I have about 12 ounces of jewelry scrap from about 60 years ago. I think it might be gold but have not gotten a definitive answer yet. Can I send you some samples? I also have 5 to 10 pounds of old sterling silver and would like to know its value (buckles, money clips, pins, etc.) Can you also let me know if you would be interested in buying it? Thanks. From Mary in Rochester, New York

Hi Mary,

Thank you for your question. Sounds like you are doing some cleaning which could result in some extra cash for you, which is always a plus.

Since you are unsure about the purity of your gold items, we would test your pieces, refine gold that is9 karat purity (37.44% gold) or more and then either send back what is not able to refine or we could recycle it for you. If you have specific instructions for us, please indicate those on our packaging slip.

5-10 pounds of sterling silver is a large range. If your pieces are pure sterling silver, 92.5% silver, at a $35 silver price, 5 pounds of sterling silver could be worth over $2,000 silver value.  Arch would be able to pay 75% of the silver value back to you on your pieces. However, if not all of your pieces are sterling, we would recommend sorting the items you know are sterling and then check to see if your other pieces are sterling or not.

It may be better to send all of your pieces together, but would help if you kept the gold separated from the silver in different bags.

Hope that helps! Let us know if you have any more questions. Or you can upload an image to show up on our Contact Form.

*Images displayed are only a representation of the items described in this blog post and may not be true images of the items in question.

Question: I have 59.50 grams of 22 kt yellow gold of handmade jewelry from India. Includes 1 necklace, 2 bracelets and 2 earrings. — From Aasha in Dallas, Texas

Hi Aasha,

Thank you for your submission. Gold jewelry from India is usually of very high quality and made with a very high gold content, giving the gold a yellow color. 22k gold is 91.52% gold alloyed with 8.48% of some other type of metal.

Are there any hallmarks or markings that prove the purity of your items? Since you indicated that your items are handmade, we are guessing that there are not hallmarks. We run unmarked pieces through our XRF analytical testing machine that uses x-ray technology to tell what these pieces are composed of. We find that with handmade jewelry from India the standard percent of 22k is not always exact. Sometimes there is a little more and sometimes a little less to recover.

As precious metal refiners, we will pay on the value of your items according to how much gold there is to refine (weight), how high of gold content your items are (purity), and the current price of gold.

Also keep in mind that gold is measured in troy ounces. 59.50 grams = 1.913 troy ounces. Based on our payout schedule, we would be able to offer 85% of the gold value back to you.

*Images displayed are only a representation of the items described in this blog post and may not be true images of the items in question.

I have assorted 14 K jewelry consisting of 3 bracelets and three rings weighing 96 grams. What would you anticipate the shipping cost to be? From Molly in Los Angeles, California.

Hi Molly,

The great thing about gold is that you really don’t have to have much in terms of weight to have a very valuable shipment. So it is relatively inexpensive to ship, but the return can be great.

We would recommend sending in a bubble envelope. Flat rate services for priority mail envelopes with USPS is $4.95 for sizes 10″ x 5″ through 12-1/2″ x 9-1/2″. These envelopes will ship anything under 70 lbs. We would also recommend checking the “Signature Upon Delivery” option and Requesting an Estimate on your items so you know how much to insure the package for. While not a requirement, we would recommend insurance for valuable shipments. These services with the USPS start at $10.75. Packages can be insured for up to $5,000. Registered Mail service can be insured for up to $25,000.

Learn more about adding insurance to USPS packages here: https://www.usps.com/ship/insurance-and-extra-services.htm.

Visit our page about Shipping Precious Metals and let us know if you would like a free estimate on your pieces. Thanks!

I have two pocket watches. One weighs about 46 grams the other about 22 grams. Both are marked 14K. From Uriah in Kalamazoo, MI

Hi Uriah,

Thank you for your question. Old gold jewelry is very common for selling for the precious metal value. Keep in mind that as refiners, we will buy your watches based on the gold value alone, whereas other buyers such as pawn shops and jewelry resellers might buy for the watch functionality. Think about if your watch has any value because of the collectability, rarity, beauty or function. If you think that is has value beyond the gold value, please look in to checking with a jewelry dealer.

If you want to get a better idea of what the gold value of your watches are, we recommend stripping down the watches by taking out as much non-gold items as you can. All of the non-precious metal watch mechanisms should not be included in the weight of your gold. Note that by doing this you may be damaging the watch beyond repair. This would not affect the gold value, but would affect the retail value mentioned above. Another item you may consider is the chain (if there is one) on the watches. If they are marked (look on the clasp) a karat purity of gold then add them to the gold weight/total. If they are not marked then they may not contain gold.

Being 14 Karat, the gold in your watches are 58.24% pure gold. Our payout schedule varies according to how much gold you have. See our Karat gold jewelry payout schedule on our website.

