Gold melt value calculator
Enter the karat and weight of your gold jewelry or scrap to see its melt value at today's spot price, plus the value per gram and pennyweight for every karat.
How to figure the value of scrap gold
- Sort by karat. Separate 10k, 14k, 18k and other karats, because each is worth a different amount per gram.
- Weigh each group in grams. A small digital scale that reads to 0.01 g is best. Remove anything that is not gold where you can.
- Enter the karat and weight above. The calculator converts to troy ounces, applies the purity, and multiplies by the spot price.
- Add each group to your list. Your list totals everything and can be printed to bring with you.
melt value = grams ÷ 31.1035 × karat purity × gold spot price
Gold purity by karat
Pure gold is 24 karat. Lower karats are mixed with other metals for strength and color. The calculator uses the purity that is stamped on the piece, which is how gold is bought and sold: 10k is 41.7%, 14k is 58.5%, 18k is 75%, and 22k is 91.67%. See the full karat and hallmark guide for European stamps and plated-gold marks.
White gold and rose gold
White and rose gold are still gold. A 14k white gold ring holds the same 58.5% gold as a 14k yellow gold ring, so calculate it the same way. Color comes from the other metals in the alloy, not from a different gold content.
Common questions
How much is 14k gold worth per gram?
14k gold is 58.5% pure gold. Its melt value per gram is the gold spot price divided by 31.1035 (grams in a troy ounce), times 0.585. The table on this page shows the current figure for every common karat.
How do I find out what karat my gold is?
Look for a small stamp on the clasp, inside a ring band, or on a tag near the clasp. US pieces usually say 10K, 14K or 18K; European and Asian pieces often use numbers such as 417, 585, 750 or 916. If there is no stamp, a jeweler or gold buyer can test it.
What do GF, GP, HGE and RGP stamps mean?
They mean gold filled (GF), gold plated (GP), heavy gold electroplate (HGE) and rolled gold plate (RGP). These pieces have only a thin layer of gold over another metal, so they have little melt value and should not be weighed as solid gold.
Should I weigh my jewelry with the stones in it?
Stones add weight but no gold, so weighing them in makes the melt value look higher than it is. Small stones are often estimated and subtracted by buyers; valuable stones should be appraised separately before the piece is sold for scrap.
What is a pennyweight (dwt)?
A pennyweight is 1.555 grams, or one-twentieth of a troy ounce. Many jewelers and gold buyers quote prices per pennyweight, so this calculator accepts weights in dwt as well as grams.
Why does my kitchen scale give the wrong answer?
Kitchen scales use ordinary (avoirdupois) ounces of 28.35 grams. Gold is priced in troy ounces of 31.10 grams. Weigh in grams for the most accurate result, or choose “Ounces (kitchen scale)” as the unit so the calculator converts it for you.