Related party transactions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Related party transactions [Abstract]
Related party transactions	Note 15 - Related Party Transactions DGSE has a corporate policy governing the identification, review, consideration and approval or ratification of transactions with related persons, as that term is defined in the Instructions to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, promulgated under the Securities Act ("Related Party"). Under this policy, all Related Party transactions are identified and approved prior to consummation of the transaction to ensure they are consistent with DGSE's best interests and the best interests of its stockholders. Among other factors, DGSE's Board of Directors (our "Board") considers the size and duration of the transaction, the nature and interest of the of the Related Party in the transaction, whether the transaction may involve a conflict of interest and if the transaction is on terms that are at least as favorable to DGSE as would be available in a comparable transaction with an unaffiliated third party. DGSE's Board reviews all Related Party transactions at least annually to determine if it is in DGSE's best interests and the best interests of our stockholders to continue, modify, or terminate the Related Party transactions. DGSE's Related Party Transaction Policy is available for review in its entirety under the "Investor Relations" menu in the "DGSE Companies" section of the Company's website at www.DGSE.com. NTR is DGSE's largest shareholder. In 2012, NTR was also DGSE's primary refiner and bullion trading partner. In 2012, 43% of sales and 22% of purchases were transactions with NTR, and in 2011 these transactions represented 41% of DGSE's sales and 23% of our purchases. As of December 31, 2012, we were obligated to pay $1,278,000 to NTR as a trade payable. On May 25, 2010, the Company entered into a Closing Agreement with NTR and Dr. L.S. Smith, our Chief Executive Officer at that time (the "Closing Agreement"). Pursuant to the terms of the Closing Agreement, the Company assigned to NTR our right to repurchase 3,000,000 shares of DGSE's common stock (the "NTR Acquired Interest") that were held by SIBL, a right which we acquired pursuant to a Purchase and Sale Agreement (and its subsequent amendments), dated January 27, 2010, by and among DGSE and SIBL. Pursuant to the terms of the Closing Agreement, NTR acquired the NTR Acquired Interest directly from SIBL for a cash purchase price of $3,600,000 paid to SIBL by NTR. Simultaneously with the closing, NTR granted to Dr. Smith a 4-year proxy (the "NTR Proxy") on the shares constituting the NTR Acquired Interest. In exchange for NTR's grant of the NTR Proxy, Dr. Smith granted to NTR an option (the "Option") to acquire one million (1,000,000) shares of DGSE's common stock owned by Dr. Smith, at an exercise price of $6.00 per share for the first two years following the anniversary of the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Closing Agreement. The original terms of the Option required NTR to exercise the option in full and not in part. On June 10, 2011, the terms of the Option were modified to allow NTR to exercise the Option in increments of 100,000 shares from June 10, 2011 to July 15, 2011. The Option was subsequently modified to extend the incremental exercise period to August 15, 2011. By August 15, 2011, NTR had completed its purchase pursuant to the Option. Once this purchase was completed, the NTR Proxy terminated and Dr. Smith then granted NTR an irrevocable proxy on his remaining 1,628,014 shares of our common stock. Based on review of Form 4's filed with the SEC, as of March 25, 2013 Dr. Smith currently owns 1,520,812 shares of DGSE common stock, in relation to which, NTR still holds an irrevocable proxy. On September 14, 2011, DGSE announced that it had completed its acquisition of 100 % of SBT, of which NTR was the majority owner. Under the terms of the acquisition, DGSE acquired SBT for 600,000 shares of its restricted common stock. On September 14, 2011 NTR forgave $2,000,000 of payables owed by DGSE, and received 400,000 of DGSE's restricted shares of common stock. This transaction resulted in a non-cash expense of $1,720,000 recorded as a loss on debt settlement. On October 25, 2011, we entered into a debt cancellation agreement with NTR, whereby NTR agreed to forgive $2,500,000 of payables owed to NTR by us. In consideration for this debt forgiveness, NTR was granted options to purchase 5,000,000 shares of our common stock, at an exercise price of $15.00 per share (the "NTR Options"). The NTR Options vested immediately upon grant, and expire on October 25, 2016. DGSE estimated the fair value of the NTR Options using the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model, which estimated a value of $5,140,713 for the NTR Options. Accordingly, DGSE took a non-cash charge of $2,640,713 to stock compensation expense in Fiscal 2011. On July 19, 2012, the Company entered into the Loan Agreement with NTR, pursuant to which NTR agreed to provide the Company with a guidance line of revolving credit in an amount up to $7,500,000. The Loan Agreement provides that the Loan Agreement will terminate-and DGSE's Obligations will be due and payable- upon the earlier of (i) August 1, 2014, (ii) the date that is twelve months after DGSE receives notice from NTR demanding the repayment of the Obligations, (iii) the date the Obligations are accelerated in accordance with the terms of the Loan Agreement or (iv) the date on which the commitment terminates under the Loan Agreement. In connection with the Loan Agreement, DGSE granted a security interest in the respective personal property of each of its subsidiaries. The loan carries an interest rate of two percent (2%) per annum for all funds borrowed pursuant to the Loan Agreement. Proceeds received by DGSE pursuant to the terms of the Loan Agreement were used for repayment of all outstanding financial obligations incurred in connection with that certain Loan Agreement, dated as of December 22, 2005, between DGSE and Texas Capital Bank, N.A., and additional proceeds are expected to be used as working capital in the ordinary course of business. As of December 31, 2012, the outstanding balance of the loan was $3,583,358. Estate Gold and Silver, LLC ("Estate Gold") is 25% owned by James Vierling, DGSE's Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, and operates five stores in Oklahoma, primarily focused on buying gold, but also engaging in retail sales of jewelry and bullion. The Company has an agreement with Estate Gold to provide operations management services, consisting of: (i) the receipt, inventorying, and re-sale of Estate Gold purchases; (ii) the management of Estate Gold's payroll, insurance, accounts payable and receivable; (iii) the maintenance of and updates to Estate Gold's business software; maintenance of the Estate Gold website; and (iv) financial reporting of Estate Gold to its owners. The Company also engages in the purchase or sale of jewelry, bullion and diamonds to Estate Gold, from time to time in the normal course of business. During Fiscal 2012 the Company received $183,650 in fees for services from Estate Gold, and sold $274,624 in products to them. The Company also purchased $96,116 in product from Estate Gold. Kristen Oyster is the brother of William Oyster, DGSE's former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, and is employed by the Company as the head of its numismatic operations. Kristin Oyster received $176,733 in compensation from the Company in Fiscal 2012. DGSE's Board has determined that our Audit Committee and Compensation Committee members, William P. Cordeiro, Ph.D., Craig Alan-Lee and David Rector are "independent" under the standards of the SEC and the Exchange.

