What is gold melt value?
Gold melt value is the theoretical value of the pure gold contained in an item at a stated market reference. It ignores the retail cost of manufacturing, brand, design, condition and gemstones.
Melt value formula
Gold-bearing weight × purity × pure-gold reference price per gram
When the market reference is quoted per troy ounce, it is divided by 31.1034768 to estimate a per-gram reference.
Why melt value is not a payout
A buyer needs room for verification, refining, loss, price movement, shipping and operating expenses. Two buyers may therefore offer different percentages of the same calculated melt value.
When an item may be worth more
Collectible coins, signed jewelry, antiques, complete watches and documented gemstones may carry value beyond their recoverable gold. Consider a specialist appraisal before selling those items as scrap.