Selling Gold from Stratford, CT

Gold jewelry evaluation for a Stratford, CT resident at Haven Coin & Jewelry in Hamden — loupe testing gold karat

Sell Gold from Stratford Without Guessing at Karat — Every Piece Tested and Weighed in Front of You

Stratford has gold buyers on West Broad Street, Main Street, and near the train station. Most weigh your lot and hand you one flat number — whether you brought a chain, a coin, or a dental crown. Haven Coin & Jewelry is a licensed, buy-only dealer 25 minutes up I-95 in Hamden. We test every piece in front of you, show the live spot price and the math, and pay by check the same day. Jewelry, coins, bars, dental gold, scrap. Free evaluation, no obligation.

Book Free Appointment Call (203) 717-4921

Licensed Connecticut Dealer Insured through Lloyd's of London Free Evaluations Same-Day Payment

Why Stratford Residents Drive to Hamden to Sell Gold

Stratford has gold buyers on West Broad Street, Main Street, and near the Stratford train station. You can walk into any of them and walk out with a check in ten minutes. The problem is that most weigh your lot, look up the karat, and hand you a single number based on melt — without testing each piece individually, and without showing you the live spot price they used. If your chain is 18K and they assume 14K, you are being underpaid by a third.

We are 25 minutes up I-95 and I-91 in Hamden, and we are a licensed, buy-only precious metals dealer. We acid-test and electronically test every piece in front of you, display the live gold spot price on the screen, walk you through exactly how we calculated the offer, and hand you a written offer to take home. No loans, no collateral, no pressure to sell on the spot. For a single lightweight chain that may not matter. For a handful of pieces or an estate, it usually does.

The drive is simple: I-95 north to I-91 north toward Hartford, exit at Whitney Avenue and head north to 2285 Whitney Ave. About 25 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. Or take the Merritt Parkway (Route 15) north to the Whitney Avenue exit and head north — roughly the same distance, sometimes faster on weekdays.

How Gold Is Priced and What We Buy

Karat stamps and fineness marks

Every piece of gold jewelry carries a karat stamp: 10K is 41.7 percent gold, 14K is 58.5 percent, 18K is 75 percent, and 24K is pure. European fineness numbers — 417, 585, 750, and 999 — are the same purities expressed as parts per thousand. Stamps are sometimes wrong, so we acid-test and electronically test every piece. An 18K chain priced as 14K loses you roughly a third of its value.

Spot price and why no dealer pays 100 percent

The spot price is what gold trades for on global commodity markets, per troy ounce, and it shifts throughout the day. Your offer is built from that live number. No dealer pays 100 percent of spot — refining, testing, and overhead are real costs. We show you the spot price, the weight, the karat, and our percentage so the math is fully transparent. You see every input that goes into the number.

Gold coins and bars

We buy gold bullion coins — American Eagles, Canadian Maples, Krugerrands, Austrian Philharmonics — along with gold bars from PAMP Suisse, Credit Suisse, Valcambi, and other recognized mints. Bullion is already pure and recognized, so it trades closer to spot than jewelry. Connecticut exempts bullion coins and bars from the 10-day resale hold. Your payment is still the same day.

Dental gold

Crowns, bridges, inlays, and partial dentures often contain gold — typically 16K to 22K. Dental gold is never stamped, so we test it on the counter while you watch. Bring whatever you have, including pieces still attached to tooth structure. We sort the metal from non-gold material and weigh it for the offer.

Gold watches

A solid gold watch case — 14K or 18K — is priced by weight and karat like jewelry and can be worth several hundred dollars in gold alone. Gold-filled and gold-plated cases contain only a thin layer over base metal. We test every watch case honestly and tell you which is which. We do not pay gold-melt price for gold-filled cases because they do not contain enough gold to recover.

Gold-filled and gold-plated items

Gold-filled jewelry has a layer of gold bonded to base metal — about 5 percent gold by weight. Gold-plated jewelry has an even thinner coating. Neither contains enough gold to price like solid karat jewelry. Some gold-filled pieces have small recoverable value; gold-plated items typically do not. We test everything in front of you and tell you honestly what is worth money and what is not.

Platinum and silver alongside gold

If you are bringing gold, bring any platinum and sterling silver too. Platinum jewelry (marked PLAT, PT950) trades at its own spot price. Sterling silver flatware, hollowware, and jewelry is priced from the silver spot price. Many Stratford estates contain a mix of all three, and we evaluate each metal on its own.

