Scrap Gold Calculator
Melt value of scrap gold by weight, karat and spot price, plus the realistic dealer offer
Last updated September 5, 2026
Method: Melt value = weight in troy ounces × karat purity × the spot price you enter. Grams and pennyweight are converted with the exact definitions 1 troy ounce = 31.1034768 g and 1 dwt = 1/20 troy ounce. Purities follow the standard karat fractions (10k 41.7%, 14k 58.3%, 18k 75%, 22k 91.7%, 24k 99.9%).
Included: Full melt value, expected offer at your buyer's payout percentage, dealer margin, pure gold content in grams and troy ounces, value per gram and per pennyweight, and reference tables for every karat and common weights.
Not included: A live gold price (the $2,400 default is only an example; enter today's spot), gemstone or design value, refining fees beyond the payout percentage, state or local rules on selling precious metals, and any tax on a gain. Results are an estimate, not an appraisal or a buy quote.
$2,400 is an example, not today's price. Look up the current spot price per troy ounce and type it here - the whole result scales with it.
🥇 Expected offer at 80% payout
📊 This weight at every karat
10.00 g at $2,400.00 per troy ounce
| Karat | Purity | Melt value | Offer (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10k | 41.7% | $321.76 | $257.41 |
| 14k | 58.3% | $449.85 | $359.88 |
| 18k | 75.0% | $578.71 | $462.97 |
| 22k | 91.7% | $707.57 | $566.06 |
| 24k | 99.9% | $770.85 | $616.68 |
🧮 Melt value by weight and karat
100% of melt value at $2,400.00 per troy ounce, before any dealer discount
| Weight | 10k | 14k | 18k | 22k | 24k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 g | $32.18 | $44.99 | $57.87 | $70.76 | $77.08 |
| 1 dwt | $50.04 | $69.96 | $90.00 | $110.04 | $119.88 |
| 5 g | $160.88 | $224.93 | $289.36 | $353.79 | $385.42 |
| 10 g | $321.76 | $449.85 | $578.71 | $707.57 | $770.85 |
| 20 g | $643.53 | $899.71 | $1,157.43 | $1,415.15 | $1,541.69 |
| 1 oz t | $1,000.80 | $1,399.20 | $1,800.00 | $2,200.80 | $2,397.60 |
Estimate, not an appraisal or a buy quote. Melt value = weight in troy ounces × karat purity × the spot price you entered. Buyers pay a percentage of melt and may test purity, deduct stones or use a different spot reference. Gemstones, brand names and antique or design value are not included.
Scrap gold calculator: what your old gold is really worth
A scrap gold calculator turns three numbers - weight, karat and the current spot price - into the melt value of a broken chain, a single earring or an unworn ring. Example: 10 grams of 14k gold at a spot price of $2,400 per troy ounce contain 0.1874 troy ounces of pure gold worth $449.85, and a buyer paying 80% of melt would offer about $359.88.
Gold is priced per troy ounce, jewelry is stamped in karats, and most people weigh things in grams or hear quotes in pennyweight. This page does all of the unit and purity conversions for you, so you walk into a buyer's shop knowing the floor price of your metal before anyone makes an offer. The spot price is always yours to enter: gold moves every trading day, and this calculator never assumes a price on your behalf.
How the melt value is calculated
Every scrap gold quote, whether from a refiner, a jeweler or a pawn shop, comes down to the same three-step formula:
Melt value = (weight in grams ÷ 31.1034768) × karat purity × spot price per troy ounce The division converts grams into troy ounces, the purity fraction isolates the fine gold in the alloy, and the spot price turns those ounces into dollars. The expected offer is then simply the melt value multiplied by the buyer's payout percentage:
Offer = melt value × payout % ÷ 100 If you weigh in pennyweight, multiply by 1.55517384 to get grams first (1 dwt is exactly 1/20 of a troy ounce). If you already have troy ounces, skip the division. The calculator handles all three units with the exact NIST definitions, so there is no rounding drift between them.
Worked example: a 10-gram 14k bracelet
Suppose you have a 14k bracelet that weighs 10.00 grams on a jeweler's scale, the spot price you looked up is $2,400 per troy ounce (an example figure, not a live quote), and a local refiner pays 80% of melt.
- Grams to troy ounces: 10 ÷ 31.1034768 = 0.3215 troy ounces of alloy.