Note 15 - Related Party Transactions

DGSE has a corporate policy governing the identification, review, consideration and approval or ratification of transactions with related persons, as that term is defined in the Instructions to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, promulgated under the Securities Act ("Related Party"). Under this policy, all Related Party transactions are identified and approved prior to consummation of the transaction to ensure they are consistent with DGSE's best interests and the best interests of its stockholders. Among other factors, DGSE's Board of Directors (our "Board") considers the size and duration of the transaction, the nature and interest of the of the Related Party in the transaction, whether the transaction may involve a conflict of interest and if the transaction is on terms that are at least as favorable to DGSE as would be available in a comparable transaction with an unaffiliated third party. DGSE's Board reviews all Related Party transactions at least annually to determine if it is in DGSE's best interests and the best interests of our stockholders to continue, modify, or terminate the Related Party transactions. DGSE's Related Party Transaction Policy is available for review in its entirety under the "Investor Relations" menu in the "DGSE Companies" section of the Company's website at www.DGSE.com.

NTR is DGSE's largest shareholder. In 2012, NTR was also DGSE's primary refiner and bullion trading partner. In 2012, 43% of sales and 22% of purchases were transactions with NTR, and in 2011 these transactions represented 41% of DGSE's sales and 23% of our purchases. As of December 31, 2012, we were obligated to pay $1,278,000 to NTR as a trade payable.

On May 25, 2010, the Company entered into a Closing Agreement with NTR and Dr. L.S. Smith, our Chief Executive Officer at that time (the "Closing Agreement"). Pursuant to the terms of the Closing Agreement, the Company assigned to NTR our right to repurchase 3,000,000 shares of DGSE's common stock (the "NTR Acquired Interest") that were held by SIBL, a right which we acquired pursuant to a Purchase and Sale Agreement (and its subsequent amendments), dated January 27, 2010, by and among DGSE and SIBL. Pursuant to the terms of the Closing Agreement, NTR acquired the NTR Acquired Interest directly from SIBL for a cash purchase price of $3,600,000 paid to SIBL by NTR.