Payment by check, same day

Connecticut requires licensed precious metals dealers to pay by check — it is a consumer protection that creates a record for both sides. You receive your check the same day you accept the offer; there is no waiting period for your payment. The 10-day hold built into Connecticut law applies to when we can resell non-bullion items, not to when you get paid. Bullion coins and bars are exempt from the hold entirely.

Gold Jewelry in Stratford's Communities

Stratford’s Italian-American community around the Stratford Green and along Ferry Boulevard has a long tradition of 18K gold jewelry — chains, crosses, and bracelets brought over from Italy or bought for weddings and christenings. Higher-karat gold carries more actual gold per gram, which means a higher offer at any spot price. But a walk-in buyer who assumes everything is 14K and prices accordingly will underpay on 18K by roughly a third. We test every piece so the karat is confirmed, not guessed.

Stratford is also a Sikorsky town. Generations of engineers and machinists at the helicopter plant accumulated gold over long careers — class rings, anniversary bands, gold watches, and in some cases bullion coins. Estate jewelry comes out of the Lordship neighborhood near the water, from Oronoque and Putney family homes, and from the older split-levels and capes across town. These collections range from 10K class rings to 18K chains and solid gold watch cases, and pricing them as one bulk lot is exactly how walk-in buyers shortchange sellers.

Stratford is bordered by Bridgeport to the west, Milford to the east, and Shelton to the north across the Housatonic River. Gold sellers in any of those neighboring towns take the same road to our shop — I-95 or the Merritt Parkway north to Hamden. We also buy from residents in Trumbull, Fairfield, and throughout the New Haven and Fairfield County corridor.

Gold We Buy from Stratford Residents

Every karat, every form — jewelry, coins, bars, dental gold, and scrap. If it is gold, we want to see it.

10K, 14K, 18K & 24K Gold

All karats purchased at live spot rates. We test every piece — including 18K Italian chains from Stratford’s Italian-American community — so the karat is confirmed, not assumed.

Gold Coins & Bullion

American Eagles, Canadian Maples, Krugerrands, Philharmonics, and pre-1933 U.S. gold coins. Bullion coins and bars are exempt from the Connecticut 10-day resale hold.

Gold Bars

PAMP Suisse, Credit Suisse, Valcambi, and other recognized mint bars. 1 gram, 10 gram, 1 oz, and larger sizes — sealed or loose, all welcome.

Rings & Engagement Rings

Gold bands, diamond rings, vintage and antique rings. We assess both the gold content and any gemstone value separately.

Necklaces & Chains

Gold chains, pendants, and lockets of all styles and lengths. Rope, figaro, curb, and box chains from Stratford estates — all welcome.

Bracelets & Bangles

Tennis bracelets, gold bangles, and charm bracelets in all karats. Broken clasps or missing charms do not reduce the gold value.

Earrings

Gold studs, hoops, and drop earrings. Single earrings without their pair are still valued at full gold melt value.

Estate & Inherited Jewelry

Full estate jewelry collections evaluated piece by piece, not as a bulk lot. If you are clearing a family home in Lordship, Oronoque, or Putney, bring everything as-is.

Broken & Scrap Gold

Bent, broken, or incomplete pieces, gold filings, scrap from a jeweler’s bench — all of it has full melt value by weight. Condition does not affect the gold content.

Dental Gold

Old crowns, bridges, inlays, and partial dentures — usually 16K to 22K. Not stamped, so we test on the spot. Bring pieces still attached to tooth structure; we sort and weigh the metal.

Gold Watches

Cases, bands, and movements purchased separately or together. Gold-filled, gold-plated, and solid gold watches all evaluated on their own merits.

How We Calculate Your Offer

Transparent math, live market prices, no guesswork.

We Test Your Gold

Professional acid testing and electronic testing confirm the karat and purity of each piece. Every piece is tested before we discuss any number.

We Check Live Spot Prices

Your offer comes from the live gold spot price, not a fixed number. Prices move daily, and our offers move with them.

We Make You an Offer

We walk you through what you have, show the math, and put a written offer in your hand. Take it home, think it over — the evaluation is free either way.

Directions from Stratford

Two routes from Stratford to our Hamden shop at 2285 Whitney Ave.

Route 1 — Via I-95 & I-91

Take I-95 north from Stratford to I-91 north toward Hartford. Exit at the Whitney Avenue / Hamden exit and head north on Whitney Ave to 2285 Whitney Ave. About 18 miles, 25 to 30 minutes depending on traffic.

Route 2 — Via Merritt Parkway (Route 15)

Take the Merritt Parkway (Route 15) north from Stratford to the Whitney Avenue exit. Head north on Whitney Ave to 2285 Whitney Ave. Roughly the same distance — sometimes faster on weekdays when I-95 is congested through Bridgeport.

