Some miners would never think of selling the gold they’ve found. But for others, that’s exactly why they’re out there prospecting— to sell what they recover and make money from their hard labor and good luck. If you fall in the latter category, where can you fetch the best price for your gold? The answer largely depends on the amount and type of gold you have— is it dust, flakes, nuggets, or is it mixed in with other minerals?

Beautiful crystalline and leaf gold specimens as well as large nuggets will bring premium prices when left in their raw state. So do quartz specimens with significant gold content. For “pretty” or unusual pieces of gold, you’ll want to evaluate offers from several different sources. Collectors buy prized pieces to add to their collections, and therefore, value the gold they buy differently than businesses that buy gold to resell it.

Jewelers, pawn shops, and mineral specimen shops are all good sources that may make you an offer. Keep in mind these businesses buy gold to resell and must make a profit, so you cannot expect “top dollar.” The upside is you get paid immediately when you sell to them. If you have a lot of broken gold jewelry, or a lot of fine flour gold, a
microwave gold smelting kit will allow you to smelt your own miscellaneous sized gold into a single “button” which is easier to transport and easier to weigh. A good gold scale is imperative so you know exactly how much you have before you try to sell it.

Another resource is Ebay. Lots of people buy and sell gold on Ebay. You could also create a website (or hire someone with internet marketing skills) and sell your gold that way.

Refineries are probably the best answer if you have at least two ounces of gold to sell. That might sound like a lot, but if you collect all sizes and shapes of gold over time, then sell it all at once, it's probably the most profitable method. Refineries don' t are if it's fine gold, pickers, nuggets, or a combination because they melt it all down and resell it by weight. They do not care about the size or shape of your original gold, they only care about the purity. A refiner will not pay you anything extra for beautiful specimens or nuggets, they will simply pay you for the inherent scrap value of your gold. In general, refineries pay around 95% of assay (assaying is conducting a gold purity test). That means you get 95% of whatever purity is determined, minus a refining fee.

While accumulating your gold, it is important to carefully and safely store what you’ve recovered until you're ready to sell. It’s best to keep your gold in a safety deposit box in the vault of your local bank, or purchase a safe for your home.