πͺ Gold Melt Calculator
Intrinsic value of your gold, by weight and karat.
Gold melt value
Estimates for planning only, not financial advice.
Gold melt value is the intrinsic worth of the pure gold in an item: weight times purity times the spot price. A 14-gram 18-karat piece at $2,650 per troy ounce contains 0.3376 troy ounces of pure gold (10.50 grams), worth $894.60 at melt. Dealers pay below this; knowing the number keeps the negotiation honest.
How to Use This Calculator
Enter the item's weight in grams, its karat stamp, and the current gold spot price per troy ounce. The calculator converts units, applies purity, and returns melt value plus pure content.
Weigh the item in grams and read the karat stamp (10k, 14k, 18k, 22k, 24k).
Enter the live spot price per troy ounce.
Read melt value and pure content. For portfolio context on precious metals, our investment fees calculator shows what fund expenses do to returns.
The Melt Value Formula
A troy ounce is 31.1034768 grams, the unit gold trades in, and karat is purity in 24ths: 18k is 75% gold, 14k is 58.3%. Multiply through and the alloys, copper and silver mixed in for strength, contribute nothing to melt value. Note the common trap: jewelry weight sometimes includes stones, which must be subtracted first, and hollow pieces weigh less than they look.
Worked Example
A 14-gram 18k bracelet at $2,650/ozt. Convert: 14 / 31.1034768 = 0.4501 troy ounces of metal. Purity: 18/24 = 75%. Pure gold: 0.3376 ozt (10.50 g). Melt: 0.3376 x $2,650 = $894.60. A dealer offering 90% of melt pays about $805; an 80% offer is $716. The spread between offers is pure profit to whoever quotes lowest, which is why two shops can differ by $100 on the same bracelet.
Selling Without Getting Burned
Get three quotes, always, and compute melt first so you know the ceiling. Reputable buyers pay 85-95% of melt for common karat gold; anyone near 60% is counting on your ignorance. Separate pieces by karat before you go, because mixed lots get priced at the lowest karat present. And test before you sell: gold-plated base metal has zero melt value, and the acid or electronic test takes seconds. Sentimental value is real but unpriced; decide which pieces are memories before you walk in.
My rule: never sell on the first visit. Walk out with the quote, check it against melt at home, and return only if the percentage is fair. The buyer who pressures you to decide now is telling you the quote is bad.
Estimates for planning only, not financial advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is gold melt value?
The value of the pure gold content at current spot price: weight times purity times price per troy ounce. It is the intrinsic floor value before any craftsmanship, brand, or retail markup.
How do karats convert to purity?
Divide by 24: 24k is 100%, 22k is 91.7%, 18k is 75%, 14k is 58.3%, 10k is 41.7%. US jewelry is typically 14k; European and Asian jewelry runs higher.
What is a troy ounce?
31.1034768 grams, the standard unit for precious metals. It differs from the avoirdupois ounce (28.35g) used for most goods. Mixing them up understates gold value by about 10%.
Why do dealers pay below melt?
They need margin for refining, assay risk, and resale. Fair buyers pay 85-95% of melt for standard karat gold. The spread is negotiable, especially on larger lots.
Does melt value include gemstones?
No. Stones must be weighed or estimated separately and subtracted from the total weight first. Small melee diamonds in scrap jewelry are usually ignored in the quote.
Is gold-plated jewelry worth anything at melt?
Essentially nothing. The gold layer is microns thick and uneconomical to refine. Only solid karat gold has meaningful melt value.
How do I test if gold is real?
Acid test kits, electronic testers, and XRF analyzers at reputable buyers. The stamp alone is not proof; counterfeit stamps exist. A quick test before selling protects both sides.
When is the best time to sell gold?
When spot is high and you have no use for the item. Trying to time the top is speculation; selling scrap you will never wear at a fair percentage of melt is just good housekeeping.
What does 916 hallmark mean?
It certifies 91.6% purity, which is 22-karat gold, the standard for much Indian and Middle Eastern jewelry. Match the hallmark to the karat before applying the melt formula.
Should I sell gold jewelry or coins for melt?
Coins and bullion usually fetch closer to melt or even premiums, since their purity is certified and resale is easy. Jewelry pays for craftsmanship you will not recover, so expect a bigger discount to melt.
Do I pay tax when selling gold?
In the US, physical gold held over a year faces the 28% collectibles capital gains rate, higher than the usual long-term rate. Keep purchase records; without cost basis, the IRS can treat the full proceeds as gain.