Rough estimates where possible; your final offer follows inspection.
No obligation. Free tracked return if you decline. We aim to pay within one working hour of acceptance.
You can sell inherited jewellery by post to GoldPaid from anywhere in the UK. Send photos on WhatsApp first, keep what you want and post the rest with a free prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label. Every piece is weighed, XRF-tested and listed on a written offer, and nothing is melted or sold until you accept.
Send a photo on WhatsApp for a rough estimate where possible, or arrange to post your items for assessment. We confirm our purchase offer after inspection, and you decide whether to accept. Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market.
Free Special Delivery label, usually within 30 minutesPurity tested in-house by X-ray (XRF)
Checked against the sources listed on this page on .
Where can I sell inherited jewellery?Worn, broken or unwanted gold and silver can be sold for its metal to a jeweller, a pawnbroker or a postal buyer such as GoldPaid. Signed, antique or stone-set pieces may fetch more at auction or from a specialist dealer, so have those looked at first. Wherever you sell, get a written, itemised offer before anything is melted, keep what matters to you, and if the estate is still being dealt with, check who has the right to sell.
Please send us photos on WhatsApp, and we will help you.
Send photos of your items and any hallmarks. We give a rough estimate where possible; your final offer follows inspection. You do not need to arrange postage to ask us a question.
We arrange postage with you after our conversation.
Before you post
The questions people ask before they send anything, answered here rather than at the end of the page.
Can I ask first?
Yes. WhatsApp a photo to 07944 014111, 8am to 9pm, every day, and we reply with an idea of what it is worth. Nothing is posted until you decide.
Is it safe to post?
Your parcel travels by Royal Mail Special Delivery, tracked and signed for. Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. GoldPaid can confirm the appropriate postal option before you post.
How is it tested?
Your parcel is signed for on arrival and opened at our Bristol office, where each item is weighed and tested with an XRF analyser, an X-ray test that reads the metal without marking it. Your written offer lists each piece with its weight, purity and figure.
What if I say no?
We return everything by Royal Mail Special Delivery at our cost. Saying no costs you nothing.
When am I paid?
Only if you accept the written offer. We aim for the money to reach your bank within 24 hours of posting. We use Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed, test your items promptly on receipt, and aim to pay by Faster Payments within one working hour of your acceptance. The 24-hour target is an aim, not a guarantee: it depends on posting before the local cut-off, the applicable working-day delivery service, prompt acceptance, completed identity checks and bank processing.
How long does an offer last?
Each written offer is dated and holds for a limited time, because metal prices move. If it lapses, we re-run it at that day’s rate.
Who am I dealing with?
GOLDPAID LTD, registered in England and Wales, run by founder Rocco Clayfield. Our office is at Unit 217, Bristol Business Centre, 179 Whiteladies Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2AG. We are postal only, so there is no counter to visit. Before we pay, we ask every seller for a photo of their passport or driving licence.
Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market.
You do not have to decide about all of it at once
You can keep whatever you want to keep. Nobody here gains from you regretting a decision.
What we can do is tell you what each piece is, so the decision rests on facts. A box can hold a few pieces worth keeping, several that are gold-plated or costume and worth nothing as metal, and one heavy chain nobody had noticed that carries most of the value. Until each piece is weighed and tested, none of that is visible.
If you send a parcel and then want a particular piece back, say so before you accept and we take it out and return it.
What an inherited box can hold
A great deal of mid-century British jewellery is 9ct, which is 37.5% gold. That sounds low, but weight does as much work as purity: a heavy 9ct chain can be worth more than a small 18ct ring.
Wedding bands from before the 1970s can be 22ct, high for British jewellery. Victorian and Edwardian pieces may be 15ct or 12ct, standards dropped in 1932, so the hallmark is worth having read properly. Rolled gold and gold-filled pieces were made in the same era and are worth nothing as scrap, which is better to know before you post.
Silver is easy to overlook. A canteen of sterling cutlery, a tea set or a set of napkin rings can add up to a real weight of 925 silver.
What we do not buy, and the ID we ask for
What we pay nothing for. GoldPaid pays nothing for costume jewellery or gold-plated, gold-filled or rolled-gold pieces as precious metal, because they hold none that can be recovered. There is no need to sort them out first. Any such pieces in your parcel are listed at nil on the written offer and returned free of charge by tracked post, whether you accept the offer on the rest or decline it. The full list, and where those items can go instead, is on what we don’t buy.
ID and ownership checks. Every seller sends a photograph of UK photo ID, a passport or a driving licence, whatever the parcel is worth. We check the name and address on the Royal Mail label against the name on the bank account, and ask you to confirm that the items are yours to sell. GoldPaid only buys from sellers aged 18 or over. Why we check, and what the law does and does not require, is set out on payments, cash and money-laundering rules.
Tax when you sell inherited jewellery
You do not usually owe tax at the moment you inherit. The executor or administrator usually pays any Inheritance Tax before the estate is shared out (GOV.UK).
