Scrap Gold Calculator
Add multiple gold items by weight and karat to see individual values, a combined melt-value total, and an illustrative buyer payout range.
14K scrap gold is worth $94.13 per gram — 10K is $67.24, 18K is $121.03
Based on $5,019.18/oz spot · Updated Mar 15, 2026, 5:57 PM UTC
Total Melt Value
$0.00
0 items · 0.000g pure gold
Illustrative Buyer Range
$0.00 – $0.00
Shown as 70–85% of melt value for quick context. Actual offers may be lower or higher depending on buyer type, testing, and item form.
14K Scrap
$94.13/g
10K Scrap
$67.24/g
18K Scrap
$121.03/g
24K / Pure
$161.21/g
When to Use This Calculator
This calculator is for valuing multiple gold items at once — a drawer of old jewelry, an inherited collection, or a handful of broken pieces you're thinking of selling. Add each item's weight and karat, and see individual values plus a combined lot total.
If you have a single item to value, the Gold Calculator is simpler — one weight, one karat, one result.
If you just want to look up the posted price per gram at different karats, the Gold Price Per Gram page has a full reference table.
Not sure what karat your gold is? Check the hallmark stamp and use our Gold Hallmark & Purity Lookup to decode it. Not sure if an item is solid gold at all? See how to tell if gold is real.
How to Prepare a Scrap Lot Before Getting Quotes
A little preparation before you contact buyers can improve what you're offered. Buyers who see a sorted, weighed lot take you more seriously — and you'll be able to spot a bad offer immediately because you'll already know what the gold is worth.
1. Sort by karat
Group items by their hallmark stamp — all 10K together, all 14K together, and so on. If you mix karats in one pile, most buyers will value the entire lot at the lowest karat present, or give you a blended rate that undervalues the higher-karat pieces. Sorting is the most important thing you can do.
2. Set aside items that don't belong in a scrap lot
Pull out anything that might be worth more intact than melted: designer or branded jewelry, antique pieces, items with significant gemstones, and gold coins that could carry collector premiums. Also separate gold-plated (GP, GEP, HGE) and gold-filled (GF) items — they're not solid gold and should not be mixed in. If you're unsure whether something is solid gold, check the gold filled vs gold plated guide or have it tested.
3. Weigh each group
Use a digital scale — a kitchen scale (accurate to 1g) works for heavier items, but a $10–15 jewelry scale (accurate to 0.01g) is better for light pieces like earrings. Weigh each karat group separately and enter it into the calculator above. This gives you a total melt value and a per-item breakdown you can take to buyers.
4. Handle unknowns
If a piece has no visible stamp, or a stamp you can't read, set it aside in an "unknown" group. A jeweler can test it quickly — often for free. Don't guess the karat when entering items into the calculator; an overestimate will give you a misleading total. Use our Gold Hallmark & Purity Lookup to decode any stamp you find.
Worked Example: Valuing a Mixed-Karat Scrap Lot
Here's a typical scenario — three items of different karats valued at the current posted spot price of $5,019.18 per troy ounce ($161.37/g for pure gold):
| Item | Karat | Weight | Melt Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wedding band | 14K | 5g | $470.66 |
| Rope chain | 10K | 15g | $1,008.56 |
| Earring pair | 18K | 3g | $363.08 |
Illustrative buyer range (70–85%): $1,289.62 – $1,565.96
The 10K chain is the heaviest piece here, but gram for gram it's worth the least — 10K gold is only 41.7% pure versus 58.3% for 14K and 75% for 18K. A buyer who valued everything at 10K would significantly undervalue the 14K and 18K pieces, which is why sorting by karat matters.
What This Estimate Includes and Excludes
The calculator shows melt value — the worth of the pure gold content in each item, based on weight, karat purity, and the posted spot price.
It does not account for non-gold weight in your items. Several things commonly reduce the actual gold content below what the scale reads:
- Gemstones add weight but contain no gold. If your pieces have stones, the actual gold weighs less than the total you're measuring.
- Hollow construction means the piece weighs less than it looks. Bangles, hoop earrings, and puffed pendants made from thin gold sheet are solid gold of the stated karat — the melt value per gram is correct — but there are fewer grams than the size suggests.
- Clasps and solder on chains and bracelets may use a lower-karat alloy or contain a small steel spring. The effect is usually minor (under 1 gram) but adds up in large lots.
- Mixed-metal pieces — items where the chain is one karat and the pendant is another — should ideally be weighed and entered separately.
For a deeper look at how the melt-value formula works and when it's not the right framework, see Gold Melt Value Explained.
What Buyers Actually Pay for Scrap Gold
The melt value this calculator shows is the starting point, not what you'll walk away with. How much of it you keep depends on who's buying:
| Buyer Type | Typical Payout |
|---|---|
| Pawn shops | 30–60% |
| Local gold buyers / jewelers | 60–80% |
| Online / mail-in buyers | 70–90% |
| Refiners (direct) | 90–98% |
These are broad ranges, not guarantees. The most useful thing you can do: calculate your lot's melt value here, then get at least three quotes and compare each as a percentage of that number. For a complete breakdown of buyer types and how to evaluate offers, see how to sell gold jewelry.
Scrap Gold Price by Karat
Melt value per gram at the posted spot price. See Gold Price Per Gram for all karats with per-dwt and per-troy-oz breakdowns.
| Karat | Purity | Per Gram |
|---|---|---|
| 24K | 99.9% | $161.21 |
| 22K | 91.7% | $147.92 |
| 21K | 87.5% | $141.20 |
| 20K | 83.3% | $134.48 |
| 18K | 75.0% | $121.03 |
| 14K | 58.3% | $94.13 |
| 10K | 41.7% | $67.24 |
| 9K | 37.5% | $60.51 |
| 8K | 33.3% | $53.79 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is 14K scrap gold worth per gram?
Do I need to separate gold by karat before selling?
Can I sell gold-plated or gold-filled items as scrap gold?
What percentage of melt value do scrap gold buyers pay?
How is scrap gold priced?
How much is a 14K gold ring worth in scrap?
What items should I NOT include in a scrap gold lot?
What hallmark stamps indicate solid gold?
Where is the best place to sell scrap gold?
Does the condition of gold affect its scrap value?
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Purity Lookup
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Weight Converter
Convert between troy ounces, grams, pennyweight, and more
Transparent Formula
Every calculation uses the standard melt value formula. No hidden fees or markups.
Data Source
Spot-price data is provided via metals.dev. Last updated Mar 15, 2026, 5:57 PM UTC. Methodology
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