EXHIBIT 31.1

Certifications:

I, L.S. Smith, Certify that:

1.   I have reviewed  this  quarterly  report on Form 10-QSB of DGSE  Companies,
     Inc.;
2.   Based on my knowledge,  this  quarterly  report does not contain any untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact  necessary to
     make the statements  made, in light of the  circumstances  under which such
     statements  were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by
     this quarterly report;
3.   Based on my  knowledge,  the  financial  statements,  and  other  financial
     information  included  in this  quarterly  report,  fairly  present  in all
     material respects the financial  condition,  results of operations and cash
     flows  of the  Company  as of,  and  for,  the  periods  presented  in this
     quarterly report;
4.   The  Company's  other  certifying   officers  and  I  are  responsible  for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
     in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the Company and we have:
     a)   designed  such  disclosure  controls  and  procedures  to ensure  that
          material   information   relating  to  the  Company,   including   its
          consolidated subsidiaries,  is made known to us by others within those
          entities,  particularly  during  the  period in which  this  quarterly
          report is being prepared;
     b)   Evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's  disclosure  controls and
          procedures  as of a date  within 90 days prior to the  filing  date of
          this quarterly report (the "Evaluation Date"); and
     c)   Presented  in  this  quarterly   report  our  conclusions   about  the
          effectiveness  of the disclosure  controls and procedures based on our
          evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;
5.   The Company's other certifying officers and I have disclosed,  based on our
     most recent  evaluation,  to the Company's auditors and the audit committee
     of the Company's  board of directors (or persons  performing the equivalent
     functions):
     a)   all  significant  deficiencies  in the design or operation of internal
          controls which could adversely affect the Company's ability to record,
          process,  summarize and report  financial data and have identified for
          the Company's auditors any material weakness in internal controls; and
     b)   any fraud, whether or not material,  that involves management or other
          employees  who  have a  significant  role  in the  Company's  internal
          controls; and
6.   The  Company's  other  certifying  officers  and I have  indicated  in this
     quarterly report whether or not there were significant  changes in internal
     controls  or in other  factors  that could  significantly  affect  internal
     controls  subsequent to the date of our most recent  evaluation,  including
     any corrective action with regard to significant  deficiencies and material
     weaknesses.


Date: April 26, 2004       /s/ L.S. Smith - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
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