Knowledge base

Precious metals guides

Plain-English guides written for UK buyers and sellers — from understanding the spot price to selling scrap gold for a fair deal.

What the spot price actually represents, who sets it, and why the price you pay for physical gold is never quite the same number.

The main routes into silver for UK investors, what VAT does to your returns, and why silver Britannias are the default choice for many.

Which coins are Capital Gains Tax-free, when VAT applies, and how the annual CGT allowance works for bullion sellers.

Weigh it, find the hallmark, multiply by the live gram price — the three steps to knowing what your old jewellery is really worth.

Weight, purity, tax status and premiums — everything a UK buyer or seller needs to know about the Sovereign.

Gold and silver Britannias compared — purity, sizes, premiums and why they dominate the UK bullion market.

Volatility, VAT, storage and the gold-silver ratio — an honest comparison for UK investors choosing between the two metals.

What 9ct, 14ct, 18ct and 22ct actually mean in pure gold content, and how carat affects the value of your jewellery.

Hatton Garden dealers, postal services, pawnbrokers and auctions compared — plus the red flags that signal a poor offer.

How many ounces of silver buy an ounce of gold, what historical extremes signalled, and how investors use the ratio.

Home safes, hiding places, insurance and allocated storage — the practical guide to keeping physical metal secure.

The real drivers behind gold’s long climb — and why the sterling price tells a slightly different story to the dollar price.

From choosing a coin to checking a dealer’s credentials — what a first-time UK gold buyer needs to know before spending a pound.

How to tell sterling from plated silver, what pre-1947 UK coins are worth, and how to value a silver scrap lot before selling.

From the gold standard to the 2008 crisis and the 2020s surge — how the UK gold price got to where it is today.