Start slowly
There’s rarely a need to sell straight away. Before anything leaves the house, give family a chance to choose keepsakes, and check the will for any specific gifts of jewellery. Pieces that mean something to someone are worth far more kept than sold.
Step 1: Sort into four piles
You don’t need any training to do a first sort — just good light and your phone camera’s zoom. Look for the stamped marks on clasps, inside ring bands, on locket bails and inside watch case backs (our hallmark guide shows where).
| Pile | Look for | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Solid gold | 9ct, 375, 14K, 585, 18ct, 750 | Get it valued separately — it’s worth the most |
| Gold filled & rolled gold | GF, 1/20 12K GF, RG, 9ct RG, RGP, HGP | Keep together and sell as one lot |
| Possibly special | Signed makers, Victorian or Edwardian pieces, working pocket watches, stones you’re unsure about | Consider a jewellery valuation first |
| Costume & plated | GP, GEP, no marks, magnetic metal | Op shop, family, or vintage resale |
If a piece has no mark you can find, put it with the gold filled pile rather than throwing it out — older pieces are often unmarked or worn, and they can still be checked properly.
Step 2: Don’t clean, strip or break anything
Polishing can wear away the very marks that identify a piece, and removing stones or fittings can damage something collectable. Leave everything as you found it, tangled chains and all.
Step 3: Check you’re able to sell
Jewellery in an estate belongs to the estate until it’s distributed. Generally, it’s the executor named in the will — or the administrator, if there’s no will — who can sell it. In NSW, a licensed second-hand dealer must record the seller’s photo ID for every purchase, and when you sell on behalf of an estate you should expect to show documents that confirm your authority, such as a grant of probate or letters of administration. Not every estate needs probate, so if you’re unsure what applies to yours, ask the estate’s solicitor before you sell — and tell the buyer up front so they can tell you what they’ll need.
Step 4: Keep the lot together
With gold filled and rolled gold, the refining costs are much the same for a small parcel as a big one, so the larger the lot, the better the rate. Dividing a collection between several buyers, or selling a few pieces at a time, usually means a worse result overall. If several family members each have a share, it can be worth selling together and dividing the proceeds.
Step 5: Get a written breakdown
A fair buyer will look at each type of item and explain how the offer is worked out — construction, marks, weight, recoverable gold and processing costs. Ask for the offer in writing, especially if you need to account to other beneficiaries. Be wary of anyone who weighs everything together and quotes one figure without explaining it.
Step 6: Keep records
Executors need to account for what the estate received. Keep the offer, the receipt and the payment record together with the estate papers. Bank transfer payments leave a clear trail.
How we can help
We specialise in exactly the part of an estate most buyers don’t want: the gold filled, rolled gold and heavy gold plate. For larger estates in Newcastle, the Hunter and the Central Coast we can come to you, and anywhere in Australia you can send photos first and post the items once you know what’s worth sending. There’s no obligation — if you decide to keep something, that’s fine. Read more about selling a large collection or estate.