Gold Calculator – Free Melt Value by Karat & Weight

This gold calculator estimates the melt value of your gold jewelry, scrap or broken pieces in seconds. Enter the weight, pick the karat (10K, 14K, 18K, 22K or 24K), and see the value at the live spot price. "Melt value" is what the gold in your item is worth at the market price. It is not the same as what a buyer will offer, so this page also shows typical payouts and how to avoid being shortchanged. All values are in US dollars.

How to use this gold calculator

Enter weight, choose the unit, pick karat, and read the melt-style total. Sync restores live spot if you edited the price field.

Quick Answer

Gold value = weight in grams × (karat ÷ 24) × spot price per gram.

The spot price is the market price of one troy ounce of pure gold, so divide it by 31.1035 to get the price per gram. The result is the melt value. A buyer will usually offer less, roughly 50% to 95% of melt depending on who you sell to (details below).

Gold Value per Gram by Karat (Live)

Gold is priced per troy ounce, but jewelry is usually weighed in grams or pennyweights (dwt), so most people need the value per gram or per dwt for their karat. Use the live spot and karat selector above — the result panel shows today's per-gram and per-oz figures for the karat you pick.

Karat	Gold content	Value per gram	Value per dwt
10K	41.67%	Live (use calculator)	Live (use calculator)
14K	58.33%	Live (use calculator)	Live (use calculator)
18K	75.00%	Live (use calculator)	Live (use calculator)
22K	91.67%	Live (use calculator)	Live (use calculator)
24K	100% (nominal)	Live (use calculator)	Live (use calculator)

24K is nominally 100% gold. Investment bullion is typically 99.9% or purer, a difference too small to matter for scrap.

How our price works

We show the indicative mid-market XAU/USD spot price from gold-api.com (with xaus.com as backup), refreshed about every 60 seconds. It is a reference price, not a tradable quote and not what a buyer will pay. Spot gold trades from Sunday evening to Friday afternoon (ET); when markets are closed, the price may not change. If our primary price feed is unavailable we switch to a backup, and if both fail we show the last price we received, with its time, instead of a blank or a guess. All results are estimates.

How to Calculate Gold Value (Formula and Examples)

Gold value is simple math:

Gold value = weight (grams) × (karat ÷ 24) × spot price per gram

The spot price per gram is the spot price per troy ounce divided by 31.1035.

Example in grams. An 8-gram 14K chain, using a fixed example price of $4,000 per troy ounce (for illustration only; use the calculator above for today's price):

Spot price per gram: $4,000 ÷ 31.1035 = $128.60
Pure gold content: 8 g × 14/24 = 4.67 g
Melt value: 4.67 g × $128.60 ≈ $600

Example in pennyweights. A ring weighing 5 dwt in 14K, at the same example price:

Value of 1 dwt of pure gold: $4,000 ÷ 20 = $200
Value of 1 dwt of 14K gold: $200 × 14/24 = $116.67
Melt value: 5 × $116.67 ≈ $583

That $600 or $583 is melt value, the worth of the gold content alone. It is not necessarily what a buyer will pay.

Melt Value vs. What Buyers Actually Pay

This is where most people get surprised. For ordinary scrap, melt value is usually the ceiling, not the offer. Buyers need to cover testing, refining, overhead and profit, so they pay a percentage of melt (signed designer pieces, antiques and collectible coins can be worth more than melt):

Where you sell	Typical payout (% of melt)	Notes
Pawn shop or "cash for gold" storefront	Roughly 50%–65%	Fast cash, usually the lowest offers
Local jewelry or coin dealer	Roughly 70%–85%	Can be competitive; get several quotes
Established online or mail-in refiner	Roughly 80%–95%	Higher payout, but you ship insured and wait
Mail-in "cash for gold" kits	Varies widely	Read the terms: can they melt your gold before you accept the offer?

These ranges are general estimates, not guarantees, and vary by buyer, market and lot size.

Using the $600 chain above, that is roughly $300–$390 at a pawn shop, $420–$510 at a local dealer and $480–$570 at a refiner. Comparing the middle of the pawn and refiner ranges, the same chain can differ by about $180.

Gold Purity Chart: Karat, Percentage and Hallmark Stamps

Karat measures how much of an item is pure gold on a 24-part scale. Look for a karat stamp (like 14K, 14KT or 14KP) or a three-digit fineness stamp (like 585) on the clasp, inside the ring band, or near the post of an earring. Many US pieces also carry a maker's mark next to the karat stamp.

