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.
Christchurch in context, and what we tend to receive from here
Christchurch is an established East-Dorset coastal town inside the BH postcode area (shared with Bournemouth and Poole). The town has a long-running affluent retired demographic and the household jewellery legacy in private hands is noticeably weighted toward fine inherited pieces rather than working-life scrap.
BH-postcode retirement-belt probate parcels routinely include Edwardian and pre-war antique-grade pieces; we flag each such item separately on the written offer rather than reducing it to metal value.
How it works
- Ask first and send photos. Message us on WhatsApp with photos of your gold or silver 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.
Reading your items from photos
A clear set of photos of your gold or silver is enough for a useful first look. Lay items flat in good light and get close to any small stamps.
- Hallmarks. Close shots of hallmarks reveal the assay office mark and fineness, which indicates the carat of gold or whether silver is sterling.
- Carat stamps. Stamps such as 9ct, 18ct, 375, 750 or 925 confirm the likely metal before any testing.
- Rough weight. Photographed beside a familiar object, items give us a fair sense of weight for the indicative figure.
- Solid versus plated. Worn edges showing base metal, or marks such as "GP" or "EPNS", point to plating. We say so plainly rather than letting you post something of little value.
- Stones and fittings. Stones, watch parts and base-metal clasps are valued apart from the precious metal, and a photo helps us explain that clearly.
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 Christchurch BH-postcode parcel from the East-Dorset coast
Christchurch sits inside the Royal Mail BH postcode area shared with Bournemouth and Poole, covering the town centre out through Highcliffe, Mudeford, Burton and Jumpers. Special Delivery handles any BH postcode on the standard one-working-day route into our address.
BH-Christchurch probate parcels are noticeably weighted toward fine inherited pieces rather than working-life scrap, reflecting the long-running affluent retired demographic across the wider BH postcode area. Edwardian and pre-war antique-grade pieces appear regularly and we flag each such item separately on the written offer.
Royal Mail collects a Christchurch parcel at the counter and delivers it to us inside the standard Special Delivery window. Your scanned receipt closes the chain on your side; we WhatsApp you the moment it lands here.
Postage, tracking and cover
Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery. 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?.
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.
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
How long does a parcel from Christchurch take to reach you?
Royal Mail Special Delivery from any BH-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 Weymouth
- Sell gold in Dorchester
- Sell gold in Bridport
- Sell gold in Swanage
- Sell gold in Bournemouth
- All locations
- Gold price today, UK rates
- Silver price today, UK rates
- UK gold hallmark guide
- How we value gold