Selling Gold and Silver in Italy: How It Works and Who to Contact
2026
For several years now, more and more people have been deciding to part with the gold or silver they keep at home in the form of jewelry or other objects.
Our society is changing. People no longer use silver cutlery sets to host dinners for friends, nor do they wear expensive jewelry to go to the theater. On top of that, there is a widespread fear that leads people to remove valuables from their homes, preferring to keep them in safe deposit boxes that are then forgotten for months. Today, investing in gold — the ultimate safe-haven asset — takes a different form than in the past: buying it as bars and coins, small and practical, with a purely financial purpose.
Selling jewelry and silverware can be an opportunity to turn a physical asset into liquidity, especially at a time when interest in precious metals has grown considerably.
In 2026, gold prices reached particularly high levels compared to previous years, prompting many owners of precious items to wonder whether it's the right time to sell.
So we're talking about a segment of customers who aren't necessarily looking to buy, but to sell. Liquidating used gold or used silver becomes a priority — but it's important to get the facts straight to avoid common mistakes.
Deciding who to turn to is essential: understanding whether the valuation offered is fair, and which documents to bring.
Transparency is the foundation of every transaction. At Filnum spa, we publish on our website, in the SELL TO US section, updated daily prices — clear and real — for buying back used 18k gold (750/‰) and used 800/‰ silver.
A note on prices: the price of gold changes continuously based on international markets. To find out the current value, it's important to refer to reliable price sources and always check the conditions applied to the transaction.
Gold Buyer or Professional Operator: The Difference That Matters
When deciding to sell gold, one of the first things to consider is who you're dealing with.
In Italy, there are various businesses that buy precious metals, but not all of them carry out the same activity or necessarily deal in the same products.
First of all, make sure the operator holds OAM authorization (Organismo Agenti e Mediatori — the Italian body for agents and brokers).
Without this authorization, the buying, selling, or exchanging of used gold and precious items is considered illegal.
The advantage of turning to a professional gold trading operator with OAM authorization is that you can have jewelry, as well as bars, small ingots, or coins, appraised and sold to the same operator, ensuring a complete and thorough service. In fact, a simple gold buyer cannot purchase gold material with a fineness above 900/‰, which excludes the entire category of investment gold (coins and bars).
Professional operators also often have direct contacts with foundries, allowing them to keep melting costs down — costs that would otherwise weigh heavily on the final price offered to the customer.
Used precious items generally include jewelry such as: rings and wedding bands, necklaces and bracelets, earrings, ornaments, silver objects, and other used precious items.
The valuation of these items is generally based on the amount of precious metal contained in the object and its fineness.
The value recognized by the gold buyer depends on the actual amount of gold present, the reference price, and the economic conditions applied by the operator.
It's important to remember that the gold price shown on the markets does not automatically correspond to the amount the customer will receive for their jewelry.
The valuation must take into account the operations needed to recover the metal and the costs incurred by the buyer.
Checking the Fineness of Gold
Not all gold sold has the same purity. Fineness indicates the amount of pure gold present within an alloy. Even with jewelry, the percentage of pure gold contained can vary depending on how it was manufactured.
For example, an 18-karat gold item has a fineness of 750 thousandths, meaning it contains 75% pure gold.
Here are a few examples:
| Fineness | Gold Purity | Karat |
|---|---|---|
| 999.9‰ | 99.99% | 24k |
| 917‰ | 91.7% | 22k |
| 900‰ | 90.0% | 21k |
| 750‰ | 75% | 18k |
| 585‰ | 58.5% | 14k |
| 375‰ | 37.5% | 9k |
Investment bars generally have very high purity, often equal to 999.9 thousandths. Coins and medals typically have a fineness of 999/‰, 900/‰, or 917/‰. Some medals may be minted at lower gold fineness, but they are generally stamped with their karat rating.
Jewelry, on the other hand, can be made with alloys of different fineness: in Italy, jewelry is typically made in 18-karat gold, or lower.
Silver, meanwhile, is only found at 999/000 fineness in the form of bars or coins, while all silverware — whether ornaments or jewelry — is either 800/‰ or 925/‰ fineness.
Fineness can be verified using different tools and techniques, chosen based on the type of product and the operator's procedures.
In the case of certified bars, the manufacturer's markings and original documentation can also help with identification. In addition to used gold and silver prices, at Filnum we publish on our website and in-store the updated buy-back prices for bars.
How Is Gold Valued?
The material is verified by rubbing the item on a touchstone. The mark left by the metal is then treated with a reagent that determines the item's karat rating. In cases of doubt, or where it's difficult to establish the exact amount of precious metal present, an X-ray machine is used to determine the actual content. At Filnum, we own this type of equipment (a Vanta analyzer), which allows us to guarantee the end customer an extremely precise valuation.
Always be wary of anyone who smells or bites gold: it may be entertaining on a TV show, but it is definitely not a correct method for a serious valuation!
Weight is also one of the key factors in determining the value of gold.
During the valuation, the item is weighed using appropriate instruments and, when necessary, subjected to further verification procedures. Remember that weighing must be done in front of the customer and clearly explained by the operator.
In the case of jewelry, however, it's important to distinguish between the total weight of the item and the actual weight of the gold it contains.
A necklace, for example, may contain gemstones or other materials that should not be counted as gold.
For investment bars and coins, on the other hand, the declared weight and the characteristics stated on the packaging or the product itself serve as important points of verification.
A clear and understandable weighing process is an essential step for an accurate valuation.
Selling Used Gold: How Is the Value Calculated?
One of the most common online searches is precisely "used gold price per gram."
Anyone who owns a piece of jewelry wants to know how much they can get for it when they sell it, but the calculation requires some clarification.
The price of used gold per gram depends on the item's fineness and the current gold price.
For example, if you own an item made of 750‰ gold, its theoretical value depends on the amount of pure gold contained in the alloy.
However, the final price recognized by the buyer does not necessarily match the metal's theoretical value. This is because it must account for the actual melting costs, market fluctuations, administrative costs including stamp duties, and finally the operator's profit margin.
In a transparent valuation, the customer is given a price per gram that already includes all these costs. Instead, some gold buyers sometimes advertise, on their website or storefront, prices that are higher than the final buy-back price. The actual costs are only deducted once the negotiation is underway, using misleading percentages for the end customer. This way, they attract customers with deceptive prices, but in the end, the total amount turns out to be very different from what it should be.
For this reason, when you ask for a quote, don't just check the gold price advertised online: always ask what the actual price recognized for your item will be.
At Filnum, we publish the buy-back prices for precious metals on our website every day, directly and transparently, already inclusive of all costs, so as to give the customer a clear and accurate estimate.
Required Documents and Anti-Money Laundering Obligations
The sale of gold and precious metals must comply with current regulations.
When you approach a professional operator or a gold buyer, you are required to provide a valid ID document and your tax code.
The operator must identify the customer and collect the information required by applicable law. At our locations, payment is made only by bank transfer or check. The law allows cash payments up to €500.00, but in order to comply with due diligence obligations, it is preferable to choose only traceable