Cash in your gold…
Selling your gold isn’t the easiest thing to do because it can be difficult to know who to trust. Perhaps you have tried your local jeweller and gold buying stores and found their gold evaluation to be lower than you thought, but keep in mind that they have the expensive overhead involved in having a retail location. That may not be the case with an online cash for gold company so you might get a better price that way. You do need to show caution when dealing with an online cash for gold company as unfortunately, there are a few disreputable ones out there. Thankfully, however, there are ones that not only are honest and reputable, but will give you the absolute best price for your gold. While this review does not in any way endorse or contend that all the following companies will be the right one for you, it gives you a place to start looking. Still do your homework and make sure you are dealing with a company that has been around awhile and has good ratings and customer satisfaction responses. The following ten were chosen due to their Alexa traffic count ratings and they are placed in that order accordingly.
1. Cash4Gold: http://www.cash4gold.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 897,215
Cash4Gold is a source for turning your jewelry into cash whether that is gold, silver, platinum or diamonds. There are three easy steps. You begin with filling out a form requesting a free jewelry return pack. Once you receive the pre-paid, secure envelope you mail your item to them. You will then receive a check within just a few days. You have 10 days in which to return the check or call to tell them you would prefer to have your items returned, which they will do free of charge. They also have a price match guarantee for melt value with mail-in, nationally televised buyers. Since they have their own refinery, it is easy for them to buy any precious metal. They will buy them in solid forms such as coins, bricks, nuggets or pieces as well as jewelry. The envelope you mail in your item is insured by them for up to $100 but you can purchase more insurance from the post office if you desire, or send using another private shipping company. Their building is very secure. All people, including employees, are checked by armed guards and metal detectors prior to entering and leaving the building. Armed guards and high definition security cameras ensure that no jewelry leaves the building. The building is a complete “vault” – there are no windows and the walls are built like a vault, thick and secure. They have a toll-free customer service number available Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4:30 pm EST.
2. AAA Gold Exchange: http://www.aaacashforgold.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 1,293,621
AAA Gold Exchange buys gold, silver, platinum and diamonds. They have a 110% high price guarantee which means they will beat any legitimate offer by 10% should you find a higher payout than theirs. They have gold buyer locations in Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego & Hawaii as well as a mail-in option. They offer a 2-week guarantee whereby you can return your check if not completely satisfied, but they proudly state that they have never received a returned payment and also have never received a complaint from the Better Business Bureau. They use FedEx Express. You can request a gold pack be shipped to you free of charge or use their RUSH option to get the kit via email instead of regular mail. A nice feature on this website is a section at the bottom of the page with spot prices for precious metals along with a link to www.kitco.com for more information. They also have a section that fully explains how gold jewelry is priced. There is also a Warning! Section that advises about what to watch out for when selling your jewellery.
3. SellYourGold: https://www.sellyourgold.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 1,492,141
At SellYourGold.com, they value transparency and customer satisfaction over everything. This philosophy is responsible for their A Rating with the Better Business Bureau, and long list of positive customer reviews on TrustLink. They pride themselves on providing honest and fair payouts for their customers. If you change your mind or are not satisfied with their offer after you receive their check, they will return your items at no cost. You can print your own Appraisal Kit at home. They offer Free Insured Shipment Via FedEx™ insured up to $1,000. (For higher amounts just call them! They also have a feature in which you can refer your friends and earn 10% on top of what they pay your friends when they send in their gold. They send payments within 24 hours of receiving your package which you can receive via standard check or one of their RapidCash payment options including PayPal, Wire Transfer and Overnight Check. They notify you of your settlement giving you time to decline it if you wish before they send out payment. You also have 10 days from the date of your acceptance of the offer or the date on the check to decline the settlement, return the check and have your items returned. SellYourGold.com buys any item containing precious metal, such as gold (8K, 10K, 14K, 16K, 18K, 22K, 24K), platinum or silver, or items containing gemstones. We also buy gold watches, bracelets, gold pins/brooches, class rings, cocktail rings, wedding bands, cluster rings, and many, many other items. Sell Your Gold will NOT buy stolen items, non-precious metals, plastic, pearls, gold plated items, gold filled items, costume jewelry, semi-precious stones, or your old silverware. They have a toll free customer support number should you have any questions.
