How to Read Gold and Silver Hallmarks Fast

When you buy scrap jewelry, the hallmark is your first pricing signal. Read it before you weigh it.

Gold marks

• 10K means 41.7% pure gold.
• 14K means 58.5% pure gold.
• 18K means 75.0% pure gold.
• 24K means pure gold for pricing purposes.

Equivalent numeric stamps:

• 417 = 10K
• 585 = 14K
• 750 = 18K
• 999 = 24K

Silver marks

• .800 is 80.0% silver.
• .900 is 90.0% silver.
• .925 is sterling silver.
• .999 is fine silver.

Quick workflow for accurate offers

1. Identify hallmark and set purity first.
2. Weigh in grams, dwt, or troy ounces.
3. Pull live spot data.
4. Calculate melt value.
5. Apply your payout margin.

If a piece has a designer mark, verify resale value before treating it as melt-only.