What are opinions of Gold parties?

I'm going to be unpopular and say "No".

First, there are many complaints that they are scams. So know that, and be aware.

But second, most of the complaints weren't that a person didn't get paid, just that they found out that they could have been paid more by cutting out the middleman.

Which is true, they could have.

I don't think that makes it a scam, though. You see, finding out which buyer of gold is real, and which is going to defraud you, is a scary process. And there are many trying to defraud you. You send them your gold by mail - and wait and hope!

At a gold party, the guy is right there with scales and cash, and you can bring a newspaper with you telling you what the London price is. Sure, he is NOT going to give you spot, he's there to make money. So's the gold party host.

But he is there to place actual cash in your hand, with no waiting and hoping!

To me, that's worth their 10% mark up. If it was much more than that, no, I would not do it. If it was less, I'd be more eager to do it!

But I'll take $900 cash in hand from someone I can see at the house of a person I know, before "hoping" for $1,000 to be sent to me by some stranger that I read about online any day of the week!

All that said, if you have the time and expertise to find the gold buyer who is always honest, then by all means, deal directly with them.

This one is just a comfort level thing, there's no scam either way.