What is melt value of scrap gold?

Melt value is the intrinsic value of the pure gold content in a piece, calculated using the live spot price. Scrap dealers typically pay 70–90% of melt value to cover smelting, refining costs, and profit margin.

What is the difference between karat and carat for gold?

Karat (K or kt) measures gold purity in the USA and Canada. Carat (ct) is used for the same purpose in the UK, Australia, and some other countries. They mean exactly the same thing for gold — 18K and 18ct are identical in purity at 75% pure gold.

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Scrap Gold Calculator — Live Melt Value

Q: How do I calculate the value of scrap gold?

To calculate scrap gold value: (1) Weigh your gold in grams. (2) Identify the karat (stamped as 9K, 14K, 18K, etc.). (3) Multiply the weight in grams by the purity factor (e.g., 0.5833 for 14K). (4) Multiply by the current gold price per gram. The result is the melt value of your scrap gold. Use Gold Price Tools' free scrap gold calculator above for instant results.

Q: How much do scrap gold dealers pay per gram?

Scrap gold dealers typically pay 70–90% of the calculated melt value. For example, if your 14K gold has a melt value of $62/gram, a dealer might offer $43–$56/gram. Prices vary by dealer, volume, and current market conditions.

Calculate the melt value of your scrap gold at today's live spot price. Add multiple items across different karats — rings, chains, bracelets, coins — and get an instant total. Prices update every 60 seconds.

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Scrap Gold Calculator

Add one or more gold items below. Select the karat, enter the weight in grams, and the melt value calculates automatically at the live spot price.

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What Is Scrap Gold?

Scrap gold is any gold-containing material that is sold for its metal content rather than its original intended use. This includes broken or unwanted jewellery, gold coins, gold-filled items, dental gold, and industrial gold components. When you sell scrap gold, dealers pay you based on the melt value — the intrinsic value of the pure gold content — minus their processing margin.

The melt value calculated by this tool represents the theoretical 100% value of the gold content at the current spot price. In practice, scrap gold dealers pay 70–90% of melt value to account for refining costs, assay fees, and their profit margin.

How to Use This Scrap Gold Calculator

Step 1: Weigh your gold item(s) on a jewellery scale in grams.
Step 2: Identify the karat of each item — look for a hallmark stamp (e.g. 14K, 585, 18ct, 750).
Step 3: Enter the weight and select the karat in the calculator above.
Step 4: Add multiple items using the "+ Add Another Item" button.
Step 5: The Total Melt Value shows the full gold content value at the live spot price.

Gold Karat Purity Reference Table

Karat	Purity	Hallmark	Common Use
24K	99.99%	999, 24K	Bullion bars & coins
22K	91.67%	916, 22K	Indian jewellery, Sovereigns
18K	75.00%	750, 18K, 18ct	Fine European jewellery
14K	58.33%	585, 14K, 14kt	US & international jewellery
10K	41.67%	417, 10K, 10kt	US budget jewellery
9K	37.50%	375, 9K, 9ct	UK & Australian jewellery
8K	33.33%	333, 8K	German & Danish jewellery

Where to Sell Scrap Gold in the UK

In the UK, scrap gold can be sold to gold dealers, pawnbrokers, jewellers, or online bullion dealers. Always get at least 2–3 quotes before selling. Look for dealers who are members of the British Jewellers' Association (BJA) or the National Pawnbrokers Association (NPA).

Frequently Asked Questions — Scrap Gold

How do I calculate the value of scrap gold?

Use the calculator above: select your gold's karat, enter the weight in grams, and the tool automatically calculates the melt value at today's live spot price. For manual calculation: Melt value = weight (g) × purity factor × gold price per gram.

What is the melt value of scrap gold?

Melt value is the theoretical value of the pure gold content in a piece, based on the live spot price. Dealers pay 70–90% of melt value after deducting refining costs and profit margin.

How much do scrap gold dealers pay per gram in the UK?

UK scrap gold dealers typically offer 75–90% of the calculated melt value for clean, identifiable gold jewellery.

What hallmarks identify scrap gold purity?

Common gold hallmarks: 999 or 24K (99.9% pure), 750 or 18K (75% pure), 585 or 14K (58.5% pure), 417 or 10K (41.7% pure), 375 or 9K (37.5% pure), 333 or 8K (33.3% pure).

Is gold-filled or gold-plated jewellery the same as scrap gold?

No. Gold-filled and gold-plated items contain only a thin layer of gold over a base metal. They have negligible scrap gold value. Only solid gold pieces (stamped 8K to 24K) have significant melt value.