Karat	Gold content	Common stamps	Where you'll see it
10K	41.67%	10K, 417	Class rings, budget chains, everyday jewelry
14K	58.33%	14K, 585	The most common US jewelry karat
18K	75%	18K, 750	Fine jewelry, many wedding rings and watches
22K	91.67%	22K, 916	Some imported and bridal jewelry; many bullion coins (see below)
24K	100% (nominal)	24K, 999	Bullion bars and some coins

Why numbers can differ slightly. Our calculator uses the exact karat fraction (karat ÷ 24, so 14K = 58.33%). Some European-style fineness stamps round differently: 585 means 58.5% gold, and 417 and 916 are rounded forms of 41.67% and 91.67%. Different buyers use slightly different conventions, so quotes can vary by a fraction of a percent. On the $600 chain, using 58.5% instead of 58.33% would change the result by under $2.

Coins and Bars: Why Karat Isn't Enough

This calculator is built for jewelry and scrap sold by karat. Coins and bars are different:

Many bullion coins are 22K, not 24K. American Gold Eagles and Krugerrands are 22K (91.67% gold). A 1 oz American Gold Eagle contains exactly one troy ounce of gold, but the whole coin weighs about 1.09 troy ounces because of the added alloy. Use the coin's stated gold content, not its total weight.
Some coins and bars are nearly pure (for example, the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf is .9999 fine).
Bullion trades at a premium over spot when you buy, and collectible or rare-date coins can be worth far more than their metal. Our spot-based number is a starting point, not a price.

For coins and bars, use our gold coin calculator.

Typical Gold Jewelry Weights

No scale handy? These are rough weight ranges to help you estimate. Weigh the actual piece for a real number.

Small earrings or studs: about 1–3 g
Women's ring: about 2–6 g
Men's wedding band: about 5–10 g
Thin chain or bracelet: about 3–12 g
Heavy chain: 20 g or more
High school class ring: about 8–20 g

Weights include everything, so remove gemstones and non-gold parts when you can (or subtract their estimated weight) for an accurate melt value.

Gold Weight Units: Grams, Pennyweight (DWT) and Troy Ounces

Gold buyers in the US use three units:

Gram (g): the unit on most digital scales.
Pennyweight (dwt): common in the US jewelry trade. 1 dwt = 1.55517 grams, and 20 dwt = 1 troy ounce.
Troy ounce (ozt): the unit gold is priced in. 1 troy ounce = 31.1035 grams.

Don't confuse a troy ounce with a regular ounce. A troy ounce is about 9.7% heavier than the 28.35-gram ounce on your kitchen scale. Quick conversions: grams × 0.643 = dwt, and grams ÷ 31.1035 = troy ounces.

5 Steps to Check Your Gold Before You Sell

Find the karat. Check for stamps like 10K, 14K, 585 or 750. If there is no stamp, don't guess: a jeweler or buyer can test it with an acid kit or an XRF analyzer (a scanner that reads metal composition without damaging the piece).
Check that it's solid gold. Stamps like GF (gold-filled), GP (gold-plated), GEP, HGE or RGP mean a thin gold layer over base metal, worth very little as scrap. A gold-filled piece can carry a karat mark too (for example "1/20 14K GF"), which refers to the outer layer, not the whole item.
Remove stones and non-gold parts before weighing, or get them valued separately.
Weigh it in grams on a digital scale, ideally one accurate to 0.01 g.
Sort by karat. Weigh 10K, 14K and 18K separately. Mixed lots are often valued at the lowest karat, which can shortchange your higher-karat pieces.

How to Get the Best Price for Your Gold

Get at least three quotes, including one established online or mail-in refiner.
Know your melt value first so you can tell a fair offer from a lowball.
Ask how the offer is calculated: percentage of melt, fees, and whether they test your gold in front of you.
Don't try to time small lots. Gold moves daily, but for a few pieces a day or two of price movement rarely matters as much as the percentage a buyer pays.
Check whether the piece is worth more than melt. Signed designer jewelry, antiques and collectible coins can sell for more than their metal value.
Be careful with shipping. Use insured, tracked shipping and photograph everything before you send it.
Expect ID requirements. Many states require legitimate buyers to record your ID, and some enforce holding periods.
Keep records: photos of stamps and the weighing, receipts, and written quotes.
Consider taxes. If you sell for more than you paid (your "basis"), the gain may be taxable. In the US, physical gold is generally treated as a collectible, so long-term gains can be taxed at a higher maximum rate than most investments (up to 28%). Losses on personal-use jewelry generally can't be deducted, and inherited items usually have their own basis rules. Check with a tax professional about your situation.

