How to sell your gold finds?

Targetseeker

Greenie
Sep 25, 2012
11
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I apologize in advance if this question has been answered, but I have tried searching the forums and must have missed them. I would like to know where you sell your gold finds for the best prices. I have seen posts where people have used refiners and mail their finds in. I guess I am a little too cautious to try that for fear of being ripped off. Some questions: 1. Do you weigh your items before shipping and convert to troy and pennyweight after sorting by Kt? 2. Do the refiners offer a fair price? 3. Any horror stories out there - or refiners to avoid. 4. Any refiners that receive high marks for service etc? I have some old rings and things that are just taking up safe space, and it would be nice to convert them into more detecting supplies. Thanks for your help.
 

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NeoTokyo

Bronze Member
Aug 27, 2012
1,803
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Ebay is a good place to sell your gold if you want.

Always weigh your gold and insure it when you ship it, make sure they verify the weight after shipping right away so they cant say it was light 29 days later.

Try to find local connections too, collectors and dealers that you can work with.
Dont expect top retail price unless you are selling your own stuff on your own website.

I have seen chunky mesh vials with 3.11g sell for $20 of spot and I have seen nuggets sell for under spot. Ebay can be a tricky marketplace and you need to advertise clearly, display large macro photos and say where your gold came from (in general, like California Motherload.)

No Reserve, $1 dollar start auctions get the most bids but playing it safe with a reserve is safer.

Some of these places make you file paperwork so that you have to pay income tax on your gold sales.

You have to factor in shipping, insurance, ebay listing costs and paypal fee's and ontop of that you have to worry about still paying taxes on that.

Finding a good private buyer that does not do this paperwork could save you money.

I have not sold any of my gold yet and I really hope that I never do. :}
 

Treasure_Hunter

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Jul 27, 2006
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Private jeweler or refineries is the way to go. If sending to refinery ship it insured with tracking......I would never sell it on Ebay....
 

Hoser John

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Mar 22, 2003
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Craigslist works for me and all my buds. Just meet in a safe place,I use my banks conference room for security purposes. Sellers on all craigslist,amazon,sleezebay ,penny savers etc err on the side a caution as robberies,ripoffs abound if your not careful with your goodies-John
 

JT1080

Full Member
Sep 17, 2012
200
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Santa Clarita
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Seems like a great place to ask. What about Jewlery you find while detecting? How do you prove it's not stolen and something you found while detecting?
 

bill from lachine

Gold Member
Oct 30, 2011
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Generally buyers of jewelry be they wholesalers, pawnshops, etc....require proof of identity with photo, etc....and a signature that the seller is the legit owner of the goods.....that gets them off the hook legally.

Regards + HH

Bill
 

nuggetshooter323

Hero Member
Jul 22, 2005
963
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Colorado Springs
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The Legend, Anfibio Equinox 900, Gold Kruzer, XP Deus, ORX, Tesoro Tejon, Whites GMT, Falcon MD20, XP MI-6, Fisher F-Pulse, Pulse Dive, Vibra Probe, UniProbe.
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I sell metal on a regular basis to Midwest Refinaries. They take any amount that you send and pay you exactly what they advertise. Last year, I had to do a lot of travel in the Spring, so my descresionary funds got tapped out pretty quick. So when my Son's wedding came up I needed some extra cash for a plane ticket. I collected a few old gold chains, rings, and a gold cartuch I got in the dessert and sent them into Midwest. Within four days I had a check for 93% of .92 toz. Since then I've sold them a lot of my gold and silver finds.
 

Fullpan

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May 6, 2012
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nevada
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Checked out their website - looks good to me. Also accredited with BBB.
 

Hoser John

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Mar 22, 2003
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BBB hasn't been credible for over 12 years now as ratings are sold and ifn' ya don't buy in you get lousy ratings. Just yet another corrupted source to no longer trust. Dozens of lawsuits againt them for this stupidity-John
 

RON (PA)

Silver Member
Sep 9, 2004
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Pittsburgh, Pa
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Here is Pittsburgh, I sell my gold & found jewelry to a family owned local jewelry. It helps that I also buy my wife a lot of things from there too. Never had a problem with found/dug items. Forgot to add that a lot of folks on here used Midwest Refineries at one time. I have never used them, but have never heard bad things about them on the forum.
 

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BeachComber7

Sr. Member
May 12, 2012
461
66
Treasure Coast-Florida
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Agree with Treasure-Hunter. Also, heard a place is TX called ARA is good. But refineries are only for melt value, not for design or gems. If you find something in great shape, try local jeweler, maybe you could even place it on consignment to see if it sells.
 

NeoTokyo

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Aug 27, 2012
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75% is not very good.

The top three in Redding that I have found so far.

80% Miners Cache
83% (by Old West Pawn, dont remember the name. DO NOT GO TO OLD WEST, they are something like 50% of spot)
80-95% Cash 4 Gold Kiosk in the Mt. Shasta Mall. based on purity and size. He is seasonal so he may not always be there. He is infront of Hairy Ritchies Jewelers.


There are also a few on Craigslist that buy in the 80+% range, just search nugget or placer in your area or Redding CL.
 

NeoTokyo

Bronze Member
Aug 27, 2012
1,803
1,580
Redding
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Detector(s) used
Eyes - Nokta FORS Gold - Fisher Gold Bug II
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WOWIE ZOWIE! Thats the best non-ebay return yet. :)

but you have to send them 25oz+ to avoid the refining fee it looks like.
I would love to have 25oz+ $_$
 

okbasspro

Hero Member
Jan 14, 2012
826
1,358
Chickasha,Oklahoma
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75% is not very good.

The top three in Redding that I have found so far.

80% Miners Cache
83% (by Old West Pawn, dont remember the name. DO NOT GO TO OLD WEST, they are something like 50% of spot)
80-95% Cash 4 Gold Kiosk in the Mt. Shasta Mall. based on purity and size. He is seasonal so he may not always be there. He is infront of Hairy Ritchies Jewelers.


There are also a few on Craigslist that buy in the 80+% range, just search nugget or placer in your area or Redding CL.

I am in Oklahoma not Kali harder to find a buyer here local.75% was for fine dust (flour) no pickers no assay on it either no shipping or other hassels.It works for me but each to his own.
 

nuggetshooter323

Hero Member
Jul 22, 2005
963
870
Colorado Springs
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The Legend, Anfibio Equinox 900, Gold Kruzer, XP Deus, ORX, Tesoro Tejon, Whites GMT, Falcon MD20, XP MI-6, Fisher F-Pulse, Pulse Dive, Vibra Probe, UniProbe.
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
That's why I like Midwest, I had a friend that sent a single gold band she got at a garage sale for .50 cents, and she got a check back several days later for $50.



WOWIE ZOWIE! Thats the best non-ebay return yet. :)

but you have to send them 25oz+ to avoid the refining fee it looks like.
I would love to have 25oz+ $_$
 

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