- Apply purity: 0.3215 × 0.583 = 0.1874 troy ounces of pure gold (that is 5.83 grams of fine gold inside the 10-gram piece).
- Apply spot: 0.1874 × $2,400 = $449.85 melt value.
- Apply payout: $449.85 × 0.80 = $359.88 expected offer. The remaining $89.97 is the dealer's margin for testing, refining and profit.
Notice that the melt value is also $44.99 per gram of 14k at this spot price. Once you know the per-gram figure for your karat, you can price any piece in your head: a 3-gram 14k pendant is about $134.96 of melt, a 25-gram 14k chain about $1,124.63.
Melt value per gram by karat and spot price
The table shows 100% of melt value for one gram of gold at four example spot prices, computed with the formula above. Find the column closest to today's price, or enter the exact price in the calculator.
| Spot per oz t | 10k (41.7%) | 14k (58.3%) | 18k (75%) | 22k (91.7%) | 24k (99.9%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $26.81 | $37.49 | $48.23 | $58.96 | $64.24 |
| $2,400 | $32.18 | $44.99 | $57.87 | $70.76 | $77.08 |
| $2,800 | $37.54 | $52.48 | $67.52 | $82.55 | $89.93 |
| $3,200 | $42.90 | $59.98 | $77.16 | $94.34 | $102.78 |
Two patterns are worth remembering. First, every value scales exactly with spot: a 10% rise in the gold price raises every cell by 10%. Second, 14k is worth almost exactly 58% of 24k and 10k less than 42% of it, which is why a heavy 10k class ring can be worth less than a light 18k chain.
Melt value of common weights at $2,400 spot
Jewelry weights cluster around a few sizes: a thin ring is 2 to 5 grams, a men's band or a bracelet 8 to 15 grams, a substantial chain 20 to 50 grams. This table gives 100% of melt value at an example spot price of $2,400 per troy ounce, before any dealer discount.
| Weight | 10k | 14k | 18k | 22k | 24k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 dwt (1.555 g) | $50.04 | $69.96 | $90.00 | $110.04 | $119.88 |
| 5 g | $160.88 | $224.93 | $289.36 | $353.79 | $385.42 |
| 10 g | $321.76 | $449.85 | $578.71 | $707.57 | $770.85 |
| 20 g | $643.53 | $899.71 | $1,157.43 | $1,415.15 | $1,541.69 |
| 1 oz t (31.103 g) | $1,000.80 | $1,399.20 | $1,800.00 | $2,200.80 | $2,397.60 |
| 50 g | $1,608.82 | $2,249.27 | $2,893.57 | $3,537.87 | $3,854.23 |
| 100 g | $3,217.65 | $4,498.53 | $5,787.13 | $7,075.74 | $7,708.46 |
How the payout percentage changes your check
The single biggest variable you control is who you sell to. Using the same 10-gram 14k bracelet at $2,400 spot (melt value $449.85), here is what different payout rates put in your pocket and what stays with the buyer:
| Payout | You receive | Dealer keeps | Typical buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60% | $269.91 | $179.94 | Mall kiosks, mail-in envelopes, some pawn shops |
| 70% | $314.90 | $134.96 | Pawn shops, general jewelers |
| 80% | $359.88 | $89.97 | Local gold buyers, coin shops |
| 90% | $404.87 | $44.99 | Refiners, bullion dealers on larger lots |
| 95% | $427.36 | $22.49 | Direct refining of large, pre-tested lots |
The difference between a 60% and a 90% buyer on this one bracelet is $134.96 - more than the whole value of a small ring. The payout column is a description of how the market is usually tiered, not a promise; every buyer sets its own rate, and rates on the same street can differ by 20 points.
Second worked example: a mixed lot of three pieces
Most people do not sell one item; they clear out a drawer. Say you have a 4.2-gram 14k ring, a 12.5-gram 18k chain and a pair of 10k earrings weighing 3.1 grams together. At $2,400 spot, the melt values are $188.94 for the ring, $723.39 for the chain and $99.75 for the earrings, a combined $1,012.08. A buyer paying 85% would offer about $860.27, keeping $151.81. Two lessons: the 18k chain alone is over 71% of the lot's value, and lumping everything together lets a buyer quote the whole lot at the lowest karat. Always have each karat weighed and priced separately, or run each piece through the calculator yourself before you go.
