Gold and silver melt value calculator

Reviewed by Thomas Rockford, financial analyst, on September 26, 2026

Enter the weight and purity of a coin, bar or piece of jewelry to see what the metal in it is worth at a spot price you choose. For common coins and bars, pick one from the list and the calculator uses the metal content its maker states.

Coin or bar

Metal

Weight of each piece

For jewelry, weigh the metal only, without stones or other parts. A karat stamp is a starting point, not a test. Old circulation coins are listed at their weights when new; worn coins hold a little less.

Purity (%)

Number of pieces

Spot price ($ per troy oz)

Filled in with each metal’s price on September 25, 2026. Type in today’s price for a current value.

Melt value

How melt value is worked out

Melt value is the weight of the pure metal in an item times the spot price. Take a 10-gram ring made of 14-karat gold. Fourteen karat means 14 parts gold out of 24, or 58.33%, so the ring holds about 5.83 grams of pure gold. That’s 0.1875 troy ounces, and at a gold price of $4,300 an ounce it’s worth about $806.

Precious metals are weighed in troy ounces. A troy ounce is 31.1035 grams, about 10% heavier than the ounce used for food. Jewelers often use grams or pennyweight. A pennyweight (dwt) is 1/20 of a troy ounce, or 1.555 grams. Our guide to the troy ounce has more conversions.

Karat	Share of gold
24k	99.9% or more
22k	91.67%
18k	75%
14k	58.33%
10k	41.67%

A karat is one part in 24, so 18k gold is 18 parts gold and 6 parts other metals.

Melt value is a starting point

Melt value tells you what the metal is worth, which isn’t always what you’ll be paid. Dealers and refiners pay less than melt value for scrap jewelry, because they have to refine it and make a profit. Common bullion coins usually sell for somewhat more than melt value, and dealers buy them back at around melt value or a little under it. Rare and collectible coins can be worth far more than their metal. Our guides to selling gold and silver and what gold really costs explain the gaps.

Metal content of common coins

Coin	Weight	Purity	Pure metal
American Gold Eagle, 1 oz	33.931 g	91.67% (22k)	1.000 troy oz of gold
American Gold Buffalo, 1 oz	31.108 g	99.99%	1.000 troy oz of gold
Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, 1 oz	31.11 g	99.99%	1.000 troy oz of gold
South African Krugerrand, 1 oz	33.93 g	91.67% (22k)	1.000 troy oz of gold
Austrian Philharmonic, 1 oz	31.10 g	99.99%	1.000 troy oz of gold
British Britannia, 1 oz	31.10 g	99.99%	1.000 troy oz of gold
American Silver Eagle, 1 oz	31.103 g	99.9%	1.000 troy oz of silver
Canadian Silver Maple Leaf, 1 oz	31.11 g	99.99%	1.000 troy oz of silver
U.S. dime, 1964 or earlier	2.5 g	90%	0.0723 troy oz of silver
U.S. quarter, 1964 or earlier	6.25 g	90%	0.1808 troy oz of silver
U.S. half dollar, 1964 or earlier	12.5 g	90%	0.3617 troy oz of silver
Kennedy half dollar, 1965 to 1970	11.5 g	40%	0.1479 troy oz of silver
Morgan and Peace dollars	26.73 g	90%	0.7735 troy oz of silver
Wartime Jefferson nickel, 1942 to 1945	5 g	35%	0.0563 troy oz of silver
American Platinum Eagle, 1 oz	31.12 g	99.95%	1.000 troy oz of platinum
American Palladium Eagle, 1 oz	31.12 g	99.95%	1.000 troy oz of palladium

Weights, purity and metal content from the mints’ published specifications. For bullion coins, the pure metal column shows the content the mint states, such as 1 troy oz of silver for a Silver Eagle. Worn coins can weigh a little less, and dealers count worn 90% silver coins at 0.715 troy oz of silver per $1 of face value. Wartime nickels have a large mint mark above Monticello; some 1942 nickels were made of the normal alloy.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between melt value and the spot price?

The spot price is the current price of one troy ounce of pure metal. Melt value applies that price to the amount of pure metal in your coin, bar or jewelry.

Which spot price should I use?

Spot prices move all through the trading day. The calculator starts with each metal’s price on the date shown under the price box. For a current figure, type in the latest spot price from a dealer or a financial news site.

Is a coin worth its melt value?

A common bullion coin trades close to its melt value, usually a little above it when you buy and at or a little below it when you sell. Collectible coins can be worth far more because of their rarity and condition.

How do I find the purity of my jewelry?

Look for a stamp inside a ring band or near a clasp. Gold is usually marked 10K, 14K or 18K, or with numbers such as 417, 585 and 750, which show parts per thousand. Sterling silver is marked 925 or “Sterling.” Marks can be faked, so a buyer may test the metal. Our guide to telling if gold is real covers the tests.