Second hand gold
Second hand gold can be a great way for investors to buy gold closer to spot price, reducing their spread and increasing their profits. When someone chooses to buy second hand gold there is a surprising variety of items they can consider. A pure investor may want to consider second hand gold bars or coins, gaining all the investment benefits of a new item, but at a lower price. Other may look at second hand gold jewellery, or other scrap items that can then be resold.
Anything made from, or containing, gold will have a value equal to the current market value of the gold. Broken gold jewellery may, for example, be worthless as a possession but the gold it contains still has an intrinsic value. Collecting these and finding a buyer could prove fairly time consuming however, and usually has very tight margins, requiring large volumes to be viable.
For most people then, the best second hand gold to buy is a bar or coin.
Secondary gold market
The 'gold market' generally refers to the international commodities trading which determines the gold market spot price. This international gold price affects the price of all items made from or containing gold.
Second hand or pre-owned gold is therefore traded on what is referred to as the 'secondary gold market' . The price of gold on the secondary market is still determined by the gold spot price, but it is also influenced by many other factors. Supply and demand, plus the desirability of the item, can add to the gold value, or it can take away.
Anyone buying an item on the secondary gold market would generally expect to pay a lower price than if the item was new, if the item is purely for investment purposes, such as a gold bar. Buying coins on the secondary gold market can be a little more uncertain however. If it's a particularly desirable piece, and still in good condition then you could get a higher price, even if the underlying gold price remains the same.
Second hand gold bars
Second hand gold bars can be one of the most straightforward products to buy pre-owned. From the perspective of an investor in physical gold, the shape and form of their gold has little consequence - an ounce of gold being the same to all. Despite this, brand new gold bars , bought through a dealer direct from refineries are usually slightly more expensive than second hand bars.
Many bullion dealers such as ourselves offer pre-owned gold bullion bars at a discounted premium compared to brand new bullion, as an incentive for customers who can sometimes be wary of buying second hand gold. These items are as valuable as the new version, still contain the same amount of gold, and will be worth the same upon resale.
Many investors simply buy their bar, then store it away safely before selling in the future. This often means the condition of a second hand gold bar is still excellent, and can save you more money, reducing your spread and increasing your profitability. We stock second hand gold bars in a variety of sizes, all from LBMA-approved refiners, fully tested for authenticity, and perfect for investment.
At BullionByPost we are strict with our inspection requirements of all gold and silver coins and bars, ensuring all of our products are of the correct purity and weight, but also of acceptable condition.
Pre-Owned 100g Gold Bar Best Value
from £10,462
Pre-Owned 1g Gold Bar Best Value
from £133.20
Pre-Owned 1oz Gold Bar Best Value
from £3,261
Pre-Owned 20g Gold Bar Best Value
from £2,116
Second hand gold coins
With thousands minted every year for investment purposes, it should be no surprise that there is a huge market for second hand gold coins. Like the bars above, there is very little difference between new or pre-owned when it comes to gold coins.
A collector may wish to have a new current-year coin direct from the mint, but for investors second hand gold coins will usually offer the closest price to spot, making them the first choice for many. Condition can be a bit more variable with second hand gold coins, where proud owners may have handled the coin, or displayed it on a shelf. In the case of older coins like the Sovereign they may even have been circulating coins.
BullionByPost take great pride in our second hand gold coins, testing them for authenticity, and condition. We have a large selection of second hand coins 'Best Value' ranges, offering some of the lowest ounce for ounce gold prices, perfect for investors.
Gold Britannia Coin 1oz Best Value 24ct
from £3,288
Gold Sovereign Best Value Coin
from £779.60
Krugerrand Gold Coin 1oz Best Value
from £3,291
Scrap gold
Even though savings can be made when purchasing through the secondary gold market, the major value of all these items is essentially determined by the market price of gold .
Bullion dealers will generally buy back gold on the basis of the gold weight and the current market price. Rarely is the item's condition of any consequence. Sellers of scrap gold, jewellery, coins and bars will generally receive the market value of their pure gold weight, minus a small dealer fee.
At BullionByPost we offer 96% buy-back rate for gold coins and bars, and offer similarly competitive rates for scrap gold - whether coins, bars, or jewellery. Visit our Scrap Gold page for price estimates based on the weight and carat of your gold, or call our helpful support team on 0121 634 8060.
- Home
- How to Buy?
