Frequently Asked Questions

  • Ethical Gold Institute is the first 501(3)(c) public charity specifically permitted by the Internal Revenue Service to convert donated gold into monetary awards for nonprofits. We work as honest brokers and manage a transparent nonprofit system that converts gold property donations to reduce the need for gold mining. We are a California-registered nonprofit organization based in Berkeley, CA. Our Federal Employee Identification Number is 27-4756404.

    1. Ethical Gold Institute will securely receive your donation and notify you of its arrival.

    2. We unpack, carefully examine, and weigh the contents.

    3. The metal is carefully assayed to determine its gold content.

    4. We'll email your donation receipt, eligible for a tax deduction to the extent of the law

    5. Items in good condition are listed for sale on our online store. Broken or damaged items are melted to pure gold and sold to reputable jewelers.

    6. We remit 80% of the sale proceeds to the donor’s designated charity. The remainder helps to cover our costs.

  • We work as honest brokers with the foremost goal of creating new charitable support for our nonprofit partners. After assaying gold content, we market salable products on our e-store, and sell scrap gold to responsible jewelers. Within 60 days, we remit 80% of the sale amount to your designated charity as a no-strings-attached award. The remaining 20% helps cover our operating costs.

  • Donating through Ethical Gold Institute creates two powerful results: a no-strings-attached monetary award for your favorite charity, and avoided pollution and social impact from otherwise mining the donated gold.

  • We list all donations received and amounts distributed to nonprofits on our website.

  • Your donation receipt will describe the donation but will not attribute value. If you itemize your taxes, you should be able to deduct the value of your donation. Ethical Gold Institute is a public charity 501(c)(3), Employee Identification Number 27-4756404; its donations are tax deductible. Your personal deductibility may vary; please consult with your tax advisor or the IRS website for more detailed information.

  • Gifts are deductible under applicable laws. Ethical Gold Institute is a US registered 501(c)(3) organization. Our Tax-ID number is 27-4756404. Please consult your tax professional if you have questions.

  • No, Ethical Gold Institute is not a "Donor Advised Fund" and does not function like one. Grants are awarded only to qualified U.S. charities with 501(c)(3) status that do not promote hatred or violence.

  • We do not.

  • Please start the donation process by completing and submitting your information online. Locate your gold property, place the items in a ziplock bag, and wrap them with plastic or paper so they won't shake or break open. Then, put in a sturdy envelope with your name and return address and ensure the property is securely packaged and sealed. Ship the package by the U.S. Postal Service to our secure address:

    Ethical Gold Institute
    P.O. Box 7715
    Berkeley, CA 94707

    We recommend insuring the goods for their replacement value. Ensure your name and return address are marked and legible so we may issue and remit your donation receipt.

  • Please send all mail and donated property to:

    Ethical Gold Institute
    P.O. Box 7715
    Berkeley, CA 94707

  • No paperwork is necessary to donate your gold property.

  • You do not need to provide your social security number to complete the donation process.

  • You may choose any qualified 501(c)(3) U.S. public charity. To determine if your favorite charity is eligible, please search on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. You will need the organization's Employer Identification Number (EIN) to complete your donation form.

  • The process takes approximately from 30 to 60 days.

  • We accept gold jewelry/property of any karat type (10K, 14K, 18K) in any form or condition, such as rings, necklaces, brooches, pins, findings, fillings, coins, or decorative objects. We do not accept silver.

  • Karat is the unit for measuring the fineness of gold, pure gold being 24 karat fine.

  • Yes. We accept all property with gold content, in good condition or not.

  • Yes. Upon receipt, we will perform physical testing and assay its gold content. Non-gold items will be recycled, donated to other nonprofits, or discarded; we're unable to return any items.

  • We accept gold jewelry with gems/diamonds but are unable to process any gemstones. Please remove any desired gems before donating. Non-gold items will be recycled, donated to other nonprofits, or discarded; we're unable to return any items.

  • Sorry, we are only able to process gold or platinum. Any part of a donation determined to be not refinable will be recycled, donated to other nonprofits, or discarded; we're unable to return any items.

  • Yes, your charity will benefit from any size gold property donation you may make.

  • Yes. We accept gold property only in the United States and provide cash awards to U.S. 501(c)(3) public charities.

  • Yes. Just complete the online donation form and include the name and address of your favorite nonprofit, and we will contact them to approve the donation.

  • A "troy ounce" is the standard unit of measure for buying and selling precious metals; it is slightly heavier than a normal ounce —one (1) troy ounce = 31.1035 grams.

  • Donate your gold property by shipping it Ethical Gold Institute to our secure PO Box:

    Ethical Gold Institute
    P.O. Box 7715
    Berkeley, CA 94707

    Place the items in a ziplock bag and wrap them with plastic or paper so they won’t shake or break open. Place it into a sturdy envelope and ensure it’s securely packaged. We recommend insuring the goods for their replacement value. The shipping date will be your donation date.

  • Please consider carefully before sending your gold property. All donations received are considered final, and we cannot return them.

Green trees in the Amazon

Any other questions?

Please get in touch with us for additional information. Thank you.