Selling gold by post, in plain terms
Selling gold by post means posting your items to a buyer for valuation instead of visiting a shop. With GoldPaid you ask questions first, send photos on WhatsApp, post with a free tracked Royal Mail label, then decide only after seeing a written, XRF-confirmed offer. If you decline, everything is returned free.
How selling gold by post works
GoldPaid is a UK-wide postal gold and silver buying service. You do not need to visit a shop or live near one, the whole process is built around the post, and you stay in control at every step.
- Ask before you post. Message us on WhatsApp or call with any questions. Tell us roughly what you have, broken chains, old jewellery, coins, scrap, and we will explain exactly how it works for your items.
- Send photos on WhatsApp. A few clear photos let us give you a quick indicative figure before anything leaves your hands. There is no charge and no obligation.
- Request a prepaid Royal Mail label. We send a free Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed label, fully tracked and signed for. Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery. No printer? We send a QR code for the Post Office counter.
- Receive a no-obligation valuation. Your items are weighed on calibrated scales and tested by XRF spectrometry. You get a written, itemised offer showing purity, weight, the rate used and the figure.
- Accept or decline. Accept and you are paid by bank transfer. Decline and we return everything free of charge by tracked, insured post. No fee, no questions.
What you can sell by post
We buy gold, silver and platinum in almost any form and condition. We pay for the metal content, so broken and unworn items are just as welcome as wearable pieces:
- Gold jewellery, 9ct, 14ct, 18ct, 22ct and 24ct, including broken chains, single earrings and bent rings
- Scrap gold, unhallmarked gold and mixed lots
- Gold and silver coins and small bullion bars
- Sterling silver jewellery, cutlery and flatware
- Platinum jewellery
- Inherited, probate and house-clearance pieces
Not sure if something is worth sending? See what we buy or send a photo on WhatsApp first. That is exactly what the photo check is for.
Why selling by post can work in your favour
A postal buyer has no shopfront to fund and no counter pressure, so more of the margin can go into the offer. Just as importantly, every item is XRF-tested, so the figure reflects the real metal content rather than a quick visual guess.
| GoldPaid (by post) | Typical high street | |
|---|---|---|
| Testing method | XRF spectrometry, written breakdown | Acid test / visual |
| Pressure to decide | None, decide at home | At the counter |
| If you decline | Free tracked, insured return | You travel home with it |
| Postage & cover | Free; Special Delivery insures your parcel up to £2,500 | Your own time and travel |
For a fuller comparison, read postal versus high street.
Working out what your gold is worth first
You can get a sense of value before anything leaves your hands. If you know the rough weight and carat of a piece, the gold & silver calculator gives an indicative figure in seconds. The gold price today page shows indicative per-gram rates by carat, the silver price today page does the same for silver standards, and scrap gold value explains how broken and unhallmarked pieces are valued. These are estimates only. Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market, which is why the firm figure follows an XRF assay of your specific items.
Getting your items ready to post
There is very little to do before posting, and nothing that needs special tools.
- Do not clean, polish or repair anything. Gold is valued on metal content, so condition does not change the figure.
- Do not sort by carat. Items are separated and weighed individually on arrival.
- Make a quick list or photo of what you are sending. A simple record helps you check the itemised offer against what went in the parcel.
- Pack items so they cannot rub or rattle. Wrap pieces individually in tissue or small bags inside a plain, sturdy package with no markings that suggest valuables.
- Ask before posting anything unusual. Coins with collector value, watches, or items you think may be worth more than £2,500 are worth a WhatsApp message first.
Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery. GoldPaid can confirm the appropriate postal option before you post. The postage and insurance page covers this in full.
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.
Getting it here safely
Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery. We post you a Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed label: tracked end to end, signed for, and arranged with that cover per parcel. If your items are worth more, the rule is simple, message us before posting and we will sort the right approach. There is more on postage and insurance.
Changing your mind is free
Declining costs you nothing. If the written offer does not suit you, say so, and your items come straight back by tracked, insured Royal Mail post at our expense. No fee, no questions, no chasing. See what happens if I decline the offer for the step by step.
How payment reaches you
Accept the offer and the money is sent by Faster Payments straight to the bank account you provide. There are no cheques, no delays of that kind, and no strings.
The proof, not the promise
Anyone can say "best price". GoldPaid does not. Instead the process is laid bare: a measured XRF assay, calibrated weighing, the live market rate, and a written breakdown you read at home before you commit to anything. The reassurance here is structural, built into how the service works, rather than asserted in a slogan.
Common questions
What postal cover applies when posting gold to GoldPaid?
Royal Mail Special Delivery covers parcels up to £2,500. Parcels worth more than £2,500 should be split across multiple labels or sent through a specialist insured courier; GoldPaid splits high-value consignments at no charge and confirms each tracking number before posting. Final offers depend on inspection, weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market.
Do I have to commit before I post anything?
No. Ask us anything first and send photos on WhatsApp for a quick indicative figure. You only post if you choose to, and even then there is no obligation to accept the offer once your items have been assessed.
How do I get the prepaid Royal Mail label?
Message us on WhatsApp or call and we send a free Royal Mail Special Delivery label. If you do not have a printer, we send a QR code you can show at the Post Office counter and they print it for you.
How is my parcel protected in the post?
It travels on 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 be worth more than that, message us before posting and we will arrange the right approach.
How and when do I get paid?
After your items are XRF-assayed you receive a written, itemised offer. If you accept, payment is made by bank transfer (Faster Payments). If you decline, your items are returned free of charge by tracked, insured post.
Can I find out roughly what my gold is worth before posting?
Yes. The gold & silver calculator gives an indicative figure from a rough weight and carat, and the gold price today and silver price today pages show indicative per-gram rates. Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market.
Do I need to clean, repair or sort my gold before posting?
No. Gold is valued on its metal content, so cleaning and repairs make no difference to the figure. Items are separated by carat and weighed individually on arrival, so there is no need to sort anything yourself. Send pieces as they are.
What if my items are worth more than £2,500?
Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery. GoldPaid can confirm the appropriate postal option before you post. If you think a parcel may be worth more, message us on WhatsApp first and we will agree the right approach before anything is sent.
Is selling broken or scrap gold by post worth it?
Yes. Broken, tangled and unhallmarked gold is valued on its metal content exactly like wearable jewellery, so condition makes no difference. The scrap gold value page explains the maths, and you can send broken and intact pieces together in one parcel.