4. US Gold Buyers: http://www.usgoldbuyers.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 2,399,828
US Gold Buyers offers the ability to ship your precious metals to them free by FedEx Overnight and get paid the very next day. They purchase scrap gold and dental gold, silver and antique, fine watches, coins and bullions, platinum and estate, and diamonds. They offer payouts up to 98.5% of market price. They provide insurance up to $25,000 for shipping jewelry to them. They list current and history market prices for gold, silver, platinum and palladium right on their website provided by FastMarkets data. They use the Fire Assay procedure for processing gold. The Fire Assay procedure has remained the same throughout centuries. The process has improved with additional evaluation methods, but its essential steps have not changed. For example in addition to Fire Assay they also implement an X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (XRF) to determine the exact value of gold in question. The steps to working with them is to call their toll free number to receive easy-to-follow instructions via email. You then ship your valuables through their reputable carrier free of charge. When they receive the shipment, they evaluate the items and contact you the same day with a payout amount. If you approve they issue same day payment based on your request which can be PayPal, western Union, MoneyGram, Bank Wire or Company Check. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied, you can return your payment within 14 days and your valuables will be returned to you. They also compensate for semi-precious stones set in jewellery.
5. Cash for Gold USA: http://cashforgoldusa.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 2,206,958
Cash for Gold USA makes it really easy to turn your old, unwanted or broken gold jewelry, Sterling Silver or Diamonds into the cash you need now. With gold prices at an all-time high, there has never been a better time to cash in. Simply request their FREE SAFEPAK mailer ®, and they’ll send you a secure, prepaid envelope, which you can use to mail them your jewelry risk-free without any hassle. You can also ship them your precious metals and diamonds through USPS at no cost to you! They have served over a quarter of a million customers and have an A rating with the BBB. FOX News did an undercover investigation and found that they pay 3x more cash than the competitor they investigated. Their SafePaks are insured up to $1,000 through the USPS. They buy gold, sterling silver, diamonds, platinum, palladium, dental scrap and electronic scrap. We also pay cash for gold, cash for gold jewelry, broken gold, scrap gold, gold watches, gold coins and more. You have 14 days from the date of your check to return it and get your items returned to you free of charge. They calculate the amount you’ll receive based upon the current market price at the time of assay. And they offer a graduated payment scale based on both the weight and purity of the gold in the items you send them. Cash payments are calculated in pennyweights (DWT) which is the standard in the precious metals business worldwide. There is a handy tool on the website in which you put in the weight and karat of your gold to get an estimated value.
6. Express Gold Cash: http://expressgoldcash.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 2,660,389
With Express Gold Cash you simply print a free FedEx overnight shipping label and send off your items to be able to get paid in just 24 hours. They have been ranked #1 by a number of independent surveys and reviewers and are accredited by the BBB since 2008. Their site says they have an A+ rating, however when this reviewer checked the BBB website it did not show a rating at all, hence why you should always investigate a company rather than take their word for any claims on their site. This doesn’t mean they aren’t a reliable company, it just means they do not have enough information about them in order to rate them. They do not have any complaints or other adverse actions involved with them. Their return policy is better than other companies – you have 30 days to return your payment and not only will they send your item back but give you a $20 bonus besides on items valued over $50. The $20 can only be claimed once per customer per year. Their corporate headquarters is in Salamanca, NY and their processing center is in Rochester, NY.
7. Gold Fellow: http://www.goldfellow.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 2,711,765
With Gold Fellow you are able to see your offer in writing before you are paid. This avoids having to return a payment should you find it unsatisfactory. They offer free FedEx shipping insured up to $2,500 and free wire transfers over $1,000. Gold Fellow was featured on America’s Money Class with Suze Orman – the video of which is located on their website. They have three walk-in locations: Westlake Village, California, Pembroke Pines, Florida and Weston, Florida. Alternatively, you can sell gold from home with their online service. They offer three shipping methods: print your free track pak, have them mail you one or self-ship and insure. Payment can be via check, PayPal echeck or wire transfer. Wire transfers cost $10 for items under $1,000 but are free over that amount. They have been accredited with the BBB since March, 2008 and currently hold an A+ rating (confirmed on BBB site). When your package arrives, they open it under a video camera for your protection. Then they test and grade your items to determine karat quality. Next they weigh your valuables on calibrated electronic jewelry scales using the Pennyweight (DWT) unit of measurement (there are 20 DWT for every ounce). Last they post your itemized settlement online for your review and notify you by email. You simply log into your account to see your payment amount and choose your payment method if accepted. If you decline, your items are returned to you via FedEx at their expense. They have over 35 years of experience in gold as their founders previously owned one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of karat gold jewelry in the US for 30 years before they sold in in 2007 to Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway. Their site is also a good place to read blogs about the industry.
