The short answer
What counts as scrap gold
In practical UK terms, scrap gold is anything sold for its gold content. Condition, age and fashion are irrelevant. Items that almost always trade as scrap include:
- Broken or snapped chains, bracelets and necklaces
- Single earrings, odd cufflinks and incomplete pairs
- Bent, damaged or misshapen rings, bangles and pendants
- Tangled lots and the unsorted bottom of the jewellery box
- Unhallmarked or "mystery" gold from older estates and overseas purchases
- Worn-down pieces where the hallmark is no longer readable
- Dental gold — crowns, bridges, inlays, fillings
- Mixed-carat lots (9ct, 14ct, 18ct, 22ct items together)
- Hand-me-down jewellery the new owner does not wear
Wearable items that look intact also trade as scrap whenever the owner has chosen to sell the metal. There is no "wearable" premium on a plain chain, a thin band or a generic-design ring — those are still paid by their carat and weight, the same as a broken chain of the same weight.
What does NOT count as scrap gold
Some items are stamped or sold as "gold" but contain very little or no recoverable gold. These are paid as scrap only on the small amount of gold actually recovered, and the realistic figure is often near zero. Knowing the difference saves a wasted postal trip:
- Rolled gold (RGP, "rolled gold plate") — a base-metal core with a thin layer of gold bonded on, recoverable gold content is negligible.
- Gold plated (GP, "plated", "gold-tone") — a microscopic surface layer of gold over base metal; there is no meaningful recoverable value.
- Gold filled (GF) — a thicker plating standard than GP but still well short of solid gold; only specialist buyers process it in bulk.
- Costume jewellery — base metal, no gold content, no value to a precious-metals buyer.
- Vermeil — silver gilt, a thin gold layer over solid silver; sold for the underlying silver, not the gold.
If you cannot tell whether a piece is solid gold, send a clear photo of the marks on WhatsApp before posting and we will tell you honestly. We never charge for that conversation and we will say if something is not worth sending. The UK gold hallmark guide covers the marks to look for.
Common myths about scrap gold
- "Broken gold is worth less." No. Broken and intact 9ct items of the same weight are worth the same — you are paid for the gold, not the look.
- "Unhallmarked gold is worthless." No. Hallmarks help identify carat at a glance, but the XRF assay confirms purity regardless. Unhallmarked solid gold trades at the same rate as hallmarked.
- "It must be melted down first." No. Never melt, file, scratch-test or acid-test your own pieces — that destroys value and is unnecessary. XRF reads the metal directly without damaging the item.
- "Mixed carats need sorting." No. Send a mixed-carat lot as it is. We separate, weigh and assay each carat on arrival and the written offer pays the correct rate for each portion.
- "Old gold is worth more." Not for its metal content. Age does not raise the scrap rate. Period antique pieces with maker marks may carry collector premium above scrap — we flag those separately on the written offer rather than treating them as plain metal.
- "Foreign gold is worth less." No. Holiday-bought 18ct or 22ct gold from Spain, Cyprus, Turkey, India or the UAE assays the same as UK 18ct or 22ct. The hallmark format is different; the metal is the same.
Mixed carats, unhallmarked items and overseas pieces
A typical scrap parcel is rarely tidy. It might contain a 9ct chain, a single 14ct earring, a 22ct band from an overseas trip, a snapped 18ct pendant and three pieces with no readable hallmark at all. None of that is a problem. Every item is photographed on arrival, separated by carat at XRF assay, and weighed on a calibrated scale. The written offer shows each carat row separately: weight, the rate used and the figure for that portion. You see the maths, not a single flat number.
For a worked example of how the per-gram rate becomes a written offer, see scrap gold value. For today's indicative per-gram rates by carat, see gold price today, UK. For an indicative figure on a specific item, the gold & silver calculator turns weight and carat into an estimate in seconds.
Why "scrap" is mostly a label, not a category
The trade word "scrap" puts people off because it sounds like rubbish. In a precious-metals context it just means gold being sold for its metal content. A flawless 18ct chain you choose to sell is "scrap" the moment you decide to part with the metal rather than the piece. Treating it that way is what makes the figure honest — there is no inflated story about design or maker premium that is not really there, just the metal value plus the buyer's margin shown openly in writing.
How to sell scrap gold by post in the UK
GoldPaid is a UK-wide postal precious-metals buyer. You message us on WhatsApp with a photo for a quick indicative figure, request a free prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label, and post the scrap when you are ready. Each item is weighed and XRF-assayed and the written offer is returned to you for a decision. Accept and you are paid the same day by Faster Payments. Decline and everything is returned free of charge on a tracked, insured service. Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery. GoldPaid can confirm the appropriate postal option before you post. The full route is on sell scrap gold and sell gold by post UK.
Common questions
Is broken gold worth less than wearable gold?
No. Scrap is valued purely on the gold inside the item — confirmed purity, weight and the live market rate. A broken chain and an intact chain of the same carat and weight are worth the same.
Is unhallmarked gold scrap?
It can be. The XRF assay confirms whether a piece is solid gold and at what carat, regardless of whether it is stamped. If it tests as solid gold, it is paid the same as hallmarked gold of the same carat.
Can I send mixed carats in one parcel?
Yes. Do not sort anything. Each carat is separated and weighed on arrival, and the written offer shows the figure for each portion of the lot.
Is foreign hallmarked gold treated differently?
No. Overseas hallmarks use different formats but the metal is the same. An 18ct piece from Spain, Cyprus, Turkey, India or the UAE assays as 18ct, and is paid at the 18ct rate.
Do I need to clean or repair anything before sending?
No. Do not clean, polish, melt, file or acid-test your own pieces — that risks damaging value. Send them as they are. The XRF assay reads the metal without touching it.
What about rolled gold or gold plated items?
Rolled gold (RGP) and gold plated (GP) items carry only a thin surface layer of gold and have little or no recoverable value. Costume jewellery has none. If you are unsure, send a photo of the marks first.
What happens if I decline the offer?
Your items are returned to you free of charge on tracked, insured Royal Mail Special Delivery. No fee, no pressure, no obligation. You keep the XRF assay and written offer as a record of what your scrap is worth.
How much is a gram of scrap gold worth in the UK today?
It depends on the carat. See the indicative per-gram rates by carat on the gold price today page. Your firm offer is priced against the live rate on the day your items are assessed, with the rate shown in the written breakdown.
What items count as scrap gold in the UK?
Any pre-owned gold item sold for the gold content rather than for design, brand or rarity counts as scrap — broken chains, single earrings, dental gold, worn rings, snapped bracelets, unwanted coins, even wearable pieces once the owner has decided to sell the metal. UK scrap gold is valued on weight and carat against the live LBMA gold fix; condition does not affect the price because the metal is refined.