Real life MMD: Should she sell a family heirloom?

Ameli

Would she leave them to her children and so on? Get 3 valuations to see what she could get (not insurance valuations but what they would pay? it may be the gold value is what will be looked at not re-sale.
Once she has this she can make a proper decision. I would want my family members to be happy above all else and as a mum am sure she feels the same.
I also agree she can't get them back and wouls not want her to feel forced into this.
I hope things get better for her.

babyblooz

You will do what your own conscience says is OK. In fact, looking at what second hand rings sell for in the shop, I wouldn't be expecting much unless they are from a particularly well off family member. I wouldnt sell them unless the bailiffs were hammering at the door. If you didn't have the rings then you would have to find another solution.

I like the idea of keeping the gold and the stones and having them remodelled into something newer. That way you keep the gold, the part that was worn against your grans finger every day (call me sentimental but that would mean a great deal to me) but then I was very close to my lovely gran. I have her ring which I wear every day. I never take it off.

katymellow

Of course she should sell them, if she isn't using them. I would hope her granny would be happy to contribute to her wellbeing if she were still around - I know know mine would be.

valpar

of course she must sell them if she is in need. Her grandmother would not want her to struggle. Remembering people we love is not done by owning objects, its in our hearts

nakmeister

I'd say keep one for each of her children and sell the most expensive. After all once it is gone it is gone, you can't get it back again. There must be other less important things to sell. But then I'm a sucker for sentimentality.

Enterprise_1701C

It depends what they are worth, if they would go a long way to raising the funds she needs then yes, but if they raised next to nothing then I think she might regret it.

I have my mums engagement ring, and I would never sell it. She died when I was 20 and I only have one picture of her because she was extremely camera shy. I have a lot of memories of her, but she actually wore the ring so I somehow feel closer to her. BUT it lives in my jewellery box and I see it every day, and it will be passed down to my daughter. It has not been shut away for 20 years, if it had been I would sell it as it would be unlikely to hold so many memories.

As for what her gram would think, she would probably say sell them for the money towards to desperately needed work, not as if she is selling them to put a lick of paint on the walls.

saintjammyswine

Could you not pawn the items with a view to buying back? May get less but gives the option to retreive once things are better, many smaller high street jewellers will do this & allow you to pay off gradually using the items as collatarel(sp?).

frugalfrancine

I'm going to play DEVIL'S ADVOCATE HERE...

I think the answer DEPENDS...

I know from personal experience that the resell value of jewelry is extremely low. Meaning, places that buy second hand jewelry give you SO LITTLE of what you paid for. In many cases you are lucky if you get 10% of what you paid for. I have seen this personally, as I have been a good friend to friends in similar situations and been with them when they went to sell jewelry, instruments, etc. to pawn shops and dealers.

Right now gold is up, so it might be a good time. But if you're friend is offered 100 for a ring that was purchased for 1000, it might not be worth her while to sell it. I have a designer gold ring that I bought for about 1500 many years ago that I wanted to sell (though I wasn't desperate like your friend) and the most I was offered was 300, so I never sold it.

chrisq2005

I had my Mother's rings, and my Grandmother's rings. They fitted no-one in the family, they were old-fashioned and no-one wanted them, so, as the price of gold is high, I sold them. I'm giving the money to my son to buy an engagement ring for his girlfriend. I'm sure my Mother and Grandmother would be happy for this as it's "keeping it in the family". So I would say sell them and don't feel guilty - they are yours to do as you wish.:A

hellienellie

I'm sure grannie would be pleased to think she is helping her grandaughter !