How the Value of Your Gold Is Calculated
Last updated
Selling gold feels mysterious to a lot of people because the offer seems to appear from nowhere. It should not. There are only three inputs, and a good buyer will show you all of them.
The three factors that set your offer
1. Purity (karat)
Gold jewelry is almost never pure gold, because pure gold is too soft to wear. It is mixed with other metals, and the karat tells you how much of the piece is actually gold.
| Karat | Purity (fine gold) | Marking you may see |
|---|---|---|
| 24K | 99.9% | 999 |
| 22K | 91.6% | 916 |
| 18K | 75.0% | 750 |
| 14K | 58.5% | 585 |
| 10K | 41.7% | 417 |
Only the pure gold portion is paid for. A 100-gram 14K chain does not contain 100 grams of gold — it contains about 58.5 grams of pure gold. Full karat guide →
2. Weight
Gold is priced by weight, usually in grams or pennyweights. The piece is weighed on a calibrated scale. Heavier pieces of the same karat contain more gold and are worth more.
One important note: stones and non-gold parts do not count as gold. If a ring has a gemstone, the weight of that stone is not gold weight. A fair buyer accounts for this.
3. The market gold price (spot)
Gold trades on a global market, and its price moves every day. This daily rate is called the "spot price." Your offer is tied to the spot price on the day you sell, which is why the same piece can be worth more one week than another.
Putting it together
The basic logic every honest buyer follows is:
Pure gold content (purity × weight) × current gold price = the gold's raw metal value.
From there, a buyer makes an offer. Coin Mart shows you the karat, the weight, and how the offer relates to the current market, so nothing is hidden.
Why offers differ between buyers
Two buyers can quote different amounts for the same piece. Common reasons include how much each deducts from the market rate for their margin, whether they test accurately, and whether they weigh honestly. This is why watching the evaluation matters: at Coin Mart, the test and the weight happen in front of you. See how we test gold →
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the spot price of gold?
- It is the current global market price for gold, which changes daily. Your offer is based on the spot price the day you sell.
- Do you pay for the whole weight of my ring?
- No. Only the gold content is paid for. Gemstones and non-gold parts are not counted as gold weight.
- Why is 14K worth less per gram than 18K?
- Because 14K is 58.5% pure gold while 18K is 75% pure. More pure gold per gram means more value per gram.
- Can I sell gold when the price is high?
- Gold prices move daily. Selling when the market is higher generally means a higher offer, since the offer is tied to the current price.
Visit Coin Mart Jewelry
📍 396 E St, Chula Vista, CA · Est. 1959
Bring your gold in and we will show you the karat, the weight, and a clear offer, in front of you.