FAQs

Here you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Do you want to sell precious metals?

FAQs on the gold buying process

Questions & answers if you want to sell precious metals.

We buy all items made of gold, silver, platinum and palladium.

For example:
- Old or broken jewelry (inherited jewelry, old gold, broken gold, gold jewelry, silver jewelry): Rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and much more.
- Brilliant jewelry, antique jewelry, jewelry with stones or other resalable jewelry
- Silverware and table silver (including silver cutlery)
- Dental gold
- Gold and silver coins (e.g. ducats, Vienna Philharmonic, schillings)
- Gold bars and silver bars from all manufacturers
- Luxury watches, also made of steel
- Gold and silver watches
- diamonds

Find out more under Gold buying in Vienna.

The first step is to examine each piece individually. The number of carats and therefore the gold content is determined and each piece is checked for authenticity. This is done using test acids of different strengths. Using calibrated scales, the pieces are then weighed separately by carat number and the price is determined using the current gold rate. You can find out more under Valuation of jewelry and co.

This depends on the amount of jewelry you want to have valued or sell. In most cases, the entire process from valuation to payment takes no longer than 10 minutes. For the valuation of diamond or antique jewelry, the expert needs a little more time.

Yes, we offer our customers a free and non-binding valuation of all pieces. If you wish to sell the jewelry, you will receive the money in cash or, for larger amounts, usually by bank transfer.

In principle, our offers are subject to change and are indicative in nature, as the price fluctuations on the commodities markets do not allow prices to be fixed for long periods.

The purchase price for gold and silver is calculated on the basis of several factors:
1. the fineness of the pieces (e.g. 585 for 14 carat or 58.5% gold content)
2. the weight of the pieces
3. the current market price of gold

You can find the current prices under precious metal prices.

This depends on the dental gold itself. For example, it makes a difference whether it is white or yellow dental gold. We can also tell you from experience how much dental or ceramic content needs to be deducted from the total weight. We remove the dental residue after the sale. You are welcome to visit one of our branches for an exact valuation.

On genuine silver cutlery you will usually find the stamp 800 or a 3-digit number. If you find the stamp 90 or 100 on silver cutlery, these are silver-plated items that we do not buy. If no stamp is visible, we will determine on site whether it is genuine silver cutlery.

Please note that the value of knives is lower, as only the handle (= hilt) is made of silver, not the blade. In addition, handle fillings are made of putty, sand and the blade was often mounted to the handle with tin.

We usually pay out the money in cash, but we are also happy to pay by bank transfer on request. For larger amounts, a bank transfer is usual.

Yes, the minimum age for the sale of precious metals has been set by law at 18 years. A valid photo ID is always required when selling precious metals, regardless of the age of the seller.

If you want to sell gold, you will need a valid photo ID (e.g. driver's license, passport, identity card). We are legally obliged to record the identification data. Your data will of course not be passed on to third parties.

Gold&Co. does not currently carry out house calls, but these are not completely ruled out and are examined on a case-by-case basis. In general, you should be careful with companies that offer home visits, as many criminals and fraudsters use this as a method to get into your home. Please contact us by telephone - together we will find an individual solution. Alternatively, many customers use our tried and tested Austria-wide postal delivery service. You can find all information at https://www.goldundco.at/goldankauf-per-post-oesterreich/

Postal dispatch service

If you are unable to visit one of our branches, you can simply use our postal delivery service.

Find out more under Postal Dispatch Service.

You can find detailed instructions on buying gold by Mail-In Service under Mail-in service.

To ensure that your gold is securely packaged during shipping, you are welcome to request free packaging material via our website. Request your packaging material right here.

This includes:
1) Plastic bag (2 pieces)
2) Safety instructions
3) Step-by-step instructions

You can find the exact packaging instructions under Postal Dispatch Service.

To ensure that your valuables reach us insured, please send them by registered mail only:

Walter Hell-Höflinger
Währinger Street 48
1090 Vienna

Important: For security reasons, you should avoid designations in the addressing that suggest the content.

