Silver seller guide
Where to get the best price for silver: pawn shop, coin dealer, jeweller or online buyer
Buyers' rates for silver vary widely, and on the same items the gap between the best offer and the worst can be large. Here is how the main options compare.
Why British Gold Exchange
40+
Years in the precious metals business
£0
Cost to request your free insured postal pack
24h
To receive your firm, itemised offer once your items arrive
100%
Of items returned free if you decline
Ready to get a valuation?
The short answer
Why specialist online buyers usually pay the most
The best prices for silver usually come from specialist online precious metals buyers. Their overheads are lower than a high street shop's, they have direct access to refiners and secondary markets, and they compete openly on price. The better buyers publish their rate as a percentage of spot, so you can check any offer before you send anything.
Pawn shops are convenient but usually pay well below the silver's melt value. They build in a large margin because they need to sell on, may take items that are hard to move, and carry retail overheads. High street jewellers are rarely better: most don't buy silver at all, and those that do tend to pay similar rates to pawn shops. Cash-for-gold shops that also buy silver are usually the weakest option.
Specialist coin dealers are the exception. For genuinely rare or numismatically valuable coins they can be the best choice, because they understand collector premiums and may pay above melt value for key dates. For common coins and silverware, a specialist online metals buyer will generally pay a better percentage of spot than a coin dealer.
What affects it
Comparing your options
How it works
From first contact to payment
Request your free pack
We dispatch your free pack the next working day, with a prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery label. There is no cost and no commitment.
Send your items
Pack your items in the packaging we supply and hand them in at a Post Office. They are insured up to £2,500 from then until they reach us. For items worth more, please contact us first.
Receive your offer
A firm, itemised offer arrives within 24 hours of your items reaching us. Every piece is weighed, XRF-tested and priced at a published percentage of the live spot price.
Get paid
If you accept before 3pm on a working day, you receive a same-day bank transfer. If you decline, we return every item free of charge, with no questions asked.
Common questions
Questions we hear most
Should I get multiple quotes?
Yes. Getting two or three quotes is always sensible, and with reputable postal buyers it costs nothing: items are insured in transit and returned free if you decline. You are welcome to use our offer as a benchmark.
What about Facebook Marketplace or local selling?
It is possible for individual pieces, but there are risks: meeting strangers with valuable items, no payment protection, no insurance, and buyers who may not understand what silver is worth. We would not recommend it for anything of significant value.
Is it safe to post my silver?
Yes, provided you use a reputable specialist buyer who supplies insured Royal Mail Special Delivery packaging. Our packs are insured up to £2,500 from when you hand them in at a Post Office until they reach us; for items worth more, please contact us first. Our safety guide covers this in full.
Are coin shows a good option?
Coin shows allow you to approach several dealers in person and get competing offers on the spot. This can work well for numismatic pieces. For bulk silverware or common coins, the convenience of a postal specialist usually outweighs the benefit.
What if I have a very large collection?
Please contact us before sending. For larger lots, such as estate collections, full canteen services or significant coin collections, we will talk you through the best way to send them.
Get started
Compare our offer: free, insured and fully itemised
Request your free insured pack, send your silver and receive a transparent offer within 24 hours of it reaching us. If you find a better offer elsewhere, we'll return everything free of charge.