Thanks!

* Please keep in mind that we are not jewelry appraisers or dealers and cannot give estimates based on the value of collectable, rare or vintage jewelry. As a precious metal refiner, we only give estimates based on the weight of items and the amount of precious metal available for recovery.

*Image displayed is only a representation of the items described in this blog post and may not be true images of the items in question.

How much can i sell my 18 karat gold bracelet with the stamp 750 that weighs 52 grams for? Thanks! — From Cory in Seattle, WA

Hi Cory,

This is a great question to plug into our gold conversion calculator. This is because there are a few calculations that you have to do before knowing what your gold is worth.

You first have to convert the weight of gold jewelry into troy ounces without any other gems or stones. That is the unit of measurement used for precious metals.

Then you have to use the current price of gold and multiply it to how much actual gold you have. With your bracelet being 18 Karat, your piece is 74.88% gold. The stamp on your bracelet 750 indicates that it is 18 Karat gold that is about 75% pure gold.

Your 52 grams converts into 1.67183 troy ounces. According to our payout schedule we would offer you about 85% of the pure gold value. For larger lots we can sometimes offer over 90% of the gold value.

Note that the calculator provides an approximate value for the amount of fine (or pure) gold or in your item. It does not factor in intrinsic value that may apply to rare collectibles and coins or branded jewelry.

*Price of gold used in this calculation may not reflect the current price of gold as it changes daily.

Thanks for your question. Here are some other blog posts that might help you in finding the value of your gold bracelet.

http://www.precious-metal-refining.info/what-are-my-14k-gold-wedding-rings-worth/
http://www.precious-metal-refining.info/value-of-14-k-gold-jewelry-precious-metal-refining-blog/

*Image displayed is only a representation of the items described in this blog post and may not be true images of the items in question.

1) Have reasonable expectations. Unless you know for a fact that you have valuable precious metal items, be prepared that there may be very little precious metal available for extraction. Also keep in mind that a refiner’s offer only reflects the value of the item by weight and quantity alone, not the retail value.

2) Do your homework. So you are not surprised, try to assess how much your items are worth beforehand. This could include several steps such as researching precious metals online, making a trip to a local jeweler or requesting an online estimate. Also, remember to remove stones and any other non-metal materials before sending them to the refiners.

3) When you’re ready to sell, research a dealer you are comfortable with. There are many gold buying scams out there that you want to stay away from. Here are some tips to avoid being taken advantage of:

• Determine if the dealer is a middleman or the refiner. A middleman will buy your items for less in order to resell to a refiner and turn a profit. Refiners have more knowledge of the actual process and can offer a better price than a middleman. Arch Enterprises is a refiner and offers between 60%-90% of the metal value to sellers.
• Look for creditability through who endorses the company. If reputable companies stand by a refiner, this reflects positivity on their business dealings. Arch Enterprises is endorsed by the Missouri Dental Association and the Kansas Dental Association.

4) Insure your items through the mail. Make a note of what you’re sending off by writing descriptions, taking pictures or both.

5) Be organized. Cover all your bases by making copies of all the documents you send and receive to keep for your records, including emails. Even record all phone calls with the date, time and information discussed.

6) If you have a positive experience selling your precious metals, tell others and spread the word.

I have a good amount of 925 silver jewelry, as well as some 14k gold, and some 22k gold from India. I may be going into the gold buying business and I have a question. What you are paying per troy oz of each? I know it depends upon the daily precious metals market, but is there a standard percentage of that you pay? Please advise, Thanks! From Jack in Birmingham, Alabama.

Hi Jack,

We do work with many people and stores that run gold buying businesses so we may be able to help you. As you noted in your question, the market price of silver and gold will have a major influence on how much we can pay for gold and silver items. Because these prices fluctuate daily, we use the commodity price of the day that we receive the material at our refining facility.

On 925 sterling silver items we typically pay 75% of the fine silver content by weight because the value of silver is relatively low when compared to gold and yet the time and energy involved in refining the material and running the transaction through our system is similar. Since gold is trading for over $1,000 UDS per troy ounce all of this year, we can pay a higher percentage based on the amount you send and the purity of your items. Keep in mind that it takes about the same amount of energy to refine 1 ounce of gold as it does to refine 3 ounces, so it is more cost efficient for us to refine larger quantities at one time. For estimation purposes, we typically pay out according to the schedule below:

• 70% of the fine gold value by weight for less than 0.5 fine ounce of gold
• 80% for less than 1 fine ounce
• 85% for 1-2 fine ounces
• 90% for more than 2 fine ounce

We do offer slightly higher returns to many of our customers who run gold buying businesses and meet our frequency and volume minimums. Arch is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and maintains fast, professional service in an industry where ethical business practices are many times questionable. We are here for our customers to answer questions on our blog and are always just a phone call away.

