What Kind of Gold Items Can I Buy at a Pawn Shop?
What Kind of Gold Items Can I Buy at a Pawn Shop?
There are various types of gold that can be bought at a pawn shop. These include:
Gold Jewelry: Gold jewelry is an item commonly sold at pawn shops. You may find wedding rings, engagement rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, brooches and so on. These items will be worth even more if they feature a pricey gemstone or if they are made by a designer.
Gold Watches: Luxury watches often contain gold. They may also feature gemstones and unique designs that make them even more valuable. Designer names will also up the price tag. Top brands include Rolex, Cartier, Audemars Piguet, Tiffany & Co., Omega, and others.
Gold Coins and Bullion: A gold coin collection can be worth a lot of money. And the rarer the coins are, the more valuable they will be. You may also find gold bullions which include gold bullion coins, bars, ingots, and rounds. Their value will be based on their rate. There are several types of gold bars and rounds including those issued by Credit Suisse, Johnson Matthey, the Australian Mint and so on.
How Do I Know If the Gold I’m Buying is Real?
It’s sad but true, not every pawn shop is trustworthy. While they should check their gold before they make it available for sale, there are no guarantees. So how can you tell if the gold you are buying is real? Here are a few indications.
Markings
The best way to determine if gold is real is to look for markings. While there are other indications, this will be the easiest way to determine if the metal is precious without taking the gold home and testing it with household products. And if the pawn shop has a ‘no returns’ policy, it won’t do much good.
Europe runs on a scale of 1 to 999 with 999 being real gold. The numbers stand for percentages. So, if the gold has a marking of 375, it means it is 37.5% real gold.
In America, the scale goes from 0 to 24K with 24K being real gold. The number measures how many parts of the item are real gold. So, if the item is 10K, it means it is 10 of 24 parts real gold.
You may also see markings such as GP (Gold Plated), GF (Gold Filled), and GEP (gold electroplate) on some pieces of jewelry. These indicate that the item contains gold, but it is not 100% gold.
Be aware that it is possible to fake the markings on the gold, so the system is not 100% reliable.
Authentication Papers
You may also ask the pawn shop if they have authentication papers for the item you are considering purchasing. This is a reliable indication that what you’re buying is the real deal.
The Water Test
Another option is to drop the gold into a jug of water. Real gold will sink to the bottom due to its density. Fake gold will float.
The Vinegar Test
Vinegar will discolor fake gold, but it won’t discolor real gold. Apply a few drops of vinegar to the item or fully immerse it in vinegar to find out your verdict.
Discoloration
Fake gold may become discolored, or it may discolor your finger when you wear it. Gold will not discolor or cause discoloration.
The Magnet Test
You will need a strong magnet to perform this test. Hold the magnet above the item to see if there is an attraction. Gold is not magnetic so it shouldn’t be attracted to the magnet.
Note, if the magnet is weak, this method may not be effective. It’s also possible that non-gold items will not be attracted to the magnet making the results inconclusive.
Rub the Gold on Unglazed Ceramic
This test will work with a piece of unglazed ceramic such as a tile or a plate. Rub the gold against the ceramic material. If it leaves a gold streak, that is an indication that the metal is real gold. If it leaves a black streak, the item is probably not real.
Get a Gold Testing Kit
There are gold testing kits that you can purchase online or at jewelry stores. To use them, you will need to make a scratch in the gold and pour nitric acid on the scratch. If the scratch turns green, the item is not real gold.
Note, because this test has the potential to damage your item, you may want to have it performed by a jeweler.
Get it Appraised
You can also bring your item into a jewelry store to have it appraised. The jeweler will tell you if its real gold. They will also tell you how much it is worth.
Can I Sell Gold to a Pawn Shop?
Pawn shops are not only ideal for buying gold. They are also a great place to sell gold or get a loan for it.
To sell the gold, just come in with your item. The salesperson will make you an offer. If you agree to the offer, you can leave with cash in hand.
The loan process is a bit more complicated, but it allows you to get money for your item without having to say goodbye to it forever. Here’s what it entails:
- Come into the pawn shop with your item of value.
- The salesperson will make you a loan offer. If you accept the offer, you can leave with cash in hand.
- You will need to make regular payments to repay the loan. Once the loan is paid off, your item will be returned to you.
- If you are unable to pay off your item, the pawn shop will keep it and sell it. But the unpaid amount will never go into collections or show up as an unfavorable mark on your credit.
How Can I Tell if I’m Working with a Reliable Pawn Shop?
It’s unfortunate that you must worry about pawn shops selling inauthentic items. But the likelihood that that will happen will significantly decrease if you work with a pawn shop you can trust.
So how do you know if the pawn shop you are working with is reliable? Here are a few indications.
- Good Reviews: If the pawn shop has gotten a lot of good reviews from past customers, that’s a good sign. You can also look on the BBB site to find out about the company’s track record.
- Been in Business a Long Time: If the pawn shop has been in business a long time, it means it has built up a reputation for providing reliable service to its community. The pawn shop may also be affiliated with a business that has been serving the community for some time which is also a positive indication.
- Licensed and Insured: If a company has a business license, it means it has passed certain requirements to become eligible. It also means legislation is in place to prevent it from engaging in dishonest business practices.
- Consider Their Buying and Loan Policies: Pawn shops don’t only sell stuff; they also buy used goods and borrow items from customers looking for loans. You may not be looking to sell or get a loan, but the policies a pawn shop uses for buying and loaning will go a long way in determining if they are legit. Companies that offer fair valuations and flexible loan terms generally provide honest customer service.
What Makes Delray Beach Pawn the Best Place to Buy Gold
If you are looking for a location to buy gold in the South Florida area, Delray Beach Pawn is highly recommended. Here’s what we have to offer.
- Good Reputation: Delray Beach Pawn is affiliated with companies that have been doing business in the South Florida area for years. We have built up a good reputation with our community. We are licensed and insured.
- Wide Selection: We have a wide selection of gold items available including stylish gold jewelry and luxury watches. We also sell handbags, electronics, and firearms. If you can’t make it into our location, you can shop our website to have our items delivered straight to your door.
- Great Prices: We offer rock bottom prices so you can get the items of your dreams for less.
- Friendly, Knowledgeable Staff: Our friendly, knowledgeable sales staff will help you find what you are looking for.
- Great Loan and Buying Policies: Delray Beach Pawn is not just a great place to buy gold, it’s also a great place to sell gold. We offer high valuations and flexible loan terms. Our APRs are reasonable and affordable.
- Products You Can Trust: We test all our products to make sure they are real and in good working condition before we make them available for sale.
Gold is a terrific investment in tough financial times. You can get in on the ground floor by purchasing your gold items at Delray Beach Pawn. Our terrific selection, low prices, and reliable reputation makes us an ideal choice.
Come into our store or shop online to find out more about what we have to offer.