High school and college class rings are some of the heaviest gold pieces people bring to our counter. A lot of them have been sitting in a jewelry box since graduation day. If you have one you no longer wear, or a parent’s or grandparent’s ring that nobody in the family plans to keep, here is how selling it works at Apex Gold Silver Coin, 605 Walnut St SW in Winston-Salem. We do not offer appraisals. We test the ring, weigh it, and make a straight buy offer.
Step 1: Check whether the ring is gold
Look inside the band. Most gold class rings carry a karat stamp such as 10K, 14K, or 18K, or the matching numbers 417, 585, or 750. You will usually see the maker’s mark nearby as well. 10K is the most common karat for class rings, and 14K is the next most common.
Not every class ring is gold, even when it looks the part. Ring companies have long sold rings in their own brand-name white or yellow alloys, with names like Lustrium, Siladium, or Valadium. Those alloys contain no gold, and we cannot pay gold prices for them. Some rings are sterling silver, marked 925 or STERLING, and we buy those as silver. Marks like GF, GP, or HGE mean gold-filled or gold-plated, which have only a thin layer of gold.
Stamps can be worn down, so if you cannot read yours, bring it in anyway. We test every ring on the counter. See how we test scrap gold for what that looks like.
Step 2: Know what the stone and engraving are worth
The colored stone in the center of most class rings is usually a synthetic stone, not a natural gem. We buy class rings for their gold, so the stone does not add to the offer. We pay on the gold weight only, and we will explain how we account for the stone when we look at the ring.
Names, initials, school crests, and graduation years do not lower the gold value. You do not need to have anything removed, polished, or repaired before you sell.
Step 3: Understand how we price it
A class ring is priced like other scrap gold. We generally pay about 75% of melt value for the gold content we confirm, based on that day’s gold price. Two things drive the number: the karat and the weight. A heavy 14K college ring pays more than a light 10K high school ring. We put the ring on the scale in front of you, show you the test result, and explain the offer before you decide.
If you have other gold jewelry, bring it too. Our guide to selling 10K, 14K, and 18K gold jewelry explains how karat changes the offer.
Step 4: Bring the ring and your ID
No appointment is needed. Walk in during shop hours with the ring and a government-issued photo ID. If you are selling a ring that belonged to someone who has passed away, bring it in the same way. You do not need paperwork to sell gold jewelry, but it helps if you know roughly where the ring came from.
Class rings we see often
- High school class rings from Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, and around the Triad
- College and university rings, including heavier men’s rings
- Military academy and service rings
- Older rings from the 1930s through the 1970s, which are often solid 10K or 14K gold
- Sterling silver class rings, which we buy as silver
If gold coins turn up in the same jewelry box, keep them separate. Coins often pay more than scrap gold. Here is why: gold coins vs scrap gold.
Quick answers
Do you buy class rings? Yes. We buy gold class rings by their gold content, and sterling silver class rings as silver. We test and weigh every ring.
How much is my class ring worth? It depends on the karat, the gold weight, and that day’s gold price. We generally pay about 75% of melt value for the gold content we confirm. Call or bring it in for a real offer, since we do not quote without seeing the ring.
Does the stone in my class ring add value? Usually not. Most class ring stones are synthetic, and we pay for the gold weight only.
Is my class ring gold if it says Lustrium, Siladium, or Valadium? No. Those are brand-name alloys that contain no gold, so they do not pay gold prices.
Do I need an appointment? No. Walk in Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm or Saturday 12pm to 3pm with the ring and a photo ID. Call (336) 505-9503 with questions.
Visit Apex Gold Silver Coin
Apex Gold Silver Coin
605 Walnut St SW, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone: (336) 505-9503
Hours: Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm, Saturday 12pm to 3pm, closed Sunday
Jeff owns the shop and Tania runs it day to day. People bring class rings to us from Greensboro, Lexington, Mount Airy, Reidsville, and around the Triad. That is our service area; the shop itself is the one on Walnut Street in Winston-Salem. Have more questions? See our FAQ on selling dental gold and broken chains or our FAQ on selling gold and silver.
Featured photo: 1939 class ring, Allentown High School, Wikimedia Commons, public domain. Cropped and converted to WebP.
