How Much Is 14K Scrap Gold Worth?
14K is the karat you'll see more than any other if you're buying or selling scrap gold in the United States. It accounts for roughly 60–70% of all gold jewelry sold domestically, which means the scrap value of 14K gold is the number that matters most to anyone in this market.
The calculation is simple. The difference between a fair deal and a bad one comes down to whether you ran the numbers before the offer hit the table.
The Scrap Value of 14K Gold — The Formula
14K gold is 58.33% pure gold. The rest is alloy metals — copper, silver, zinc — that add durability but don't contribute to the gold value. Here's the formula:
Scrap Value = (Weight in grams ÷ 31.1035) × 0.5833 × Spot Price
That gives you the melt value — the pure gold content at today's market price. It's the baseline every buyer uses to calculate their offer, and it's the number you need to know before anyone starts talking money.
14K Scrap Gold Value Per Gram
At a $4,750 gold spot price, one gram of 14K scrap gold is worth approximately $89.08 in melt value.
That number changes with the spot price. Here's a quick reference at different levels:
At $4,500 spot: $84.40 per gram At $4,750 spot: $89.08 per gram At $5,000 spot: $93.77 per gram At $5,250 spot: $98.46 per gram
The key point: always calculate with today's live spot price, not a memorized number. Gold can move $75+ in a single trading day, and that swing changes the per-gram value by more than a dollar. On a 30-gram chain, that's a $42 difference.
What 14K Scrap Pieces Are Actually Worth
Let's make this concrete with the kinds of pieces you'd actually encounter:
A 14K gold class ring (15g): 15 ÷ 31.1035 × 0.5833 × $4,750 = $1,336.26 melt value
A 14K gold chain (25g): 25 ÷ 31.1035 × 0.5833 × $4,750 = $2,227.11 melt value
A pair of 14K gold earrings (4g): 4 ÷ 31.1035 × 0.5833 × $4,750 = $356.34 melt value
A 14K gold wedding band (6g): 6 ÷ 31.1035 × 0.5833 × $4,750 = $534.51 melt value
These numbers are melt value only — the value of the gold content if the piece were melted down. Some pieces may have additional value above melt if they're designer, antique, or contain significant gemstones. But for basic scrap evaluation, melt value is your floor price.
What Buyers Pay vs. What 14K Scrap Is Worth
This is where reality meets math. The scrap value of 14K gold is one number. What a buyer offers is a different number. Understanding the gap is the entire game.
Buyers apply a "buy rate" — a percentage of melt value they're willing to pay. The industry standard varies by buyer type:
Refineries take the metal and extract the pure gold, paying 95–98% of melt. On a 25-gram 14K chain worth $2,227 in melt, a refinery would pay roughly $2,116–$2,183.
A coin shop or established gold dealer might pay 78–88%, or $1,737–$1,960 for that same chain.
A pawn shop's offer typically runs 55–75%, or $1,225–$1,670.
Cash-for-gold stores often come in at 40–60%, or $891–$1,336.
The spread between the worst and best offers on the same piece can be $500 or more. That's why the melt value calculation matters — it's the only way to evaluate whether an offer is reasonable.
Where to Find 14K Scrap Gold
14K is everywhere. Because it's the dominant karat in U.S. jewelry, the supply is constant:
Estate sales and auctions are one of the best sources. Jewelry boxes at estate sales often contain a mix of karats, and 14K pieces are the most common. Arrive early, inspect carefully, and know your per-gram values.
Pawn shops accumulate 14K pieces that go unclaimed and need to be moved. Building a relationship with pawn shop owners gives you first access to their scrap.
Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell groups have people selling inherited jewelry, post-breakup rings, and pieces they no longer wear. Many sellers don't know the karat or the value — they just want cash.
Garage sales and thrift stores are hit or miss, but when you hit, the margins can be exceptional. A $5 grab bag of costume jewelry with a real 14K chain buried in it is the kind of find that makes a scrap buyer's day.
Direct from sellers who see your posts on social media or hear through word of mouth. Once people know you buy gold, the calls start coming.
How to Verify It's Really 14K
Before calculating the scrap value of 14K gold, make sure it's actually 14K.
Look for stamps: "14K," "14KT," "585," or "583." Check the clasp on chains, inside band of rings, and posts on earrings. A loupe helps.
Run a magnet test. Gold isn't magnetic. A neodymium magnet is a two-second test that catches the worst fakes.
Acid test. Scratch the piece on a testing stone, apply 14K acid. If the mark dissolves, the piece is below 14K. If it holds, it's at least 14K. Quick, cheap, and reliable.
Remember that a stamp is a suggestion, not a guarantee. Pieces get re-stamped, stamps wear off, and fakes exist. If you're paying 14K prices, verify that you're getting 14K gold.
Stones and Settings: What to Subtract
When calculating scrap value of 14K gold, you're paying for gold — not diamonds, cubic zirconia, or gemstones. Stones add weight but not gold value.
For rings with small accent stones, the weight difference is usually minimal — maybe half a gram. For rings with larger stones, you need to account for the stone's weight. Some buyers weigh the piece with stones included and then estimate or subtract the stone weight. Others remove stones before weighing.
The simplest approach: if the stone is large enough to affect the weight meaningfully, note it and adjust your offer accordingly. If it's a pinhead-sized accent diamond, the weight difference probably isn't worth arguing about.
The Bottom Line
The scrap value of 14K gold comes down to a simple formula that anyone can run in thirty seconds. Weight, purity, spot price — those three numbers tell you what the gold content is worth. Everything after that is negotiation.
In 2026, with gold trading at elevated levels, even small 14K pieces carry real value. A 10-gram 14K piece holds over $891 in melt value. That's money worth calculating correctly.
If you want the math done instantly with live spot prices, nustack.app has a free calculator built for exactly this. Enter the weight, tap 14K, and the scrap value appears. It's the fastest way to know your numbers before the next deal.