The first question to ask
Is this piece interesting as a piece, or only as the metal it is made of? An ornate Georgian ring, a Victorian mourning brooch with a portrait miniature, an Art Deco signed bracelet, these may be worth a multiple of their scrap gold value. A snapped 9ct chain or a single bent earring is almost always best sold for its metal weight.
Signals that point to antique value
Look for: pre-1900 hallmarks, named maker punches, complete sets in original boxes, intact enamelling, hand-engraving rather than machine work, hand-set stones with an identifiable jeweller’s signature, and unusual subjects (mourning rings, military rings, regimental pieces). The four UK assay offices and their date letters help establish age; named-maker punches are the real value lift.
Signals that point to scrap
Mass-produced 1980s and later chains, broken links, single earrings, dental gold from old restorations (which is legal to sell and rarely sentimental), plain unbroken wedding bands without ornament, machined identical-pattern jewellery and damaged Victorian pieces with missing parts are usually worth more melted than auctioned. There is no shame in this. Most of what people inherit is exactly this kind of piece, and the right route is a clean, fair scrap sale.
When to choose auction over scrap
A specialist jewellery auction makes sense when the piece is intact, identifiable, and has reasonable collector interest. The trade-off is time (often two to four months to sell) and seller commission (typically 15-25% all-in). Illustrative numbers only: a signed Art Deco bracelet with, say, £400 of metal in it that hammers at £900 returns roughly £720 after a 20% commission, well worth the wait. The same £400 of metal in a piece that hammers at £450 returns about £360, less than its scrap value and months slower. For pieces likely to clear scrap comfortably, the auction route is worth the wait. For pieces that would only just exceed scrap after commission, a postal scrap buyer is the simpler choice.
Our position
GoldPaid is a postal precious-metal buyer, not an antique dealer. If you send us a parcel and there is a piece in it that is plainly worth more at auction, we tell you. We will not melt down a named Cartier brooch because the metal weight looked tempting. That is the basic deal: a fair, informed reading of what you have, then a route that suits the piece.
Common questions
How do I tell if a piece is antique?
A pre-1900 hallmark, a named maker’s mark, a known design signature, original packaging or a documented provenance are all clues. A clear photo of the marks tells us most of what we need to know.
Would GoldPaid melt an antique piece?
No. If the piece is worth more intact, we say so and recommend an auction route or a specialist dealer, even when that means we do not buy it.
Should I get an insurance valuation before selling?
Insurance valuations are typically retail replacement values and overstate sale prices. For a sale, a probate or "fair market" valuation is closer to what a buyer or auctioneer will offer.
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.
Request a free prepaid Royal Mail label
Two 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.
Two things worth knowing before you start, rather than after. Everyone sends a photo of a UK passport or driving licence, whatever the parcel is worth — it applies to every seller, so it is never a comment on you. And the parcel is handed in at a Post Office counter rather than dropped in a postbox: the receipt they give you is the proof of postage any compensation claim depends on.
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.