Selling jewellery safely — identification, payment, and shipping

Anyone who purchases jewellery or precious metals in the Netherlands is obliged to check a valid identity document and register the purchase in the purchaser register. This is not mistrust towards you as the seller — it is a legal measure against handling stolen goods. A bona fide purchaser will always ask for it; anyone who doesn't ask is by definition not legitimate. See it as a sign of quality.

What is registered: your name, address details, type of identity document, date, and description of the purchased item. The registration is accessible to the police in case of stolen goods. For you as an honest seller, this is a protection: you can always prove afterwards when and to whom you sold something.

For amounts up to approximately one hundred euros, cash payment is common and fine. Above that, a bank transaction is safer for both parties: there is a trace, there is no risk of loss or robbery, and it prevents discussion about 'what was in the envelope'. A bona fide purchaser has no objection to a bank transaction; anyone who insists on cash is a red flag.

Ask for a proof of purchase with the amount, date, description of the item, and signature. Keep that along with the photos you took beforehand. For the tax authorities, this is usually not necessary (incidental sale of personal jewellery does not count as income), but for insurance claims or subsequent queries, documentation is golden.

Distance selling requires extra care. Standard post is not an option for jewellery: loss or theft is not covered, and the sender bears the risk. Always use insured and tracked shipping (registered mail with declared value, or a specialised courier). Pack so that the contents are not palpable from the outside, and never mention 'jewellery' or 'gold' on the box.

Who bears the shipping costs and shipping risk? Agree on this in writing (by email) beforehand. Most bona fide distance purchasers offer a free insured shipping label: you get a label, take the item to the post point, and the party is responsible from the scan. If a party does not offer this and makes you bear the risk until it reaches their mailroom, weigh that carefully.

Keep the shipping receipt and tracking code until you have received payment. If the offer is not accepted, the item must be returned insured — also establish this beforehand.

In private sales, some patterns recur that rarely end well. Pressure to decide quickly ("I have the offer now or never"), without room for a second quote or a night's sleep. Home visit arrangements where the buyer appears at your address with cash — you have no home advantage if something goes wrong. Payment that is 'on its way' via a separate payment service that you do not work with yourself.

Also common patterns: a buyer who, upon arrival, says the item is 'worth a little less than expected' and negotiates on the spot, or who asks if they can 'just show the item to a colleague' before payment. Both are ways to renegotiate the deal at your expense. Bona fide buyers set the price before the visit and bear the risk of their own earlier assessment.

A number of practical rules. For higher amounts, always meet in a neutral location — a bank appointment, a jeweller, a police station (some explicitly offer this service). Take someone with you. Give yourself a day to think it over. View an offer that is significantly above the estimate of several others with healthy skepticism — too good to be true usually is precisely that.

For larger collections: consider engaging a judicial expert or sworn appraiser (see appraisal or estimate) as a process supervisor. This costs money, but for sales of several thousands of euros, it is a small insurance. For a broader overview of which channel suits when, see the channel comparison.