What it's worth · Gold
How much is a gold-filled or gold-plated item worth in Canada?
Gold-filled jewellery ("1/20 12K GF") is 5% gold alloy by weight bonded to brass. Gold plate (GP, HGE, RGP) is a much thinner layer. Both look like solid gold. The examples below are the whole item’s weight. Only a thin layer of it is gold.
| Weight | 1/20 12K gold-filled | 1/20 14K gold-filled | Gold-plated (GP, HGE) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 g | — | — | — |
| 30 g | — | — | — |
| 100 g | — | — | — |
Melt value of the gold only. Buyers usually pay 60% to 85% of it. Connecting to price feed…
What a buyer takes off
- Almost everything: most of the weight is brass or another base metal.
Can it be worth more than its gold?
Sometimes, as costume jewellery or a vintage collectible, but not for its gold. Many buyers will not buy plated items at all.
Before you sell
- "1/20" or "GF" on the stamp means gold-filled. "GP", "HGE", "RGP" or "EP" means plated.
- A gold-filled watch case or pen may be worth more as a collectible than as scrap.
The weights above are typical, not yours: weigh your own piece in grams. A kitchen scale that reads to 0.1 g is close enough for a first estimate. Then compare two or three written offers as a percent of melt. Seewhat a fair price is.
Other items
- How much is a gold class ring worth? →Women’s class rings often weigh 5 to 10 grams and men’s 10 to 25 grams.
- How much is a gold wedding band worth? →A thin band often weighs 2 to 4 grams and a wide or heavy one 6 to 15 grams.
- How much is a gold engagement ring worth? →The gold in an engagement ring setting is usually 2 to 6 grams.
- How much is a gold chain worth? →A light 18-inch chain often weighs 3 to 10 grams. Rope and Cuban link chains often weigh 20 to 100 grams or more.