What Should You Do If You Think You Have Real Gold or Silver at Home?

May 19

Most people have old jewelry, silverware, coins, or random valuables sitting around the house that they haven’t looked at in years.

Maybe it was inherited.
Maybe it’s been sitting in a drawer forever.
Maybe it’s tangled jewelry, old flatware, or pieces you forgot about.

And the most common question people ask is:

👉 “How do I know if any of this is actually real?”

The good news is—you don’t need to be an expert to start figuring it out.

Step 1: Look for Markings

One of the easiest things to check is whether the item has markings stamped somewhere on it.

Common Gold Markings

Common Silver Markings

These markings usually indicate the item contains real precious metal.

Check:

Step 2: Don’t Judge by Appearance Alone

A lot of people assume:

But that’s not always true.

Real silver naturally tarnishes over time, and even broken gold jewelry may still contain value based on its metal content.

Sometimes the oldest, ugliest pieces turn out to be the most valuable.

Step 3: Separate Costume Jewelry From Possible Precious Metals

Not everything is valuable, and that’s okay.

But items that may deserve a closer look include:

Especially if they came from parents, grandparents, or estate boxes.

Step 4: Don’t Clean or Polish Everything

Many people immediately try to polish silver or clean jewelry.

Sometimes that’s fine—but with antiques or collectible items, aggressive cleaning can actually reduce value.

If you’re unsure what you have, it’s usually better to leave it as-is until someone knowledgeable can look at it.

Step 5: Ask Questions and Learn the Process

If you decide to bring items to a buyer, you should feel comfortable asking questions like:

A professional should never have a problem walking you through everything.

Hidden Treasure Is More Common Than People Think

At Luxury Conversion Co., we regularly meet people who are surprised to learn that everyday household items may contain real value.

Sometimes it’s:

The biggest mistake people make isn’t selling too soon…

👉 It’s never checking at all.

Think You Might Have Gold or Silver? You’re Not Wasting Anyone’s Time by Getting It Checked