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Step 1
Determine how much gold is actually in each item. Most gold items are alloys containing other metals like silver or copper. This makes the gold hard enough to handle since pure gold is quite soft. You will only be paid for the gold in your items. A one ounce gold coin, bullion round or bullion bar is made to contain one ounce of gold. The gold content of jewelry and other items varies depending on the karats. 10K gold is about 41.7 percent gold. 14K gold is 58.3 percent gold. 18K gold is 75 percent gold. 22K gold is 91.7 percent gold. 24K gold is 99.99 percent gold.
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Step 2
Look up the spot price of gold. This changes every day. The spot price of gold is listed on financial websites and gold dealer webpages (see Resources below). The spot price of gold is listed as dollars per ounce.
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Step 3
Calculate the gold content of each of your three piles of gold items. Do this by multiplying the spot price of gold by the number of ounces of gold in the items. The totals you get are the approximate value of the gold in each pile. This is a baseline figure to help you figure out what your gold is worth.
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Step 4
Sell gold coins directly to coin collectors and dealers online. Since they are also money, they will sell at a higher premium than your other gold. The best way to sell them is at online auction sites. Create an auction listing for the gold coin and allow bidders to compete for it. The highest bidder in a set period of time wins. You can place a "reserve" price on your auction to make sure it does not sell for less than you want. Research the type, year, mint mark and condition of each coin to determine its market value. Expect a significant percentage above the spot price of gold. This percentage will vary depending on the rarity and condition of the gold coin. Deliver the gold to the buyer once funds are received in the manner defined by the auction.
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Step 5
Sell gold bullion to investors and gold dealers online. Internet auction sites are also good for selling bullion, but expect to get less than gold coins. High quality gold bullion usually sells for five percent above the spot price of gold. If the gold bullion is nicked and dull, you may only get the spot price. You can also sell your gold bullion directly to gold dealers online (see Resources below) or in person. Call ahead to make sure they are buying from the public. Mail them or show them the gold bullion. Typically, you will receive an offer immediately. You may negotiate the price, as there is some room to negotiate.
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Step 6
Sell gold scrap to a scrap gold buyer. Shop around for the best deal (see Resources below). Scrap gold buyers give you a mailing envelope to send the gold safely. They examine the package and offer you a price. Expect 90 to 95 percent of the spot price of gold after fees. If you don't like the offer, they will return your gold to you. Most scrap gold buyers will not negotiate price.
