How selling gold from Bristol by post works
GoldPaid is a UK-wide postal gold and silver buyer. We do not run a shop or branch in Bristol, and we do not need to. The whole process is built so you never have to travel, never have to commit before you are ready, and never have to accept an offer you are not happy with.
Here is exactly how it works from a BS-postcode address:
A question costs nothing
Before you decide anything, send a few clear photos of your gold or silver on WhatsApp, or call. You will get an honest quick indicative figure and a straight answer about hallmarks, the postal cover, the XRF assay or the free return if you decline. None of it commits you to posting.
GoldPaid is a UK-wide postal gold and silver buying service with no branches. The flagship guide, selling gold by post in the UK, walks through how the whole thing works before you send a thing.
The process, step by step
- Get in touch and show us. A WhatsApp photo of your gold or silver is all we need to give you an honest quick indicative figure before anything is posted.
- Get your free label. We send a prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label, fully tracked. If you have no printer, a QR code for the counter does the same job.
- Send it at your own pace. Wrap it in any padded envelope and hand it in at a Post Office whenever it suits you.
- See the written offer. We weigh and XRF-assay every item, then send an itemised breakdown showing exactly how the figure was reached.
- Decide. Say yes and the money is sent by Faster Payments. Say no and your items come straight back, free and insured.
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.
Who sells gold from Bristol
Bristol sits in the South West area, and a meaningful share of customers from this area are clearing inherited jewellery, settling estates, or simply selling pieces they no longer wear after a house move or downsize.
The items we most commonly receive from Bristol are inherited and family-passed jewellery, broken chains and single earrings, plain wedding and signet bands, charm bracelets, gold sovereigns and pre-decimal coins, hallmarked silver tea services and silver cutlery, and the occasional bullion bar or commemorative coin set.
Where the figure comes from
There is no guesswork in the offer. We confirm purity by XRF assay, weigh on calibrated scales, and price against the live market rate on the day. Every one of those numbers appears in the written breakdown you receive before deciding. The full method is on how we value gold.
Posting gold from a BS-postcode: how the next 24 hours go
The BS postcode area covers Bristol and the surrounding South West districts. A parcel handed in at any Post Office counter inside that area joins the same Royal Mail Special Delivery pipeline; Royal Mail does not run a different track based on where you post from.
Most counters accept Special Delivery up to around 5pm on weekdays. Hand the parcel in before that day's acceptance cut-off and it normally arrives with us the following working morning, signed for by 1pm. The receipt the clerk gives you carries a 13-character tracking reference, take a photograph of it before you leave. That photo, in practical terms, is the single document that protects you between the moment the parcel leaves your hand and the moment our written offer arrives in your inbox.
Postage and cover
Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery. The label we send is Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed: tracked end to end, signed for on delivery, and arranged with that compensation cover per parcel. If you believe your items are worth more, message us before posting and we will arrange the right approach, whether that is additional cover or splitting items across more than one parcel. Full detail is on postage and insurance, and is it safe to post gold? walks through posting valuables safely.
If the offer is not for you
Then nothing happens except a free return. We send your items back by tracked, insured post at our cost, with no fee for declining and no follow-up. A valuation is only worth having if you can turn it down freely, so you can. See what happens if I decline the offer.
The payment step
Acceptance triggers payment: a direct bank transfer by Faster Payments, to the account you give us. Nothing to bank and nothing to chase.
Built to be trusted, not just believed
- Owner-run, with a named founder accountable for the service
- Every item XRF-assayed, the result shown to you in writing
- Free insured postage both ways, so a valuation is genuinely no-obligation
- Honest about its limits, including when a specialist would suit you better
- No fabricated reviews and no invented numbers, anywhere on the site
Common questions
How long does it take from Bristol?
Posted from Bristol by Special Delivery, a parcel typically arrives with us the following working morning. We XRF-test and weigh it the same day, send the written offer by email, and pay by Faster Payments the moment you accept.
Can I ask questions before I post anything?
Yes. That is the whole idea. WhatsApp us a photo or phone us with whatever you want to know about the assay, the cover, the timing, or the decline process. Posting is the step after you are comfortable, never before.
How is the Royal Mail cover arranged?
The label we send you 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 you have higher-value items, message us first so we can confirm the appropriate postal option before you post.
What happens if I do not accept the offer?
If the offer is not for you, the items are posted straight back to you, free of charge, tracked and signed for. There is no decline fee and no obligation at any stage.
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.