Red Flags When Selling Gold

A buyer who won't test your gold in front of you, or won't explain how the offer is calculated.
Pressure to accept immediately, or an offer that changes after testing without explanation.
Mail-in kits that may melt your gold before you can say no. Read the terms first.
"Gold parties" and temporary buyers with no established location or reviews.
Offers that don't mention the karat or weight they used.

Goldcalculator gold value tips — Visual guide supporting Goldcalculator — weight, karat, and melt-style estimates.

Related tools and guides

Goldcalculator FAQ

How do I calculate how much my gold is worth?

Multiply the weight in grams by the karat fraction (karat ÷ 24) and by today's spot price per gram. For example, 10 g of 14K gold is 10 × 14/24 × the spot price per gram. The result is melt value, an estimate; buyers usually offer a percentage of it. Our calculator does this automatically.

How much is 1 gram of gold worth?

One gram of pure (24K) gold is worth the spot price per troy ounce divided by 31.1035. At an example price of $4,000 per ounce, that is about $128.60. Lower karats are worth proportionally less: 14K is about 58% of that. Check the calculator above for today's figure.

How much is 14K gold worth per gram?

14K gold is 14/24 pure, about 58.3%, so its melt value per gram is the 24K value per gram times 0.583. At an example price of $4,000 per ounce, that is about $75 per gram. The calculator above shows today's figure when you select 14K.

What is the difference between melt value and what a buyer pays?

Melt value is what the gold in your item is worth at the spot price. A buyer's offer is usually lower because they must cover testing, refining, overhead and profit. Offers are typically a percentage of melt, and that percentage varies a lot by buyer type.

How much do pawn shops and gold buyers pay?

Pawn shops and cash-for-gold storefronts commonly offer roughly 50% to 65% of melt value. Local jewelers and coin dealers often pay more, and established online refiners usually pay the most. These are general estimates, so get several quotes and ask how each one is calculated.

Is 10K gold worth selling?

Yes. 10K gold is about 41.7% pure, so it is worth less per gram than 14K or 18K, but it still has real melt value. Heavy 10K pieces such as class rings can add up. Keep it separate from higher-karat pieces so a buyer doesn't price the whole lot at the lowest karat.

How many grams are in a dwt or a troy ounce?

One pennyweight (dwt) is 1.55517 grams, and 20 dwt equal one troy ounce. One troy ounce is 31.1035 grams, about 9.7% heavier than the 28.35-gram ounce on a kitchen scale. To convert, multiply grams by 0.643 for dwt, or divide grams by 31.1035 for troy ounces.

How do I know if my gold is real?

Check for a karat stamp (14K) or fineness stamp (585, 750), but stamps can be faked or misleading. A magnet is only a quick screen: non-magnetic does not mean real. A jeweler or buyer can confirm with an acid test or XRF analyzer, which reads the metal's composition without damaging it.

Is gold-filled jewelry worth anything?

Usually very little as scrap. Gold-filled (GF) and gold-plated (GP, GEP, HGE, RGP) items have a layer of gold over base metal. A gold-filled piece may carry a karat mark such as 1/20 14K GF, but that refers to the outer layer, not the whole item. Most buyers pay little or nothing for it.

What if my gold has no stamp?

It may still be gold. Stamps wear off, and some older or handmade pieces were never marked. Don't guess the karat. Have a jeweler or buyer test it with an acid kit or XRF analyzer, ideally in front of you, before you rely on any calculated value.

Where is the best place to sell gold?

There is no single best place; it depends on how fast you need cash and how much gold you have. Local jewelers and coin dealers offer convenience, and established online refiners often pay a higher percentage but require shipping. Get at least three quotes, including one refiner, and compare them to your melt value.

Why do different gold calculators give different results?

Differences come from the price source and update time, the purity convention (for example 58.3% vs. 58.5% for 14K), whether the tool shows melt value or an estimated payout, and rounding. Our calculator uses exact karat fractions (karat ÷ 24) and an indicative mid-market spot price.

Is the gold calculator accurate?

It gives an estimate of melt value from the weight, karat and indicative spot price used. It is not an appraisal or a buyer's quote. Final offers depend on testing, refining charges, buyer margins and market movement between when you calculate and when you sell.

Disclaimer

This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only and is not an offer to buy or sell. Prices shown are indicative mid-market spot prices, not tradable quotes. Actual offers vary by buyer, purity testing and market conditions. Nothing here is financial or tax advice.

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