Do not address with Gold&Co. This also includes inscriptions such as gold, jewelry, valuables, valuable or similar.

We will return any unused items to you free of charge or dispose of them on request.

Swap jewelry

Jewelry is not suitable for asset protection. We therefore recommend that you exchange the jewelry you do not wear for safe bars or coins. More on this in the next question.

Jewelry is beautiful and valuable, but it is not an investment. The value of jewelry can only be assessed by an expert and is therefore not very suitable for retirement planning. We advise you to sell jewelry that you no longer wear and exchange it for investment gold such as gold coins or bars.

You can determine the value of investment gold yourself at any time by checking the published gold price on the Internet or in the newspaper. Coins (ducats, Vienna Philharmonic...) or bars are best suited. Smaller units are recommended (coins from 3 grams, bars from 20 grams), as this gives you flexibility. If you need some money, you do not have to sell all your reserves at once.

Find out more under "How much is my old jewelry worth?"
You can find more valuable tips under Investing money in gold the right way.

Gold knowledge

Pieces of jewelry with stones are tested by our gemologists directly on site. This determines which stone is involved. The "4 Cs" are particularly important for diamonds: Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat. If you own jewelry with a gemstone of 1 carat (1ct) or more, a professional and free appraisal by our gemstone experts makes sense. As the market is currently flooded with synthetic diamonds, we currently have a diamond purchase stop.

The jewelry is melted down by us. The gold is then chemically recycled, reintroduced into the gold cycle and processed into gold bars or jewelry. Gold is a rare raw material with extremely limited resources, which is why the recycling of precious metals is extremely important. A look at the origin of the gold traded shows this particularly clearly. On average, 10,000 tons of gold are traded every year. Of this, only around 3000 - 4000 tons come from the world's mines, but almost two thirds come from recycling. Gold&Co. contributes to this valuable cycle.

The more carats the jewelry has, the higher the gold content.
More on this in the next question about the meaning of carat.

Both terms have the same meaning, indicating the fineness of gold.

In Austria, jewelry is usually made of 14 carat gold (585 gold), which corresponds to a gold content of 58.5%. In more southern countries, such as Italy, jewelry made from 750 carat gold is more common. Here, the gold content is 75%, which corresponds to 18 carats. 333 gold has 8 carats, the gold content of the alloy is 33.3 %.

More on this under Karatzahl / Karat.

We have summarized 7 valuable tips for you.

In order to achieve the best possible result for you, you should not be guided solely by the purchase price when choosing a gold dealer. Pay attention to other criteria such as:
- Does the jeweler or precious metal dealer make a reputable impression on you?
- Is the valuation of your items free of charge?
- Are there already positive customer opinions on the Internet (e.g. via Google search), on the basis of which you can expect a smooth purchase transaction?
- Do you have a clear view of the scales?

You can find more helpful tips for recognizing a reputable retailer in our 7 tips.

Do you want to invest in precious metals?

FAQs on the process of selling gold

Questions & answers if you want to buy precious metals.

We have written a helpful article for you on this topic, in which you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions: Investing money in gold the right way.

 

Yes, the shipment of the goods is fully insured by us. The shipping of silver is currently limited to a maximum of 4 kilograms / parcel. Larger quantities will be delivered by courier in Vienna .

If you would like to invest in precious metals, we will be happy to provide you with free, no-obligation advice before you make your decision. Apart from the fact that they want to add precious metals to their investments, many customers have often not yet made any precise decisions regarding the details and are happy to take advantage of our advice.
We will work with you to determine the right investment amount, metal mix and denomination for your personal hedging needs.

As we like to take enough time for you, we ask you to make an appointment in advance. Please call our hotline: +43 (0)1 23 50 222

You can buy coins and bars at our 3 locations in the 3rd, 9th and 22nd districts.

