The Appraiser's Archive: How Will Rising Gold Prices Impact the Personal Property Industry?
- Danny Triplett
- Feb 21
- 4 min read
In today's edition of The Appraiser's Archive, we explore the state of gold prices and precious metal liquidation with a spotlight on three gold coins we recently provided brokerage services for; a look into the rise of gold prices and its impacts; and advice on ensuring your clients obtain maximum value for their precious metals when navigating various estate planning processes. We also announce the winners of the antiques giveaway we held to celebrate the launch of our newsletter!
PERSONAL PROPERTY SPOTLIGHT
Last week, we brokered the sale of three gold coins for a client: one 1984 Canadian $50 gold coin weighing one ounce of fine gold and two 1980 Grant Wood American Arts Gold Medallions weighing one ounce of gold each. A handwritten note on the back of the styrofoam package holding the two medallions revealed that when they were originally purchased in 1980, gold was only at $556 per ounce. Gold has risen approximately $2,400 per ounce in value since 1980 to peak at over $2,900 per ounce today. One fascinating fact about these prices is that while it took 45 years to reach them, half of that increase ($1,200) has happened in the last two-to-five years alone! We discuss gold's record-high prices — and what they might mean for you — below.
Do you have gold at home but need help turning it into cash while gold prices are at record highs?
UNLOCKING VALUE: INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
If you're an investor, you're surely familiar with the multiple record highs that gold prices have seen in 2025. On Thursday, spot gold prices achieved yet another record high at $2,954.69 per ounce. The spot gold price is the amount that gold sells for immediately at any given time (unlike a future price, which is an agreed-upon amount it will sell for at an agreed-upon, future date). The spot price, or a percentage of it, is what you've been paid if you've ever sold precious metals at a jewelry store or pawn shop. Gold's current record highs are primarily attributed to fears over a potential trade war caused by President Donald Trump's tariff threats. These fears, combined with a weaker U.S. dollar and geopolitical concerns regarding the Russian-Ukrainian war, have heightened investor interest in gold as a safe-haven asset, which is an asset expected to retain value during times of market turbulence and economic downturn (unlike traditional investments such as stocks).
What does this mean for the average person? For non-investors, it may be a great time to sell your gold pieces while spot prices are at an all-time high. If you have gold jewelry or coins and need some cash in your pocket, a reputable buyer can help you take advantage of these market trends by paying you fair, current spot prices. (Want to sell but not sure where to start or how to make sure you're getting a fair price? Contact us about our precious metal liquidation service to find out how we can help you avoid hassle and earn what your valuables are truly worth via our industry connections that pay top dollar.)
Meanwhile, BullionVault reports that existing gold investors are holding strong even as the metal hits all-time highs, "[leaving] the bulk of their gold allocation rising in value as a hedge against the new risks and volatility which 2025 has already brought." For collectors on the other hand, rare coins could begin seeing higher value for their spot prices rather than their rarity. Numismatic News reported certain rare coin sets encountering this exact situation all the way back in November, immediately following the election. The long-term future of the gold market remains uncertain as market trends are difficult to predict, but it's a space VAS will be paying close attention to as gold prices near $3,000 per ounce.
THE PROFESSIONAL'S CORNER
Downsizing, relocating, and estate planning — these are some of the most common reasons that attorneys, realtors, wealth planners, and guardians recommend their clients to us for assistance with precious metal liquidation. If you navigate any of these processes with your clients, we encourage taking extra care to help your clients properly identify their most valuable tangible assets and ensure they're sold through trustworthy channels for a fair price.
VAS founder Danny Triplett ran the award-winning estate sale company Full House Liquidation for over a decade, so we're familiar with the ins-and-outs of downsizing, relocating, and dealing with the belongings of a late loved one. Buyouts or estate sales are the easiest and fastest route to sell one's belongings, but clients may miss out on achieving maximum potential for valuable items such as jewelry and coins through these avenues. Here are our two biggest pieces of advice to avoid losing out on potential value of precious metals:
Before a buyout or estate sale occurs, have your clients set aside anything that could be a valuable precious metal so it's not sold for less than it's worth as part of a bulk sale.
Make sure your clients capitalize on the all-time high gold prices by only selling to buyers who will pay fair, accurate, and current spot prices.
If your client isn't sure how to identify their valuables or how to secure a fair price for their items, contact VAS about our precious metal liquidation services to learn how we can help your client earn the most for their items.
VAS NEWS
Today, we're excited to announce the winners of our antiques giveaway! In the previous and first edition of The Appraiser's Archive, we announced a giveaway of three unique, antique items totaling $300 in fair market value to celebrate the launch of the newsletter. All subscribers were entered into the giveaway, and participants could earn extra entries by liking our social media accounts and sharing the giveaway post.
Congratulations to our winners: Rose Winters, Barbara Tomberlin, and Heidi Sweet! Each subscriber won one of the free antiques featured below. Thank you to everyone who participated by subscribing to our newsletter. We look forward to continuing to bring you expert insights and exclusive spotlights on the personal property industry every other Friday.
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