So, you want to sell gold, but you’re not sure where to start. You might have questions like “what’s my gold worth? How can I tell its purity?”
At Charleston Gold & Diamond Exchange, we want you to feel comfortable selling your gold and for you to know you’re getting the best offer. That’s why our experts have put together a guide containing (almost) everything you need to know before you sell gold. We want you to be an expert, too!
Here’s 4 things you should know before selling your gold:
What “karat” actually means.
When we use “karat” to refer to gold, we are referring to its purity. Pure gold, or 24-karat, is too soft for use in most jewelry. To create a durable metal, gold is alloyed with other metals to increase its strength so that it can be used in fine jewelry. Most importantly, the karat purity of your gold will affect the price. To check the purity of your gold yourself, look for the gold hallmark stamped into your jewelry. While you can always check our tracker to see what the price of gold is, this is referring to 24-karat (pure) gold. To get the price of 14-karat or 18-karat gold commonly used in jewelry, you need to both weigh your item and do a little arithmetic. For example, if your item is 14-karat gold, and the current price of gold is $1,600 per ounce, or $51.45 per gram ($1,600/31.1), then the price of your scrap gold is $51.45 x .585 = $30.10 per gram.
Gold Hallmark Karat Indicators:
| Karat | Karat Mark | European Mark | Percent Pure Gold |
| 10-karat | 10K | 417 | 41.7% |
| 14-karat | 14K | 585 | 58.5% |
| 18-karat | 18K | 750 | 75.0% |
| 22-karat | 22K | 917 | 91.7% |
Of course, we can help you with all of this when you bring your items in for a quote. This is just for your reference!
Beware of illegitimate buyers.
There are many sellers out there who claim to be experts and won’t give you a fair value for your items just to make a quick buck. To avoid these, only sell gold to legitimate jewelry stores, not pawn shops or random pop-up buyers. When you believe you’ve found a reputable buyer, make sure to check with the Better Business Bureau and ensure they have a good grade.
Is it really scrap? Or more?
Research whether or not your gold items are more valuable as they are than if they were melted down as scrap. You never know how much an item is really worth until you do a little digging! Of course, our experts at Charleston Gold & Diamond Exchange can help you with this and give you the most accurate quote in Charleston. We really know our gold! However, if you’re aware that your gold item has some history, let us know so we can get you the best price.
Shop around before you sell!
Don’t believe we’ll get you the best price for your gold? That’s okay — we’ll let our offers speak for themselves! Check with different (legitimate) gold buyers around Charleston to ensure you’re getting the best offer. If you find a better offer than ours, we’ll match it. Simple as that! Come see us in the Belle Hall Shopping Center when you’re ready to sell.