Branch 1030 Vienna

Landstraßer Hauptstraße 8

Monday - Friday 9:30 am to 6 pm
Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 

Branch 1090 Vienna

Währinger Str. 48

Monday - Friday 9:30 am to 6 pm
Saturday 10 to 14 o'clock
Parking lot in the yard available

Branch 1220 Vienna

Shopping center K1

Kagraner Platz 1 on the 1st floor
Monday - Friday 9:30 am to 6 pm

1 hour free parking in the underground garage.

 

No. We are only legally obliged to record customer data for investments of €10,000 or more in accordance with the "Provisions for the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing §§ 365m-z GewO 1994". This data is treated in accordance with data protection regulations and is of course not passed on to third parties or automatically reported, but must be kept for 7 years for any queries from the authorities.

Yes, you can buy gold up to 9,999 euros anonymously.

We are only legally obliged to record customer data for investments of €10,000 or more in accordance with the "Provisions for the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing §§ 365m-z GewO 1994". This data is treated in accordance with data protection regulations and is of course not passed on to third parties or automatically reported, but must be kept for 7 years for any queries from the authorities.

Information from the Federal Ministry can be found here >>>

You can also find background information on this in our gold knowledge section under Buy gold anonymously and Anonymity limit lowered to 10,000 euros!

There must be at least 3 months per purchase (per person) between the next anonymous purchase.

No, you can buy as much as you like, provided the goods are in stock.

You can pay in cash or by credit or debit card.

We answer the question "To buy gold or not?" with a "yes" to gold as an investment. Together with leading experts, we recommend holding around 10-20% of your assets in gold. Because buying gold means investing money safely. Gold has held its value for thousands of years, whereas money or other forms of investment such as shares unfortunately do not.

Find out more under Why buy gold?

You can find the current prices under precious metal prices.

Gold knowledge

No! If you buy bars, then you should definitely opt for Good Delivery bars. These are bars that are produced by certified manufacturers. In Austria, only the Austrian Mint has this certificate, which is awarded by the LBMA (London Bullion Market Association) under strict conditions. You can find out more under "Good Delivery Bars".

If you want to buy bullion coins for financial security, you should generally opt for coins whose motifs have remained unchanged since they were first issued: Highly recommended are, for example Vienna PhilharmonicDucat, Krugerrand or Maple Leaf are highly recommended. You can find out more in the article Investment coins.

A troy ounce is the unit of measurement for precious metals.

Their weight is exactly 31.1034768 g. This refers purely to the precious metal content. The prices of precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum and palladium are quoted worldwide in US dollars per ounce.

Yes, that is correct. In Austria and the European Union, gold coins and gold bars are exempt from VAT, provided certain legal requirements are met.

Gold bars are tax-free if they have a weight accepted on the gold market and their purity is at least 99.5%. Gold bars from the Austrian Mint or Argor Heraeus, for example, have a purity of 99.9%.

Gold coins are exempt from VAT if they meet the following four criteria: They must have a fineness of at least 90% and have been minted after the year 1800. In their country of origin, they must be considered a means of payment or have been in the past (e.g. ducats, Vienna Philharmonic). In addition, the selling price of the coins may not exceed 80% of the market value of their gold content.

This means that investment gold coins such as the Vienna Philharmonic, Maple Leaf or Krugerrand are exempt from tax. The same applies to Austrian commercial gold coins such as ducats, crowns and florins. In addition, no tax is levied on the 1999 gold issues, i.e. 500 S gold "Johann Strauss" and 1000 S gold "Kaiser Karl".

More on this under "Gold tax-free".

General questions about Gold&Co.

OPENING HOURS & Dates

Our OPENING HOURS are:

Branch 1030 Vienna
Lanstraßer main street 8

Monday - Friday 9:30 am to 6 pm
Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Branch 1090 Vienna
Währinger Str. 48

Monday - Friday 9:30 am to 6 pm
Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Branch 1220 Vienna
Shopping center K1

Kagraner Platz 1 on the 1st floor
Monday - Friday 9:30 am to 6 pm

No, you do not need an appointment and are welcome to visit us at any time during our OPENING HOURS . You can find these under "Contact".

