Buying and selling gold has interested many more in recent years, especially after the shaky global economy. It is important to understand how the gold market works before you begin investing in it. Read on for some excellent tips that will help you get the most from gold.

Get a value from a few buyers before selling your goal. There are many places where you can buy and sell gold, and they all use different metrics to decide on price. By shopping around, you will get a better idea of what the gold you are selling is really worth.

When it’s time to sell off gold, you should always deal with trustworthy buyers. Verify their good standing by checking with the BBB and reviews online. A reputable buyer will typically pay you a fair price for your gold, and they will offer better customer service than less reputable buyers. Protect your interests and your gold by doing this.

Why not get your gold jewelry appraised if you are not too sure about its current value? The up front cost is significant, but it can give you a better estimate of value. Use a licensed appraiser only. Understand that you probably will not get the full appraisal price when you sell your gold.

To verify that a particular piece of jewelry isn’t simply plated, you can try testing it yourself with a magnet. Gold and other precious metals are non-ferrous, so they won’t be attracted to a magnet. Sometimes the clasp of a piece is solid, however the rest will be plated. This method is good test for that.

Speak with the representative at the gold party to find out how they determine how many karats a piece of jewelry is. Many times the item will have a stamp. However, there are some times when there aren’t visible signs, so the reps have ways to determine it. The most simple test involves the use of acid. If the company claims to use that type of test, it may be an indication that they are not as experienced with accurate testing methods.

Have jewelry appraised prior to selling it to anyone as scrap gold. You definitely want to have jewelry with beautiful details and crafting well looked over because the value could be much higher. Although you will probably have to pay for an appraisal, you might find you have something worth a lot more than you thought. Appraisers also may know of an interested party for your precious jewelry.

Break up your gold into karat values when you intend to sell it. The value of gold varies by karats, and weighing your gold together can cheat you out of money. Gold with higher karat value is worth more money.

The value of gold has been on the rise over the past decade. It’s unknown whether it’s a great time to purchase gold, but that depends on what the dollar does. The weaker the dollar, the stronger the gold price.

A lot of people are excited about making money in the gold market. It is all too often the case, though, that an insufficient knowledge base prevents them from really using gold trades to their best advantage. Hopefully, this article has provided helpful advice to those who want valuable information.