"Sell gold jewelry" is searched about 5,400 times a month worldwide, according to Ubersuggest, with "sell gold jewelry near me" about 4,400, "where to sell gold jewelry near me" about 3,600, "sell scrap gold" about 2,400 and "best place sell gold jewelry" about 1,600. Advertisers pay between 5 and 9 dollars a click for the first three, which tells you how many businesses are competing for these sellers and why a single search shows so many offers. This guide compares the places that buy gold jewelry and scrap gold, explains why they pay differently and lists what to prepare. Our companions cover the calculation and why offers sit below spot, and the whole family sits under our guide to selling gold, silver and scrap jewelry worldwide. We quote no prices. We operate ScrapTrade, a scrap marketplace, so we have a stake in this trade.
First decide what you are selling
Pieces fall into two groups. Scrap is jewelry whose value is its gold: broken chains, single earrings, dented rings, odd pieces. Resale pieces are worth more as objects: signed designer pieces, antique pieces, and sets in good condition. Dealer sources suggest keeping the two apart, because melting a piece that a collector would buy is a mistake you cannot undo. If you are unsure, ask a jeweler or specialist before the piece goes in a bag with the scrap. Only solid gold has meaningful melt value, according to the sources we found, so check for plated stamps first.
The places that buy
- Local jewelers. Convenient, and often willing to look at resale pieces. Dealer guides describe them as paying a lower share of melt on scrap.
- Pawn shops. Fast, with cash on the day, and described by the same guides as the low end for scrap offers.
- Coin and bullion dealers. Described as paying closer to melt, and a better fit for bars, coins and large scrap.
- Mail-in refiners and online buyers. You send the gold and receive a quote after it is tested, and some sources describe them as paying closer to market in return for the shipping and the wait. Ask who insures the parcel, whether you can decline the quote and get the gold back, and how long it takes.
- Direct refiners. They usually want minimum weights and an account, according to dealer guides.
- Trade marketplaces. For lots, as below.
We did not review any particular buyer or ranking, because each is a business with something to sell.
Step by step to a clean sale
- Sort by karat. Read the stamps, and set aside anything stamped as plated or filled.
- Weigh each group in grams. On a scale you trust.
- Work out the melt value. Our calculation guide has the method.
- Set aside resale pieces. And get an opinion before you scrap them.
- Get two or more quotes. With the weight, karat and spot each buyer used, so you can compare.
- Agree payment first. Method, timing and the receipt. Our guide to choosing a buyer covers the checks.
One ring or a bag of it
One piece is simplest sold locally, with a quote you can check against your own sum. A bag from an estate, a drawer clear-out or a jeweler's stock is different, because a larger lot is worth the effort of calling several buyers and comparing shares. Sort a lot before you sell it, and ask each buyer how it prices mixed karats. Whichever route you take, photograph the lot and keep a list of the pieces, karats and weights you showed or sent, so that any later disagreement about the count or the weight can be settled against your own record and not the buyer's.
Where ScrapTrade fits
ScrapTrade is the wrong tool for one ring, and a local buyer is the sensible choice for a single piece. It fits jewelers, pawn shops, estate clearers and dealers who hold scrap in quantity and want buyers to compete. The marketplace lists with no fee or commission, has verified traders in over 50 countries, and includes precious metals among its twelve categories. You and the buyer agree terms in real-time chat, and when you accept a bid the buyer's 5 percent deposit sits in escrow. Verification applies to both businesses and individuals. Whether jewelry lots can be listed, and how testing and insurance are handled, is unconfirmed, so write to cs@scraptrade.com.au first.
What we could not verify
- What any buyer pays. We found no reliable price source.
- Which type of buyer is best. The sources are buyers' own pages.
- Each country's rules on second-hand dealers, cash and reporting.
- Whether jewelry lots can be listed on ScrapTrade.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to sell gold jewelry?
It depends on the piece. Scrap suits a dealer or refiner, and resale pieces may suit a jeweler or specialist. Compare at least two quotes.
Should I sell gold jewelry online?
Mail-in and online buyers can pay well, according to dealer guides, but check insurance, whether you can decline the quote and how long it takes.
What do I need to sell gold jewelry?
Usually photo ID, and the receipt or a description of where it came from. Rules differ by country.
Can jewelry lots be listed on ScrapTrade?
Precious metals is a category, and verified businesses and individuals can sell. We could not confirm jewelry lots specifically, so check with support.
Sources
- Ubersuggest keyword data, global, queried November 2026.
- Dealer and refiner guides on where to sell gold and on buyer types, as summarised in search results.
- ScrapTrade website, accessed November 2026.
General information, not financial or legal advice. We run a scrap marketplace.