The gold market is an exceptional one to enter as an investor. Whether you want to buy or sell, there is always something new to learn. This article contains a great deal of valuable information that you can’t trade without. Keep reading to better understand the market and how to take advantage of it.
When you sell gold, get an idea of value from a number of sources. Many jewelry stores and gold buying services are available, and they will all usually take a different profit on the gold they are purchasing. You should get your gold appraised by a professional and compare prices offered by different buyers.
Have an idea about what you are selling before you sell. Some jewelry is worth more as is than it is melted down. If a buyer tries to offer you the melted down weight value of the gold, they might not be making a fair offer. Know if you have a popular designer or valuable stones before making your sale.
Take precautions if you mail your items. There are a lot of mail-in services these days, and while they can be convenient, you need to protect yourself. Send the pieces through insured mail, take photographs and know the company’s policies in case they lose your gold pieces and you want a settlement.
If you have an interest in gold and also want to start your own business on the side, combine the two passions. Collect scrap gold from various sources, like friends and classified ads, and learn how to treat and melt the pieces into pure or near-pure gold. You can easily find a buyer for your end-product and repeat the process!
If you’re not sure about the value of your jewelry, you can have an appraisal done. While you may have to pay a fee, the knowledge you gain will help you in the long run. If you want to obtain an unbiased value, retain the services of a certified appraiser. Remember, though, that you won’t get the appraiser’s price for your gold.
Before taking your gold to sell, research the buyer. Most reputable dealers will be members of the American Numismatic Association. These dealers are held to a higher standard of ethics and must follow certain criteria when purchasing gold from individuals. To ensure you get the most money for your gold, make sure to use a dealer who is part of this association.
Shop around town if you are taking scrap jewelry or gold pieces to sell to a store or pawn shop. Though there may be a standard market price for gold at a particular moment in time, not every store will pay it. Stores located apart from larger shopping centers may have fewer fixed costs and are thus, able to pay higher prices.
Understand how gold much gold is in each ounce. For example, 18 carat gold contains more gold than 14 carat. This is because in 18 carat gold there is 18 parts gold and 10 parts other alloys. In 14 carat gold, there is 14 parts gold and 10 parts other alloys. For this reason, 18 carat gold sells for more than 14 carat gold.
When trying to determine if something is real gold or not, try holding it up to a magnet. Since true gold does not have any magnetic properties, it shouldn’t respond at all. If you observe any attraction between your “gold” and the magnet, you’ve probably been fooled or simply found a good imitation.
If you’re selling gold jewelry, make sure you know about karats. Pure gold is very soft, so it’s mixed with other metals for color and durability. The FTC or Federal Trade Commission requires that all sold U.S. gold jewelry must describe the alloy’s karat fineness. A single karat equals 1/24 of pure gold via weight. For instance, 14 karats jewelry is 14 parts gold and 10 parts different metals. Jewelry can’t be sold as “gold jewelry” if it’s less than 10 karats.
If you are looking to find a great deal on gold and other precious metals, try going to flea markets and estate sales. If you really take your time to look around thoroughly and do some hard core digging, you can end up finding pieces that others have overlooked.
When working with gold dealers, make sure to read all of the fine print you are given. This business deals with large amounts of money. You need to know what you are signing. If you do not agree with the term, go to another dealer. It can be worth it to make sure you have that extra protection.
Gold trading is a market where only those in the know survive. Not only that, they are the people who make the most profit as well. Now that you have this great knowledge under your belt, continue to strive to learn all that you can. The more that you know, the better your strategies will be.