Simultaneously with the closing, NTR granted to Dr. Smith a 4-year proxy (the "NTR Proxy") on the shares constituting the NTR Acquired Interest. In exchange for NTR's grant of the NTR Proxy, Dr. Smith granted to NTR an option (the "Option") to acquire one million (1,000,000) shares of DGSE's common stock owned by Dr. Smith, at an exercise price of $6.00 per share for the first two years following the anniversary of the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Closing Agreement. The original terms of the Option required NTR to exercise the option in full and not in part. On June 10, 2011, the terms of the Option were modified to allow NTR to exercise the Option in increments of 100,000 shares from June 10, 2011 to July 15, 2011. The Option was subsequently modified to extend the incremental exercise period to August 15, 2011. By August 15, 2011, NTR had completed its purchase pursuant to the Option. Once this purchase was completed, the NTR Proxy terminated and Dr. Smith then granted NTR an irrevocable proxy on his remaining 1,628,014 shares of our common stock. Based on review of Form 4's filed with the SEC, as of March 25, 2013 Dr. Smith currently owns 1,520,812 shares of DGSE common stock, in relation to which, NTR still holds an irrevocable proxy.

On September 14, 2011, DGSE announced that it had completed its acquisition of 100 % of SBT, of which NTR was the majority owner. Under the terms of the acquisition, DGSE acquired SBT for 600,000 shares of its restricted common stock.

On September 14, 2011 NTR forgave $2,000,000 of payables owed by DGSE, and received 400,000 of DGSE's restricted shares of common stock. This transaction resulted in a non-cash expense of $1,720,000 recorded as a loss on debt settlement.

On October 25, 2011, we entered into a debt cancellation agreement with NTR, whereby NTR agreed to forgive $2,500,000 of payables owed to NTR by us. In consideration for this debt forgiveness, NTR was granted options to purchase 5,000,000 shares of our common stock, at an exercise price of $15.00 per share (the "NTR Options"). The NTR Options vested immediately upon grant, and expire on October 25, 2016. DGSE estimated the fair value of the NTR Options using the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model, which estimated a value of $5,140,713 for the NTR Options. Accordingly, DGSE took a non-cash charge of $2,640,713 to stock compensation expense in Fiscal 2011.

On July 19, 2012, the Company entered into the Loan Agreement with NTR, pursuant to which NTR agreed to provide the Company with a guidance line of revolving credit in an amount up to $7,500,000. The Loan Agreement provides that the Loan Agreement will terminate-and DGSE's Obligations will be due and payable- upon the earlier of (i) August 1, 2014, (ii) the date that is twelve months after DGSE receives notice from NTR demanding the repayment of the Obligations, (iii) the date the Obligations are accelerated in accordance with the terms of the Loan Agreement or (iv) the date on which the commitment terminates under the Loan Agreement. In connection with the Loan Agreement, DGSE granted a security interest in the respective personal property of each of its subsidiaries. The loan carries an interest rate of two percent (2%) per annum for all funds borrowed pursuant to the Loan Agreement. Proceeds received by DGSE pursuant to the terms of the Loan Agreement were used for repayment of all outstanding financial obligations incurred in connection with that certain Loan Agreement, dated as of December 22, 2005, between DGSE and Texas Capital Bank, N.A., and additional proceeds are expected to be used as working capital in the ordinary course of business. As of December 31, 2012, the outstanding balance of the loan was $3,583,358.

Estate Gold and Silver, LLC ("Estate Gold") is 25% owned by James Vierling, DGSE's Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, and operates five stores in Oklahoma, primarily focused on buying gold, but also engaging in retail sales of jewelry and bullion. The Company has an agreement with Estate Gold to provide operations management services, consisting of: (i) the receipt, inventorying, and re-sale of Estate Gold purchases; (ii) the management of Estate Gold's payroll, insurance, accounts payable and receivable; (iii) the maintenance of and updates to Estate Gold's business software; maintenance of the Estate Gold website; and (iv) financial reporting of Estate Gold to its owners. The Company also engages in the purchase or sale of jewelry, bullion and diamonds to Estate Gold, from time to time in the normal course of business. During Fiscal 2012 the Company received $183,650 in fees for services from Estate Gold, and sold $274,624 in products to them. The Company also purchased $96,116 in product from Estate Gold.

Kristen Oyster is the brother of William Oyster, DGSE's former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, and is employed by the Company as the head of its numismatic operations. Kristin Oyster received $176,733 in compensation from the Company in Fiscal 2012.

DGSE's Board has determined that our Audit Committee and Compensation Committee members, William P. Cordeiro, Ph.D., Craig Alan-Lee and David Rector are "independent" under the standards of the SEC and the Exchange.