Value your gold by karat and grams
Reference: gold $4,102 and silver $52.46 per troy ounce on November 5, 2026 (gold-api.com public spot quote). Prices move every day; type the current spot price for an exact figure.
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- Pure metal
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- Price per gram of this purity
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Melt value before refining costs. Pawn and purchase offers are lower; compare shops.
How pawn shops value gold
- The shop tests the karat with acid, an electronic tester or an XRF machine, whatever the stamp says.
- It weighs the gold in grams or pennyweight, without stones where it can.
- It multiplies the pure gold content by the spot price, then lends a part of that value.
- Designer pieces and heavy chains can get a premium; broken or scrap gold is valued as metal only.
What to bring
- A government-issued photo ID.
- The pieces, clean, with stones you want valued separately noted.
- Receipts or appraisals if you have them (they help for designer jewelry).
10K gold is 41.7% pure, 14K is 58.3% (stamped 585), 18K is 75% (750), 22K is 91.7% and 24K is 99.9%. Gold-filled (GF), gold-plated (GP, HGE) and vermeil are not solid gold and get little or nothing.
If you are sure you will not come back for the piece, a sale usually pays more than a loan. Compare in pawn or sell and see where to sell gold.
Gold value per gram by karat
Metal value at the reference price of $4,102 per troy ounce (November 5, 2026). Type today's price in the calculator above for a current figure.
| Karat | Purity | Per gram | 10 grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10K | 41.7% | $54.95 | $549.51 |
| 14K | 58.3% | $76.93 | $769.31 |
| 18K | 75.0% | $98.91 | $989.12 |
| 22K | 91.7% | $120.89 | $1,208.92 |
| 24K | 99.9% | $131.75 | $1,317.50 |
How much of the value will they lend?
There is no standard percentage. FirstCash, which runs Cash America, First Cash and other pawn chains, says in its annual report that the loan "typically is based on a percentage of the estimated sale value of the collateral", that it does not use a standard or mandated percentage, and that store employees set it item by item (FirstCash 2012 Form 10-K). That is why offers for the same gold vary from shop to shop. The calculator above shows scenarios so you can compare offers you get.
What the loan costs
The charge is set by state law, whatever you pawn. Check the maximum for your state and amount:
Pawn loan cost by state
$40
maximum charge for the first month
- Total charges
- $40
- To get your item back
- $240
- Monthly rate
- 20.0%
Maximum allowed by state law. A pawn shop can charge less; your pawn ticket shows the real amount.
Pawn shops near you
Results
Enter a ZIP code or use your location to see the nearest pawn shops listed as gold buyers, with open-now status. Or browse a city: Las Vegas, San Antonio, Albuquerque, Tampa, Lincoln, Lubbock, Sioux Falls, Houston, Dallas, Columbus.
Questions
How much will a pawn shop give for 14K gold per gram?
The metal value of 14K gold is 58.3% of the spot price per gram. The loan is a part of that, set by each shop; there is no standard percentage. Use the calculator with today's spot price to know the metal value.
Do pawn shops pay for diamonds in gold rings?
Many shops value small diamonds at little or nothing and pay only for the gold. Larger certified stones are valued separately.