How to use this scrap gold calculator
- Look up the spot price. Use the current price per troy ounce from a bullion dealer, exchange or financial news site and type it in. The default $2,400 is a placeholder so the page shows a result; it is not today's price.
- Weigh the gold. A jeweler's scale or a $10 pocket scale that reads to 0.01 g is ideal. Remove stones, and weigh each karat group separately.
- Pick the unit. Grams for most scales, pennyweight (dwt) if a buyer quoted you that way, troy ounces for bars and coins.
- Choose the karat. Read the stamp: 417 or 10K, 585 or 14K, 750 or 18K, 916 or 22K, 999 or 24K. If unsure, try the two most likely karats and note the range.
- Enter the payout. Type the percentage a buyer has quoted, or use 70%, 80% and 90% to bracket the likely range.
The gradient card at the top shows the expected offer, the full melt value, the dealer margin and the pure gold content. Below it, one table prices your exact weight at every karat (useful when a stamp is doubtful) and another prices common weights at every karat at your spot price.
Who this calculator is for
- Anyone selling old jewelry who wants a floor price before visiting a buyer, so a lowball offer is obvious on the spot.
- Heirs settling an estate who need a quick, defensible valuation of a box of mixed-karat pieces.
- Dental gold and industrial scrap holders who need to estimate value on an unusual purity (enter the closest karat or use the per-gram figure as a base).
- Hobby buyers and yard-sale hunters checking whether a stamped piece is worth what the seller asks.
- Jewelers and pawn shops who want a fast per-gram and per-pennyweight sheet at today's spot to quote customers consistently.
Key terms explained
- Spot price: the current market price for immediate delivery of one troy ounce of pure gold. It is the same worldwide at any moment, quoted in US dollars, and changes constantly during trading hours.
- Troy ounce (oz t): 31.1034768 grams, the unit all precious metals are priced in. It is heavier than the 28.3495-gram avoirdupois ounce on a kitchen scale.
- Pennyweight (dwt): 1/20 of a troy ounce, or 1.55517384 grams. Still common in US jewelry trade quotes.
- Karat (k): gold purity in 24ths. Not to be confused with carat, the weight unit for gemstones (0.2 g).
- Fineness: purity in parts per thousand, the European-style stamp (585, 750, 999). 585 and 14k describe the same alloy.
- Melt value: the market value of the pure gold in a piece, ignoring workmanship, brand and stones. Also called intrinsic value or scrap value.
- Payout (or buy rate): the percentage of melt value a buyer actually pays. The rest covers assay, refining, risk and profit.
- XRF: X-ray fluorescence, the non-destructive analyzer most serious buyers use to confirm karat in seconds.
What changes the result the most
- Spot price: every dollar of value is proportional to it. Between $2,000 and $3,200 spot, the same 10-gram 14k bracelet swings from $374.88 to $599.80 in melt value, and an 80% offer from $299.90 to $479.84.
- Karat: at the same weight, 18k is worth 1.29 times 14k and 24k about 1.71 times 14k. A mistaken karat is the most common reason a home estimate misses.
- Payout percentage: a 20-point difference between buyers moves your check by 20% of melt. This is the lever you can pull by shopping around.
- Unit confusion: a regular ounce is only 91.15% of a troy ounce. One avoirdupois ounce of 14k is worth $1,275.31 at $2,400 spot, versus $1,399.20 for one troy ounce.
- Deductions: stones, solder, springs and steel parts are subtracted from the weight; a stone-heavy ring can lose a third of its gross weight.
Tips for getting closer to melt value
- Know your number before you walk in. Print or screenshot the calculator result. Buyers quote differently to people who clearly know the melt value.
- Get at least three quotes on the same day. Spot moves daily, so quotes from different days are not comparable.
- Ask for the quote in dollars per gram at a stated spot price. A pennyweight quote sounds bigger than a gram quote for the same metal; converting both to a percentage of melt is the only honest comparison.
- Sort by karat and keep pieces separate. Mixed lots get priced at the lowest karat in the pile.
- Sell bigger lots to refiners. Payouts rise with volume because assay and handling costs are fixed per lot.
- Separate anything with resale value. Designer pieces, antiques and quality diamonds can be worth multiples of melt sold intact.
Limitations and assumptions
- The calculator uses the nominal purity for each karat. Real alloys can be slightly under-karat within the small tolerance federal marking law permits, and a refiner's assay is the final word on purity.
