What a Full-Service Precious Metals Dealer Does
A precious metals dealer buys metal in every form it comes in — gold, silver, and platinum, whether it's a wedding band, a tube of coins, a 10 oz bar, a drawer of tangled chains, or a sterling tea service. The reason that matters in Central Virginia is simple: most people don't have just one kind of item. They have a mix, often inherited, and they'd rather not chase down a coin shop, a jeweler, and a scrap buyer separately. We handle all of it in one private appointment at 1020 Carrington Place in Charlottesville.
The other half of "full-service" is expertise. The person across the table actually knows how to identify each metal, test it properly, price it against the right market, and explain the number to you in plain English. This page is the overview; for any one category, we go deeper on our dedicated pages for the gold dealer, coin dealer, and silver bullion services.
Quick Answer
- We buy gold, silver, and platinum in all forms — jewelry, coins, bullion, scrap, dental, and sterling flatware.
- Every metal is priced off its own live spot market, which moves continuously through the day.
- Gold, silver, and platinum behave differently: gold is steadiest, silver is more volatile, platinum is thin and industrial.
- Each item is tested (acid or XRF) and weighed on a certified scale in front of you.
- Payment is cash or check, same day, with no obligation to sell anything.
What does a precious metals dealer buy?
If it contains gold, silver, or platinum, we can test it, weigh it, and make an offer. In practice that covers a wide range:
Gold
- Jewelry in every karat, 10K through 24K
- Coins — American Eagles, Buffalos, Krugerrands, Maple Leafs, pre-1933 U.S. gold
- Bullion bars and rounds from recognized mints
- Scrap, broken, dental, and unmarked gold
Silver
- Bullion — American Silver Eagles, bars, and rounds
- Pre-1965 90% junk silver and 40% Kennedy halves
- Sterling (.925) jewelry, flatware, and hollowware
- Silver coin collections and estate pieces
Platinum & other metals
- Platinum jewelry (often marked PT, PLAT, 950, or 900) and bullion
- Palladium coins and bullion
- Foreign gold and silver coins
If your items are broken or unmarked, don't sort or toss anything first — our scrap gold page explains why condition doesn't reduce metal value.
How does the live spot market actually work?
Every offer we make starts from spot price — the global market price for one troy ounce of a given metal. Gold, silver, and platinum each trade essentially around the clock across world markets, so their spot prices update continuously rather than being set once a day. That's why our offers move with the market: the same item can be worth a little more or less depending on when you bring it in.
From that live number, the math is straightforward. We measure an item's purity and weight, then multiply against the current spot for its specific metal. A 14K gold chain is paid on its 58.3% gold content; a sterling tray on its 92.5% silver; a platinum band on its platinum content. We show you the spot figure we're working from, so you can see the foundation of every price rather than taking it on faith.
How are the gold, silver, and platinum markets different?
People often assume the three metals move together. They don't, and understanding why helps explain pricing. Gold is the largest, deepest, and most stable market, valued primarily as a store of wealth, so its price tends to move gradually. Silver is a much smaller market with heavy industrial demand on top of investment demand, which makes it more volatile — it swings more sharply in percentage terms in both directions. Platinum is genuinely rarer than gold, but it trades in a thin, mostly industrial market, so its price can move on its own logic entirely.
| Metal | Market character | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | Largest, deepest, most stable | Store of wealth, currency hedge; moves gradually |
| Silver | Smaller, more volatile | Investment plus heavy industrial demand; sharper swings |
| Platinum | Rare but thinly traded | Mostly industrial; can move independently of gold |
The takeaway for a seller is that each metal has to be priced on its own live spot — you can't read gold's price and assume silver or platinum followed. We track all three so each item in a mixed lot is valued against the correct market.
The testing, weighing, and payment process
Transparency is the whole point of buying in person, so nothing happens out of your sight. Here's exactly how an appointment runs:
1. Purity testing
We confirm what each item actually is. Gold and silver are checked with acid tests calibrated to specific karats; higher-value or questionable pieces are verified with a non-destructive XRF analyzer that reads the exact alloy composition. A stamp tells us what something claims to be — testing tells us what it is.
2. Weighing
Each piece is weighed on a calibrated, certified scale, with the display facing you. If a piece has stones, we account for them so you're only valued on actual precious metal.
3. The math, out loud
We apply the live spot price for that metal to its purity and weight and walk through the calculation. You see the spot number, the weight, and the result for every item.
4. Same-day payment
Accept what you like and decline the rest. You're paid cash or check the same day — no mail-in, no holds. Per building policy no cash or metal is stored on-site, so everything is settled live during the appointment.
Why a dealer beats a pawn shop or mail-in buyer
A precious metals dealer is built differently than a pawn shop. Our revenue comes from buying metal at fair prices and moving it to refiners or the wholesale market, which means we can afford to pay close to true melt value. Pawn shops earn primarily on loans, so their buy prices are usually well below what a dealer pays for the same item.
Mail-in services read well in the ad copy, but the instant your items leave your hands you've lost your leverage — lowball offers are common and disputes drag on. Working with a local Charlottesville dealer keeps your items in front of you the entire time, lets you watch the evaluation, and sends you home paid the same day. If your situation involves a loved one's estate, our estate jewelry and coin buying service is set up for whole inherited lots.
Who we serve across Central Virginia
Our Charlottesville office regularly helps:
- Individuals selling jewelry, scrap, or a few coins
- Families settling estates in Albemarle, Greene, and the surrounding counties
- Long-term investors rebalancing gold, silver, or platinum holdings
- Collectors liquidating part of a collection
- Anyone in Charlottesville, Crozet, Ivy, Keswick, Earlysville, or Pantops who wants a private, professional alternative to pawn shops
We're at 1020 Carrington Place, minutes off Route 29 with free parking, a private office, and appointment-only scheduling so you're never waiting in a line.
Schedule With Charlottesville's Full-Service Dealer
Gold, silver, coins, jewelry, or all of the above — bring it all to one appointment.