The Refinery · Volume I

Honest analysis on gold, bullion & coin.

Editorial dealer-grade analysis on gold pricing, karat math, and the actual mechanics of selling — from a licensed Los Angeles precious-metals desk that runs the live calculator.

Pricing
9 min read

Karat Math, Explained: Why 14K Doesn’t Mean What You Think

Most sellers walk in believing 14K is “sort of gold.” The math is simple, the dealer math less so — here is the spreadsheet that runs the calculator, opened up.

Selling Gold

Gold Payout Methods Compared: Check, Wire, and Cash

Check, ACH, wire, or cash for your gold payout? A direct breakdown of how each method works, what it costs in time and fees, and which fits your lot size.

selling-process

Gold Buyer Payout Timing: When the Cash Actually Hits

Same-day cash, ACH, or check: how each gold buyer payout method actually works, why the price tiers differ, and which option fits your lot size and timeline.

Selling Guides

Gold Coins vs Gold Bars: Which Sells Faster When You're Ready to Cash Out

A practical comparison of how quickly gold coins and gold bars move at the buyer's counter, with notes on premiums, recognition, and payout speed.

Selling Gold

Broken Chains And Tangled Lots: How Buyers Actually Price Them

Tangled or broken gold chains don't lose scrap value because they can't be worn. Here's how buyers actually sort, test, and price a mixed lot per gram.

Selling Guides

Dental Gold: What It's Actually Worth When You Sell

Dental crowns and bridges contain real gold, but the alloy mix surprises most sellers. Here's how dental gold is tested, priced, and paid out at the counter.

selling-strategy

Scrap Gold vs Resale Jewelry: How to Decide Which Path Pays More

A practical framework for deciding which pieces in a mixed jewelry lot should be sold as scrap gold for melt value and which deserve a resale listing for more.

Trade Practice

Weighing Mixed Lots Without Losing Money

A counter-tested workflow for weighing mixed-karat gold lots: separation, scale discipline, unit math, and documentation that holds up when the seller checks your numbers.

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Bullion
11 min read

Grading Jewelry vs. Bullion: Why the Same Ounce Pays Different

An ounce of scrap pays differently than an ounce of bullion at the same dealer, on the same day. The reason is structural — and easily checked once you know where to look on the spot sheet.

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Market
8 min read

Reading the Spot Sheet: How Dealers Actually Quote You

Spot price is one number. The quote you get is another. Here is what sits in between — the bid/ask, the dealer carry, and the percentage breakpoints we work to.

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Testing
9 min read

How to Test Gold Purity at Home — and What the Dealer Test Actually Shows

The magnet test, acid test, XRF scanner, and hallmarks — what each one proves, what it misses, and how a dealer reads them at the desk.

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Selling Guide
10 min read

Selling Inherited Gold Jewelry: What to Know Before You Walk In

Mixed karats, unmarked pieces, sentimental items with no cash value. Here is how to sort what you have and what to expect when you arrive at the counter.

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More analysis publishing weekly.

Bookmark The Refinery or check back soon. New pieces every Thursday from the AuFlipper desk.