Ask first, post later
Start with a question, not a parcel. Send a photo on WhatsApp or call, and you will get a straight answer on what testing tier suits your item and what the report will cover. None of it commits you to posting anything.
This is a UK-wide postal testing service. There is no shop to visit and no counter. Wherever you live, the process is the same: ask first, then decide.
On what XRF is
X-ray fluorescence is the standard way of reading what a metal is actually made of without harming it. Hit an alloy with a low-energy X-ray and every element in it fluoresces back at its own characteristic energy. The detector sorts those energies, identifies each metal present, and works out how much of each there is, down to parts per thousand.
It is the same method UK Assay Offices, refineries, pawnbrokers, auction houses and luxury watch authentication services use, and it is what the report on every pack on this site is built around.
The process, step by step
- Start with a photo. A clear WhatsApp photo of the item is enough for us to tell you which pack fits, what the report will show, and what the price will be.
- Pay and get your label. Once you order, a free Royal Mail Special Delivery label and a QR code for the counter are emailed straight back.
- Send it in your own time. Use any padded envelope. The label stays valid until used. There is no time pressure on you.
- Tested by handheld XRF. Each item is scanned at multiple points with a Thermo Scientific Niton XL2 precious-metal analyser. The full elemental table goes into the report.
- Report inside 24 to 48 hours, or 48 to 72 hours for the probate pack. A written PDF report arrives by email, and your item is dispatched back on the same day by tracked Royal Mail Special Delivery, with cover that may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used.
How items travel
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, and if a parcel may be worth more than that we split it across more than one prepaid label at no charge, each with its own tracking number and cover.
Special Delivery is signed for at every handover. We send a confirmation by WhatsApp when the parcel reaches us, and the same again on the return leg once the report has been issued.
What you get back, and when
Your item is returned by Royal Mail Special Delivery on the same working day the report is issued. Return postage and its cover are included in the testing fee. There is no separate return charge.
If, for any reason, an item cannot be tested (badly damaged surface, non-metallic core, equipment misalignment), we tell you straight, refund the testing fee, and return the item the same day.
Testing is testing
Plenty of gold buyers will offer a "free test" if you send your item in. That is a sales tool, not an independent service. This page is the other way round: you pay for the test and the report stands on its own. Whether you sell anything afterwards is a separate decision, and one we do not get involved in unless you ask.
The full reasoning is on the dedicated independence pledge page.
What this report is, and what it is not
The report identifies the elemental composition of an item to the accuracy of the analyser. It does not replace a UK hallmark, an Assay Office fire assay, or a written valuation from a qualified valuer for insurance reinstatement purposes. We say so in plain English on the front page of every report.
If a report leaves any doubt, we will tell you what the next step would be, typically a UK Assay Office fire assay (destructive but definitive) for high-value disputes, or a written insurance valuation from a qualified independent valuer for reinstatement cover.
The proof, not the promise
Anyone can say "best price". GoldPaid does not. Instead the process is laid bare: a measured XRF assay, calibrated weighing, the live market rate, and a written breakdown you read at home before you commit to anything. The reassurance here is structural, built into how the service works, rather than asserted in a slogan.
Common questions
How accurate is XRF?
The Niton XL2 measures gold content to roughly ±0.1 to ±0.5 per cent absolute on a clean, solid surface. Where a reading is disputed, the reference test is a fire assay at a UK Assay Office. It uses up a sample of the metal, and the report identifies which office is the right one to approach.
Can XRF tell if my gold is plated?
In most cases, yes. The multi-point scan SOP picks up the disagreement between the face reading and the edge reading, and plated items are flagged in the report. Thick, unworn plating can read as gold at every point, and where that is suspected the report says the item cannot be confirmed as solid.
Will XRF damage my item?
No. The beam leaves the surface exactly as it found it. Nothing is filed, scratched or dipped in acid at any point.
Why is my actual reading sometimes higher than the hallmark?
Because a hallmark guarantees a legal minimum standard and rounds the actual content down. A 9ct hallmark on a piece reading 390 ppt is consistent with the hallmark (which guarantees 375 ppt) and the XRF reading shows that the actual content exceeds the minimum.
Why is the reading sometimes lower than the hallmark?
Worn solder joints, replaced parts, repaired sections, or non-standard alloys can pull the average down below the hallmarked standard. A multi-point scan trace usually identifies the cause.
Will the report tell me what my item is worth?
It will tell you the indicative scrap-equivalent value at the gold spot rate on the test date, clearly labelled as not an offer. For replacement (insurance) value, the Insurance Valuation Add-on at +£25 per item gives you a reinstatement-value figure.
How long does the test take?
24 to 48 hours for consumer single-item, family and estate packs from receipt to report. 48 to 72 hours for the probate pack. 24 hours for the plating check. On trade accounts the turnaround target is 48 hours, and the on-call pawnbroker tier runs to a four-hour photo-first response target.
How safe is it to post valuables?
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, and if a parcel may be worth more than that we split it across more than one prepaid label at no charge, each with its own tracking number and cover.
What if my item is damaged in transit?
Royal Mail Special Delivery cover is the route for the claim, and we help you with the paperwork. Tracking and the item photo on receipt with us provide the evidence chain.
Do I have to sell my item to GoldPaid?
No. Testing is a paid-for service that stands on its own. The independence pledge is named openly on every page.
What if I do want a no-obligation offer afterwards?
Ask. We will give you a quick written indicative figure for the same item, separately from the test report.
What about diamonds and coloured stones?
XRF reads metal only. For diamonds and stones, the in-house gem service runs alongside, gem triage at £40, diamond grading at £85. We are not UKAS-accredited on the gem side; AnchorCert Gem Lab is the escalation route when a UKAS-accredited record is specifically required.
Can I see a sample report?
Yes, see the sample report page for an anonymised single-item report in full, with a link to a sample probate report.
Is the report court-admissible?
The report is written as professional evidence, with the methodology, the scan trace and the photographs on the face of it. Court admissibility depends on the specific proceeding; for contested high-value matters, the route to a definitive answer is a UK Assay Office fire assay and the report identifies that path.
How is my data handled?
Item photos and report data are retained for five years to align with HMRC and AML record-keeping. You can request deletion outside the five-year window. Full policy on the privacy page.
How does GoldPaid handle AML?
GoldPaid carries out identity and record-keeping checks on every transaction in line with the UK Money Laundering Regulations for the buying side of the business. Testing-only jobs do not trigger High Value Dealer obligations because no goods change hands. Photo ID of the customer is captured on every buying transaction, whatever the parcel is worth, to support lawful asset-triage in the unlikely event a SAR is required.
Can the report be issued in a different language?
The report is issued in English. A translated cover note can be added on request, ask first.
Can I get a paper copy?
Yes, +£8 for printing and dispatch. Most customers prefer the PDF; it is the same content.
What if I want to escalate to a UK Assay Office?
The report identifies the appropriate Assay Office and the current charge for a fire assay. We can also handle the onwards submission on your behalf for a small handling fee, ask at the point of the report.
Request a prepaid Royal Mail label for your XRF test
Two quick steps. Tell us which pack you want in the box below and we will confirm the price and how to pay before anything is charged. The label itself is prepaid and costs you nothing, and your items are returned to you free once the report is issued. Testing is a separate, paid service: if you are here to sell rather than to have items tested, the assay is free as part of selling and how it works is the page you want.
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.