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.
Dorchester in context, and what we tend to receive from here
Dorchester is the county town of Dorset, sitting inside the DT postcode area, with a long market-and-administrative trade history. The household jewellery legacy reflects a long-settled affluent rural demographic, with inherited fine antique pieces appearing regularly alongside the standard household stock.
Dorset-county-town probate parcels often include fine antique items mixed in with scrap; we sort and value each piece individually so the antique-grade items are recognised rather than rolled into the metal-content figure.
Four moving parts, all visible
- You ask, we steer. WhatsApp us photos of your gold or silver; you get an honest indicative figure and no pressure to go further.
- We send the label. A free Royal Mail Special Delivery label arrives, tracked and signed for, with a QR-code option if you cannot print.
- You post when ready. No countdown. Use whatever padded packaging you already have.
- We test, you decide. Items are weighed and XRF-assayed, the written offer is sent, and you either accept for a Faster Payments transfer or decline for a free insured return.
What a photo tells us, and what it cannot
Before your gold or silver is posted, a few clear pictures let us give you an honest quick indicative figure and point out anything you should know.
From a good photo we can usually read the hallmark and any assay office mark, spot carat or fineness stamps such as 375, 750, 916 or 925, judge approximate size and weight against a coin or ruler, and tell whether an item looks solid or plated. Marks like "GP", "rolled gold" or "EPNS", or base metal showing through worn edges, usually mean plating. Set stones, clasps and non-gold fittings are not precious metal, so we explain separately how they affect the value.
How the offer is worked out
Three things set the offer, and all three are measured rather than assumed: confirmed purity, accurate weight, and the live market rate on assessment day. You read every figure in a written, itemised breakdown before you commit to anything. See how we value gold for the detail.
A Dorchester DT-postcode parcel from the Dorset county town
Dorchester uses the Royal Mail DT postcode area from DT1 in the town centre out through Poundbury, Fordington, Charminster and Stinsford. Special Delivery handles any DT postcode on the standard one-working-day clock into our address.
DT-Dorchester probate parcels often include fine antique items mixed in with scrap. We sort and value each piece individually so the antique-grade items are recognised on the written offer rather than rolled into the metal-content figure; if a piece is likely to do better at a specialist auction we say so on the offer rather than steering it toward melt.
From a Dorchester counter the parcel routes overnight via the regional Mail Centre to our address. The counter receipt's tracking reference is your one document for the journey; a phone photograph at the counter is enough.
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.
No obligation, ever
You are free to walk away at any point before you accept. Decline the offer and everything is repacked and returned to you free of charge, fully tracked and insured. There is no assessment fee and no sales pressure afterwards. The detail is on 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
How long does a parcel from Dorchester take to reach you?
Royal Mail Special Delivery from any DT-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 Bridport
- Sell gold in Christchurch
- 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