What you should actually expect to be offered
Typical payouts for scrap jewelry: pawn ~40–55% of melt, jewelers ~50–70%, coin dealers ~60–75%, specialist mail-in buyers ~70–80%. Resellable brand-name pieces can beat these. Get three quotes; compare each against melt.
What 18K gold is worth
18K gold is 75.00% pure. Its melt value is weight in grams × 0.7500 ÷ 31.1035 × the live gold price per troy ounce. The calculator applies that formula before showing buyer discounts.
Melt value is the negotiating yardstick
Jewelry buyers pay below melt to cover testing, refining, shipping, and margin. Compare every dollar quote with the melt value and get at least three offers before selling.
Frequently asked questions
How much is 18K gold worth per gram?
The live melt value per gram is gold spot ÷ 31.1035 × 0.7500. The calculator updates that amount when the live feed loads.
What percentage of pure gold is 18K?
18K gold is approximately 75.00% pure gold; the balance is alloy metal.
Will a buyer pay the full melt value?
Usually not. Scrap-jewelry buyers deduct their costs and margin, so compare offers as a percentage of melt.
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Other metals
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