Unhallmarked but real 22ct Gold

So my grandmother who passed away two years ago at the age of 97 initially moved to Nairobi from India probably in the 30s I'm not entirely sure. My grandad used to sell clothes and sometimes when people couldn't pay him with money, they paid him in gold. We have a few of these pieces and we got them assessed and they are real 22ct gold.

My question is, if we were to sell, should we sell at an antiques auction or go to a jeweller to sell where I guess we would just get the price of gold. Also is it illegal that these pieces are not hallmarked? I hope it isn't. On of them the ruby has fallen off or possibly glass.

 

There are also jewellery auctions.

It isn't illegal that they aren't hallmarked, but in some countries you can't sell them as gold. By the spelling of ct I guess you're in the UK?

An alternative is to have them tested and offer them on one of the Catawiki jewellery auctions, mentioning that they are not marked but tested as 22k gold. Be sure to set a minimum price.

 

I read an article it is illegal to sell unmarked gold as gold. I'm not sure if this is law in the UK though I need to check. thank you @Any Jewelry

 

I believe it is, but I'm not in the UK. @Ownedbybear or @daveydempsey will know.

But there are still the Catawiki jewellery auctions. They have specialised auctions.
Is the jewellery traditionally Indian? If so, it will do well in the Catawiki "Indian & Islamic Art Auction (Jewellery & Adornments)":

https://www.catawiki.com/en/a/892373-indian-islamic-art-auction-jewellery-adornments

Oh, and I would love to see the jewellery, if you don't mind showing us.

 

Yes I will post them when I can get pictures next week or tomorrow thank you....

 

You can absolutely sell them in the U.K., but you have to describe them as yellow metal and can add that it tests as 22ct.

I’d be looking at selling to a good Indian jeweller or through a decent auction house. I can recommend Tooveys.

 

So rish is right, not as gold. Adding 22ct is good of course, so people will know it is gold (and of a high fineness) anyway.

 

Yup, spot on, both. It's quite common to have unmarked gold, as you know, especially older.

 

Was funny watching the Brit show where they pull things out for auction to pay for their vacation in Spain

Woman had a five ounce 22K bracelet and they catalogued it as yellow metal because it didn't have British hallmark.
Sold for $300. Gold was about $700 at the time. And the whole crowd was dealers.

They had a 1908 US $20 gold coin worth about $20,000 at the time but wouldn't even call that gold and it went for $300.

It is unlikely that gold jewelry will sell for more at auction than you can get scrapping it. Scrapping does not have the auctioneers fees.

 

I’ve sold at Tooveys. They specialise in good old jewellery. Got substantially more than scrap even after fees.

 

I'm in the USA, so anthing I'd say wouldn't apply. I will say I wish I was at those UK auctions where they insist on selling gold for under melt!

 

Local auction has a guy who only buys gold for scrap. He gets there early to weigh and inspect, writes up his notepad, and only passes if the bidding goes above gold price. So no chance of getting under.

 

One reason I tend to avoid auctions. The "junk" lots tend to go high because people are gold-mining and sell the rest in their own stores, at the flea markets, etc.

 

I’ve never ever seen yellow metal sell under melt. I sold a whole charm bracelet for a friend, most charms unmarked. The dealer I sold it to gave me just over the days scrap price.

 

It happens - usually the only way I buy it.(LOL)

 

Oh, buying it from Clever Blokes is entirely different! We like that, don’t we.

 

Yeah, I've only bought silver at the local auction, for antique or vintage pieces worth well more than the 10-15 I paid.

eBay and thrift I've gotten gold at costume prices. Thrift sold me, on 2 separate occasions, 14K white gold Art Deco rings for $10 because they were unmarked and slightly tarnished and they thought that meant junk.

 

If all they do is look for marks, you can score big. I've gotten gold that way in antique stores.