How Much Is My Gold Worth? A Simple Guide

One of the most common questions we hear at Rt9 Cash for Gold Buyers is: "How do I know if I'm getting a fair price?" The answer starts with understanding how gold value is actually calculated. Once you know the formula, you can walk into any gold buyer with confidence.

Karat tells you how much pure gold is in your jewelry. Pure gold is 24 karats. Most jewelry is an alloy — a mix of gold and other metals — because pure gold is too soft for everyday wear.

Here's how the common karats break down:

Higher karat = more gold = more value per gram.

Gold is weighed in troy ounces or grams. One troy ounce equals 31.1 grams. Most buyers will weigh your jewelry on a precision scale in front of you.

Keep in mind: the weight includes any stones, clasps, or non-gold components. A reputable buyer will account for this — or remove stones before weighing.

The spot price is the current market price of gold per troy ounce. It changes throughout the trading day based on global markets. You can check today's live spot price right on our homepage.

Here's a simplified version of how your payout is calculated:

Payout = (Weight in grams × Karat purity ÷ 24) × (Spot price ÷ 31.1) × Dealer percentage

For example, if you have a 14K gold chain that weighs 10 grams, and gold spot is $2,400/oz:

• Pure gold content: 10g × (14÷24) = 5.83g of pure gold
• Value at spot: 5.83 ÷ 31.1 × $2,400 = $450 at 100% spot
• A fair dealer pays 70–85% of spot, so a reasonable offer would be $315–$382

No buyer pays 100% of spot — they need to cover their costs and make a profit when they resell to refiners. But there's a wide range:

• Pawn shops: Often 30–50% of spot
• Chain gold buyers: Often 50–65% of spot
• Reputable local dealers: Often 70–85% of spot

At Rt9, we aim to pay the highest percentage we can while staying in business. We've built our reputation on fair payouts — not on squeezing customers.

Diamonds and gemstones are valued separately from the gold. A reputable buyer will either remove them and weigh just the metal, or factor them into a combined offer. We buy diamonds too — so if your ring has a stone, we'll give you a fair offer on the whole piece.

Look for a hallmark stamped inside rings, on clasps, or on the back of pendants. Common stamps include:

• 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K, 24K — US karat stamps
• 417 = 10K (41.7% gold)
• 585 = 14K (58.5% gold)
• 750 = 18K (75% gold)
• 916 = 22K (91.6% gold)
• 999 = 24K (99.9% gold)

No stamp? That's fine — we test everything with professional equipment regardless.

The best way to know what your gold is worth is to bring it in. We'll weigh it, test it, and give you a no-obligation offer — all in front of you, with full transparency. Ready to find out? See our gold buying page for more details on what we accept and how the process works.

Rt9 Cash for Gold Buyers 960 US Route 9 South, South Amboy, NJ 08879 Call or text: 732-727-4653 Open 7 days a week, 9:30 AM – 7:00 PM including Sunday.

No pressure. No obligation. Just an honest number.