Selling later can bring in Capital Gains Tax, but only if you make a profit on a personal possession, jewellery included, sold for £6,000 or more (GOV.UK). The profit is measured from its value when you inherited it: the Inheritance Tax value if you know it, or the market value on the date of death if you do not (GOV.UK). Parts of a set sold to the same person count together (GOV.UK).
Coins that are UK legal tender, such as sovereigns and Britannias, count as sterling currency, which HMRC’s manual says is not a chargeable asset for Capital Gains Tax (HMRC CG76881). This is general information, not tax advice; if the estate is large or tax may be due, ask the solicitor or accountant handling it.
What decides your offer
Every parcel is opened at our Bristol office and each piece is handled on its own. Nothing is averaged across the parcel.
Weight. Each item is weighed on scales. Stones, steel springs, non-gold clasps and cores are not paid as gold. The written breakdown explains the payable metal weight for each item, rather than treating everything on the scales as precious metal.
Purity. Each item is tested with an XRF analyser, which reads the metals at the points tested without marking the item. A surface reading alone cannot establish the composition of a plated or filled piece. Hallmarks, construction and different components all need to be considered alongside the test.
The market on the day. Gold and silver are priced against the live precious-metal market at the time your parcel is assessed, not at the time you posted.
Condition and intact value. Broken is fine and does not reduce a metal offer. Where a piece is worth more intact (a named maker, a collectable coin, a locket with provenance) we tell you before testing, so you can choose.
Anything that is not gold or silver. Plated, rolled-gold and base-metal items are listed on the offer at nothing and returned to you free. We never quietly keep them.
Why we do not publish a per-gram price list. A single printed rate hides the things that change the figure: hollow versus solid, stones, mixed carats in one bag, a mark that does not match the metal. We would rather show you the weight, the tested purity and the figure for each item, in writing, and let you decide. Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market.
What you see before you decide. A written, itemised offer by WhatsApp or email: every item, its weight, its tested purity, and its figure. Accept and we aim to pay by bank transfer within one working hour. Decline and the whole parcel comes back by Royal Mail Special Delivery at our cost. No fee, no deduction, no questions.
A young business, so every step is in writing: the XRF reading and weight of each piece, the rate used and the sum.
What you see before you decide
GoldPaid makes no price-beating claims. You get the XRF reading, the weight and the figure for every piece in writing, and you decide at home.
Common questions
Where can I sell inherited jewellery?
Signed, antique or gem-set jewellery may be worth more at auction or from a specialist dealer. Everyday and broken gold and silver sells for its metal. GoldPaid buys by post from anywhere in the UK, returns declined items free and does not ask for a death certificate, though every seller provides photo ID and confirms they have the right to sell. Executors should keep the written offer for the estate file.
I feel guilty about selling my mother’s jewellery. Is that normal?
It is a reasonable thing to feel. Keep the pieces that mean something and sell only the rest, or sell nothing at all. There is no rush and nobody will chase you: ask a question now and post in six months if that suits the family.
How do I get inherited jewellery valued before selling it?
Photograph each piece, with any hallmark close up, and send the photos on WhatsApp for a free rough estimate before anything is posted. A firm figure needs the pieces weighed and XRF-tested: GoldPaid then sends a written, itemised offer you can decline, with everything returned free. For signed, antique or gem-set pieces, ask an auction house for an estimate too. A valuation for Inheritance Tax is a separate question, covered on the probate and inheritance page.
I have no idea what any of it is. Does that matter?
No. You do not need to know the carat, the weight or whether something is gold at all. Send a photograph on WhatsApp and we will tell you what we can see. On arrival we assess the marks, construction and XRF readings together; a surface reading alone cannot establish what is inside a plated or filled piece.
What if the family thinks the offer is too low?
Decline, and every piece comes back free by Special Delivery. The offer lists each item’s weight, purity and the rate used, so it can be forwarded to everyone who needs to see it. It is dated and holds for a limited time; if it lapses while you decide, it is re-run at the day’s rate.
Can I sell some pieces and keep others?
Yes. Send the whole lot, see the itemised offer, and tell us which lines you want returned. We send those back with the rest if you decline, or alongside payment if you accept part of the offer. Signed pieces and period work are checked before the offer is written, and the offer says if one is worth more than its metal. For coins, send a photo on WhatsApp first and we will tell you how we would value them before you post anything.
Do I need probate before I can sell?
Not for a piece that has already been passed to you. If you are selling for the estate: in England and Wales an executor named in a valid will has authority from the date of death, so can sell household jewellery before the grant of probate. Some buyers and banks still ask to see the grant, and GOV.UK advises not making financial plans until probate is granted (GOV.UK), so waiting is the cautious course where the estate is large, taxable or disputed. An administrator (where there is no will) has no authority until letters of administration are issued. Scotland uses confirmation instead. Probate and death certificates, answered. General information, not legal advice.
Do I pay tax when I sell inherited jewellery?
