Calculate the melt value of your 10 karat scrap gold jewelry using live spot prices. 10K gold is 41.7% pure — the minimum legal karat in the US and one of the most common karats found in American jewelry.
See what scrap gold buyers, refineries, and pawn shops actually pay for your 10K gold — after deductions
The melt value shown above is the theoretical maximum for your 10K gold. In practice, buyers apply a buyback spread and refining deductions before issuing payment. 10K gold often receives slightly lower payout percentages than higher karats due to higher refining costs relative to gold content. Use the slider below to model your expected payout.
Live 10K scrap gold price per gram, per pennyweight (DWT), and per troy ounce — updated from the gold spot market
The rates below show the current 10K gold value at 41.7% purity. 10K gold is the minimum legal karat in the United States and is the most affordable solid gold option. Select different karats to compare how purity affects the price per gram, per DWT, and per troy ounce.
Three steps — weigh your 10K gold, confirm the karat, get your melt value estimate
To find the 10K gold price per gram, divide the spot price by 31.1035 and multiply by 0.417. At a $3,235/oz spot: $3,235 ÷ 31.1035 × 0.417 = $43.34 per gram of 10K gold. This is the base melt value — actual buyer offers will be 70–95% of this amount.
Multiply the gold spot price directly by 0.417 for the 10K rate per troy ounce. At $3,235/oz: $3,235 × 0.417 = $1,348.99 per troy ounce of 10K gold. One troy ounce is 31.1035 grams or 20 pennyweights (DWT).
10K gold is the minimum legal karat that can be sold as "gold" in the United States. It's popular for affordable jewelry, class rings, and everyday wear due to its exceptional durability and scratch resistance. The higher alloy content makes it harder than 14K or 18K gold, making it ideal for pieces that take daily wear and tear.
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Understanding 10 karat gold purity, composition, and what drives its scrap value
This 10K scrap gold value calculator uses live market data to calculate the melt value of your 10 karat gold items. 10K gold contains 41.7% pure gold (fineness 417) alloyed with copper, silver, nickel, and zinc. It is the most durable standard karat and the minimum legal gold designation in the United States.
10K gold (fineness 417) is the minimum karat designation that can legally be sold as "gold" in the United States. It contains 41.7% gold and 58.3% alloy metals — more alloy than gold. This makes it the hardest and most scratch-resistant of all standard karats. It's popular for class rings, everyday jewelry, and pieces that receive heavy wear. While its per-gram value is lower than 14K or 18K, large quantities of 10K scrap still carry significant melt value.
The melt value of 10K gold is based purely on its gold content — 41.7% of the item's weight is recoverable gold. Designer or branded 10K jewelry may have resale value above melt, but most scrap buyers (refineries, pawn shops, dealers) price based on melt value only. Always compare the melt value from this calculator with quotes from multiple buyers to ensure you get the best payout.
The most common 10K gold scrap items include class rings (typically 8–15 grams), basic chains and necklaces (5–20 grams), wedding bands (3–6 grams), earrings (1–4 grams), and bracelets (5–15 grams). 10K gold is also found in some watch cases and vintage jewelry. Always remove any gemstones — their weight will inflate the calculation.
Compare live spot prices across gold, silver, platinum, and palladium
While this calculator focuses on 10K gold scrap value, precious metals trade independently on the spot market. The cards below show the current bid price per troy ounce for each metal. All prices update from live market data.
Specialized tools for every scrap gold scenario — pick the one that matches your gold item.
41.7% Pure · America's standard gold alloy
58.3% Pure · Most popular US jewelry gold
75.0% Pure · Premium luxury jewelry standard
91.7% – 99.9% Pure · High-purity coins & bullion
Grams, DWT, Troy Oz, Grains & Milligrams
Rings, chains, bracelets & damaged jewelry
Sovereigns, Eagles, Krugerrands & Maples
1/20 GF & 1/10 GF layer weight ratios
Real-time market spot rates & refiner margins
10K gold is 41.7% pure gold. To find the scrap value per gram, divide the current gold spot price per troy ounce by 31.1035 to get the 24K per-gram rate, then multiply by 0.417. At a $3,235/oz spot price, 1 gram of 10K gold = approximately $43.34. This is the melt value — actual buyer offers range from 70–95% of this figure.
Yes, 10K gold is absolutely worth scrapping. It is real gold with 41.7% pure gold content — the minimum legal karat designation in the United States. Even though it has less gold than 14K or 18K, 10K items still carry significant melt value, especially heavier pieces like class rings, chains, and bracelets.
Pawn shops typically pay 50–80% of the melt value for 10K gold scrap. Gold refineries offer higher payouts — usually 85–95% of melt value. For the best price, always compare quotes from at least 3 buyers and use this calculator to know your exact melt value before negotiating.
Look for hallmark stamps reading "10K", "10KT", "417", or ".417" on the inside of rings, on clasps of chains, or on earring posts. The number 417 means 417 parts per 1000 are pure gold. If no stamp is visible, a jeweler can test the item with an acid test kit or electronic gold tester.
10K gold is 41.7% pure gold; 14K is 58.3% pure. Per gram, 14K is worth about 40% more than 10K at the same weight. At $3,235/oz spot: 10K = $43.34/g vs 14K = $60.67/g. The only difference is gold content — 14K has more gold atoms per gram of total weight.
10K gold is 41.7% gold and 58.3% alloy metals including copper, silver, nickel, and zinc. Yellow 10K uses copper and silver; white 10K uses nickel or palladium; rose 10K has higher copper. These alloys make 10K the hardest, most scratch-resistant karat — ideal for everyday wear.
Weigh the ring in grams (typical 10K ring: 3–8g). Convert to troy ounces (÷ 31.1035). Multiply by 0.417 (10K purity). Multiply by the spot price. Example: 5g 10K ring at $3,235/oz = 0.1608 × 0.417 × $3,235 = $216.72 melt value. Dealers pay 70–95% of this.