Good luck in your new business.

Hi, I have a 9” curb link gold bracelet that I no longer wear and am interested in selling. It weighs 93.6 grams and is 14 k gold. What is this worth? From Ryan in Clearwater, Florida

Hi Ryan,

Just knowing the value of how much your items are worth will make you more a more educated gold seller. We recommend visiting our gold value calculator which will give you the approximate market price of what your scrap gold items. You can go from there and determine who is going to give you the best deal for your gold.

The calculator converts your measurements into troy ounces. Ryan, your 93.6 grams is 3.009 troy ounces, of the 14k gold which is about 58.24% gold. Based on these numbers and the price of gold today at $1,226.00*/troy ounce, the market value would be approximately $2,210.  Keep in mind that the market value is what the end consumer expects to pay.  We need to refine the gold and convert it into a form that we can sell at this price. Based on this, Arch Enterprises typically offers 80%-85% of the fine gold value in weight for small, one-time transactions.

* Since the price of gold changes daily this price was taken June 11, 2010 and may not reflect the day of this blog post.

I have 100 ounces .999 fine silver bar from Tri-State refining and a 1 ounce Gold Eagle coin. Would you be interested in buying one or both pieces? From James in Columbia, Missouri

Hi James,

We do buy silver bars and gold coins. We can pay for 90% of the silver value in the bar for bars that are minted and for 90% of the gold value in the coins. We will pay you based on current market prices of gold and silver at the time of settlement. We would recommend insuring your items through the mail and make sure that you request the “Delivery Signature Required” option at the post office.

American Gold Eagle coins were first issued by the U.S. mint in 1986. Since then, Gold Eagle coins have risen to the rank of the #1 gold bullion coin. Gold Eagle coins are 91.67% fine gold (22 karat). The remaining is made up of silver and copper. Given this, they are not worth 1 ounce of gold as many people think and since buyers want to pay market price, we have to buy at a discount.

For more information about our gold coin refining service please visit our website.

Hello, I am looking for a good refinery to purchase my gold. I have been researching gold parties for sometime now, I am an independent gold buyer and seller. What are your rates for people with a substantial amount of gold? From Donnie in Orlando, Florida

We offer competitive refining rates for independent gold party operators and gold buyers. And typically we can wire the funds to your account the same day it comes in if the gold is received early in the day. We often pay more than 90% of the value of gold content for customers with significant amounts of gold that send shipments to us on a regular basis. However, this high percentage return is based on the amount of gold you send. You must have over 2 ounces of gold to receive over 90% of the fine gold content by weight.

Interestingly, we have more and more customers like yourself these days who are looking for a trustworthy refiner that offers quick payments. We know that gold buying businesses rely on paying people quickly so we cater to them by paying quickly as well. Here is some feedback from one of our gold operator customers, Kelly Rostic – owner of the Gold Lady:

“What most impresses me about Arch Enterprises is their quick turn-around time and customer service. I overnight my gold to the refinery and by the next afternoon, the gold is processed and I have money wire-transferred into my business account. Since the price of gold is constantly changing, I feel I have the best chance of getting top dollar because I don’t have to wait long for processing. Whenever I call Arch Enterprises, everyone I deal with is polite and professional. With the gold business booming right now and as we approach the holidays, I hope for continued success with my business, The Gold Lady.”

Good luck with your gold buying business Donnie. Let us know if you need gold refining services! Thank you for contacting us.

In the last six months we have received some great questions! In order for our customers to receive the best information and most accurate quotes we encourage everyone to give very detailed descriptions of the materials you would like us to buy and refine. Even things that you may not think are significant can indicate what kind of material you have and what the grade is. Here are the main elements we take into account when people ask questions about their materials.

1. Type of Metal – of course the type of precious metal your items contain is the main indicator of how much they are worth refined.
2. Markings/Hallmarks – these are especially important on sterling silver sets and flatware. Always try and indicate if these items are marked with the word ‘sterling’, 925 or 800. 925 silver is 92.5% silver, where as 800 silver is only 80.0% silver.
3. Weight – there is a very big difference between the weight of items before they are refined and then the weight of the actual precious metal contained in items. We try and estimate only on the value of the precious metal content. So account for the fact that 40 lbs. of material is not the same as 40 lbs. of pure silver.
4. Quantity – the amount of precious metal you have to refine is important because often times we can offer you a higher return on larger amounts of material. This is because it is more energy efficient to process large amounts of material at once than several smaller quantities at different times.

On our Submit Your Question Form, there is an image upload capability where you can send us a photo of the items you wish to refine.

As always, let us know if you have any questions.