Selling Gold Jewelry: What 10K, 14K, and 18K Stamps Mean
What do 10K, 14K, 585, and GF stamps mean on gold jewelry? A simple guide to karat marks before you sell scrap gold in Kansas City.
Broken chains, single earrings, class rings, and old wedding bands add up. A lot of people have a small box of gold jewelry they never wear, and it can be worth more than they think. Before you sell, it helps to understand the tiny stamps inside rings and on clasps, because they tell you how much gold is actually in each piece.
What “Karat” Means
Pure gold is very soft, so jewelry is almost always mixed with other metals to make it stronger. Karat (K or kt) tells you how much of the piece is gold, out of 24 parts:
| Stamp | Also stamped as | Gold content |
|---|---|---|
| 24K | 999 | about 99.9% |
| 22K | 916 | about 91.7% |
| 18K | 750 | 75% |
| 14K | 585 | about 58.5% |
| 10K | 417 | about 41.7% |
So a 14K ring is a little more than half gold, and a 10K ring is a little less than half. In the U.S., 10K is the lowest karat that can legally be sold as “gold.”
Where to Find the Stamp
- Rings: inside the band
- Chains and bracelets: on or near the clasp, or on a small tag
- Earrings: on the post or the back
- Class rings: inside the band, often with the maker’s name
The stamps are tiny. A magnifying glass and good light help a lot. The stamp can also wear off over time, especially on old rings.
Stamps That Mean “Not Solid Gold”
Watch for these. They mean the piece has only a thin layer of gold over another metal:
- GF or 1/20 12K GF: gold filled (a layer of gold bonded to a base metal)
- GP or GEP: gold plated or gold electroplated
- HGE or HGP: heavy gold electroplate (still plated)
- RGP: rolled gold plate
- Vermeil: gold over sterling silver
These pieces have very little gold. The silver in vermeil may still be worth something.
What About Silver Jewelry?
Sterling silver is usually stamped 925 or STERLING, which means 92.5% silver. Silver jewelry is worth much less than gold by weight, but it can still add up.
What Affects the Value
When gold jewelry is sold as scrap, the value comes down to three things:
- The karat (how much of it is gold)
- The weight of the gold
- The current price of gold, which changes every day
Stones usually aren’t part of a scrap gold value. If you have pieces with significant diamonds or other gemstones, a jeweler can tell you about the stones themselves.
Tips Before You Sell
- Separate what you want to keep. Sentimental pieces are worth more to you than their scrap value.
- Don’t try to test it yourself with acid or scratches. You can damage pieces that have value as jewelry.
- Bring everything, including broken pieces. A broken chain is worth the same as an intact one by weight.
- Ask how the price is figured. A good buyer will weigh it in front of you and explain the karat of each piece.
More guides: selling gold coins, what the spot price means, fake gold on Facebook.
The Bottom Line
The stamp tells you most of what you need to know: the higher the karat, the more gold in the piece. Watch out for GF, GP, and HGE marks, which mean plated or filled jewelry. And remember that gold prices change daily, so the value of the same box of jewelry changes too.
Have gold or silver jewelry to sell? JoCo Coin Shop offers honest, no-obligation appraisals across the Kansas City area. Contact me by phone, text, or email to get started.
