A BOLTON gold dealer has given his tips on what's hot - and what's not - in your old valuables.

John Hill, who runs Bolton Bullion and Coins in Farnworth indoor market, has revealed that now is probably the best time to cash in on your old gold, as prices soar due to the pandemic.

Earlier last year, the price of gold surged to a record 1,926.20 US dollars (£1,502.44) per ounce.

And John says a huge amount of old things in your house should be dusted off to cash in on the price surge.

He said that the pandemic and uncertainty causes gold prices to rocket, as people rush to take their money and stock out of banks.

He said: "If someone has gold it will have a value- even if it is just a single earring that has been in a drawer after the other was lost on a night out.

"It might only be about £6 but the bigger and uglier it is, the better. Even old gold teeth that have fallen out will have value."

"Silver is doing very well at the minute too. So if you have a look at your old silver trays, bowling cups, football trophies, and old silverware, you'll probably be able to find something valuable.

"The same goes for any silver coin that is pre-1946 and has silver in it. A couple in your hand will be a couple of quid but a load that your Grandad left in a biscuit in under the stairs could be a trip to Chester Zoo."

"If you have coins, make sure you get a valuation from a couple of different people to make sure that you are not selling them for less than what you can get."

John also shared his advice on old war medals - and how to maximise their value.

He said: "Someone was downsizing and putting all of his affairs in order and had a load of World War Two medals. He pulled the box out for me and I was gearing up to say there wasn't a lot of value.

"There aren't names on World War Two ones, but there are on World War One ones, and that can really help with the value.

"If people have photos, letters and background on the medals, it can turn them from a plain set into a set that a collector wants.

"They will always go on to collectors and you can know that they will be looked after and cherished - we are like custodians of medals really."