Gold Scrap Calculator
Estimate melt value and a realistic buyer-offer range from weight, karat and the gold price you choose.
Price status: user supplied, not live. Check a source you trust and enter its USD price per troy ounce.
Items
- Enter a gold price greater than $0 and no more than $100,000 per troy ounce.
Estimate
Enter a gold price and valid item values to calculate an estimate.
This is an estimate, not an appraisal, assay, purchase offer, guarantee or authenticity determination. Buyer deductions vary. Stones, plating and non-gold parts can change the result; use qualified testing when composition or authenticity matters.
How the estimate works
The calculator converts grams, pennyweights and troy ounces, applies karat purity, and compares theoretical melt value with an adjustable buyer-payout assumption. It does not provide a live market quote or an appraisal.
Karat expresses gold purity in twenty-fourths: 24K is treated as pure gold, while 14K is 14/24 gold by weight. The calculator first finds fine-gold weight, divides it by 31.1034768 grams per troy ounce, and multiplies by the user-supplied gold price.
Melt value versus a buyer offer
Melt value is a theoretical metal value before refining and transaction costs. A buyer may offer less to cover testing, refining, overhead, price movement and margin. The payout control makes that difference visible instead of hiding it inside one unexplained number.
Before selling
- Confirm whether a scale reports grams, pennyweights or troy ounces.
- Ask whether stones, plating and non-gold parts are excluded.
- Compare more than one buyer and request their payout assumptions.
- Use an assay or qualified professional when authenticity matters.
Gold scrap questions
How is scrap gold value calculated?
Weight is converted to grams, karat is converted to gold purity, and fine-gold weight is multiplied by the gold price per troy ounce.
What is the difference between melt value and a buyer offer?
Melt value is the theoretical metal value. A buyer offer is often lower because a buyer may deduct testing, refining, labor, overhead and margin.
Why are gold prices quoted per troy ounce?
Precious metals use the troy ounce, which is 31.1034768 grams—not the ordinary avoirdupois ounce.
Can this identify fake gold?
No. Weight and karat marks are inputs, not authentication. A qualified buyer or assay is required for verification.
How much is 14K gold worth per gram?
Multiply the chosen price per troy ounce by 14/24, then divide by 31.1034768. A buyer offer may be lower than that theoretical melt value.
Should I use grams, pennyweights or troy ounces?
Use the unit displayed by your scale or document. One pennyweight is 1.55517384 grams and one troy ounce is 31.1034768 grams.
Are stones included in scrap gold value?
No. Weigh gold separately when possible. Stones, clasps, fillings and other non-gold parts can make a gross weight overstate gold content.
How accurate is this gold scrap calculator?
Its arithmetic follows the supplied weight, purity, price and payout exactly, but the result is only as accurate as those inputs and cannot replace testing or a buyer quote.