Buy Fine Jewelry from United Coins & Precious Metals

Knowing the weight of your gold and precious metals is most important. It’s also critical that when comparing weights, you are comparing like units.

Jewelers use “Troy ounces” instead of ounces when weighing precious metals. US scales measure 28 grams per ounce, but precious metals such as gold and silver are weighed at 31.1 grams per Troy ounce.

Some dealers use a system of weights called pennyweights to measure a Troy ounce, while others use grams. A pennyweight is equivalent of 1.555 grams.

Pure gold doesn’t work in jewelry because it is too soft. The Federal Trade Commission requires all jewelry sold in the US to describe a karat fineness of the alloy.

For example, one karat equals 1/24 of pure gold by weight. So, 14 karats would mean the jewelry is 14 parts gold and 10 parts other metals. Anything below 10 karats is not considered “gold jewelry.”

When preparing to bring your jewelry in to sell, it’s best to organize it (if at all possible) by karat. For example, organize all 14 karat and 18 karat jewelry separately.

Call a local jewelry store or check with an online source, such as www.goldprice.org, to verify the current market price for gold (or other precious metals) before you sell. Some unscrupulous dealers will sense people are just looking for quick cash to put in their pockets and will make offers they know are lower than the actual value.

In all things, knowledge is power, especially when selling jewelry and other precious metals. Coin shops like United Coin & Precious Metals offer very hospitable environments. You should expect us to explain clearly what you have and have no problem showing you the scales or acid tests. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. We are more than willing to explain every step of the process.

Some jewelry may be worth more when sold as-is, rather than to be melted down, especially if it’s from a well-known designer or maker.

With a magnifying glass or a loop, examine your jewelry to find markings which indicate purity. Are the markings crisp and clear? Can you easily tell that your jewelry is 14k, 18k, 22k or 24k gold? If so, that’s a good sign. If it’s not crisp, then maybe – just maybe – the karats were marked by an inexperienced jeweler or, even worse, someone made a fake.

United Coin & Precious Metals can test jewelry using industrial strength magnets and acid tests to help determine value.

United Coin & Precious Metals appraises everything we buy or sell in accordance with the highest standards and transparency. When you sell us your jewelry, we appraise it in front of you. Each piece is weighed, measured, and described in detail.