Is Richmond Avenue the same as Richmond, Texas?

No. Richmond Avenue is a street in Houston, running south of and roughly parallel to Westheimer. Richmond, Texas is a separate city in Fort Bend County about 30 miles southwest of Houston. If you meant that city, see our [Richmond, Texas page](/locations/richmond).

How do I know if my flatware is sterling or just plated?

Sterling is typically stamped '925' or 'sterling.' Plated pieces are often marked 'EPNS,' meaning electroplated nickel silver, which has no meaningful melt value. We can check any piece for you at the counter.

What are candlesticks or knife handles that are 'weighted' or 'loaded'?

Many silver candlesticks and knife handles are filled with plaster or resin for stability. Only the actual silver content is priced; we separate the weighted filler before weighing.

How is junk silver priced if the coins have a face value?

Pre-1965 US dimes, quarters and half dollars are 90% silver, and we price them by their melt value against the current silver market, not their printed face value.

What's the difference between bullion and collectible coins?

Bullion is priced closely to the day's spot price for its metal content. Collectible coins can carry a premium above melt value based on rarity, condition or demand, which we evaluate separately.

Do you weigh silver in grams or troy ounces?

We work in troy ounces for silver and gold, which are heavier than a standard ounce. We're glad to explain the conversion if you're more familiar with grams.

How far is your store from Greenway Plaza?

About 10 minutes. Head south from Richmond Avenue to US-59 via Kirby or Weslayan, then take the Southwest Freeway feeder to our storefront at 6809.

Do I need an appointment if I'm coming on a lunch break?

No appointment is needed. Walk in during our posted hours, and most visits — test, weigh and offer — are finished within the same visit.

Do you buy a mixed jar of old coins without sorting them myself first?

Yes. Bring the jar as-is. We'll sort junk silver, modern coins and any collectible pieces ourselves before quoting a combined price.

Will you buy a Rolex without the original box or papers?

Yes, though having them can help. We evaluate the reference number, movement and condition directly as part of any offer.

Serving Richmond Avenue, Houston, TX

Gold, Jewelry & Rolex Buyer near Richmond Avenue

Richmond Avenue cuts through the middle of Houston's inner loop, past office towers, mid-rise apartments and a long stretch of restaurants and shops between Greenway Plaza and the Galleria area. Gold King sits just off US-59, a few minutes south of the avenue, and it's where a lot of that corridor comes to turn jewelry, silver and coins into cash without losing a lunch hour.

Our store is about 4 miles from Richmond Avenue — roughly 10 minutes by car. From Richmond Avenue, head south to US-59 (the Southwest Freeway) at whichever cross street is closest — Kirby, Weslayan, Hillcroft or Fondren all connect — then take the feeder to our storefront at 6809.

Neighborhoods we serve nearby

Greenway Plaza
Upper Kirby
Woodlake / Briar Meadow
Richmond at Fondren, near Sharpstown
Highland Village / Rice Military side

Richmond Avenue, Houston versus Richmond, Texas

This comes up often enough that it's worth saying plainly: Richmond Avenue is a Houston street. It runs east-west a few blocks south of Westheimer, starting near the Loop by Greenway Plaza and continuing out past Fondren toward Sharpstown. Richmond, Texas is a different place entirely — an incorporated city in Fort Bend County, roughly 30 miles southwest of central Houston, with its own downtown and courthouse square.

If your search brought you here because you're thinking of the city rather than the street, our Richmond, Texas page covers that area specifically. Everything on this page is about the Houston corridor and the neighborhoods that sit along or near it.

An office and commuter corridor

Richmond Avenue runs through Greenway Plaza's office towers, past Upper Kirby's restaurants and retail, and out through the residential stretch around Woodlake and Briar Meadow before it nears Fondren and the edge of Sharpstown. A lot of what we buy from this area comes in during a lunch break or right after work, since the drop down to US-59 from Kirby, Weslayan, Hillcroft or Fondren takes only a few minutes.

That short connection matters for anyone weighing options — a Greenway Plaza employee can leave the office, sell a piece of jewelry or a handful of silver coins, and be back at a desk before the hour is up. We don't require an appointment, and free parking is right in front of the store.

Two roads, two different Texas places — quick clarification

Before anything else: Richmond Avenue is the Houston street you're on, running roughly parallel to Westheimer a few blocks south of it, stretching from inside the Loop out toward Sharpstown. Richmond, Texas is a separate, unrelated city in Fort Bend County, about 30 miles southwest of here. If you actually meant the city, our Richmond, Texas page has directions and hours for that area. Everything below is written for people on or near the Houston avenue.

Sterling silver flatware and hollowware
Woodlake and Briar Meadow estates tend to include full sterling sets — flatware, tea services, candlesticks. We weigh sterling separately from silver-plate and price it against the live silver market.
Pre-1965 junk silver coins
Older coin jars from this stretch of Houston often turn up 90% silver dimes, quarters and half dollars minted before 1965. Those are priced off melt value, not face value, as part of our coin buying process.
Gold chains and everyday jewelry
Office workers from Greenway Plaza and Upper Kirby residents bring in gold chains, single earrings and rings they no longer wear. We weigh and karat-test each piece before quoting a gold chain or general gold offer.
Small bullion holdings
Some sellers near Fondren and Hillcroft hold a handful of silver or gold rounds and bars bought over the years. Recognized bullion is priced closely to spot, and we explain that distinction before quoting anything.
Rolex and luxury watches
Professionals working the Richmond Avenue office corridor occasionally sell a Rolex or other luxury watch they inherited or no longer wear. We check the reference and condition as part of a luxury watch evaluation.

