How selling gold from St Helens by post works
GoldPaid is a UK-wide postal gold and silver buyer. We do not run a shop or branch in St Helens, and we do not need to. You never have to travel. You are not committed to anything until a written offer is in front of you, and you are free to turn it down.
From a WA-postcode address, the sequence runs like this.
No pressure to begin with
There is genuinely nothing to commit to up front. A WhatsApp message with a couple of photos of your gold or silver gets you a quick indicative figure and an honest answer to any question. Whether you post anything is your call, made later.
GoldPaid has no high-street branches. It is postal-only and UK-wide, which is what keeps it lean and means you never have to travel.
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. We weigh and XRF-assay every item, then send you the written offer, usually on the working day your parcel arrives. Accept it for a Faster Payments transfer, or decline it for a free tracked 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 the mark of the assay office that tested the piece. We can spot purity stamps such as 375, 750, 916 and 925, which stand for 9ct, 18ct and 22ct gold and for sterling silver. We can 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.
Who sells gold from St Helens
St Helens sits in the Merseyside area. People selling gold from St Helens are typically clearing inherited jewellery, settling an estate, or simply selling pieces they no longer wear after a house move or downsize.
Most of what reaches us is ordinary household gold: inherited and family-passed jewellery, broken chains, single earrings, plain wedding and signet bands. Charm bracelets turn up regularly, as do gold sovereigns and pre-decimal coins, hallmarked silver tea services and silver cutlery. Bullion bars and commemorative coin sets are rarer, but they come through too.
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.
One parcel gets one written figure, itemised piece by piece. The published rates on this site are a floor, not a headline: for the gold and silver content of your parcel — assayed purity, payable weight, the rate on the day of assay — your written offer is never below the published per-gram rate. Collectables, sovereigns, watches and signed pieces in the same parcel are hand-valued and can come in above it.
Posting gold from a WA-postcode: how the next 24 hours go
The WA postcode area covers St Helens and the surrounding Merseyside 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. Photograph it before you leave the counter. Until our written offer lands in your inbox, that photo is your proof of what you posted and when.
Postage and cover
Your parcel travels on Royal Mail Special Delivery, and Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. The label we send is Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed: tracked end to end and signed for on delivery. Cover level is confirmed with you on WhatsApp before the label is issued. If you believe your items are worth more, message us before posting. We will arrange the right approach, either extra cover or splitting the items across more than one parcel. Full detail is on postage and cover, 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, signed-for 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 within one working hour of acceptance, to the account you give us. Nothing to bank and nothing to chase.
Built to be trusted, not just believed
- Owner-run, with founder Rocco Clayfield personally accountable for the service
- Every item XRF-assayed, the result shown to you in writing
- Free tracked 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 St Helens?
Posted from St Helens 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 send payment by Faster Payments within one working hour of your acceptance.
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 travels on Royal Mail Special Delivery, and Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. 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.
Request a free prepaid Royal Mail label
Three quick steps. The label arrives by email, usually within about 30 minutes during working hours. Requesting one commits you to nothing: you get a written offer after the XRF assay, and if you decline, your items come back to you free.
Would you rather ask a question first, or send a photo? Message us on WhatsApp . It is the fastest way to get a sense of what something is worth before you post anything.
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