Why Seymour Residents Drive to Hamden to Sell Gold
Seymour has a few gold buyers and jewelers on Main Street and Bank Street downtown, and neighboring Derby and Waterbury have more options. You can walk into any and get a number in five minutes. But most weigh your lot, assume a karat, and hand you a single melt-based figure without testing each piece or showing the spot price. If your jewelry is 19.2k Portuguese gold from a family in Great Hill or Bungay and they assume 14k, you are underpaid by more than a third.
Our shop in Hamden is about 22 minutes south via Route 8. As a licensed, buy-only dealer, we acid-test and electronically test each piece while you watch, pull up the live gold spot price, explain how the offer was derived, and give you a written offer. Seymour's mill heritage means service watches and pins come out of local estates constantly, and we test each one honestly so you know whether it is solid gold or gold-filled.
Getting here is straightforward: Route 8 south to the Wilbur Cross Parkway (Route 15) east, exit 61, then Whitney Avenue north to 2285 Whitney Ave — about 22 minutes. When Route 8 is congested, Route 34 east through Derby and Orange connects to Route 15 east as well.
How Gold Is Priced and What We Buy
Portuguese 19.2k gold and the 800 stamp
Seymour's Portuguese community is smaller than those in Derby and Ansonia, but those families frequently hold 19.2 karat gold — 80 percent gold — rather than the 14k U.S. standard. That "800" mark, denoting purity in parts per thousand, appears on many items, though quite a few bear no hallmark. Defaulting to 14k without testing forfeits over 35 percent of actual worth on every 19.2k item. We acid-test and electronically test each piece in front of you, confirming purity through evidence, not estimation. If your chain tests at 19.2k, you are paid at 19.2k.
Italian 18k, Polish and Irish traditions, and older American 10k and 14k
Seymour's Italian-American families often brought 18k jewelry — 75 percent gold, stamped 750 — worth substantially more per gram than 14k. Polish-American and Irish-American estates may hold a blend of traditions, often a mix of 18k and 14k. Older American pieces from the mill era are typically 10k (41.7 percent) or 14k (58.5 percent). We test each item for its true karat, so every piece is paid based on the metal inside it, not a default.
Karat stamps and European fineness marks
Gold jewelry is stamped with a karat mark: 10K is 41.7 percent gold, 14K is 58.5 percent, 18K is 75 percent, 22K is 91.6 percent, and 24K is pure. Continental jewelry uses three-digit fineness numbers — 417, 585, 750, 800, 916, and 999 — mirroring those same proportions. Since hallmark accuracy is not guaranteed, we back up every acid test with an electronic reading.
Spot price and why no dealer pays 100 percent
Commodities exchanges publish a per-ounce gold value that shifts continuously while markets are open. Your offer comes from that live price. No buyer pays the full spot figure — melting, assay fees, and operating costs all factor in. We display the live market quote, the precise gram count, the verified karat, and our payout ratio so you can audit every figure behind your offer.
Gold coins and bars
We buy gold bullion coins — American Eagles, Canadian Maples, Krugerrands, and Austrian Philharmonics — along with bars from PAMP Suisse, Credit Suisse, Valcambi, and other recognized mints. Pure bullion skips refining, so it earns a tighter spread to spot than jewelry. Under Connecticut law, bullion is exempt from the 10-day resale hold that applies to jewelry. Payment is issued the same day.
Mill-era service jewelry, watches, and gold-filled items
Generations of Seymour families worked at Kerite, Seymour Manufacturing, and the brass and rubber mills along the Naugatuck River. Mill employees accumulated gold through decades of service — graduation rings, milestone bands, retirement watches, and investment coins. Service pins and engraved jewelry from those employers surface in estates Downtown to Great Hill. Much is gold-filled or rolled-gold-plate, not solid. Look for markings such as "GF," "RGP," "1/20 12K," or "Warranted" — these indicate a thin gold wash over a base metal. Every item is electronically screened at the counter, and melt pricing is never applied to gold-filled pieces since the recoverable metal is negligible.
