What 10K gold actually is
Karat is a ratio out of twenty-four. 10K means ten parts gold to fourteen parts other metal, which is 41.67% gold by weight. The rest is usually a mix of copper, silver and zinc, and it makes the alloy hard, scratch resistant and cheap to produce.
That is why 10K is so common in school and class rings, budget chains and children’s jewelry. It is real gold, but less than half of any piece is metal a refiner will pay for, so weight matters more than it does with higher karats.
What 10K is worth right now
At the spot price this page loaded with, $4,072.10 per troy ounce, 10K works out to:
| Weight | Melt value | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 gram | $54.55 | A thin earring or charm |
| 5 grams | $272.75 | A light class ring |
| 10 grams | $545.50 | A heavy class ring or a short chain |
| 1 pennyweight | $84.84 | The unit a pawn shop will quote |
| 1 troy ounce | $1,696.71 | A very heavy chain or a collection of rings |
These are melt figures: the metal only, at 100% of spot, before any buyer’s margin and before deducting stones.
10K against the other karats
| Karat | Gold content | Value vs 10K | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10K | 41.67% | — | Class rings, budget chains |
| 14K | 58.33% | +40.0% | Most US jewelry |
| 18K | 75.00% | +80.0% | Fine jewelry, watch cases |
| 22K | 91.67% | +120.0% | Gold Eagles, South Asian jewelry |
| 24K | 99.9% | +140.0% | Bars and investment coins |
A piece stamped 10K and one stamped 417 are the same alloy: one is marked in karats, the other in fineness. Some pieces also carry 10KT, where the T is simply short for karat.
Where you will find 10K gold
- Class and school rings. Almost always 10K, often with a large stone and a lot of non-gold fill. Weigh the ring and deduct the stone.
- Budget chains and bracelets. Cheaper than 14K to make, and harder wearing.
- Charms, pendants and children’s jewelry. Light pieces, so the melt value is often small.
- Older American jewelry. 10K was a common choice during periods when gold prices were high.
Plated and filled pieces to rule out
These marks can sit next to a karat number and mean the piece is not solid gold. They are worth close to nothing as scrap:
- 10K GP — gold plated. A microscopically thin layer.
- 10K GF or 1/20 10K GF — gold filled. A bonded layer, typically 5% of total weight, and rarely worth refining in small quantities.
- 10K HGE or RGP — heavy gold electroplate and rolled gold plate. Still plating.
- 925 with a gold colour — vermeil: gold-plated sterling silver. The silver has value; the gold layer does not.
Solid 10K is stamped 10K, 10KT or 417, with nothing else appended. Not sure? Read how to tell if gold is real.
Before you sell 10K
- Weigh it yourself first, on a scale that reads to 0.01 g, and note the number.
- Separate 10K from other karats. A mixed pile gets priced at the lowest karat in it.
- Check class rings for a stone or a core of non-gold material. The stamp covers the metal, not the stone, so deduct the stone weight.
- Ask for the quote as a rate per gram or per pennyweight at 10K, not as a lump sum, so you can check it against the melt figure above.
- Get three quotes. The spread between a pawn shop and a refiner on the same piece is routinely double. The full process is in how to sell scrap gold.
10K gold questions
How much is 10K gold worth per gram?
10K is 41.67% gold, so a gram is worth 0.4167 times the 24K per-gram rate. The headline rates at the top of this page show today's figure before any buyer margin.
Is 10K gold real gold?
Yes. 10K is the lowest purity that can legally be called gold in the United States. It is 41.67% gold, with the rest copper, silver, zinc or other metals, so it is worth less per gram than 14K or 18K.
Why is my class ring worth so little as scrap?
Most of a class ring's weight is often the stone, the setting and non-gold fill, and only 41.67% of the metal is gold. Weigh it, deduct the stone, and apply the 10K rate to what is left.
What does 417 mean on my jewelry?
417 is the fineness stamp for 10K: 417 parts gold per thousand. European and imported pieces use this instead of a karat mark.
Is 10K worth selling for scrap?
It can be, if the piece is heavy enough. A single light earring is worth very little, but several heavy pieces add up. Check the melt value on this page, then compare quotes from three buyers.