- It assumes the weight you enter is gold only. It cannot know about stones, clasps or solder.
- The spot price is whatever you type. It does not fetch a live price and never should be read as stating one.
- Payout percentages describe how the market is commonly tiered; they are not rates offered by any specific buyer.
- It ignores numismatic value (rare coins), brand premiums and gemstones, all of which require a separate appraisal.
- It does not calculate any tax on a gain from the sale.
Related calculators
This page answers "what is the metal in this piece worth?" For the steps around it: the Unit Converter handles ounces, grams and other weight conversions when you are not dealing with gold specifically, the Percentage Calculator turns a dollar offer back into a percentage of melt so you can compare two buyers, the Discount Calculator shows what a quoted "buy rate" discount means in dollars, and the Capital Gains Tax Calculator estimates the tax if you sell inherited or investment gold for more than its basis. Use this scrap gold page first to fix the floor price, then the others to check the offer and the aftermath.
Sources
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) - Handbook 44, Appendix C: General Tables of Units of Measurement (troy ounce = 31.1034768 g).
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries (16 CFR Part 23, via eCFR), on karat markings and the term "gold".
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Topic No. 409, Capital Gains and Losses, on the 28% maximum rate for collectibles including gold.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) - consumer guidance on comparing offers and keeping records.
💡 Good to know
The stamp is a claim, not proof
Under the FTC Jewelry Guides, an item marked with a karat must actually be that fineness within a small tolerance, and "gold" without a karat should mean 24k. Counterfeit stamps exist, which is why buyers test every piece. If a buyer's XRF reads lower than the stamp, ask to see the reading.
Pennyweight quotes look bigger than they are
At $2,400 spot, 14k gold is $44.99 per gram or $69.96 per pennyweight - the same metal, the same value. A buyer quoting "$55 per dwt" is offering about 79% of melt; the identical rate is "$35.37 per gram", which sounds far less generous even though it pays exactly the same. Switch the unit in the calculator to translate any quote.
Gold is a collectible for tax purposes
If you sell for more than your basis, the IRS taxes the long-term gain at your ordinary rate capped at 28%, not the lower 15% or 20% rates that apply to stocks. Inherited jewelry gets a stepped-up basis to its value on the date of death, so a sale soon after often produces little or no gain. Keep the buyer's settlement sheet.
⚠️ Common mistakes & edge cases
Weighing in regular ounces
A kitchen or postal scale reads avoirdupois ounces (28.35 g), not troy ounces (31.10 g). Entering 1.0 "ounce" as a troy ounce overstates 14k by $123.89 at $2,400 spot. Weigh in grams and let the calculator convert.
Treating the example spot price as today's price
The $2,400 default exists only so the page shows a result. Gold can move several percent in a week. Always replace it with the current spot price before quoting a number to anyone.
Counting plated or gold-filled pieces as solid gold
"GP", "HGE", "GE" or "RGP" stamps mean plated: near-zero scrap value. "1/20 12k GF" is gold-filled and holds only about 2.5% gold by weight - a 10-gram gold-filled piece is worth around $19.29 at $2,400 spot, not $449.85.
Including stones and clasps in the weight
Stones, spring bars, steel pins and enamel are deducted by every buyer. A 6-gram ring with a large center stone might hold only 4 grams of gold, cutting the melt value by a third.
Letting a mixed lot be priced at the lowest karat
In the three-piece example above, the 18k chain is worth $723.39 but would fetch only $562.32 if the whole lot were priced as 14k, and $402.21 if priced as 10k. Sort by karat before you sell.
Confusing karat with carat
Karat is gold purity in 24ths; carat is gemstone weight (0.2 g). A "2-carat" stone tells you nothing about the gold around it, and a 14-karat ring has no 14-carat stone.
❓ Frequently asked questions
How is the value of scrap gold calculated?
Melt value = weight in troy ounces x karat purity x spot price per troy ounce. Convert grams to troy ounces by dividing by 31.1034768. For 10 grams of 14k gold at an example spot price of $2,400: 10 / 31.1034768 = 0.3215 troy ounces, x 0.583 purity = 0.1874 ounces of pure gold, x $2,400 = $449.85 melt value. A buyer paying 80% of melt would offer about $359.88.
How much is 14k gold worth per gram?
