Should you sell your gold jewelry as scrap or as jewellery? Hmmm…is there even a difference? There certainly is. Chances are you’ll be getting more for the latter.

When you sell gold jewelry as scrap, you are selling it only for its gold value. This scrap gold is then melted, refined from impurities and processed back into pure gold which would then be used to produce other gold items. Selling gold jewelry for its scrap value might lose you about 75% or more of its retail value. The scrap price which is based on the value of the metal alone doesn't factor in the jewel’s workmanship, aesthetic, collectible, or antique value, as well as the emotional attachment you and your family may have to the piece.

Selling your gold as jewellery means selling it as a
piece of art, as a product of the designer’s craftsmanship. This is also where you have to add in factors like design, brand, condition, and most especially, its aesthetic value. The more pretty it is, the better, the more desirable, the higher the price. There is however, no sure way of judging it yourself unless you’re a professional appraiser or an expert in jewels. You would need to hire one for that matter. You can find on the net a list of appraisers with good credentials who would give you a full-blown appraisal. This way, your old jewelry would be sold for all its worth.

There are, however, some items which could be a candidate for the scrap heap. Pieces like old class rings, broken and old bracelets and necklaces, old trinkets and amulets, wedding bands from your previous weddings, or an earring that has lost its pair may have little or no resale value and may already be sold as scrap especially when you need that extra cash. I am sure now you can decide that whether you should sell your gold jewelry as scrap or as jewelry.