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What counts as scrap gold
Scrap gold is any real gold that's worth more as metal than as a finished piece. In practice, that's most of the tangled corner of a jewelry box:
- broken or knotted chains and bracelets
- single earrings and lone earring backs
- bent, cracked, or outgrown rings, including class rings
- loose clasps, links, charms, and pendants without a chain
- worn bands you'll never resize
- gold nuggets, flakes, and wire
Dental gold counts too, and it has its own page: how we buy dental gold.
Plain gold is paid on gold content alone, so a snapped chain earns the same per gram as an intact one. If you have bars, coins, or gold you still wear, our main sell gold page covers those.
Before you scrap it: pieces that may be worth more whole
Some “scrap” isn't scrap. Signed designer jewelry (Tiffany & Co., Cartier, David Yurman and others), antique and estate jewelry, gold coins, and certified diamonds of 1.5 carats and above can be worth more than their melt value. Set those aside and we'll appraise them separately. If a piece looks worth more intact than melted, we'll tell you.
How scrap gold is priced
Every scrap offer comes from three numbers: tested purity, weight, and the live spot price.
(spot price per troy ounce ÷ 31.1) × karat purity × weight in grams = melt value
We sort your pieces by karat, test each group, weigh them on a calibrated scale, and calculate the melt value for each karat. Your offer is based on that total, at a rate that varies by item. We walk you through the figures before you decide, and there are no melting fees hidden in the math.
Karat chart: how much pure gold is in your scrap
| Karat | Common stamp | Gold content | Pure gold in 10 g of scrap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8K | 333 | 33.3% | 3.33 g |
| 9K | 375 | 37.5% | 3.75 g |
| 10K | 417 | 41.7% | 4.17 g |
| 12K | 500 | 50.0% | 5.00 g |
| 14K | 585 | 58.3% | 5.83 g |
| 18K | 750 | 75.0% | 7.50 g |
| 21K | 875 | 87.5% | 8.75 g |
| 22K | 916 | 91.7% | 9.17 g |
| 24K | 999 | 99.9% | 9.99 g |
To get the gold value of one gram of your scrap, multiply the day's price for a gram of pure gold by the gold content. For example, if a gram of pure gold were $100 (a made-up round number for easy math, not today's price), one gram of 10K would hold $41.70 of gold, 14K $58.30, and 18K $75.00.
Worked example: a typical drawer of scrap (hypothetical numbers)
Using the same made-up $100 per gram of pure gold:
| Pieces | Weight | Karat | Pure gold | Melt value at $100/g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two broken chains | 18 g | 14K | 10.49 g | $1,049.40 |
| Outgrown class ring | 9 g | 10K | 3.75 g | $375.30 |
| Three odd earrings | 4 g | 18K | 3.00 g | $300.00 |
| Total | 31 g | 17.25 g | $1,724.70 |
If the same 31 grams were lumped together and priced as 10K, the melt value would drop to $1,292.70, about $430 less on identical gold. That's why we test and price each karat on its own instead of grading a mixed pile at its lowest karat.
Grams, pennyweights, and troy ounces
Some buyers quote per pennyweight (dwt) instead of per gram. One pennyweight is about 1.555 grams, and one troy ounce is 31.1 grams, or 20 pennyweights. A per-pennyweight price looks bigger than a per-gram price for the same gold, so convert before you compare offers. We weigh in grams, on a scale you can see. Our list of red flags before you sell covers this trick and a few others.
How we test scrap gold in front of you
Testing matters most with mixed scrap. A tangle of chains can hold three different karats, and stamps on old clasps are often worn away or missing. We test with an XRF analyzer, which reads purity without cutting or scratching the piece, and use acid or electronic testing where it helps. It all happens at the counter, on camera, in a secure setting.
We'll also flag anything that isn't solid gold. Gold-plated pieces carry too little gold to buy. We aren't currently buying individual gold-filled items, though bulk lots of 5 lbs or more can be reviewed by arrangement and are paid after refining. You'll know exactly what you have before any offer is made.
What affects your scrap gold offer, and what doesn't
What affects it:
- Karat: tested, not assumed from the stamp.
- Gold weight: measured in grams on a calibrated scale you can see.
- Large stones: their estimated weight is deducted from the metal weight. If you accept the offer, we remove the stones and hand them back.
- The spot price that day.
What doesn't:
- Breaks, dents, knots, kinks, or missing backs
- Dirt or tarnish. No need to clean, untangle, or repair anything.
- Whether a set is complete. One earring is paid like half a pair.
Selling scrap gold locally vs. mailing it in
Search for the best way to sell scrap gold and you'll find plenty of mail-in kits. The trade-off is control: you ship first and get a number later. Selling locally, you watch the test and the scale, see the math, and leave the same visit with either your money or your gold. We're not a pawn shop either. There's no loan and no ticket, just an outright purchase.
Bring it in
- A valid government-issued photo ID. Virginia requires one for every precious-metals sale, and sellers must be 18 or older.
- All your scrap in one bag. We'll sort it.
- No minimum. One broken earring gets the same free test as a full bag of chains.
Payment is a check handed to you at the counter, drawn on a local bank, with no cap on how much scrap you sell in one visit.
Chantilly, Annandale, and Manassas take walk-ins during store hours. Vienna / Tysons is currently by appointment, so call (703) 889-0532 before you go.
Store addresses, phone numbers, and hours are on our four Northern Virginia stores page. Got broken sterling too? You can sell silver at the same visit.