Yes, this is possible. To make an appointment, please contact us by telephone on 01/23 50 222.

Gold knowledge

If the world's entire gold reserves were to be packed into a cube, it would only have a side length of 20.5 meters.

Read more about gold deposits.

The financial crisis has caused the prices of the precious metals platinum and silver to fall sharply, which is due to the fact that platinum is primarily an industrial metal that is used in catalytic converters in the automotive industry. While the price of gold has risen, the price of platinum has almost halved. This means that both precious metals are at almost the same level.

Unfortunately, no one can answer this question with certainty. Many analysts are of the opinion that the price of gold will rise in the long term (10 years or more). However, you should bear in mind that the gold price is currently at a very high level from a historical perspective.

The amount of gold ever mined worldwide is very small and would fit into a cube with a side length of 20.5 meters. This fact speaks for itself and also for a rising gold price in the long term. However, this is purely speculative.

Gold processing

Recycling is the reprocessing of raw materials that have already been used. Recycling is generally more economical and also more environmentally friendly than the extraction of new raw materials. You could also call the recycling of gold the forefather of all recycling, as the earth's gold deposits have always been subject to a millennia-old cycle.

Separation means the separation of metals from alloys or ores using various processes such as electrolysis, amalgamation or ion exchange. Precious metals are usually recovered from alloys using a wet chemical process known as aqua regia separation. In this process, the metal mixture is completely dissolved in a hot, highly concentrated mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid and the elements are then extracted separately in the course of an analysis, purified and recovered in further processes and cast into ingots. This means that almost 95% of all metals can be recovered without harming the environment.

In the course of the cleaning processes and during melting, losses of small quantities due to evaporation or carryover cannot be avoided, even with the most modern methods. A small proportion is therefore lost forever.

The recovery of precious metals is the task of a refinery.

No, unfortunately, despite state-of-the-art technology, losses of valuable materials cannot be completely avoided during the many stages of the cleaning processes, such as melting, separating or electrolysis.
For example, the greatest losses occur during smelting, as all impurities evaporate and foreign substances (paper, plastics, gypsum residues, organic components), stones or some base metals are bound in the slag. However, smaller quantities of precious metal are also released into the waste gases under the right conditions. Depending on the source material, weight losses of up to 10-20% are possible with gold alloys, and even more with silver alloys. Further losses occur during the analysis process, where additional small quantities are lost due to carryover and chemical reactions.

Melting losses occur not only in recycling, but also in jewelry production and even in the manufacture of bars from fine gold. For example, even under the most precise conditions, it is not possible to melt a precisely weighed quantity of fine gold granulate and then obtain the exact same quantity again as bars. For precisely these reasons of the limitations of recycling processes and analysis, investment bars always weigh slightly more than their minting weight.

Dross is waste with a very low precious metal content that is produced during the manufacture and processing of jewelry or other precious metal objects. For example, residues from the casting crucible, residues from the filter, ash after each melting process, sludge, garbage, but also blasting sand. This waste contains a high proportion of non-metals. A complex and multi-stage process is required to recover the precious metals from the dross.

An alloy is a mixture of several metals to change the properties of the main metal. For example, copper gives jewelry a red color, nickel or palladium a white color. However, the density, hardness and melting point can also be changed by adding other metals. The fineness of the alloy is given in parts per thousand. "585″ is known to everyone as 14 carat and means 585 parts in a thousand of this alloy are gold, the remainder are metals.

This is the electrolytic electroplating of a micrometer-thick layer of one metal onto a piece of another metal for optical refinement. "Post-gilding" is used by jewelry manufacturers to give pieces of jewelry a different color that was not given by the alloy. In order to protect the tools on the machines, jewelry chains in particular are sometimes produced in the much cheaper and, above all, softer red gold alloy.

