How to choose a gold buyer

Seven questions to ask

1. “What does it weigh?” In grams or pennyweight, on a scale you can see.
2. “What karat did you test it as?” And how — acid, electronic, or XRF.
3. “What spot price are you using?” Compare it with a live source like our prices page.
4. “Are you paying each karat separately?” 10k, 14k, and 18k should never be lumped together.
5. “Is your scale inspected?” The Georgia Department of Agriculture inspects commercial scales for accuracy.
6. “Are there any fees?” Testing and quotes should be free.
7. “Can I think about it?” The answer should always be yes.

Red flags

• Offers “per piece” or “for the lot” with no weight or karat.
• Scale out of sight, or items taken to a back room.
• Pressure — “this price is only good right now.”
• Pop-up buyers in hotel rooms with no permanent address to go back to.
• Mail-in kits where your gold leaves your hands before you see an offer.
• No ID requested. Georgia precious-metal dealers must record seller identification (O.C.G.A. § 43-37-3). A buyer who skips it is cutting corners.

Compare offers the right way

Don’t compare dollar totals alone. Compare the weight, karat, and percentage of melt value each buyer is paying. See how to calculate melt value.

How we do it

At Georgia Gold Buyers, every item is tested with an XRF analyzer and weighed on a precision scale in front of you. We show the weight, purity, and spot price, pay each karat separately, and there’s never a fee to walk away. See what to expect.