, tracked from the counter to our door, signed for on arrival, and arranged with that compensation cover. For anything you think exceeds it, contact us first; we will arrange a suitable approach rather than leave a parcel underprotected. The detail sits on postage and insurance and is it safe to post gold?.
Declining, made simple
A quick message is all it takes to decline, and you do not need to give a reason. Your items are then returned free of charge on a tracked, insured service, with no fee and no pressure to reconsider. What happens if I decline the offer covers it fully.
Getting paid
Once you accept your written offer, payment is made by bank transfer using Faster Payments, directly to your account. No cheques to wait on, no conditions attached.
What backs the offer up
- XRF spectrometry on every item, not a counter estimate
- A written, itemised breakdown before you decide anything
- Free insured postage in, free tracked return out
- No countdowns, no pressure, no fabricated reviews
- An owner-run business with a named founder who answers honestly
Common questions
Will you remove the foil behind the stones to assay the gold?
No. Removing the foil damages the piece historically. We assay the visible metal directly without disturbing the closed-back construction.
Are unmarked Georgian pieces worth less than hallmarked ones?
For scrap, no. Both value identically by measured metal content. For the antique market, hallmarked pieces with clear date letters often command higher prices because they are easier to authenticate.
Should I sell a Georgian mourning ring at scrap?
Almost never. Georgian mourning rings with clear inscriptions are typically worth multiples of scrap on the antique market. We flag this on the offer and suggest specialist routes.
What is a posy ring worth?
It depends on the inscription, the date, and the condition. A well-preserved Georgian posy ring with a clear romantic verse can run from several hundred to several thousand pounds on the antique market, far above any scrap calculation.
How are fragile Georgian pieces returned?
In a small rigid box with tissue support, by tracked, signed-for Royal Mail Special Delivery at our cost. Closed-back constructions are not opened or otherwise altered.