It depends entirely on the current spot price. At an example spot price of $2,400 per troy ounce, pure gold is worth $2,400 / 31.1034768 = $77.16 per gram, and 14k gold (58.3% pure) is worth 0.583 x $77.16 = $44.99 per gram of melt value. Enter today's spot price in the calculator to get the live figure; the gram value scales in direct proportion.
What percentage of melt value do scrap gold buyers pay?
There is no fixed rate. Payouts are set by each buyer and typically fall somewhere between roughly 60% and 95% of melt value, with refiners and specialist bullion dealers usually at the high end and mall kiosks, pawn shops and mail-in services at the low end. Enter the percentage a buyer quotes you to see the expected offer, and compare several quotes on the same day.
What is the difference between a troy ounce and a regular ounce?
A troy ounce is 31.1034768 grams; a regular (avoirdupois) ounce used on kitchen and postal scales is 28.349523125 grams, about 8.85% lighter. Gold prices are always quoted per troy ounce. If you weigh gold in regular ounces and plug the number in as troy ounces, you overstate the value by roughly 9.7%; this calculator lets you enter grams, pennyweight or troy ounces to avoid the mix-up.
What is a pennyweight (dwt)?
A pennyweight is 1/20 of a troy ounce, or 1.55517384 grams. Many US jewelers and gold buyers still quote prices per pennyweight, which makes offers look higher than a per-gram quote for the same metal. At an example spot price of $2,400, 14k gold is worth $44.99 per gram, which is $69.96 per pennyweight. Switch the unit to dwt in the calculator to compare quotes directly.
What does 10k, 14k, 18k and 24k gold mean?
Karat measures purity in 24ths. 24k is 99.9% pure gold (often stamped 999), 22k is 91.7% (916), 18k is 75.0% (750), 14k is 58.3% (585) and 10k is 41.7% (417). The rest of the alloy is copper, silver, zinc, nickel or palladium, which have negligible scrap value compared with the gold content. This calculator uses these purity fractions to isolate the fine gold in each piece.
Why is a dealer's offer lower than the melt value?
The buyer has to cover assay and testing, refining fees, shipping and insurance, price risk between buying and refining, and a profit margin. That gap is the difference between 100% of melt and the payout percentage. On 10 grams of 14k at an example $2,400 spot, the full melt value is $449.85; an 80% payout leaves $89.97 with the dealer, while a 90% payout leaves only $44.99.
Should I sell gold jewelry as scrap or as jewelry?
Scrap value only counts the metal. A signed designer piece, an antique, a piece with quality gemstones or anything with strong resale demand can be worth far more sold intact through a jeweler, auction house or private sale. Use the melt value from this calculator as your floor price: never accept less for a piece than its metal is worth, and get a separate appraisal for anything that might carry a premium.
Is gold-plated or gold-filled jewelry worth anything as scrap?
Gold-plated items carry a microscopic layer of gold and have essentially no scrap value; most buyers refuse them. Gold-filled pieces (stamped 1/20 12k GF, for example) contain a bonded layer equal to 1/20 of the item's weight, so a 10-gram gold-filled item holds about 0.5 grams of 12k alloy, only 0.25 grams of pure gold, worth around $19.29 at an example $2,400 spot before the buyer's discount. Only solid karat gold delivers the values shown by this calculator.
Do I owe taxes when I sell scrap gold?
Possibly. The IRS treats gold, including jewelry and coins, as a collectible. If you sell for more than your cost basis (what you paid, or the fair market value on the date you inherited it), the gain is taxable; long-term gains on collectibles are taxed at your ordinary rate up to a maximum of 28%. Selling for less than your basis is generally a non-deductible personal loss unless the item was held for investment. Keep receipts and the buyer's settlement statement for your records.
How do I know my gold's karat if there is no stamp?
A stamp (10K, 14K, 585, 750 and so on) is the quickest clue, but stamps can be worn or wrong. Buyers verify with an acid test, an electronic tester or an XRF (X-ray fluorescence) analyzer, which reads the alloy without damaging the piece. If you are unsure, run the calculator at the two most likely karats to see the range, then let the buyer's XRF reading settle it before you accept a price.
Does the weight I enter include stones and clasps?
It should not. Gemstones, glass, enamel, steel springs inside clasps, watch movements and any non-gold parts add weight but not gold. Buyers subtract them, and some remove stones before weighing. For an accurate estimate, weigh the piece with stones removed if possible, or reduce the weight by a reasonable allowance and mark the result as a rough figure.