- Payment Options
- Delivery Options
- Gold Storage
- Storage at Brink's
- Gold Investment Guide
- Why buy gold?
- Is gold a good investment?
- Why Physical Gold?
- Best Time to Buy Gold
- Gold Bars vs Coins?
- Gold vs Silver
- Gold - Silver Ratio explained
- VAT on bullion
- Capital Gains Tax & Gold Bullion
- UK Legal Tender Coins
- Top 5 Gold Investments
- Top 5 Silver Investments
- Gold vs ISAs
- Gold vs Buy-to-Let
- Gold vs FTSE 100
- Gold vs Bitcoin
- Where to buy gold?
- Why buy from us?
- Where to sell gold?
- Coin Shops
- Gold Price Forecasts
- Top 10 Gold Producers
- Top 10 Gold Reserves
- Gold Britannia vs Sovereign
- Britannia coin designs
- Sovereign coin designs
- Sovereign Mintages
- Sovereign mint marks
- British coin specs
- What is a proof coin?
- Royal Mint bullion
- The Queen's Beasts
- Bullion Refiners
- British coin mints
- Gold Tola - India & Pakistan
- Bullion Index
- Home
-
- CGT-Free Gold Coins
- 0.5g Gold Coin
- 1oz Gold Coins
- 1/2oz Gold Coins
- 1/4oz Gold Coins
- 1/10oz Gold Coins
- 2026 Gold Coins
- 2025 Gold Coins
-
-
- Charles III Gold Sovereign Coins
- Elizabeth II Fifth Head 2016 - 2022
- Elizabeth II Fourth Head 1998 - 2015
- Elizabeth II Decimal Head 1974 - 1984
- Elizabeth II Young Head 1957-1968
- George V 1911 - 1932
- Edward VII Gold Sovereign Coins 1902 - 1910
- Victoria Old Head 1893 - 1901
- Victoria Jubilee Head 1887 - 1893
- Victoria Young Head Sovereign
- Gold Double Sovereign
- Gold Quintuple Sovereign
-
-
Show More Show Less
-
-
- Half Sovereign Elizabeth II Fifth Head 2016 - 2022
- Half Sovereign Elizabeth II Fourth Head 1998 - 2015
- Half Sovereign Elizabeth II Decimal Head 1980 - 1984
- Half Sovereign George V 1911 - 1926
- Half Sovereign Edward VII 1902-1910
- Half Sovereign Victoria Old Head 1893 - 1901
- Half Sovereign Victoria Jubilee Head 1887 - 1893
- Half Sovereign Victoria Young Head Shield Back 1838 - 1887
- Half Sovereign George IV Bare Head 1826 - 1828
- Half Sovereign George III 1817 - 1820
-
Show More Show Less
-
- Gold Quarter Sovereign
- American Gold Buffalo
- Gold Tudor Beasts
- Royal Mint Gold Myths & Legends
- The Lion and The Eagle Gold Coins
- St George and the Dragon Gold Coins
- Royal Arms Gold Coins
- Six Decades of 007 James Bond Gold Coins
- Gold Queen's Beasts
- Royal Mint Gold Lunar
- Best Value Gold Coins 1oz
-
- Andorran Coins
- Australian Gold Coins
- Austrian Gold Coins
- British Gold Coins
- Bahamas Coins
- Bahrain Coins
- Belgian Gold Coins
- Botswanan Gold Coins
- Burundi Coins
-
Show More Show Less
- Canadian Gold Coins
- Chilean Gold Coins
- Costa Rican Coins
- Cuban Gold Coins
- Cyprus Gold Coins
- Danish Gold Coins
- Dutch Gold Coins
- Fiji Coins
- Gambian Coins
- German Gold Coins
- Hong Kong Gold Coins
- Hungarian Gold Coins
- Indian Coins
- Irish Gold Coins
- Isle of Man Gold Coins
- Israeli Gold Coins
- Italian Gold Coins
- Jamaican Gold Coins
- Jordanian Coins
- Latvian Coins
- Lesotho Gold Coins
- Macau Coins
- Malaysia Coins
- Maltese Gold Coins
- Mauritian Coins
- Mexican Gold Coins
- Nepalese Coins
- New Zealand Gold Coins
- Pakistani Coins
- Persian Gold Coins
- Peruvian Gold Coins
- Rwanda Gold Coins
- Sardinia Gold Coins
- Saudi Arabian Coins
- Scottish Gold Coins
- Singapore Gold Coins
- Somalian Gold Coins
- South African Gold Coins
