# Selling old jewelry

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-old-jewelry/609109>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [January 11, 2012, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-old-jewelry/609109 "2012-01-11T00:40:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-old-jewelry/609109/1 "2012-01-11T00:40:47Z")

</div>

An elderly relative has some old rings, cufflinks, etc. that he’d like my help selling. There’s definitely some gold and one decent-sized diamond (2/3 carat?), but we’re only talking about a dozen total pieces, and nothing that looks highly valuable.

What’s the recommended way to sell such stuff for a fair price?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-old-jewelry/609109/2 "2012-01-11T03:49:36Z")

</div>

All I can tell you is **don’t** bother with any of those cash for gold places, especially the ones that travel around and set up in interstate motels. Last fall my husband took some items to one of those places, and just for the heck of it, I had him take my mom’s wedding set. The broker (not sure what to call him) offered $105, saying the diamond was fake. My husband said okay then, how much without the diamond ring, and the guy said $20. So in other words, he was willing to pay $85 for a “fake” diamond ring?

I wonder how much expense is involved in getting an appraisal, maybe from a local jewelry store that deals in estate jewelry.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-old-jewelry/609109/3 "2012-01-11T14:04:08Z")

</div>

Gold is so high right now if any of the pieces has a significant gold content, but is otherwise artistically or historically unremarkable, getting maximum gold value would be the way to go, but shop around there are a lot of people making low ball offers for gold.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-old-jewelry/609109/4 "2012-01-11T14:10:26Z")

</div>

what about approaching a consignment shop or independent jeweler. they may have a “vintage” counter. I did recently find a nice onyx pendant on a silver chain (1970’s) in such a store.

I also see ads in the bargain corner of the local newspaper, someone always has ads offering to pay for old watches and toys.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ExcitedIdiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea5d25/32.png) [@ExcitedIdiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExcitedIdiot)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/selling-old-jewelry/609109/5 "2012-01-11T18:53:56Z")

</div>

First, get an appraisal. From someone who doesn’t want to buy your jewelry. Here’s a good place to start:  
[http://www.najaappraisers.com/html/find\_an\_appraiser.html](http://www.najaappraisers.com/html/find_an_appraiser.html)

The appraisal should tell you the scrap value of the gold/silver, and a rating for your diamond. Go online and get quotes. At a previous job we sold our scrap gold to Midwest Refinery, they pay market rate minus a set percentage for refining.