9ct, 14ct, 18ct and 22ct jewellery. Gold sovereigns and coins. Art Deco rings, Victorian lockets, gold chains, scrap gold. Every item assessed individually in writing — metal value and collector premium, both explained.
Fair Vintage pays 80% to 95% of the gold value, with no fees. Your exact percentage is confirmed in your written offer before you decide.
Choose a gold price locked by agreement and confirmed in writing before sending, or the average gold price in GBP between 9am and 5pm UK time on the day your parcel arrives.
See exactly what we pay for goldGold payout policy effective .
Most buyers offer melt price only. We assess what a piece actually is — not just what it weighs. Free insured postage. Written valuation. 72-hour payment guaranteed.
There is a version of selling gold that is transparent, fully researched, and genuinely in your interest. And there is a version that happens every day in high-street gold shops across the UK.
Ask any buyer, in writing, what percentage of the gold value they pay, which price and time period they use, and whether fees are deducted. Ask separately whether the intact object has collector or resale value.
That number does not account for:
It does not account for these things because the person behind the counter is a transaction processor, not a specialist. Their margin depends on the gap between what they pay and what the refinery pays — and every pound they give you reduces that margin.
At Fair Vintage, our gold specialists assess every piece individually: metal content, weight, maker's marks and hallmarks, period and design, gem content, and collector market demand. Every assessment is written down, with the reasoning explained. If your gold is worth more than melt — and a great deal of it is — you will know why.
In a high-street gold shop, the assay test happens behind the counter — out of your sight. At Fair Vintage, your parcel is opened and documented. Every item's condition is recorded on camera before a specialist touches it. You can watch it happen.
Most buyers give you one number. We give you a written breakdown. For every gold item we assess, we record four things:
Gold value is pure-gold weight multiplied by the gold price per gram in GBP. Choose a gold price locked by agreement and confirmed in writing before sending, or the average gold price in GBP between 9am and 5pm UK time on the day your parcel arrives. The written offer states the exact percentage before you decide.
British gold hallmarks record: the gold standard, the assay office, the date letter, and the maker's cartouche. A piece by a named Victorian goldsmith — Thornhill, Hunt & Roskell, Robert Garrard — carries meaningful collector premium over anonymous pieces of equivalent weight.
An Art Deco platinum-set diamond ring is worth considerably more than its metal content. A Georgian gold mourning locket with original hairwork is irreplaceable. A signed Arts and Crafts enamel-and-gold brooch is a collectable. These pieces are assessed for what they are — not what they weigh.
Where gold settings contain diamonds, coloured stones, pearls or enamel work, the gem and decorative value is assessed as part of the overall offer. Stones are not ignored or removed from the equation. Invasive testing — filing, acid — is never used.
| What matters to sellers | Fair Vintage | Cash-for-gold shop | Auction house |
|---|---|---|---|
| How offer is delivered | Written, per item, with calculation shown | Verbal, across counter — no written record | Written estimate; final price after bidding |
| Collector/antique premium assessed | ✓ Always | ✗ Rarely | ✓ Yes, but 15–25% commission |
| Melt calculation shown in writing | ✓ Always | ✗ Verbal only | ✗ Not applicable |
| Payment speed | 72 hours — guaranteed in writing | Same day (no recourse after) | 4–8 weeks after sale date |
| Insurance on your items | £5,000 standard, both ways, free | Not applicable (in-person) | Insurance within the saleroom |
| Ability to decline and have items returned | ✓ Free returns, 5 working days | ✗ Items handed over at counter | Withdrawal before sale possible |
| Process transparency | Documented opening and item record | Behind a counter, out of sight | Public auction room |
| Commission | ✓ None | None stated (margin is in the rate) | 15–25% of hammer price |
Based on publicly available information as of 2026. Individual experiences vary.
Tell us roughly what you have — a couple of sentences is enough. We email you a free prepaid, tracked and insured shipping label the same working day.
Pack everything into any secure box, attach the label, and drop it at any Royal Mail or Post Office point. Your parcel is insured to £5,000 from the moment the courier scans it.
We email you a unique parcel code and your opening time. Your parcel is opened on camera and photographed — every item visible before a specialist touches it.
Every piece is assessed individually. Accept what you want to sell — return the rest free. Payment within 72 hours of accepting your final valuation. If we miss it, we add 3%.
Gold jewellery guides
Choose the guide that matches what you have: earrings, pendants, charms, high-carat gold, unhallmarked pieces or a hallmark you want to read.
If your question isn't here, call us on 01234 815116 or email support@fairvintage.co.uk. We respond within one working day.
Get your free label →For an estimate, deduct non-gold component weight, multiply the remaining alloy weight by the tested fineness, then multiply by the agreed gold price per gram in GBP. Choose a gold price locked by agreement and confirmed in writing before sending, or the average gold price in GBP between 9am and 5pm UK time on the day your parcel arrives. Signed or branded jewellery, antique pieces and collectable coins are assessed individually. Where their assessed value is higher than their gold value, the offer reflects that; an additional premium is not guaranteed.
Yes, where a piece merits it. Victorian and Edwardian jewellery by named makers, Art Deco pieces, rare-date sovereigns and high-grade proof coins all attract collector premiums above metal content. We explain exactly how the offer was reached — in writing, per item.
British gold made before 1975 must carry a hallmark from one of the UK assay offices. Look for small stamped marks on clasps, ring shanks, and brooch reverses. The standard stamp (375, 585, 750) is the key marker. Pieces without hallmarks are assessed by non-invasive testing — we note the method used in your written valuation.
Yes — and this is something we handle well. Mixed collections with gold, silver coins, watches, and inherited items go to multiple specialist desks. One postage label. One itemised written report. One payment.
Gold-filled (marked GF or 1/20 12ct) has a bonded gold layer and some recoverable gold content. Gold plate has a negligible gold wash. We assess these separately and will tell you honestly if a piece has limited material value — before you commit to sending it.
No obligation — ever. Decline any or all items and everything is returned to you, free, fully insured, within 5 working days. Partial acceptance is completely normal.
Within 72 hours of accepting your final valuation. If we miss that window, we add 3% to your total — written into the contract you sign before sending anything.
Request your free label today. We document the opening, give you a written valuation per piece, and pay within 72 hours — or add 3%.
Also see: Gold valuation UK · Sell a gold chain · Sell scrap gold & broken jewellery · Selling inherited sovereigns
For more detail before sending item photos, read Sovereign rings and coin jewellery: is the coin worth more than the mount?.
Check weight, fineness and price units before comparing the result with an offer.