The four main options, compared
| Buyer type | Typical payout | Speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online gold buyers (mail-in) | 70–85% | 3–7 days | Jewelry & scrap, no local buyer nearby |
| Local jeweler / gold buyer | 65–80% | Same day | Getting a quote in person, small items |
| Pawn shop (direct sale) | 50–70% | Same day | Fastest cash, no shipping |
| Pawn shop (loan) | 40–60% | Same day | Keeping the item, need cash short-term |
| Coin/bullion dealer | 90–97% | Same day–days | Investment coins & bars, not jewelry |
These are general industry ranges, not a quote from any specific business — this page does not endorse or recommend a particular buyer. Get your item's estimated melt value first with the scrap gold calculator or cash-for-gold estimator, then compare it against whatever offer you receive.
Online gold buyers (mail-in)
Mail-in buyers send a prepaid, insured envelope or kit, you ship your gold, they test and weigh it, then send an offer you can accept or decline (with the item returned if you decline). The appeal is convenience and often a wider buyer pool than your local market, which can mean a better price than a single local shop — but you lose the ability to negotiate face-to-face or walk away with your item same-day, and payout still depends heavily on which service you use. Best for jewelry and scrap when there's no strong local buyer nearby, or when you want to compare multiple offers without visiting several shops.
Local jewelers and gold buyers
A local jeweler or dedicated gold-buying storefront tests your item on the spot (usually with acid or XRF testing), weighs it, and gives an immediate offer. You can negotiate, ask questions in person, and walk away if the offer is too low — a real advantage over mail-in. The tradeoff is a smaller pool of competing offers unless you visit several shops, and quality varies a lot by location. Always get at least two local quotes before accepting.
Pawn shops — loan vs. direct sale
Pawn shops offer two different deals that are easy to confuse: a pawn loan (they hold your item as collateral and you get it back by repaying with interest) or a direct sale (you sell outright, no buyback). Loans pay less of melt value because the shop is pricing in the risk you won't repay; direct sales pay more but you don't get the item back. See the pawn shop gold price page for a calculator that splits out both ranges.
Coin and bullion dealers
For investment coins and bars (Gold Eagles, Krugerrands, bullion bars) rather than jewelry, a coin or bullion dealer typically pays the highest percentage of melt/spot value — often 90%+ — because the product is already in a standardized, easily-resold form with no refining needed. This is a different market from jewelry/scrap buyers; use the coin melt value calculator to check what a coin is worth before selling.
Before you sell, whichever route you pick
Get an estimate first so you know roughly what to expect — the scrap gold calculator handles mixed lots, jewelry value calculator has ring/chain/bracelet presets. Confirm the item is what you think it is with how to tell if gold is real. Then get at least two offers — ideally one online and one local — and ask each buyer for a written breakdown by karat and weight, not just a lump-sum number. A buyer unwilling to show their math is a red flag.