Before selling gold, sort items by karat, remove non-gold parts where possible, weigh each group, calculate melt value, and compare multiple offers as a percentage of melt. Do not accept an offer until you know the baseline number.
Step 1: sort and weigh
Separate 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K, and 24K items. If you mix karats together, you make the buyer's job easier and your own estimate weaker.
Use a gram scale and weigh only the gold portion when possible.
Step 2: calculate melt
Use live spot price, weight, and karat to calculate melt value. Then apply the buyer's offered payout percentage.
Ask buyers to state their offer as dollars and as a percentage of melt. This makes competing quotes easier to compare.
Step 3: compare channels
Pawn shops, jewelers, refineries, local coin shops, and online buyers can quote different spreads.
If the item is designer jewelry, a collectible coin, or has stones, consider resale value before accepting scrap value.
Common questions
What is a fair gold buyer offer?
There is no single number, but a fair offer should be explainable as a percentage of melt value after testing, fees, and lot size.
Should I remove stones before selling gold?
If stones have meaningful value, get them evaluated separately. Scrap buyers may not pay much for stones unless they specialize in jewelry resale.