Scrap Gold Calculator
Selling broken chains, mismatched earrings, class rings, dental gold, or old jewelry can be frustrating if you do not know the melt value first. Our scrap gold calculator helps you estimate both the full metal value and the likely payout range from common U.S. buyer types such as pawn shops, jewelers, online mail-in buyers, and refiners. That matters because most people do not get paid 100% of spot price when they sell scrap gold. Buyers need room for refining costs, testing, risk, and profit, so the real question is not just “what is my gold worth?” but also “what percentage of melt value should I expect?” This page solves both parts. Enter the weight, choose the karat, set the payout slider, and compare your result against common buyer profiles in one view. If you want a realistic cash-for-gold estimate before walking into a store or shipping items to an online buyer, this scrap gold calculator gives you a practical starting point based on live USD spot pricing.
Calculator tool
All calculations run instantly in your browser. Live price can be overridden any time.
Estimated payout
$0.00
Melt value × payout % = estimated payout
Buyer comparison
| Buyer | Typical % | Payout |
|---|
How it works
The tool starts by estimating melt value. That is the pure gold content of your item multiplied by the current spot price. Melt value is the benchmark you should know before comparing offers.
After that, the slider applies a payout percentage. This reflects how much of the melt value a buyer may actually pay. Lower-service or higher-risk buyers often pay less, while refiners usually pay more when volume and verification support it.
The comparison table shows typical market bands for pawn shops, local jewelers, online buyers, and refiners. These are estimates, not guarantees, but they help you recognize whether an offer is competitive or a clear lowball.
Because payout varies by quantity, item type, and testing confidence, the calculator is best used as a negotiation tool. If you know the melt value, you can ask better questions and avoid selling blindly.
Formula
Estimated payout = Melt value × Buyer payout percentage
Example calculation
- Example item: 1.5 ozt of 10K gold
- 10K purity = 10 ÷ 24 = 0.417
- If spot is $3,250.40/ozt, melt value = 1.5 × 0.417 × 3,250.40 = about $2,032.13
- At an 80% payout, expected offer = $2,032.13 × 0.80 = about $1,625.70
Current karat price table
Live from the cached spot feed. Use these rows as a quick reference before you calculate.
Updated 11 min ago
| Karat | Purity | Per Gram | Per DWT | Per Ozt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10K | 41.7% | $61.58 | $95.78 | $1,915.50 |
| 14K | 58.3% | $86.22 | $134.09 | $2,681.70 |
| 18K | 75% | $110.85 | $172.40 | $3,447.90 |
| 22K | 91.7% | $135.48 | $210.71 | $4,214.10 |
| 24K | 100% | $147.80 | $229.86 | $4,597.20 |
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Collect leads directly on your cPanel host. Submissions are stored in SQLite when available, with a JSON fallback for low-friction deployment.
Lead workflow
- 1. Visitor submits name, email, and estimated gold weight.
- 2. The site stores the lead in SQLite or JSON fallback storage.
- 3. PHP mail() sends a confirmation email when enabled by the host.
- 4. Admin can review the latest leads directly from the dashboard.
FAQ
What payout percentage should I expect for scrap gold?
Small local buyers may pay around 55% to 75% of melt value, while strong online buyers or refiners may land closer to 80% to 95% depending on volume and verification.
Is scrap gold worth less than wearable jewelry?
Usually yes if the buyer is paying only for metal content. Wearable resale value is different from melt value.
Why does karat matter so much?
Higher karat means more pure gold content. Two items with the same weight can have very different melt values if the purity is different.
Should I remove stones before selling?
Only if a professional recommends it. Some buyers ignore stones completely, while others may return them or value them separately.
How do I know if an offer is too low?
Compare the offer against estimated melt value and the payout ranges shown in the tool. If the percentage is far below normal market practice, keep shopping.
Related calculators
Related guides
Want a more detailed melt breakdown?
Use the gold melt value calculator when you need to total several rings, bracelets, and chains in one combined estimate.