Scrap Gold Calculator Guide: How Melt Value Is Estimated
Learn how a scrap gold calculator estimates melt value using weight, karat, purity, spot price, units, and buyer payout.
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Quick answer
The Scrap Gold Calculator estimates gross melt value from one item’s gold-bearing weight, the displayed fineness, and the gold price you enter. It can also apply an optional payout percentage you enter. Calzivo does not fetch a live price, test purity, identify deductions, or predict an actual offer.
Use the calculator: Open the Scrap Gold Calculator for gross melt value and an optional payout scenario. Use the Gold Calculator for gross metal-content value without a payout scenario.
Inputs and calculator boundary
- Enter one item’s estimated gold-bearing solid-material weight and choose grams, kilograms, troy ounces, ordinary ounces, or pennyweight.
- Choose a displayed fineness preset or enter custom fineness from 0 through 1000 parts per thousand.
- Enter your own gold price per gram or per troy ounce; no price is supplied or updated automatically.
- The currency code is a display label only and performs no exchange-rate conversion.
- An optional payout percentage from 0% through 100% is a user-entered scenario, not inferred deductions.
- Run mixed-karat lots separately and sum only results with the same price and currency basis.
Formulas
The calculator uses the exact displayed preset 999, 916, 750, 585, or 417, or a custom value.
Converted weight remains unrounded internally.
Weight or price basis is converted before multiplication.
This optional scenario is not an actual offer.
Worked examples
For 10 g at 18K (750) and 70 per gram: pure-gold equivalent = 7.5 g and gross melt value = 525. A user-entered 90% payout gives 472.50.
The manual ratio 20 x 14 / 24 = 11.666666... g and at 65 per gram gives approximately 758.33. The displayed 14K (585) preset instead gives 11.7 g and 760.50.
One troy ounce is 31.1034768 g; one ordinary ounce is 28.349523125 g. Select the intended unit because the calculator does not infer it.
For 10 g at 18K and 10 g at the theoretical 14K ratio, calculate separately: 7.5 g plus 5.833333... g = 13.333333... g. The tool accepts one lot per calculation.
Melt value, payout, and actual offers
Gross melt value is arithmetic from entered assumptions. Estimated payout applies only the optional percentage entered. An actual offer may use tested fineness, recoverable weight, price timing, assay or refining costs, dealer margin, transaction costs, and buyer policy.
Rounding, materials, and safety
- Internal conversion and fineness values are unrounded; money is displayed to two decimals.
- Exclude stones and clearly non-gold components where possible; solder, clasps, springs, and mixed materials can affect payable weight.
- Total item weight is unsuitable for plated, filled, rolled-gold, or vermeil items unless actual solid-gold content is known.
- Calzivo does not assay hallmarks, establish authenticity or title, calculate tax treatment, or provide an appraisal.
- Market prices and payout policies can change; professional assay or transaction verification may be appropriate.
- Results are educational estimates, not financial, investment, tax, legal, appraisal, or selling advice.
Frequently asked questions
Does Calzivo supply a live gold price?
No. You enter the price and select per gram or per troy ounce.
Is payout percentage required?
No. Leave it blank for gross melt value only; an entered percentage is a user-defined scenario.
Can I calculate mixed karats together?
No. Run each fineness group separately, then sum comparable results.
Is gross melt value a guaranteed offer?
No. Testing, recoverable weight, market timing, costs, margin, and buyer policy can change an offer.
Does the calculator verify purity?
No. It applies the displayed fineness assumption and does not authenticate or assay an item.
Reference check
Sources and references
These references provide background context for the topic. They do not replace professional advice or official documents.
- Buying Platinum, Gold, and Silver Jewelry
Federal Trade Commission
- Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries
Federal Trade Commission
- Precious Metals Conversion Information
National Institute of Standards and Technology
- Conversion Factors for Precious Metal Sales
National Institute of Standards and Technology
- Hallmarking: Practical Guidance
British Hallmarking Council
- Hallmarking: Fineness Guidance
British Hallmarking Council
- Methods for Determining Gold Content of Jewelry Metals
Gemological Institute of America
- LBMA Precious Metal Prices
London Bullion Market Association
A scrap gold calculator uses the weight, fineness, price, and optional payout percentage you enter. It does not fetch a live price, model deductions, or guarantee a buyer offer.
Use the tool instead
Use the matching calculator when you want to plug in your own numbers and get a result faster.
Open Calculator