Gold and silver are usually sold together, and priced separately

Most people who arrive to sell gold are carrying silver as well. A drawer cleared out after a parent dies holds a few gold chains and a canteen of sterling flatware, and both get weighed the same afternoon. The two metals move on separate markets, though, so they are quoted separately and you see two numbers rather than one blended figure.

Gold trades far higher per ounce than silver. Silver makes up for it in volume, because sterling arrives by the tray rather than by the ring. A full flatware service can outweigh every gold item in the same box. Our article on gold versus silver sets out the four differences that matter most when selling.

The gold we buy

Purity and weight decide the number. Condition does not. This page covers both metals together; for gold on its own, see our main gold buying page.

• 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K and 24K jewelry
• Broken chains, single earrings, bent rings and mountings with the stones gone
• Class rings, wedding bands, charm bracelets and pocket watch cases
• Bullion bars and rounds from any mint
• Krugerrands, Eagles, Maple Leafs and other bullion coins
• Dental gold, including crowns and bridges with tooth material still attached
• Gold-filled and rolled gold, which are assessed but carry far less value than solid

Plated items are identified as plated. They are worth almost nothing by weight and you will be told so rather than have them quietly counted into a lot. Rolled gold is a common source of confusion and worth reading about if you think you have some.

The silver we buy

• Sterling flatware, whole services or odd pieces
• Tea and coffee services, trays, bowls and candlesticks
• Sterling jewelry, including designer pieces from Tiffany and David Yurman
• Silver bullion bars and rounds
• Pre-1965 US dimes, quarters and half dollars, which are 90 percent silver
• Silver certificates and collections

Silverplate is a different thing to sterling and holds no melt value. Sterling is nearly always stamped, and the mark is checked in front of you.

How each metal is priced

Both are priced against the day's spot market, which moves hourly. An offer made on Tuesday is not the offer available the following week, in either direction. Why gold prices move explains what drives those swings.

1. Items are sorted by metal and by purity.
2. Gold is acid tested or checked electronically to confirm karat. Silver is checked for the sterling mark and tested where no mark survives.
3. Each group is weighed on a calibrated scale in front of you.
4. Weight is multiplied against the current spot price for that metal.
5. Anything worth more intact than melted is set aside and quoted separately.

That last step matters more than people expect. A sterling service by a collected maker, or a gold piece signed by a house worth naming, is worth more as an object than as metal. Melting it would be the easier transaction and the wrong one. Signed pieces from Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels are assessed on the name as well as the weight.

Why the scale is on the counter

Nicholas Toubia is a GIA Graduate Gemologist and a fifth-generation jeweler. Nothing is taken into a back room to be weighed. You watch the scale, you see the karat test, and you are told the spot price being used before the arithmetic is done. There is more on the family trade on our about page.

The business holds 4.9 stars across 61 Google reviews and belongs to the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, Jewelers of America and the Jewelers Board of Trade. The offer is free, and declining it costs nothing. If you are weighing up buyers, what to look for in a gold buyer lists the questions worth asking anyone.

Coming in from around Broward

The counter is at 2821 E Oakland Park Blvd, a few minutes east of Federal Highway. Sellers from the Galt Ocean Mile towers and Coral Ridge are usually here in under ten minutes, and the drive from Wilton Manors, Victoria Park or Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is not much longer.

Estates from Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Coconut Creek and Deerfield Beach arrive regularly, often after a long-held condominium is cleared. Nearby ZIP codes include 33306, 33308, 33334, 33305 and 33062. Sellers across the county can also read our Broward gold page. Boca Raton, Aventura and Hollywood sellers make the drive often, and insured shipping covers anyone further out.

Frequently asked questions

Do you buy gold and silver together?

Yes. Bring both. They are weighed and quoted separately because the two metals trade on different markets, so you see what each is worth rather than one combined number.

What is the current price for gold and silver?

Both are priced against the live spot market on the day you visit, and both move constantly. Call (786) 281-1287 for the figure being used today. Anyone quoting a fixed price ahead of time is not pricing against spot.

Is my flatware sterling or silverplate?

Sterling is almost always stamped, with "sterling", "925" or a maker's mark on the back of the handle. Silverplate is often marked EPNS or with a plate maker's name. Bring it either way and the mark is checked in front of you.

Do you buy gold that is broken?

Yes. Broken and damaged gold is bought at the same rate per gram as intact pieces, because the price follows weight and purity rather than appearance.

How much silver flatware is worth selling?

There is no minimum. A handful of spoons is welcome and so is a full canteen. Weight decides the number, so a large service is worth considerably more, but small lots are bought without comment.

Do you buy silver coins?

Yes. US dimes, quarters and half dollars minted before 1965 are 90 percent silver and are bought by weight. Bullion rounds and bars are bought against spot. Collectible coins are assessed on condition and rarity rather than melt, and our coins page covers what we look for.

Will you tell me if something is worth more than its metal value?

Yes, and it happens often. Signed jewelry, collected silver patterns and certain coins carry a premium above weight. Those pieces are separated out and quoted on what they are, not what they weigh.

Bring both metals in

Walk in during opening hours or call (786) 281-1287 first if you are bringing a full service or a large estate. Photographs sent to nicholas.estatebuyers@gmail.com will get you a range before you travel.

Nicholas Estate Buyers
2821 E Oakland Park Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306
(786) 281-1287
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Open Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 6pm, and Saturday, 11am to 5pm. Closed Sunday and Monday. See the contact page for directions, or read our frequently asked questions first.