Ask first. Post later, or not at all.
You can ask as much as you like before anything is sent. Photos on WhatsApp give us enough to offer a quick indicative figure on your gold or silver, and we will tell you straight if something is not worth posting. Nothing moves until you say so.
Selling with GoldPaid is done entirely by post, anywhere in the UK. There is no shop to find and no pressure at a counter, because there is no counter.
Basingstoke in context, and what we tend to receive from here
Basingstoke is the largest of the North-Hampshire commuter-belt towns, sitting inside the RG postcode area. The household jewellery flow here is younger and more current than the older Hampshire market towns: modern engagement rings, eternity bands, gift jewellery and divorce-clearance pieces dominate the parcel mix.
Modern stone-set engagement and eternity rings come through RG-Basingstoke parcels regularly; stones and metal are valued as separate lines on the written offer so each side of the piece is clearly priced.
What happens, from first message to payment
- A photo and a question. Send photos of your gold or silver 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.
What we can check from your photos
Clear photos tell us a surprising amount before your gold or silver leaves the house. They are how we reach a sensible quick indicative figure, and how we flag anything worth knowing before you post.
- Hallmarks and assay marks. A close photo of a hallmark often shows the assay office mark and the fineness, which points to whether an item is 9, 18 or 22 carat gold, or sterling silver.
- Carat and fineness stamps. Numbers such as 375, 750, 916 or 925 stamped on a clasp or band help confirm the metal before testing.
- Approximate weight. A photo next to a coin or a ruler gives a rough sense of size and weight, which feeds the indicative figure.
- Solid or plated. Wear at edges, a worn-through base metal, or marks like "GP", "rolled gold" or "EPNS" usually indicate plating rather than solid precious metal. We will tell you honestly if an item looks plated.
- Stones and non-gold parts. Set stones, clasps, springs, watch movements and base-metal fittings are not precious metal and are accounted for separately, so a photo helps us explain how they affect the figure.
How we value what you send
Every offer is built from three measurable facts: confirmed purity, accurate weight, and the live precious-metal market rate on the day we assess your items. You see each figure in a written breakdown before you decide anything. See how we value gold and XRF testing explained for the full method.
A Basingstoke RG-postcode parcel from the North-Hampshire commuter belt
Basingstoke uses the Royal Mail RG postcode area from RG21 in the town centre out through Brighton Hill, Chineham, Hatch Warren and Kempshott. Special Delivery handles any RG postcode on the standard one-working-day route into our address.
RG-Basingstoke parcels are noticeably younger than the older Hampshire-market-town averages: modern stone-set engagement and eternity rings, gift jewellery and divorce-clearance pieces dominate the parcel mix. Stones and metal are valued as separate lines on the written offer so each side of the piece is clearly priced.
From a Basingstoke counter the parcel routes overnight via the regional Mail Centre to our address. We track it from the moment Royal Mail scans the label, and the counter receipt is your record on the journey out.
Cover in transit
Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery. The prepaid label is Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed: full tracking, a signature on delivery, arranged with that cover per parcel. Higher-value items are no problem, but please message us first so the cover and the packing approach match the value. Postage and insurance explains it fully.
If you decide not to sell
There is never any obligation to accept. If the offer is not for you, simply decline, and we return everything free of charge by tracked, insured post, with no fee and no follow-up pressure. The full return process is on what happens if I decline the offer.
Payment, once you accept
When you say yes to the written offer, GoldPaid pays by Faster Payments bank transfer to your nominated account. You give those details only at the point you accept, never as a condition of getting an offer.
Why this is a calmer way to sell
Three things make GoldPaid a steadier route than a counter sale. You see a measured valuation in writing, not a verbal estimate. You decide at home, with nobody waiting. And if you decline, the return is free, tracked and insured, so obtaining the valuation costs you nothing.
Common questions
How long does a parcel from Basingstoke take to reach you?
Royal Mail Special Delivery from any RG-postcode address normally reaches our address the next working morning. We weigh and XRF-assay your items the same day, and the written offer is emailed back to you within working hours of arrival.
Can I ask questions before I post anything?
Yes, and we recommend it. Message us on WhatsApp or call, ask anything about the items, the cover, the testing process, or the return route if you decline. Nothing has to be posted until you are satisfied with the answers.
How is the parcel cover arranged?
The label we send is Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed, fully tracked and signed for. Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery. If your items may exceed that figure, send a rough total weight beforehand and we will confirm the appropriate postal option before any label is issued.
What happens if I do not accept the offer?
Your items are returned to you free of charge by tracked, signed-for Royal Mail Special Delivery. There is no fee, no pressure and no obligation to accept. You keep the XRF certificate and written offer as a record of what your gold is worth.
How should I photograph my items before posting?
Lay each item flat on a plain surface in good daylight, then take one clear overall photo and a close-up of any hallmark or carat stamp. Photographing items next to a coin or a ruler helps show their size. From those photos we can usually read hallmarks, spot carat stamps and tell whether something looks solid or plated, which is enough for a quick indicative figure on WhatsApp.
Do I need to clean or polish my gold before sending it?
No. Please send items as they are. Value comes from the weight and purity of the precious metal, not the shine, and gentle wear, tarnish or small repairs make no difference to a postal valuation. There is no need to remove stones or dismantle anything either; set stones and non-gold parts are simply accounted for separately.
Related pages
- Sell gold by post UK
- Sell scrap gold
- Sell gold & silver coins
- Sell silver
- Sell platinum
- Sell bullion
- Sell diamond jewellery
- Probate & inheritance
- Gold & silver calculator
- Sell gold in Winchester
- Sell gold in Fareham
- Sell gold in Andover
- Sell gold in Lymington
- All locations
- Gold price today, UK rates
- Silver price today, UK rates
- UK gold hallmark guide
- How we value gold