Selling a relative's jewellery in Ireland: valuation and probate

First: nothing needs to happen quickly

Jewellery does not spoil. Until the estate is settled and everyone agrees what should happen, the right place for it is somewhere secure, with a simple written inventory: a line per piece, a photo, and any hallmarks you can read. That inventory costs nothing and prevents most of the disputes and doubts that arise later.

Valuation for probate

When an estate goes through probate in Ireland, its assets are declared to Revenue, and jewellery forms part of that declaration. The relevant figure is the open market value at the date of death, which is what the items would realistically fetch, not the insurance replacement value, which is usually far higher because it reflects the retail cost of replacing the item new. Using an insurance figure in a probate context can overstate the estate, so it matters which kind of valuation you ask for.

A proper probate valuation lists each item, identifies the metal and fineness, records weights, notes gemstones, and states a value with the date and basis. For precious metal items, the metal is tested and the value tied to the market price on the valuation date. Our valuation service produces a written report on exactly this basis, and because we do not make offers on items we value, the figure is independent of any interest in buying.

What executors should keep

Executors are accountable to the beneficiaries, so the paper trail is the point. Keep the inventory, the written valuation, and, if items are later sold, the receipts showing what was paid and by whom. If jewellery is distributed to family members rather than sold, record who received what against the valuation. None of this is complicated, but it is much easier to do at the start than to reconstruct a year later.

Deciding what to sell and where

Inherited jewellery usually sorts into three piles. Pieces the family keeps. Pieces with value beyond their metal, such as signed or antique items and set gemstones, which may do better at auction. And the remainder: broken chains, single earrings, worn rings and out-of-fashion pieces whose realistic value is their gold or silver content. For that last pile, the fair price is a published rate per gram against the live market, which you can check any day on our prices page before speaking to anyone.

Selling the metal fairly

When you are ready, the process should be transparent: each item tested in front of you by XRF, weighed on a proper scale, priced at a published rate, and paid the same day by bank transfer, with ID recorded on both sides of the transaction. Start with photos and a description on the sell page, and if the estate is still in probate, ask about a valuation first rather than a sale. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice; for the estate itself, your solicitor remains the right person to ask.