Guide
What's the best place to sell gold?
The best place to sell gold is the buyer that tells you, in writing and before you sell, what percentage of melt value it pays, and pays a high one. Here's how the usual options compare.
Updated November 3, 2026 · Prices as of November 3, 2026, 4:45 p.m. Pacific
Where to sell gold, compared
| Where | What it pays | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| A buyer that publishes its rates, like us | A stated percentage: we pay 94% of melt for scrap and 96% for coins and bars | You know the rate before you sell. Paid within 7–10 business days. |
| Local jewelers and pawn shops | 36% to 71% of melt value in Consumer Reports' 2009 test | Cash the same day. Offers vary widely from shop to shop. |
| Local coin shops | Varies by shop and by item | Often the most familiar with coins. Ask for the percentage of spot, and of which spot price. |
| Gold parties | "up to half of what it is really worth," per Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs | Host commissions and the buyer's costs come out of your price. |
| TV mail-in gold kits | 11% to about 29% of melt value in Consumer Reports' 2009 test | The offer comes after you've mailed your gold. |
| Traveling hotel and road-show buyers | Three of five first offers under a quarter of the gold's value (CBS News, 2012) | They move on after a few days. |
The best place to sell gold jewelry
Jewelry is bought for its gold, so the best place is the buyer paying the highest percentage of melt value. Know the karats, weigh it in grams, and compare written offers. There's no need to sort it for us. We pay $69.16/g for 14K gold today. See scrap gold prices per gram.
Scrap prices are per gram of metal after melting, not per gram of what you send. Stones are removed, and dirt, glue, springs, and anything else that isn't gold or silver burn off or separate out, so the weight paid is usually less than your scale shows.
The best place to sell gold coins
Bullion coins should sell close to the gold price. We pay 96% of the Kitco bid: $3,768.19 for a 1 ozt coin today. See how to sell gold coins.
The best place to sell gold in San Francisco and the Bay Area
We're a San Francisco coin dealer and gold buyer. Bay Area sellers can mail their gold like anyone else, and for estates we come to you. See selling gold in San Francisco.
Wherever you sell, ask two questions
What percentage of melt value do you pay, and a percentage of which gold price? A buyer that won't answer either is telling you something. See who pays the most for gold.
Sources
- Consumers Union (publisher of Consumer Reports), testimony to the U.S. House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection, May 13, 2010, reporting Consumer Reports' 2009 mystery-shopper test.
- ABC News, "Gold Rush: People Rush to Sell Gold Instead of Finding It", Good Morning America, March 2009.
- CBS News, undercover test of a traveling gold buyer, May 30, 2012.
- CBS12 News, "Seller beware: offers from gold buyers vary widely despite record values", November 4, 2024.
- Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs, "Gold Party: Hidden Treasure" tip sheet.
We pay top dollar for gold, at published rates set before you sell.
Your gold
See what your gold is worth.
Send photos and a rough weight for a free written estimate, with our rate in writing.