However, as this jewelry color is only available in a few markets around the world, the pieces of jewelry are "regilded" according to demand in order to meet the taste of the buyer. For example, almost all so-called 22 carat pieces of jewelry from the Middle East or Asia are given an intense yellow gold plating, as this is considered a sign of high quality and purity of the gold piece in those markets.

Rhodium plating refers to coating with the platinum metal rhodium (galvanic application of a metal layer). Rhodium is a harder metal among the precious metals and is therefore more resistant than gold, for example. It is generally used for pieces made of white gold, but also for higher quality silver jewelry.

Gemstones

Diamonds are assessed according to the four well-known "4C" criteria - carat, clarity, color and cut. Other criteria such as fluorescence, treatment and international certificate or expert opinion are also decisive for the price.
The price is based on the international prices of the Antwerp Diamond Exchange. Reliable information and valuations on diamonds can only be given after a detailed appraisal. As the market is currently flooded with synthetic diamonds, we currently have a diamond purchase stop.

Gemstones from 1 carat (1ct) are of interest to us. The decision as to whether we actually buy the stone lies with our gemologists, who are based in the 9th district. As the market is currently flooded with synthetic diamonds, we currently have a diamond purchase freeze.

No, you don't need to. However, we recommend that you send all information and photos of the piece of jewelry to our Whatsapp 0043 660 50 50 999 in advance. You can also make an individual appointment with our gemmologist Ms. Masior at sm@goldundco.at or 0660-9995050 in our 9th district.

We are interested in buying from 1ct per gemstone (for diamonds). Rubies & sapphires are of interest to us from 5ct and emeralds from 7ct. Regardless of the number of carats, you are welcome to contact us regarding gemstones. If we do not buy them, we will be happy to help you with a contact.

Do you want to order online?

FAQs about buying in our online store

 

Please note that the prices in the online store are updated every 5 minutes. This is also the case for products that you have already placed in your shopping cart. The final price will be fixed as soon as you click on "Order with obligation to pay" in the checkout.

We send our goods as insured value EMS or as registered parcels via Austrian Post or FEDEX. Within Vienna, delivery can also be made by courier service on request. Pick-Up at one of our 3 branches is also possible.

Yes, the shipment of the goods is fully insured by us. The shipping of silver is currently limited to a maximum of 4 kilograms / parcel. Larger quantities will be delivered by courier in Vienna .

The handover is only proclaimed by the letter carrier's own signature. Alternatively, it is also possible to send the item to a receiving box. For this reason, we are not sending by registered parcel for the time being, but only by value EMS.

Prices vary from country to country, as these can be divided into different delivery zones. We currently deliver to the following countries:

Austria:

Within Austria, the shipping costs are €13.90 if the value is less than €10,000.

Germany: 40,00 €

Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Hungary (zone 2): 49,00 €

Poland, Romania (zone 3): 53,00 €

Belgium, Netherlands (zone 4): 57,00 €

Croatia (Zone 5): 79,00 €

The shipping costs for registered parcels sometimes also depend on the weight.

 

 

The anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism guidelines remain valid on the web. In accordance with the Money Laundering Act, we are obliged as a dealer to comply with due diligence obligations for our high-value goods (precious metals) and to request a copy of an identity document for purchases over € 10,000. This will be requested in a separate e-mail. This ID data will be deleted after 7 years.

Unfortunately not. According to § 18 para. 1 no. 2 FAGG, there is no right of withdrawal for consumers, as in the case of the purchase of precious metals, the distance contract relates to the delivery of goods whose price is subject to the development of rates on the financial markets, over which we have no influence. Read more at https://www.goldundco.at/agb/

Yes, you can. Simply specify which Branch you prefer.

As soon as the money has been credited to our account, the goods will be sent to you or you can collect them. You will automatically receive a separate email from us as soon as your goods are ready for collection. Please also check your spam folder.

Please enter your e-mail address in the field below the desired product and you will be automatically notified as soon as the item is available again. Or you can contact us on +43 1 23 50 222

 

You are welcome to visit one of our branches at any time without an appointment or simply contact us if you have any further questions.