Selling Gold from Woodbridge
Woodbridge is an affluent, low-turnover town, and that combination produces a particular kind of jewelry box: one that has sat in a drawer or safe for decades without anyone checking what the contents are actually worth. Estate jewelry, gold coins bought as inflation hedges in the 1980s, complete sterling flatware sets inherited from parents, watches that have not been worn since retirement — all of it comes across our counter from Woodbridge families, and much of it has never been appraised.
There are jewelers along Amity Road in Woodbridge and gold buyers on Chapel Street in New Haven, and we are not going to pretend they do not exist. The drive to our shop at 2285 Whitney Avenue in Hamden is about 10 minutes via Route 63 or Racebrook Road — no highway, no traffic. What distinguishes the evaluation here is that we lay each piece on the counter, acid-test and electronically test the karat, and pull up the live spot price before naming a figure. Nothing is averaged, nothing is assumed.
The written breakdown is yours to keep whether you sell or not, and there is never pressure to accept on the spot. Compare our number with any quote from Amity Road or Chapel Street — if theirs is higher, take it.
How Gold Is Priced and What We Buy
Karat stamps and fineness marks
Gold purity is marked as a karat stamp: 10K is 41.7 percent gold, 14K is 58.5 percent, 18K is 75 percent, 22K is 91.6 percent, and 24K is pure. European fineness marks — 417, 585, 750, 916, and 999 — correspond to those same purities written as parts per thousand, and they appear on Italian, Lebanese, and other imported pieces. Woodbridge’s older estates often contain 18K pieces purchased abroad or through travel, and we test every item individually because stamps are occasionally wrong and a piece that looks 14K could be 18K. Confirming the true karat before quoting is the single most important step in giving you a fair number.
Spot price and why no dealer pays 100 percent
Gold’s spot price is the live per-ounce trading value on world commodity exchanges, and it shifts throughout the day. Your offer is calculated from that current price. No buyer hands over 100 percent of spot — there are real costs for refining, testing, and running a business, and refiners take their cut to melt down scrap. We show you the spot price, the weight, the karat, and our percentage so the math is fully transparent. If another buyer offers more, you are free to go there.
Gold coins and bars and the bullion exemption
We buy gold bullion coins — American Eagles, Canadian Maples, Krugerrands, Austrian Philharmonics — and gold bars from PAMP Suisse, Credit Suisse, Valcambi, and other recognized mints. Bullion trades near spot because it is already pure, recognizable, and requires no refining. Connecticut grants bullion coins and bars an exemption from the 10-day resale hold applied to jewelry and other non-bullion pieces, meaning no resale delay. Your payment is still the same day. Woodbridge families who bought gold as an inflation hedge in the late 1970s and 1980s frequently bring in Krugerrands and Maples, and some of those coins carry a modest collector premium above melt that we identify and price accordingly.
Dental gold
Dental work — crowns, bridges, inlays, partial dentures — frequently holds gold in the 16K to 22K range. Dental gold is never stamped, so we test it on the counter while you watch. Bring any dental gold you have, even pieces still stuck to tooth material — we pull the precious metal away from the non-gold parts and weigh it right there on the counter before giving you a number.
Gold watches
Solid gold watch cases are priced by weight and karat like jewelry. But a lot of watch cases are gold-filled or rolled-gold-plate instead of solid — turn the case over and check for marks like “GF,” “RGP,” “1/20 12K,” or “Warranted.” Those stamps tell you the piece has a microscopically thin gold skin over a brass or copper core — nothing like solid gold throughout. Each watch case is tested right there on the counter so you can watch the result yourself — and if it turns out to be gold-filled, we will not hand you a melt quote because the gold content is too thin to recover profitably.
Gold-filled and gold-plated
Gold-filled items carry a somewhat heavier gold layer than plated ones, yet the actual gold content still amounts to a tiny fraction of a gram. Plated jewelry has an even finer film of gold and is essentially worthless as scrap. Each piece is tested and weighed where you can watch — if an item turns out to be gold-filled, we tell you straight up and explain why the scrap return is so small. We will not dress up a plated piece as solid to inflate the quote — that is not how we work.
Platinum and silver alongside gold
When you bring gold, bring any platinum and sterling silver along as well. Platinum jewelry (marked PLAT, PT950, or similar) trades at its own spot price. Sterling silver flatware, hollowware, and tea sets are priced from the silver spot price. Woodbridge estates often contain a mix of metals — gold jewelry alongside a complete sterling service in its original chest — and we assess each category on its own.
Sterling flatware, hollowware and tea sets
Woodbridge’s long-tenured households often hold complete sterling flatware services, tea sets, and hollowware inherited from parents or grandparents — frequently in their original chests and rarely used. Genuine sterling carries a “Sterling” or “925” stamp on the reverse of each piece; silverplate bears “Plate,” “Silverplate,” or “EPNS” instead, and its scrap return is negligible. We check every piece individually because a set that looks identical from the front could be either. Weighted candlesticks and candelabra have plaster or wax cores inside the base — the actual silver is only the outer shell, often 20 to 30 percent of total weight. We strip away the weighted core and place only the silver shell on the scale. A full sterling set in its chest is worth exactly what the silver weighs at the live spot price — no discount for being a set.
Gold and Metals We Buy from Woodbridge Residents
Every karat, every form — if it is gold, platinum, or sterling silver, we want to see it.
10K, 14K, 18K, 22K & 24K Gold
All karats purchased at live spot rates. We test every piece so the karat is confirmed, not assumed — estate jewelry from Woodbridge homes often includes 18K pieces purchased abroad.
Gold Watches & Pocket Watches
Solid gold watch cases priced by weight and karat. We test each case on the counter and tell you straight whether it is solid gold, gold-filled, or plated.
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 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 counter while you watch. Bring whatever dental gold you have.
Broken & Scrap Gold
Bent, broken, or incomplete pieces, gold filings, bench scrap — all of it has full melt value by weight. The condition of a gold piece does not change how much gold is in it.
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 Flatware, Hollowware & Tea Sets
Complete sterling flatware services, serving pieces, hollowware, and tea sets — often inherited and sitting in original chests from Woodbridge estates. We confirm sterling vs plate, weigh the lot, and price from the live silver spot. Weighted candlesticks are separated from their cores.
Visiting Us from Woodbridge
We are at 2285 Whitney Avenue in Hamden — about 10 minutes from Woodbridge, no highway needed.
Take Route 63 east from Woodbridge — Amity Road becomes Whalley and then Fountain Street as it approaches Hamden. Turn onto Whitney Avenue and we are at 2285. About 10 minutes from the Woodbridge Town Green. On-site parking.
Racebrook Road runs east from Woodbridge toward Hamden and connects to Whitney Avenue. A quiet, well-signed route with no highway — about 10 to 12 minutes depending on where you start. On-site parking at 2285 Whitney Ave.
Litchfield Turnpike (Route 63) carries you east from the Rimmon Road area toward Whitney Avenue in Hamden. Both routes are short drives across the town line — no highway needed at any point.
Our Address
2285 Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT 06518
10 minutes from Woodbridge via Route 63 — on-site parking
Questions About Selling Gold from Woodbridge
Straight answers to the questions we hear most from Woodbridge residents.
Helpful Resources
Everything you need to know before your visit.
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 moreAppraisals
Professional written appraisals for insurance, estate settlement, and equitable distribution.
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 guideGold Bar Value Guide
How gold bars and bullion coins are priced — spot, premium, and what 1980s-era hedge coins are worth today.
Read guideEstate Sale Jewelry in CT
A guide to evaluating and selling estate jewelry in Connecticut — for executors and families.
Read guide