Platinum and silver
If you have gold, bring platinum and sterling silver too. Platinum pieces (stamped PLAT, PT950, or similar) are valued against a separate platinum market rate. Sterling silver flatware, hollowware, and jewelry is priced from the silver spot. Many Seymour estates contain mixed metals, and we evaluate each separately.
Dental gold
Dental work — crowns, bridges, inlays, and partial dentures — regularly contains gold, usually in the 16K-to-22K range. Dental gold bears no hallmark, so we verify purity with a counter-top test. Bring it all — even pieces still bonded to teeth — and we will sort and weigh the metal before naming your payout.
Payment by check, same day
Connecticut requires licensed precious metals dealers to pay by check. You receive your check the same day you accept — there is no waiting period. The 10-day hold applies to when we can resell non-bullion items, not when you get paid. Bullion is exempt.
Gold and Metals We Buy from Seymour Residents
Every karat, every form — if it is gold, platinum, or sterling silver, we want to see it.
10K, 14K, 18K, 19.2K & 24K Gold
All karats purchased at live spot rates. We test every piece — including Portuguese 19.2k and Italian 18k — so the karat is confirmed, not assumed.
Watches & Service Jewelry
Solid gold watch cases and service pins priced by weight and karat. We test each piece — solid gold, gold-filled, or plated — and tell you honestly which it is.
Gold Coins & Bullion
American Eagles, Canadian Maples, Krugerrands, and other recognized bullion coins. Priced near spot — bullion is exempt from the CT 10-day resale hold.
Gold Bars
PAMP Suisse, Credit Suisse, Valcambi, and other recognized mint bars in 1 gram, 10 gram, 1 oz, and larger sizes. Sealed or loose — all welcome.
Dental Gold
Old crowns, bridges, inlays, and partial dentures — typically 16K to 22K. Not stamped, so we test on the spot. Bring pieces still attached to tooth structure; we sort and weigh the metal.
Broken & Scrap Gold
Bent, broken, or incomplete pieces, gold filings, bench scrap — all of it has full melt value by weight. Condition does not change the gold content.
Platinum
Platinum jewelry and bands marked PLAT, PT950, or similar. Priced from the live platinum spot price, tested and weighed in front of you.
Sterling Silver
Sterling flatware, hollowware, tea sets, and jewelry marked STER, 925, or .925. Priced from the live silver spot — many Seymour estates have silver alongside gold.
Directions from Seymour
Two routes from Seymour to our Hamden shop at 2285 Whitney Ave.
Take Route 8 south from Seymour to the Wilbur Cross Parkway (Route 15) east. Continue on Route 15 to exit 61, then turn right onto Whitney Avenue north. Haven Coin is at 2285 Whitney Ave on your right. About 22 minutes.
Take Route 34 east from Seymour through Derby and Orange to the Wilbur Cross Parkway (Route 15) east, then exit 61 to Whitney Avenue north. Haven Coin is at 2285 Whitney Ave on your right. A good alternative when Route 8 is backed up.
Our Address
2285 Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT 06518
~22 min from Seymour
Questions About Selling Gold from Seymour
Straight answers to the questions we hear most from Seymour residents.
Helpful Resources
Everything you need to know before your visit from Seymour.
Sell Gold Jewelry in CT
How selling gold works at a licensed CT dealer — testing, karat confirmation, and payment.
Learn moreWhat We Buy
A full list of coins, jewelry, metals, and collectibles we purchase.
Learn moreFree Appraisals
Professional coin and jewelry appraisals with no obligation to sell.
Learn moreGold Karat Value Guide
What 10K, 14K, 18K, and 22K mean for your payout — purity percentages and how each karat is priced.
Read guideGold Spot Price Explained
How the gold spot price works, why it moves, and how your offer is calculated.
Read guideJewelry Hallmarks Guide
How to read karat stamps, European fineness marks, and hallmarks on gold jewelry.
Read guideWhat Is Gold-Filled Jewelry?
The difference between solid gold, gold-filled, and gold-plated — and what each is actually worth.
Read guide