- Spanish Gold Coins
- St Helena Gold Coins
- Sudanese Coins
- Swedish Kronor
- Swiss Gold Coins
- Tanzanian Coins
- Thai Coins
- Tonga Coins
- Tunisian Coins
- Turkish Gold Coins
- United Arab Emirates Gold Coins
- Uruguay Gold Coins
- Venezuelan Coins
- Colombian Gold Coins
- Isle of Man Angel
- Isle of Man Gold Noble
- Isle of Man Sovereign
- Somalian African Wildlife Gold Coins
- South African Big Five Series
- 22k Gold Coins
- 24k Gold Coins
- Perth Mint Gold Wildlife Coins
-
-
- CGT-Free Silver Coins
- 1oz Silver Coins
- 2026 Silver Coins
- 2025 Silver Coins
- Silver Coin Sets
- 2oz Silver Coins
- 5oz Silver Coins
- 10oz Silver Coins
- Silver Canadian Maple
-
Show More Show Less
- Austrian Silver Philharmonic
- Perth Mint Silver Lunar Series
- American Eagle
- The Lion and The Eagle Silver Coins
- Royal Mint Silver Myths & Legends
- St George and the Dragon Silver Coins
- Silver Krugerrand
- Chinese Panda
- Australian Silver Kangaroo
- Australian Koala
- Australian Quokka
- Australian Silver Kookaburra
- Australian Silver Brumby
- Australian Silver Wedge Tailed Eagle
- Australian Wombat
- Australian Silver Swan
- Australian Emu
- Silver Armenian Noah's Ark
- Silver Trees of Life Rounds
- Silver Tudor Beasts
- Silver Royal Arms
- Six Decades of 007 James Bond Silver Coins
- Egyptian Relic Series
- Star Wars Silver Coins
- Silver Queen's Beasts
- Marvel Series Superhero Coins
- DC Comics Series Superhero Coins
- Isle of Man Silver Angel
- Rwanda African Ounce
- Czech Lion Silver Coins
- Somalian African Wildlife Silver Coins
- Slovakian Eagle Silver Coins
- Australian Mint Silver Coins
- Isle of Man Silver Noble
- Komodo Dragon
- Mexican Libertad
- Dragon Rectangle Coin
- 1 Kilo Silver Coins
- Pre-Owned Silver Coins
- Pre 1947 British Silver Coins (.500)
- Sterling Silver Coins (.925)
- Silver Proof Coins & Sets
-
-
-
- King Charles III Proof Coronation Coins
- King Charles III 75th Birthday Proof Coins
- Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Proof Coins
- Royal Mint Annual Commemorative Sets
- Royal Mint Lunar Proof Coins
- Music Legends Proof Coins
- Winnie the Pooh and Friends Proof Coins
- Royal Mint Harry Potter Proof Coins
- Royal Mint Star Wars Proof Coins
- The Snowman Proof Coins
- Krugerrand Proof Coins
-
- Platinum Proof Coins and Sets
- Royal Mint 1/4oz Proof Coins
- Royal Mint 1oz Gold Proof Coins
- Proof £2 coins
- Proof £5 coins
-
Show More Show Less
-
-
- Charles I Coins
- Charles II Coins
- Edward I Coins
- Edward II Coins
- Edward III Coins
- Edward IV Coins
- Edward the Confessor
- Edward VI Coins
- Edward VII Coins
- Elizabeth I Coins
-
Show More Show Less
- Elizabeth II Coins
- Ethelred the Unready
- George I Coins
- George II Coins
- George III Coins
- George IV Coins
- George V Coins
- George VI Coins
- Harthacnut Coins
- Henry II Coins
- Henry III Coins
- Henry IV Coins
- Henry V Coins
- Henry VI Coins
- Henry VII Coins
- Henry VIII Coins
- James I Coins
- James II Coins
- King Cnut Coins
- King John Coins
- Oliver Cromwell Coins
- Philip and Mary Coins
- Queen Anne Coins
- Queen Victoria Coins
- Richard I Coins
- Richard II Coins
- William and Mary Coins
- William III Coins
- William IV Coins
- William the Conqueror
- Graded Coins
-
-
- Request an Information Pack
- Sign up to our Newsletter