Gold King services Richmond Avenue customers use most

Sterling versus silver-plate, and how to tell the difference

A good number of Richmond Avenue sellers bring in flatware or serving pieces without knowing whether it's solid sterling or just plated. Sterling is usually marked "925" or "sterling" somewhere on the piece, since that's the standard for 92.5% pure silver. Plated pieces are often stamped "EPNS," short for electroplated nickel silver — a base metal with a thin silver coating and no meaningful melt value.

Candlesticks and knife handles are a common source of confusion because many are weighted or loaded with plaster or resin to add heft and stability. Only the actual silver shell has value, so we separate the weighted portion before weighing what counts. We also work in troy ounces for silver and gold, which run heavier than a standard ounce, and we're happy to explain the conversion if you're used to seeing grams.

When someone brings in a mixed jar of coins, we sort it into piles first — pre-1965 90% silver coins, modern clad coins with no silver content, and any collectible pieces that might carry a premium above melt — rather than weighing the whole jar together and giving one number.

Melt value, spot price and collector premiums

Junk silver coins are priced by melt value, meaning what the silver inside is worth today, not the coin's printed denomination. A pre-1965 quarter contains roughly 0.18 troy ounces of silver, and its price moves with the live silver market rather than staying fixed at 25 cents.

Bullion — recognized rounds, bars and coins produced specifically for investment — is priced close to spot with a modest difference for the size and form. Collectible coins are different again: a coin with numismatic demand, rarity or historical interest can be worth more than its metal content, and that premium has nothing to do with weight. We look at both angles before quoting anything from a coin collection.

Gold jewelry and chains from the corridor

Between Upper Kirby's shops and the apartment communities along Woodlake, we see a steady mix of gold chains, rings and single earrings come through — often pieces someone inherited or simply stopped wearing. Every piece gets weighed on a scale you can watch and tested with an electronic tester and, when needed, an acid test to confirm karat.

If you're clearing out a chain drawer or an old jewelry box before a move within the Fondren or Highland Village area, bringing everything at once lets us give a single combined number rather than pricing pieces one at a time over multiple visits.

Rolex and luxury watches for corridor professionals

Greenway Plaza's office towers and the businesses along Upper Kirby mean we regularly see professionals selling a Rolex or another luxury watch — sometimes a gift from years back, sometimes something inherited. We look at the reference number, movement, papers and overall condition before making an offer through our Rolex watch buying process.

The same applies to other high-end brands under our luxury watch service. A watch doesn't need a working movement or original box for us to make an offer, though either helps.

Situations we see from the Richmond Avenue corridor

A Greenway Plaza lunch-break sale

An office worker from one of the Greenway Plaza towers stops in during lunch with a gold necklace or a couple of rings, expecting a quick, no-appointment visit. We test and weigh on the spot so there's time to get back to the office.

Sorting a grandparent's silver from Woodlake

A family clearing out a Woodlake or Briar Meadow home finds a full set of sterling flatware mixed in with plated serving pieces. We separate the two before weighing, since only the sterling carries silver value.

A jar of old coins from a Fondren-area move

Someone preparing to move from the Richmond-at-Fondren area brings in a jar of mixed coins collected over decades. We sort out pre-1965 junk silver and any collectible pieces before giving a combined cash offer.

Selling a Rolex after Upper Kirby dinner plans changed

A professional working near Upper Kirby decides to sell a Rolex that's been sitting in a drawer since a job or relationship changed. We evaluate the reference and condition in person before quoting a price.

Questions from Richmond Avenue sellers

Is Richmond Avenue the same as Richmond, Texas?: No. Richmond Avenue is a street in Houston, running south of and roughly parallel to Westheimer. Richmond, Texas is a separate city in Fort Bend County about 30 miles southwest of Houston. If you meant that city, see our [Richmond, Texas page](/locations/richmond).
How do I know if my flatware is sterling or just plated?: Sterling is typically stamped '925' or 'sterling.' Plated pieces are often marked 'EPNS,' meaning electroplated nickel silver, which has no meaningful melt value. We can check any piece for you at the counter.
What are candlesticks or knife handles that are 'weighted' or 'loaded'?: Many silver candlesticks and knife handles are filled with plaster or resin for stability. Only the actual silver content is priced; we separate the weighted filler before weighing.
How is junk silver priced if the coins have a face value?: Pre-1965 US dimes, quarters and half dollars are 90% silver, and we price them by their melt value against the current silver market, not their printed face value.
What's the difference between bullion and collectible coins?: Bullion is priced closely to the day's spot price for its metal content. Collectible coins can carry a premium above melt value based on rarity, condition or demand, which we evaluate separately.
Do you weigh silver in grams or troy ounces?: We work in troy ounces for silver and gold, which are heavier than a standard ounce. We're glad to explain the conversion if you're more familiar with grams.
How far is your store from Greenway Plaza?: About 10 minutes. Head south from Richmond Avenue to US-59 via Kirby or Weslayan, then take the Southwest Freeway feeder to our storefront at 6809.
Do I need an appointment if I'm coming on a lunch break?: No appointment is needed. Walk in during our posted hours, and most visits — test, weigh and offer — are finished within the same visit.
Do you buy a mixed jar of old coins without sorting them myself first?: Yes. Bring the jar as-is. We'll sort junk silver, modern coins and any collectible pieces ourselves before quoting a combined price.
Will you buy a Rolex without the original box or papers?: Yes, though having them can help. We evaluate the reference number, movement and condition directly as part of any offer.