Our Address

2285 Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT 06518

~25 min from Stratford

Directions from Stratford

Questions About Selling Gold from Stratford

Straight answers to the questions we hear most from Stratford residents.

Is it worth driving from Stratford to Hamden to sell gold?

For a single thin chain, perhaps not. But for a handful of pieces, a gold coin or two, or anything from an estate, the 25-minute drive up I-95 usually pays for itself. A licensed dealer who tests each piece individually, shows you the live spot price on the screen, and walks you through the math will typically offer more than a walk-in buyer on West Broad Street or Main Street who weighs your lot and gives you one flat number. The evaluation is free, so the only cost of finding out is the drive.

Do you buy broken or damaged gold jewelry?

Yes. Broken chains, bent rings, missing earrings, clasps without the necklace — every one of these has full gold melt value. Condition has no effect on the gold content. We test and weigh each piece regardless of whether it is wearable, and we price based on the metal, not the appearance. Never throw away broken gold jewelry.

Is my Sikorsky service ring solid gold or gold-filled?

Many Sikorsky service rings and anniversary bands are gold-filled or gold-plated, not solid gold — but some are 10K or 14K solid. We test every ring on the counter with acid and electronic equipment so you know exactly what you have. If it is gold-filled, we tell you honestly; if it is solid karat gold, we price it by weight and purity. Either way, the test takes about thirty seconds and the answer is definitive.

How much more is 18K or 19.2K worth than 14K?

18K is 75 percent gold versus 14K at 58.5 percent, so an 18K piece pays roughly 28 percent more per gram at the same spot price. 19.2K — common in some Portuguese and Brazilian jewelry found around Stratford — is 80 percent gold, so it pays about 37 percent more per gram than 14K. A walk-in buyer who assumes everything is 14K and pays accordingly is underpaying you on every higher-karat piece. We test each item individually so the karat drives the price, not an assumption.

Why can’t you pay cash?

Connecticut law requires licensed precious metals dealers to pay by check. Payment by check is a consumer protection — it creates a paper record of the transaction for both sides. You receive your check the same day you accept the offer. There is no waiting period for your payment.

Can I sell gold coins and bars the same day?

Yes. Gold bullion coins and bars are exempt from the Connecticut 10-day hold that applies to jewelry and other non-bullion items. You receive your check the same day whether you are selling jewelry, coins, or bars. The hold affects when we can resell non-bullion items, not when you get paid.

Should I take stones out first?

No. Leave stones in their settings. Removing stones yourself can damage the gold and reduces the piece to scrap. We assess gemstone value separately from the gold content — if a ring has a diamond or colored stone, we evaluate both. Bring your jewelry exactly as it is.

Helpful Resources

Everything you need to know before your visit from Stratford.

Sell Gold Jewelry in CT

How selling gold works at a licensed CT dealer — testing, pricing, payment.

Learn more

How Much Is My Gold Worth?

How gold jewelry is valued — karat, weight, spot price, and the math behind your offer.

Read guide

Gold Karat Value Guide

What 10K, 14K, 18K, and 24K mean for your payout — purity percentages and how each karat is priced.

Read guide

Gold Spot Price Explained

How the gold spot price works, why it moves, and how your offer is calculated from it.

Read guide

Gold Hallmarks Guide

What the stamps on your gold jewelry mean — 10K, 14K, 18K, 585, 750, and more.

Read guide

When Should I Sell My Gold?

Key factors to consider when timing a gold sale — spot prices, market conditions.

Read article

Estate Sale Jewelry in Connecticut

What to do with jewelry from a family estate — piece-by-piece evaluation, not bulk.

Read article

Book a Free Appraisal

Schedule your free, no-obligation evaluation online. Same-day appointments often available.

Learn more

Nearby Areas We Serve

Coin Dealer for Bridgeport, CT Coin Dealer for Milford, CT Coin Dealer for Shelton, CT Coin Dealer for Trumbull, CT Coin Dealer for Fairfield, CT All Service Areas

Ready to Sell Your Gold from Stratford?

The drive from Stratford to our Hamden shop takes about 25 minutes on I-95 — and Google reviewers rate us 5.0 stars. Bring whatever gold you have: jewelry, coins, bars, dental gold, or scrap. The evaluation is free, payment is the same day, and there is never any pressure to accept.

Content by Matt Pavia, Licensed CT Precious Metals Dealer & ANA Member — Hours: Tue–Fri 10–5, Sat 10–2.

Book Free Appointment Call (203) 717-4921