Questions
Frequently asked questions
Most people who call us are asking one of these. If yours isn’t here, call and ask — we answer the phone.
Selling to PGM
- Why sell to us?
Stan Walter opened Precious Gems & Metals in 1979, and he still works the counter himself alongside his son Brandon and his daughter Virginia. Nearly fifty years, the same family, the same name.
Before you sell, we invite you to research our competition. Look into the companies hosting buying events in your area. Who owns them? How long have they been in business? Can you find the name of someone who works there?
If those basic details are hard to find, ask why. You deserve to know who you’re doing business with.
Everything about us is on this site: our names, our faces, our direct phone numbers, and the offices we’ve kept for years. You can read about every buyer before you ever meet one, and call the one nearest you directly.
We’re veteran-owned and rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. Bring your things, ask hard questions, and take them home again if you don’t like the number. We’ll still be here next year.
- What do you buy?
- Gold and silver jewelry, diamonds, coins and bullion, sterling silver, pocket and wrist watches, and dental gold. Broken, tangled, and mismatched pieces are welcome as well. See everything we buy.
- How do you decide what my items are worth?
- Our buyers test and weigh everything in front of you, then price it against that day’s market for gold, silver, and platinum. Anything with collector value is also judged on condition, rarity, and what collectors are currently paying.
- How long does an evaluation take?
- It depends on how much you bring, but generally the average is 15 minutes. A few pieces of jewelry go quickly. A full coin collection or a home buy takes longer. You are welcome to sit with the buyer while they answer your questions and inform you of what you have.
- Do you really pay on the spot?
- Yes! If you accept the offer, you are paid either cash, check, or a wire before you leave.
- What if I decide not to sell?
- We never pressure you to part with your goods. Evaluations are free and there is no obligation to sell.
Coming to see us
- Do I need an appointment?
- No appointment is needed for our buying events — just walk in during event hours. However, our offices are by appointment only. Call the closest office to you for an appointment.
- Can you come to me?
- Yes. If you have a medical condition, cannot travel, or need more privacy, a PGM buyer will sit down with you in your own home and evaluate everything there, with no obligation. How house calls work.
- Can I sell without meeting in person?
- Yes. We have a mail-in service called PGM Express. We send you a free insured mail-in kit, you ship your items with pre-paid postage, and we make a no-obligation offer. If you turn it down, we ship everything back at our expense. Request a kit.
- Where are you located?
- We have offices in Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and our buyers travel to events across the country. Find the office nearest you.
About Precious Gems & Metals
- Who are you?
- We are a family business. Stan Walter started Precious Gems & Metals in 1979 and ran it on his own for years; his son Brandon and daughter Virginia work alongside him with a team of buyers serving customers across the country. We are veteran-owned and rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. Meet the family.
- I got a postcard from you and want off the mailing list.
If one of our postcards showed up in your mailbox, it’s because we’re visiting your area to buy. The cards aren’t sent from a mailing list with your name on it. The Postal Service delivers them to every address on your carrier route at once.
That’s why we can’t take one household off a campaign ourselves: there’s no list of names, and our mailing provider works by whole routes, not single addresses. You can remove your address yourself, directly with the provider:
- Go to save.com/manage.
- Open the Privacy Rights Request page and fill out the questionnaire. Any option you pick removes your address from the Save® mailing list, which includes our postcards.
Please note: if you currently receive the Save mailer (a package delivered regularly with grocery circulars, coupons, and other ads), completing the questionnaire or opt-out will also stop that package. It can take up to six weeks for mailings to stop, since advertising programs are printed well ahead of delivery.
Either way, you’re not on any PGM list. Nobody is selling or sharing your address; we never had it. If a card reaches you and isn’t useful, please recycle it.
- What happens to my personal information?
- We never sell or share personal information. It is only collected for compliance with local authorities. Read our privacy policy.
Still have a question?
Call 866-921-7826 and talk to a buyer, or send us a message and we’ll get back to you.