How to calculate scrap gold price per gram?

Scrap gold price per gram = Karat Purity % × (Spot Price ÷ 31.1035). Example for 14K: 0.5833 × ($3,200 ÷ 31.1035) = $60.02/gram.

How much is 10 grams of 14k gold worth?

10g × 0.5833 ÷ 31.1035 × $3,200 = approximately $600.20 USD melt value. Dealer offer would be $420–$540 (70–90% of melt).

How do I convert grams to troy ounces for gold?

Divide by 31.1035. Example: 10 grams ÷ 31.1035 = 0.3215 troy ounces. There are 31.1035 grams in one troy ounce.

What does melt value mean?

Melt value is the intrinsic worth of the pure gold content in an item, based on current spot prices. It's the maximum value if the gold were refined and sold as a commodity.

Is scrap gold price the same as spot price?

No. Spot price is for 24K (99.99%) pure gold. Scrap price for alloy jewelry is spot price multiplied by the karat purity percentage. Plus, dealers pay below melt value.

How to Calculate Scrap Gold Value – Complete Guide

Step-by-step formula with worked examples for 9ct, 14K, and 18K gold

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The Gold Scrap Value Formula

Calculating scrap gold value requires just three pieces of information: the gold's weight, its karat purity, and the current spot price. The formula is:

📐 The Core Formula

Scrap Value = (Weight in grams × Karat Purity %) ÷ 31.1035 × Spot Price per troy oz

Where:

Weight in grams — the total weight of your gold piece(s)
Karat Purity % — the decimal gold content (e.g., 14K = 0.5833, 18K = 0.75)
31.1035 — the number of grams in one troy ounce (constant)
Spot Price per troy oz — the current live gold market price in USD (or your local currency)

Step-by-Step Example (14K Gold, 10 Grams)

Let's walk through a real calculation for a 14K gold chain weighing 10 grams, with gold at $3,200 per troy ounce:

1 Get the weight in grams Weigh your gold: 10 grams. (If you only have ounces, multiply by 28.3495 to get grams.)
2 Find the karat purity decimal 14K gold is 58.33% pure, so the purity decimal is 0.5833.
3 Calculate pure gold content 10g × 0.5833 = 5.833 grams of pure gold
4 4 Convert to troy ounces 5.833g ÷ 31.1035 = 0.18754 troy ounces of pure gold
5 Multiply by spot price 0.18754 × $3,200 = $600.13 melt value
6 Estimate dealer offer At 80% payout: $600.13 × 0.80 = $480.10 estimated offer

✅ Result: A 14K gold chain weighing 10 grams has a melt value of approximately $600.13 USD at $3,200/troy oz. A dealer would typically offer $480–$540 (80–90% of melt value).

What Is a Troy Ounce?

Gold is measured in troy ounces, not the regular (avoirdupois) ounces used for food and other goods. One troy ounce = 31.1035 grams. By contrast, a regular ounce = 28.3495 grams.

This distinction matters: if you weigh your gold as 1 "ounce" on a kitchen scale, that's 28.35g (avoirdupois). But gold prices are quoted per troy ounce (31.1035g). Always use grams for the most reliable calculation — our calculator handles both.

Karat Purity Quick Reference

Karat	Hallmark	Purity %	Purity Decimal	Common Country
9ct / 9K	375	37.5%	0.375	UK, Australia
10K	417	41.7%	0.4167	USA (budget)
14K / 14ct	585	58.3%	0.5833	USA, Canada
18K / 18ct	750	75.0%	0.75	Europe, Australia
21K	875	87.5%	0.875	Middle East
22K / 22ct	916	91.7%	0.9167	India, Asia
24K	999	99.9%	0.9999	Investment

Why Your Calculator Should Use Live Spot Price

Gold prices change every second during trading hours and can shift by significant percentages over days, weeks, or months. A static or "today's average" price used in non-live calculators can be off by $100/troy oz or more on volatile days.

Our calculator fetches the live spot price every 60 seconds from the gold market API. This means your calculation reflects the actual current market value, not yesterday's price or a manually updated figure that could be hours old.

Even a $50 difference in spot price translates to approximately $5.83 difference in melt value for every 10 grams of 18K gold — or $3.40 for 10 grams of 14K. When selling significant quantities, this adds up quickly.

Try It Now – Free Calculator

Use our live scrap gold calculator below — no sign-up required:

⚖️ Gold Scrap CalculatorLIVE

Frequently Asked Questions

Per gram price = Karat Purity % × (Spot Price ÷ 31.1035). For 14K at $3,200 spot: 0.5833 × ($3,200 ÷ 31.1035) = $60.02/gram.

Melt Value = (Weight in grams × Karat Purity) ÷ 31.1035 × Spot Price per troy oz. This gives the theoretical maximum value at current market prices, before dealer margin.

At $3,200 spot: 10g × 0.5833 ÷ 31.1035 × $3,200 = approximately $600.13 USD melt value. A dealer would offer $480–$540 (80–90% of melt).

Divide grams by 31.1035. Example: 10g ÷ 31.1035 = 0.3215 troy oz. Or multiply troy oz by 31.1035 to get grams. Our calculator handles this conversion automatically.

Melt value is the intrinsic worth of the pure gold in your item based on current spot prices — as if the gold were melted down and sold as pure bullion. It's the maximum theoretical value, before dealer fees and refining costs.

No. Spot price is for pure 24K gold (99.99%). Scrap jewelry is alloy — 14K is only 58.33% gold. So 14K scrap = spot price × 0.5833 per troy oz. Dealers also pay below melt value, so the actual payout is less than even the calculated melt value.