8. National Gold Buying: http://www.nationalgoldbuying.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 2,825,980
National Gold Buying allows you to deal direct with a refiner – no middleman, no delays. Our trained specialists can purchase jewelry pieces as well as many other items that contain these precious metals. They buy any broken, mismatched, single pieces or other unwanted items. Some examples include: rings, gold chains; necklaces, earrings, charms & bracelets; cufflinks, pins, brooches & watches; coins & collectibles; silver flatware, cups, trophies; and gold dental crowns & bridgework. They do not buy gemstones and would prefer that you remove any from jewelry you send. They do not buy gold-plated, silver-plated or costume jewelry. If you are not sure it is gold, send it anyway and they will value it for free. National Gold Buying is the web address for Star Refining (London) Limited which has been BBB accredited since October of 2012 and currently holds an A+ rating (confirmed on BBB site). They use UPS and cover insurance up to $1,000 at no cost to you. They will value the items and then return them to you at no charge if you decline their offer.
9. Gold Guys: http://www.goldguys.com/
Global Alexa Rating: 5,723,386
The Gold Guys was ranked the #1 Gold Buyer by Top10Reviews.com in both 2011 and 2012. They’ve earned that distinction based on process, pricing, reputability, help & support and locations and by being one of the most respected and trusted precious metals dealers in the country. They pride themselves on delivering exceptional customer service. Joe and Shane met 20 years ago at an electric car trade show, and they’ve been working together ever since. What started out as a business partnership quickly turned into a friendship. In 2008, in the spirit of the American Dream, Joe and Shane opened the first Gold Guys store located in the Mall of America in Minnesota. In the early days, Joe would take the morning shift and Shane would cover the late shift. They were just two guys trying to make it work. But once they started seeing their customers’ surprised and happy faces, they knew they had something special. Joe and Shane are the Gold Guys. And they’re the guys you can trust to give you more when you sell your gold and other precious metals. They offer an in-store gold service, at-home gold service and a mail-in gold service. You can also host a Gold Guys Gold Party – as a hostess, you receive a percentage of the total gold sold or you can donate a portion or all the proceeds to a charity. They have 13 locations in Minnesota, California, Hawaii and Iowa. Obviously you must be near one of these locations to receive at-home gold service or hold a gold party. Jewelry shipped to them via UPS with their shipping package is insured against loss up to a maximum of $2,000. You can choose your own shipping and insurance if you want to pay for it yourself.
10. Gold Stash: https://goldstash.com/n/
Global Alexa Rating: 6,858,404
Gold Stash uses FedEx and provides up to $2,500 of insurance. They pay up to 90% value. They have two locations you can go to: Sun City, AZ and Gilbert, AZ as well as a mail-in service. They also offer a Gold Party option in which hostesses can earn between $250 and $400 on average (10% of party purchase) and all guests are paid on the spot. Although they have made this list based on traffic count, they are in last place in part because they do not have a favorable BBB rating (F!) and are NOT accredited by the BBB even though the website indicates they are accredited and have an A+ rating. In this instance, this company is being listed in order to warn readers to avoid them. Complaints are serious, folks, so steer clear of this one!
Since the tenth one on the list is pretty much a bust, we’ll include two more to give you additional sites to consider. One is www.justsellgold.com which has an Alexa rating of 8,782,049 but IS BBB accredited since April 2011 with an A rating. The other is www.empiregoldbuyers.com, a site run by Ancor Gold, Inc. which has an Alexa rating of 8,939,157 and is BBB accredited since November 2008 with an A+ rating. By including the tenth one that is not a good option, we hope we have impressed upon you that you should never take a website about cash for gold at face value without doing your homework. Getting the best price doesn’t mean much if the check bounces.
