Free Scrap Gold Calculator — Live Gold Prices
Enter your gold’s weight and karat to instantly calculate melt value using today’s live spot price. Includes pawn shop estimate.
Calculate Your Gold Value
enter weight and hit Calculate
How It Works
How the Scrap Gold Calculator Works
Gold value is calculated using one formula: Weight × Purity × Spot Price. The result is your melt value, the raw metal worth. This is the baseline every buyer offer should be measured against.
Reference Table
Gold Price Per Gram: Live Values by Karat
Live melt values by karat and weight. Use as a quick reference before visiting any buyer.
| Karat | Purity | Per Gram | 5 Grams | 10 Grams | 20 Grams | 1 Troy Oz |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading live prices… | ||||||
Reading Your Gold
Gold Hallmark Stamps: What Do They Mean?
Gold jewelry is stamped with its purity as a karat mark (10K, 14K, 18K) or a European fineness number. Fineness expresses purity in parts per thousand: 585 means 58.5% pure gold, the same as 14 karat.
Know What You Have
Solid Gold vs. Gold-Filled vs. Gold-Plated
Not all gold jewelry has the same scrap value. The difference can be hundreds of dollars.
Specialty Scrap
Dental Gold Value
Dental gold is one of the most overlooked sources of scrap value. Crowns and bridges are typically 10K to 22K gold.
What Is a Crown Worth? A single gold crown typically weighs 2 to 3 grams and is usually 16K to 22K. At current spot prices one crown can be worth $150–$400 in melt value. Specialized dental gold refiners pay 85 to 95% of melt. Use our dental gold calculator for a precise estimate.
Understanding Value Types
Melt Value vs. Numismatic Value
This calculator shows metal value only. Gold coins may be worth significantly more due to rarity, condition, or collector demand. Always check before scrapping a coin.
Pawn Shop Offers
What Do Pawn Shops Pay for Gold?
Pawn shops in the US typically offer between 30% and 50% of melt value for scrap gold. Knowing your melt value before you walk in is the single most powerful negotiating tool you have.
No offer should fall below 50% of your calculated melt value without a clear reason. See our full pawn shop payout guide for a detailed breakdown by buyer type.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
A calculator using live spot prices is highly accurate for melt value. Actual payout from a buyer will be lower, typically 50 to 95% of melt, depending on buyer type and lot size.
Karat measures the proportion of pure gold in an alloy. Pure gold is 24 karat (99.9%). 18K is 75% pure, 14K is 58.3% pure, and 10K is 41.7% pure. Higher karat means more gold and higher melt value per gram.
Pawn shops typically pay 30 to 50% of melt value. Online refiners generally pay 85 to 95% for larger lots. Always compare at least two to three offers before selling.
These are European hallmark stamps. 585 = 58.5% gold = 14 karat. 750 = 75% gold = 18 karat. 916 = 22 karat. 999 = 24 karat pure gold bullion.
Gold-plated has a microscopic gold layer with negligible melt value. Gold-filled (marked GF) has a thicker bonded layer, typically 5% gold by weight. Very low value compared to solid karat gold.
Dental gold crowns are typically 10K to 22K and weigh 2 to 3 grams. At current gold prices one crown can be worth $150 to $400 in melt value. Use our dental gold calculator for a precise estimate.
Yes. 10K gold is 41.7% pure and absolutely has melt value. Heavier pieces like chains and bracelets add up quickly even at the lower karat rate.