Only in limited cases. Capital Gains Tax can apply if you make a profit on a personal possession sold for £6,000 or more, measured from its value when you inherited it (GOV.UK). UK legal tender coins such as sovereigns are not chargeable assets (HMRC CG76881). General information, not tax advice.
Is it safe to post jewellery that cannot be replaced?
It is tracked and signed for throughout, and Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. GoldPaid can confirm the appropriate postal option before you post. For anything irreplaceable, photographs and a conversation first are worth more than any cover level.
Who am I dealing with?
GOLDPAID LTD, run by its founder Rocco Clayfield, who answers the phone himself. Labels are addressed to our Bristol office; there is no shop. Every seller sends a photo of UK photo ID, and for inherited pieces we ask you to confirm you have the right to sell them.
How can I sell inherited gold jewellery safely?
Ask first, post second. Send photos on WhatsApp (07944 014111) and we tell you what we can see and what we would need to test. If you go ahead, we email a prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed label: tracked, signed for, and sent to a named business at a registered address (GOLDPAID LTD, company 17382540, Unit 217, 179 Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2AG). Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. GoldPaid can confirm the appropriate postal option before you post. Each item is weighed and XRF-tested on its own and you receive a written, itemised offer before anything is decided. Decline and it all comes back free.
Do I need a death certificate to sell inherited jewellery?
No. A death certificate is not required to sell jewellery you have inherited. What we do ask for, on every sale, is a photograph of your own UK photo ID, so the name and address match the label and the bank account we pay. If you are an executor selling on behalf of an estate, tell us; the written offer can be addressed to the estate and the payment made to the executor account. Nothing about grant of probate is needed to post items for a valuation.
Who offers an insured postal gold selling service in the UK?
GoldPaid sends every customer a prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed label. Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. GoldPaid can confirm the appropriate postal option before you post, and a larger lot can be split across more than one label at no charge so each parcel stays inside its cover level.
Not the question you had? The full GoldPaid FAQ covers the rest, from postal cover and ID checks to what happens if you decline the offer.
If you are the executor
If you are selling for the estate rather than for yourself: in England and Wales an executor named in a valid will has authority from the date of death, so can sell household jewellery before the grant of probate. Some buyers and banks still ask to see the grant, and GOV.UK advises not making financial plans until probate is granted (GOV.UK), so waiting is the cautious course where the estate is large, taxable or disputed. An administrator (where there is no will) has no authority until letters of administration are issued. Where there is no will, the closest living relative can apply to become the administrator (GOV.UK). Scotland uses confirmation instead. Once a piece has been passed to you as a beneficiary, it is yours to keep or sell. Northern Ireland has its own procedures.
For the estate figure, GOV.UK asks what jewellery would have fetched if sold, valued on the date of death, and suggests checking similar items on online marketplaces (GOV.UK). Our written offer is dated the day we test the pieces, and we are the buyer, so it is not an independent valuation. HMRC’s IHT400 Notes advise a professional valuation if you think any item may be worth more than £1,500, or you are not sure. For that, use a valuer with no interest in buying. The page on estate jewellery for probate sets out the options, and the executor’s guide covers the order to do things in.
Where several people share the estate, circulate the itemised offer first so everyone sees the same numbers.
How selling inherited jewellery by post works
Decide what to keep, or ask first. Send photos on WhatsApp to 07944 014111 and we tell you what we can see before you decide anything.
Get the label. A free prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label by email, usually within 30 minutes between 8am and 9pm.
Post it. Wrap each piece separately, use a padded envelope, and keep the Post Office receipt.
We test it. The parcel is signed for on arrival and opened at our Bristol office, where each piece is weighed, XRF-tested and listed on a written offer you can forward to the family.
Decide piece by piece. Accept all, some or none. We aim to release payment by Faster Payments within one working hour of your acceptance, to your own account or an estate account. Anything you decline comes back by Royal Mail Special Delivery at our cost.
Nothing is charged: the label, the XRF test, the written offer and the return of anything you decline are free, and nothing is deducted from your offer. Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market.
Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. GoldPaid can confirm the appropriate postal option before you post. If the pieces may be worth more, message us first and we split them across more than one prepaid label at no charge.
The written offer is dated and holds for a limited time, because metal prices move. If it lapses while the family is still deciding, it is re-run at the day’s rate, and nobody chases you.
Other guides for estates and inherited jewellery
Each of these answers a different part of the same job. Pick the one that matches where you are.
When you are ready, there is one step to take: request a free prepaid Royal Mail label, or send photos on WhatsApp first if you would rather ask before posting. Every piece is XRF-tested and you receive a written, itemised valuation. Nothing is sold unless you accept it, and anything declined comes back free by Royal Mail Special Delivery. For everyday gold that is not part of an estate, the general route is selling gold by post.
Please send us photos on WhatsApp, and we will help you. We give a rough estimate where possible and arrange postage with you after our conversation. Your final offer follows inspection.
