You stay in control
Posting valuables should never feel like a leap of faith, so here it does not start as one. Ask your questions first and send photos of your silver on WhatsApp for a no-charge quick indicative figure. Only when you are comfortable do you request a label.
This is a UK-wide postal service with no branches anywhere. Wherever you live, it works the same way: a free insured label in, a written offer back, and a free return if you decline.
Silver we buy
- Sterling silver (925) jewellery, chains, rings, bracelets, brooches
- Silver flatware and cutlery sets, canteens and serving pieces
- Hallmarked silverware, tankards, bowls, candlesticks, trays
- Britannia silver (958) and 800-standard continental silver
- Silver coins and small bullion bars and rounds
One important note: items stamped EPNS, "silver plated" or simply "plated" are not solid silver, the silver is a thin surface layer with little resale value. If you are unsure, send a photo of the marks on WhatsApp and we will tell you honestly whether it is worth posting. The hallmark guide explains the marks.
How it works
- Ask first and send photos. Message us on WhatsApp with photos of your 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.
Valued on fact, not estimate
Your valuation rests on what can actually be measured: the purity an XRF assay confirms, the weight a calibrated scale records, and the live precious-metal rate at the time of assessment. It is all shown to you in writing first. XRF testing explained covers how the assay works.
Silver is worth considerably less per gram than gold, so silver value tends to come from weight, a full canteen of cutlery rather than a single chain. Each item is XRF-assayed to confirm it is solid sterling or Britannia silver, weighed, and valued against the live silver market rate. Weighted handles on candlesticks and knives contain non-silver filler, which is accounted for honestly in your breakdown.
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.
Declining, made simple
A quick message is all it takes to decline, and you do not need to give a reason. Your items are then returned free of charge on a tracked, insured service, with no fee and no pressure to reconsider. What happens if I decline the offer covers it fully.
Who this helps
This suits people who have inherited silver flatware or a canteen of cutlery they will never use, holders of dated sterling jewellery, and anyone clearing a home of decorative silverware. Because silver value is weight-driven, it is well worth sending the whole lot together rather than piece by piece.
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 you buy silver-plated or EPNS items?
No. EPNS and silver-plated items have only a thin surface layer of silver with little recoverable value. We buy solid sterling (925), Britannia (958) and 800-standard silver. Send a photo of the marks if you are unsure.
What about candlesticks and knife handles with weighted bases?
We still buy them, but weighted bases and filled handles contain non-silver filler for stability. The XRF assay and weighing account for this, and your written breakdown shows it honestly.
What if I decline the offer?
Everything is returned to you free of charge by tracked, insured Royal Mail post. There is no fee for declining and no follow-up pressure.