Frequently asked questions
Pricing & payment
How do you calculate my price?
Three independent inputs: the weight and purity certified by the Crown Assay Office, and the live gold spot price, multiplied by our published rate for your weight band. Nobody at Bullion Refinery can change that number, because we didn't set it.
Will you try to negotiate my price down?
No. There are no negotiations. We pay what we display: our published rate on the certified result.
Why is the jewellery rate lower than coins and bars?
Jewellery has to be melted, assayed and refined. Coins and bars are tested without melting. Both ladders rise with the amount of pure gold you send.
When is my price fixed?
Coins and bars: the spot price is fixed when you confirm your email, provided your parcel reaches the Assay Office within [TBC lock window]. Jewellery: priced on the day of assay, once the real weight and purity are known.
How long until I get paid?
We pay you the same day the refinery settles with us, typically ~7 working days from posting, subject to ID checks. We don't front payments, so we don't promise "24 hours" like some buyers.
Is there a minimum?
Yes, 10g of gold in total per order.
Is the certification really free?
Yes, when you sell with us. You only pay if you opt out after the assay: the Assay Office fee (at cost), return Special Delivery and a £25 admin fee, typically £55–£95.
Sending your gold
How do I send my gold?
After you submit your details you get a reference number and the Assay Office address. Write the reference on the slip inside the parcel and on the outside, and send it by Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed. Or drop it off at the Assay Office with photo ID and your reference.
Do you send a postage envelope?
No. You post it yourself, the same as with the UK's largest online gold buyers. Your gold goes straight to the Assay Office, so we never handle your parcel.
Is my gold insured in transit?
Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed is tracked, signed for and insured, with cover up to £2,500 depending on the level you buy. You buy the postage and the insurance, so any claim for a lost parcel is made with Royal Mail.
What happens to my jewellery?
Jewellery is melted for assay. This gives the most accurate reading of its gold content. We tell you this before you send.
How are coins and bars tested?
Non-destructively, with XRF and density testing. They stay intact.
What if I change my mind after the assay?
Sending your gold is an agreement to sell at our rate on the certified result. If you opt out, your gold is returned as a certified bar and you cover the Assay Office fee (at cost), return Special Delivery and a £25 admin fee, typically £55–£95.
What we buy
What do you buy?
Gold coins, gold bars (any LBMA bar), gold jewellery from 9ct to 24ct (hallmarked or not), and scrap or broken gold.
What don't you buy?
At launch: silver, platinum or palladium as the main item; gold-plated, gold-filled or rolled gold; electronic or industrial scrap; branded or luxury watches; rare coins worth more to collectors than their gold; lots under 10g.
Who can sell?
You must be 18 or over and the owner of the gold. UK anti-money laundering rules require us to verify your identity before we pay.
Trust
What is a Crown Assay Office?
The UK's Assay Offices in London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Edinburgh have tested and hallmarked precious metals for centuries. Certified by the same offices that hallmark for the Royal Mint.
Why don't you test the gold yourselves?
Because the buyer shouldn't grade the gold. We don't mark our own homework: an independent office does, and you get the certificate.
Are you regulated?
Bullion Refinery Ltd is a UK-registered company, registered with HMRC for anti-money laundering supervision as a High Value Dealer.