Short answer
Selling a gold chain by post is straightforward once you know the steps. You photograph the chain on WhatsApp for a quick indicative read, ask us for a free prepaid Royal Mail label, and post it. On arrival the chain is weighed and XRF-tested, so the figure reflects measured purity rather than a guess at the carat. The written offer arrives the same working day, payment is by bank transfer on acceptance, and a decline comes back to you free of charge.
What we look for on a posted gold chain
Gold chains come in more variations than any other category of personal gold jewellery, and each variation changes what the chain is worth at scrap. The four things that decide the figure are the same four for every chain: weight in grams, carat (gold percentage), clasp metal, and the presence or absence of stones, charms or other non-gold attachments.
The stamps to look for on a clasp or end-link are 375 (9ct), 585 (14ct), 750 (18ct), 916 (22ct) or 999 (24ct). The mark is usually no more than half a millimetre across and a magnifier helps. If the chain has no readable mark, that is not a problem; the XRF reading on arrival measures the metal regardless of whether the stamp is there.
The most common UK chain styles — curb, Figaro, rope, Belcher, cable, Box, snake, Singapore — are all valued the same way: weight times measured purity times the rate on the day. Solid versus hollow makes a material difference to the weight per centimetre, which is why every chain is weighed individually rather than estimated from length.
What we do with the clasp and end-links
Most clasps on UK chains are made from the same gold as the chain. Some are made from a different alloy, or from a plated base metal where the chain has been repaired. The XRF reading on each clasp is taken separately, and where the clasp differs from the chain it is valued at its own rate (or excluded from the precious-metal weight if it is base).
End-links and jump rings are weighed in. Where a chain has been repaired with solder, the solder is usually gold of the same carat, but occasionally a lower-carat solder has been used. The XRF picks that up; the affected segment is measured at its real purity rather than being assumed equal to the rest of the chain.
Single broken chains and odd chains in a drawer
A surprising share of the gold chains we receive are broken at the clasp or at a link. A broken chain values exactly the same as a working one — the metal weight is what matters, not whether the chain fastens. There is no need to have a chain repaired before posting; it is more economical to send it as it is.
Drawers that have accumulated chains across decades often have several at once: a snapped Figaro, an old rope chain with a missing link, an Albert chain from a great-aunt, and a thin Singapore that has tangled with the others. Posting them in one parcel costs the same as posting one; each is weighed and XRF-assayed individually and itemised on the written offer.
What sets the rate on a chain on a given day
The published per-gram rate for each carat tracks the international gold dollar fix, the GBP/USD rate, and the buyer's margin. A chain posted on a Tuesday and another posted on a Friday in the same week can settle at slightly different per-gram rates because the wholesale gold price has moved in between. The figure you see in the written offer is the rate on the day your chain was assayed, not the rate on the day you posted.
For mixed-carat parcels (a 9ct chain alongside an 18ct one, for example), each is weighed and rated separately. The written offer shows a line per chain and totals at the bottom; there is no "blended rate" that disguises the segments.
How it works
- Ask first and send photos. Message us on WhatsApp with photos of your gold chains for a quick indicative figure. Ask anything; there is no charge and no obligation.
- Request a prepaid Royal Mail label. We send a free Royal Mail Special Delivery label, tracked and signed for. No printer? We send a QR code for the Post Office counter.
- Post it when you are ready. Use any padded envelope. There is no deadline and no pressure.
- Receive a no-obligation valuation. Every item is weighed on calibrated scales and tested by XRF spectrometry. You get a written, itemised offer: purity, weight, the rate used and the figure.
- Accept or decline. Accept and you are paid by bank transfer via Faster Payments. Decline and everything is returned free of charge by tracked, insured post.
How your parcel is protected
Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery. Your items travel on Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed: fully tracked, needs a signature on delivery, arranged with that compensation cover per parcel. Worth more than that? Tell us before you post, and we will either arrange extra cover or suggest splitting the items across separate parcels. See postage and insurance for the full picture.
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.
Being paid
If you accept, payment follows by Faster Payments, transferred directly to your bank account. It is the last step, and a simple one.
Why sellers choose GoldPaid
GoldPaid is a small, owner-run UK business built on one promise: show the working. Every item is XRF-assayed and weighed on calibrated scales, every offer is itemised in writing, postage is free and insured both ways, and there is never a countdown or a hard sell. If something is worth more to a specialist than to us, we say so.
Common questions
Do snapped or broken chains pay less per gram?
No. The per-gram rate is the same whether the chain works or not. We pay for the precious metal content; the functioning of the clasp is irrelevant to the figure.
Will you pay anything for a gold-plated chain?
Generally no, because the gold layer on a plated chain is too thin to recover economically. If the chain turns out to be plated rather than solid, the XRF reading shows that and the chain is returned to you at no cost.
Can I include charms attached to a chain?
Yes. Each charm is weighed and assayed separately on arrival. Charms in different carats are paid at their own rates rather than being averaged with the chain.
What if my chain has stones set into it?
Send the chain with the stones in place. We assess the stones separately from the metal where they have material value, and the written offer shows the metal weight and any stone valuation as separate lines.
How is the chain returned to me if I decline?
By tracked, signed-for Royal Mail post at our expense, packed the way it arrived. There is no fee for declining and no admin charge.