Last Updated on October 28, 2025 by George Anderson
The woman stood at my counter in downtown Vancouver, nervously twisting a heavy, oldclass ring around her finger. She’d just come from the Clark County courthouse after dealing with some family estate paperwork and found the ring in a safety deposit box. “My uncle said it was solid gold,” she told me, her voice hopeful. “But I have no idea what it’s really worth.” I took it, felt the satisfying heft, and saw the faint, worn 14k stamp inside. It was the real deal. That’s the thing about this business—you never know what story is going to walk through the door, but in Vancouver, it’s often tied to a family memory, an inheritance, or just someone needing a little extra cash before the holidays.
I’ve been operating my gold buying service here for over a decade. You get to know the rhythm of the city. In the fall, when the rain starts to set in for the long haul, we see more folks from the Cascade Park area coming in, often with jewelry they’re looking to turn into cash for heating bills or holiday gifts. Honestly, it’s a cycle as predictable as the weather. And speaking of weather, our proximity to the Columbia River means that humidity can be a real factor for people storing old coins or bars in their basements out in the Orchards neighborhood. I’ve seen more than one beautiful silver collection come in with telltale milkspotting from improper storage. It’s a shame.
What Most People Get Wrong About Selling Gold Here
There’s a common misconception I have to clear up almost daily. People see the price of gold on the news—let’s say it’s $2,000 an ounce—and they come in expecting to get that for their 10gram necklace. But that’s the price for a pure, oneounce bullion bar. Jewelry is almost always a karat gold alloy, meaning it’s mixed with other metals for strength. So that 14k piece is only 14 parts out of 24 pure gold, about 58.3%. Then you have to factor in the weight and our refining costs.
I had a guy from the Uptown Village area a few months back who was absolutely convinced his class ring was 24 karat. He’d seen a YouTube video. I had to gently explain that if it were pure gold, it would be so soft it would have deformed the first time he wore it playing basketball. He was a little disappointed, but he appreciated the honesty. To be completely honest, the most valuable piece I ever saw was a complete surprise—a Victorianera locket from a home in the Carter Park area that looked unassuming but was 18k gold and weighed a ton. The family had no idea.
The Nuts and Bolts of Getting a Fair Price in Vancouver
So, how does the process actually work when you decide to sell? It’s simpler than you think.
- Identification is NonNegotiable: This is a regulated industry. We are required by law to photocopy your governmentissued ID for anything over a certain value. It’s to prevent theft and fraud. I know it can feel invasive, but it’s for everyone’s protection. The City of Vancouver has pretty strict rules on this, and we follow them to the letter.
- The Testing Process: We start by carefully examining your item for any hallmarks—those tiny stamps that say 10k, 14k, 18k, etc. If there are no stamps, or if we just want to verify, we’ll do an acid test or use an XRF spectrometer. The XRF gun is amazing tech—it tells us the exact elemental composition in about 30 seconds without damaging the piece. We always test in an inconspicuous spot if we’re using acid.
- The Offer: Once we know the purity and weight, we calculate the melt value. Our offer is typically a percentage of that melt value, which covers our overhead and a small profit. Reputable buyers will be transparent about their buy rate. If someone won’t tell you what percentage of melt they’re paying, walk away.
You know what’s funny? A lot of people are scared we’re going to try to trick them. And I get it. But after 12 years in this business, my reputation is everything. I can’t afford to lowball someone and have them tell all their friends at the Vancouver Farmers Market. Word of mouth is my best and worst advertising.
What About Diamonds and Gemstones?
Here’s an insider secret that might save you some heartache: unless a diamond is over a carat and of exceptional quality, it has very little resale value to a gold buyer. Wait—actually, let me rephrase that more clearly. We are in the business of buying precious metals. The stones are often just a liability we have to pay to remove. I’ve had clients come in with elaborate, sentimental diamond jewelry, and it stings to tell them that 90% of the value is in the gold setting, not the small, included stones.
If you have significant diamond pieces, your best bet is a dedicated estate jeweler or to try selling it privately. For us, it’s all about the melt. That’s the reality of the business.
Who Else Is Operating in Vancouver?
Based on actual local presence, here are some established providers in Vancouver:
Northwest Territorial Mint — A larger operation that also does refining, serving the broader Vancouver area.
ABA Coin & Jewelry — While based in Portland, they’ve been a longstanding name for Vancouver residents looking for a wide range of numismatic and bullion services.
The Coin Shoppe — A local shop that deals in coins, bullion, and buys precious metals.
Cash For Gold USA — A kioskbased service located in the Vancouver Mall area.
It’s a mixed bag. You’ve got the local shops like mine and The Coin Shoppe, and then you have the mall kiosks and the bigger refiners. My advice is always to get a few quotes. It doesn’t cost you anything, and it gives you a feel for the market price that day.
What to Expect for Your Wallet
Pricing in the Pacific Northwest is pretty competitive. For runofthemill gold jewelry, most sellers in Vancouver can expect to get 70% to 85% of the current melt value from a reputable buyer. For larger quantities or pure bullion, that percentage can creep up towards 9095%.
So, let’s put some real numbers on it. Say you have a man’s heavy 14k gold chain that weighs 20 grams. With gold at $2,000/oz, the pure gold value in that chain is about $750. A fair offer from a local buyer would be in the ballpark of $525 to $637. Most people walking out of my shop with a typical handful of old, broken jewelry end up with a check for $200 to $600. It’s not lifechanging money for most, but it’s often a nice, unexpected lump sum for items just sitting in a drawer.
Playing by the Rules
This isn’t the wild west. We’re regulated for a reason. Every transaction is logged and reported, and we work closely with the Vancouver Police Department if something suspicious comes in. It’s crucial that you verify you’re working with a legitimate business.
You can check for any required state licensing through the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions. They oversee many of the financial service providers. It’s also not a bad idea to glance at the Washington State consumer protection guidelines so you know your rights. And for any local business complaints, the City of Vancouver official website has resources to point you in the right direction.
Answers to Common Questions
What kind of gold do you pay the most for?
Pure .999 gold bullion bars and coins command the highest percentage. There are no stones to remove and the purity is guaranteed, so it’s the easiest thing for us to process and resell to a refiner.
Is it better to sell to a local shop or use a mailin service?
I’m biased, but I always recommend local. You get paid on the spot, you can see the testing, and you have a person to talk to. With mailin, you’re shipping your valuables into the void and hoping for a fair check. The risk just isn’t worth it for most people.
Do you buy silver and platinum?
Absolutely. Silver is trickier because it’s so bulky for its value—you need a lot more of it to be worth a significant amount. But we buy it. Platinum is less common but very valuable; we see it a lot in older men’s rings and highend watch components.
What’s the single most important thing I should do before selling?
Know the hallmarks on your items. Take a magnifying glass and look for those tiny numbers. If you see “10k,” “14k,” “18k,” or “PT” for platinum, you’re already ahead of the game when you walk in. It sets a baseline for the conversation.
Anyway, this work has taught me that value isn’t just a number on a scale. It’s tied to memory, to necessity, to the quiet stories of a city like Vancouver. If you’re in Vancouver and you’ve been thinking about turning that tangled mess of gold in your jewelry box into something useful, my advice is to start by just gathering it all up. Take a look at those hallmarks. Then take a deep breath and visit a local shop you trust. You might be surprised at what that forgotten story is worth.