The things people ask before they post anything

It is insured door to door, and the cover starts the moment the packet is scanned in at a Post Office counter, which is why we ask you to hand it over the counter and keep the receipt rather than drop it in a postbox. The pack we send is pre-paid and tracked, so you can watch it move. We set the cover on each pack from what you tell us you are sending, so if you add anything or it turns out to be worth more, tell us before you post it and we will adjust the cover, split it across two packs or arrange a courier collection.

You get everything back, posted insured, at our expense. There is no fee for declining and no minimum. You are not committed at any point before you accept the final written offer: not when you call, not when you post it, not when we have tested it.

No. XRF testing is non-destructive. It reads the composition with X-rays and leaves no mark. We do not file, cut, scratch or acid-test anything. If a piece has stones in it we remove them, return them to you separately, and we do not charge for that.

Because we show you the arithmetic rather than just the answer. Every offer states the spot price we used, the weight we measured, the fineness the test returned and the rate we pay on that category. You can check the sum yourself, and you can check the spot price against any public source. If a buyer will not show you those four numbers, that is worth noticing.

Same working day you accept, by faster payment to your own bank account. We do not pay by cheque and we do not pay in cash. Both are worse for you, and cash payments above certain thresholds bring obligations neither of us wants.

It depends on what you sell and what you paid for it. UK legal-tender coins (sovereigns and Britannias) are exempt from capital gains tax for UK residents. Other items may be within scope if the gain is large enough. We are not tax advisers and cannot advise you on your position; if the sum is significant, speak to an accountant before you sell.

Usually, yes. Proof and graded coins often sell for more than the gold in them, and we price them against recent sales of the same coin in the same grade rather than against the spot price. Graded bullion coins, MS 70 and MS 69, carry a smaller premium and on some issues none at all, and we will tell you when that is the case. Read us the certification number from the holder and we will look it up before you post anything.

Photo ID and proof of address, because we verify the identity of everyone we buy from and keep a record of every transaction. A passport or driving licence plus a recent utility bill or bank statement covers it. We will also ask how the items came to you. That is part of our anti-money-laundering checks, not nosiness.

We buy gold only, not silver, platinum or palladium. That may change, but it has not yet, so please do not send them. We also do not buy plated items: anything marked GP, EPNS, HGE or 1/20 carries too little gold to be worth the postage. If you are not sure what a mark means, describe it to us and we will tell you before you send anything.