You stay in control
A photo on WhatsApp is enough for us to tell you which testing pack fits, what the report can and cannot tell you, and what it will cost. Only when you are comfortable do you order the pack.
No part of this involves a shop visit. The testing service is postal-only, anywhere in the UK, with the phone and WhatsApp answered 8am to 9pm, seven days a week.
The anatomy of a single-item report
- Page 1 — Front summary. Item ID, customer reference, testing date, plain-English headline ("This item is consistent with solid 9ct gold (375 ppt)"), the not-a-hallmark disclaimer, and the QR verification link.
- Page 2 — Photographs. Front, back, and a close-up of any hallmark, with a reference scale.
- Page 3 — Multi-point scan trace. Each scan position numbered with the result for that position. Edge / centre / hallmark-area readings shown side by side.
- Page 4 — Full elemental table. Every element identified, in parts per thousand. Gold, silver, copper, palladium, zinc, nickel, plus any trace elements.
- Page 5 — Hallmark cross-check. The hallmark interpreted in plain English, with how the actual composition compares to the legal minimum standard the hallmark guarantees.
- Page 6 — Plating screen result. Pass / fail / consistent-with-solid, with the multi-point evidence summarised.
- Page 7 — Indicative scrap-equivalent value. Fine metal content multiplied by the live gold or silver spot price on the test date. Clearly labelled as not an offer.
- Page 8 — Disclaimer + escalation routes. The full Hallmarking Act 1973 disclaimer, the UK Assay Office fire-assay escalation route for disputed high-value items, and the route to a reinstatement-value insurance valuation.
A sample probate report
A sample probate report follows the same format with a few additions: an executor cover letter on the front page, a numbered group photograph, ranked summary by fine gold content, and the recommendation block for items individually likely to exceed £1,500.
WhatsApp us if you would like an anonymised sample probate PDF — we send it directly so a solicitor or executor can review the format before commissioning a pack.
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. A written PDF report arrives by email, and your item is dispatched back on the same day, fully insured.
How items travel
Your parcel is insured up to £2,500 via Royal Mail Special Delivery. For higher cover we can arrange a tracked courier before you post, with the cover level agreed in writing first.
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 insurance 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.
A test, not a sales pitch
The XRF testing service is paid-for and stands on its own. The report is what you bought. Nothing inside it is an offer, an invitation to sell, or a hidden valuation. The team running the test has no commission tied to whether you become a selling customer afterwards.
If you separately want a no-obligation offer for the item, you can ask. If you do not ask, nobody chases.
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.
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
Is the format the same on every pack?
The single-item, family, estate and probate packs share the same anatomy. The probate pack adds the executor cover letter and the ranked summary. The plating check is a shorter report focused on the binary plating result.
Will my report look exactly like the sample?
Yes — same structure, same headings. The unique parts are your item photos, your scan readings, your hallmark cross-check and your indicative value at the live spot price on your test date.