Buy-Back Price Calculator — Calculate Precious Metal Buy-Back Value
1.00g × 1 × 125.1934 €/g
Actual buy-back prices vary by dealer, quantity and market conditions. This calculator is for guidance only.
Standardized, easily resaleable
Well-known coins with high demand
Must be melted down, higher effort
Non-uniform, refinery required
- 1. Get multiple offers — prices vary significantly between dealers.
- 2. Know the fineness — check the hallmark (e.g. 750, 585, 333).
- 3. Consider timing — sell when spot prices are high.
- 4. Refinery as alternative — often better terms than local dealers for large quantities.
Calculate pure material value — without dealer margin, for comparison.
Check the speculation period — is the sale tax-free under Section 23 of the German Income Tax Act?
Buy-Back Price vs. Material Value
When selling precious metals, you will quickly notice: the buy-back price at the dealer is always below the current spot price. This difference is not fraud, but reflects the costs that a reputable precious metals dealer incurs with every purchase. Nevertheless, it is worth understanding the composition of this margin — because the spread varies considerably depending on the product and provider.
What the Dealer Margin Covers
When a dealer buys your gold, they must factor in a range of costs before initiating resale or melting:
- ◆ Authenticity testing: X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), density testing or acid testing — for unknown pieces, thorough testing is essential
- ◆ Insurance and transport: value insurance for inventory, secure transport to refineries or wholesale partners
- ◆ Storage: high-security vault, alarm systems and physical security measures cause ongoing costs
- ◆ Price risk: the dealer bears the risk of falling prices between purchase and resale — in volatile markets a real loss factor
- ◆ Profit margin: the dealer must cover staff, rent and business costs and achieve a reasonable profit
Typical Margin Ranges by Product Category
The size of the deduction largely depends on how standardized and easily resaleable the precious metal is. The less effort the dealer has, the closer the buy-back price is to the spot price:
Rule of thumb: The more standardized and well-known the product, the smaller the deduction. An LBMA-certified 100 g gold bar almost always achieves better buy-back terms than a gold chain of unknown origin.
Where Is the Best Place to Sell Gold?
The sales channel often has a greater impact on the price achieved than the current spot price itself. Depending on the type and quantity of precious metal, different channels are suitable. Below, the four most common options are compared with their respective advantages and disadvantages.
Local Jeweler or Precious Metals Dealer
The classic approach: you bring your gold to a shop in person and receive immediate cash or a bank transfer. Especially suitable for jewelry and smaller quantities.
- ◆ Advantage: Immediate payment, personal advice, no shipping risks
- ◆ Disadvantage: Often higher margins than online buyers, limited comparison options on site
Online Gold Buyer
Specialized online buying platforms often offer better terms than local dealers, as they work more efficiently through higher volume and lower fixed costs. You send your precious metal via insured parcel and receive a binding offer after inspection.
- ◆ Advantage: Often better prices, convenient from home, transparent price lists
- ◆ Disadvantage: Shipping risk (use insured shipping!), waiting time until payout (2–5 business days)
Refinery (Assay Office)
Refineries buy directly from private sellers and process the material themselves. Since the middleman is eliminated, you often get the best prices here — especially for larger quantities or hard-to-value material like dental gold or antique jewelry.
- ◆ Advantage: Best prices for large quantities, professional analysis, no premium deduction for collector value
- ◆ Disadvantage: Often minimum quantities (e.g. from 50 g), longer processing time, few locations
Private Sale (eBay, Forums, Classifieds)
Direct sale to private individuals can yield the highest proceeds — especially for sought-after coins with collector value. However, the effort is high and the risk of fraud should not be underestimated.
- ◆ Advantage: Potentially highest price, collector value is recognized, no dealer margin
- ◆ Disadvantage: Fraud risk, time investment, platform fees, no professional inspection
For LBMA bars and well-known bullion coins, online gold buyers or a refinery are worthwhile. Jewelry and dental gold achieve the best results at a refinery. For coins with numismatic value, a private sale can be worthwhile.
Checklist: Successfully Selling Precious Metals
Whether gold bars, silver coins or inherited jewelry — with the right preparation you will get significantly more from your precious metals. Consider these points before visiting a dealer or selling online:
Check the hallmark (e.g. 750, 585, 999) and weigh your precious metal on a calibrated precision scale. The hallmark can be found on the inside of jewelry and on the surface of bars. Without this information, no reputable dealer can make a fair offer.
Inform yourself about the current spot price beforehand. This way you can realistically assess the dealer's offer. Use our buy-back calculator above to determine the approximate material value of your item.
Compare offers from multiple dealers — local and online. Price differences for the same item can be 5–15%. A reputable dealer will never make a "now or never" offer.
Ask to see the weight on the dealer's scale and compare it with your own measurement. Reputable dealers use calibrated precision scales and weigh openly in front of the customer.
Original invoices, authenticity certificates and LBMA certificates increase the buy-back value and speed up the inspection. Bars with intact blister packaging achieve higher prices.
Check whether the one-year speculation period under Section 23 of the German Income Tax Act has already expired. Sales within the period are taxable. Use our Tax Estimator to assess your tax situation.
Reputable buyers do not pressure customers. If a dealer insists on selling immediately or claims the price is only valid today — leave. A good price is still a good price tomorrow.
Always have a detailed receipt issued stating weight, fineness, buy-back price and date. This serves as proof for the tax office and as protection in case of disputes.
Tax Aspects of Selling Precious Metals
The sale of physical precious metals in Germany is subject to special tax regulations. Unlike stocks or funds, the capital gains tax does not apply — instead, it is taxed as a private disposal transaction under Section 23 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG). This means: under certain conditions, the profit is completely tax-free.
Speculation Period: 1-Year Holding Period
Profits from the sale of physical gold, silver, platinum or palladium are tax-free if more than one year has passed between purchase and sale. This rule applies equally to bars, coins and jewelry. The period begins on the day of purchase (invoice date) and ends exactly one year and one day later.
Exemption Limit and FIFO Principle
If the total disposal profit from all private disposal transactions in a year is below 1,000 euros, it remains tax-free. Note: this is an exemption limit, not an allowance — if the limit is exceeded by even one euro, the entire profit is taxable.
If you purchased precious metals in multiple tranches, the FIFO principle (First In, First Out) applies: the items purchased first are considered sold first. This affects both the speculation period and the profit calculation.
Detailed tax calculation: Use our Tax Estimator to calculate your individual tax situation — including speculation period check and profit determination according to FIFO.