Why Sell Gold Charms and Pendants?
Gold charms and pendants have been given as gifts for generations - to mark birthdays, christenings, anniversaries, and other milestones. Over time, they accumulate. Styles change, tastes change, and pieces that once felt meaningful can end up forgotten in a jewellery box.
If you have gold charms or pendants you no longer wear or want, they represent real money. A single 9ct gold charm typically weighs between 1 and 5 grams, while heavier pendants - lockets in particular - can weigh considerably more. Gold Traders pays based on the actual gold content, updated to daily market rates, so you'll always receive a fair return.
Selling doesn't have to mean letting go of everything. Many customers select individual charms from a bracelet to sell while keeping others - and that's perfectly fine. We assess each item individually, so you're in control of exactly what you part with.
What Types of Gold Charms and Pendants Do We Buy?
We buy almost all types of gold charms and pendants, including:
- Individual gold charms (lucky charms, animal charms, novelty charms, initial charms)
- Full or partial gold charm bracelets
- Heart, cross, and religious pendants
- Gold lockets (with or without photographs)
- St Christopher pendants
- Initial and letter pendants
- Birthstone and gemstone-set pendants (gold portion valued)
- Cameo pendants in gold settings
- Hollow or lightweight charms
- Damaged, broken, or worn pendants
- Inherited or vintage pieces in any condition
We accept 9ct, 14ct, 18ct, 22ct, and higher purity gold. If you're not sure of the carat, we'll test everything when it arrives.
One thing to note: if your locket contains photographs or mementos, please remove these before posting. We handle all items with care, but it's worth keeping anything sentimental safe before sending.
About Gold Charms and Pendants
The tradition of wearing gold charms dates back thousands of years, but the charm bracelet as most people know it today became hugely popular in the UK from the 1940s onwards. By the 1960s and 70s, building up a charm bracelet was a common way to mark life events, with new charms added for birthdays, holidays, and special occasions. Many of the gold charm bracelets in family jewellery boxes today date from this era - and the charms themselves, even small ones, can hold meaningful scrap value.
Traditional UK gold charms are most commonly 9ct gold (375 millesimal fineness), though 18ct examples exist, particularly in older or more expensive pieces. Common designs include horseshoes, four-leaf clovers, hearts, animals, letter initials, regional and tourist charms, and miniature novelty items. The design itself has no bearing on the price we pay - what matters is the weight and purity of the gold.
Pendants are decorative items designed to hang from a chain, worn either on their own or as part of a necklace. Popular styles include cross and crucifix pendants, heart pendants, lockets, St Christopher medals, and initial pendants. Gold lockets - particularly the larger oval or heart-shaped styles popular in the Victorian and Edwardian eras - can be among the heavier gold pendants and are worth more than their size suggests.
As with cufflinks, one of the most common points of confusion is the difference between solid gold and gold-plated charms or pendants. Gold-plated pieces have a base metal core with a thin gold surface layer - the gold content is too small to hold scrap value. Solid gold pieces carry a hallmark: look for 375 (9ct), 585 (14ct), or 750 (18ct) stamped on the item. On small charms this mark can be tiny and hard to spot, so if you're not sure, just send the item in - our testing equipment will confirm it at no cost to you.
If your pendant includes a gemstone - a diamond, sapphire, or other stone set into a gold mount - we value the gold portion of the piece. The stone won't add to or reduce our offer for the gold, but we'll always let you know what we've found so you can make an informed decision about whether to proceed.
How Much Are My Gold Charms Worth?
The value of your gold charms or pendants is based on:
- The carat (purity) of the gold - for example, 9ct, 18ct, or 22ct
- The total weight of the gold in grams
- The current scrap gold price, which we update every day
As a live example, based on today's rates, 10 grams of 9ct gold would bring you £384.50. A single gold charm might weigh 1-3 grams, while a full charm bracelet with multiple charms can weigh 20 grams or more - making the total return more significant than many people expect.
We use professional XRF (X-ray fluorescence) equipment to confirm the purity of every item, and precision scales to confirm the weight. You'll receive a clear, itemised breakdown of each piece before you decide whether to accept.
How Does the Process Work?
We aim to make the whole process as simple and stress-free as possible:
- Start with our claim form
Tell us what you're planning to send. You'll receive clear instructions on how to package and label your items safely for postage. - Post your items securely
We don't use freepost bags. We recommend Royal Mail Special Delivery, which is fully tracked, insured, and designed for sending items of value. Read why you should think twice before using a freepost cash for gold service. - We assess your items on the day they arrive
Monday to Friday, during working hours. Each piece is tested and weighed individually, and you'll receive a detailed valuation based on live market rates. - You confirm, we pay
Once you authorise the payment, we process it the same day - straight to your bank account. No waiting. No hidden deductions. No pressure to accept.
Why Choose Gold Traders?
- Trusted and transparent
We've been buying precious metals for over 15 years and have hundreds of verified reviews on Trustpilot, Google, and Freeindex. Honest service and fair payment, every time. - Same-day payment
We test, value, and pay on the same day your items arrive (Monday to Friday), subject to timely authorisation. - Daily updated prices
Our scrap gold price chart is updated every day, so you can check what to expect before you send anything. - No gimmicks
No freepost packs, no pressure tactics, no promises we can't keep. Just accurate testing, fair pricing, and fast payment.
What If I'm Not Sure Whether My Charms Are Solid Gold?
It's a very common question, particularly with charms from popular modern brands - some of which use silver or plated metals rather than solid gold. The best approach is to look for a hallmark stamp on each charm: 375 means 9ct gold, 585 means 14ct, and 750 means 18ct. On small charms this mark can be very small and easy to miss, so if you can't find it, don't worry - just send the items in.
Our XRF testing equipment will identify the metal content of each piece accurately and without damaging it. If any items turn out not to be solid gold, we'll let you know and return them free of charge.
Can I Send Other Gold Items Too?
Yes - feel free to include any other gold items you'd like to sell. Rings, chains, earrings, cufflinks, and any other gold jewellery can all go in the same parcel. We'll assess each item individually and provide a full itemised breakdown of the offer.
