The best way to sell your gold isn't about finding one magic buyer, it's about understanding the three numbers that actually determine your payout: weight, karat purity, and spot price. Once you know those, no offer can catch you off guard.
Weight: More Than Just "How Heavy Is It?"
Gold is typically weighed in grams or pennyweight at the counter, though spot prices are quoted per troy ounce (which is slightly heavier than a standard ounce). A trustworthy buyer will weigh your items in front of you and show you the number, not just tell you a total. If you have a mix of pieces, they're usually grouped by karat first, since each karat group is worth a different amount per gram.
Karat Purity: Why It Changes Everything
Karat measures how much of a piece is actually gold versus other metals added for strength and color. Here's the general breakdown:
- 10K gold is about 41.7% pure gold
- 14K gold is about 58.3% pure gold
- 18K gold is about 75% pure gold
- 24K gold is 99.9% pure, as close to solid gold as jewelry gets
Look for a small hallmark stamp (10K, 14K, 18K, or similar) on rings, clasps, or the inside of bands. If you can't find one, a jeweler can test the piece to confirm purity rather than guess.
Spot Price: The Baseline, Not the Final Number
The "spot price" is the current market rate for one troy ounce of pure (24K) gold, and it changes daily based on the broader market, so any number you see quoted is only good for that day (this guide was last checked in September 2026). It's a useful baseline, but it isn't what you'll be paid, since your jewelry isn't pure gold and every buyer applies their own payout percentage on top of the spot rate. A transparent buyer will walk you through: weight, times karat purity, times the current spot price, times their payout percentage, equals your offer. If a buyer won't show you that math, that's worth noticing.
Bring Proper Identification
Plan to bring a valid, government-issued photo ID. Reputable gold buyers, including local jewelers, are required to verify identification as part of doing business legally, and it protects both sides of the transaction. Don't be put off if a buyer asks for it, that's a sign they're following the rules, not a red flag.
What Types of Gold Jewelry Can Be Sold for Cash?
Almost anything with real gold content, including:
- Rings, wedding bands, and class rings (with or without stones)
- Necklaces, chains, and pendants like our Customizable Egyptian Hieroglyphics Cartouche Pendant, which shows how the same design comes in different karat options
- Bracelets, including solid gold pieces like our 14K Solid Gold ID Bracelet
- Single earrings, broken chains, and mismatched pieces
- Dental gold and gold-filled items, in most cases
Putting It All Together
The best process looks like this: sort your pieces by karat, weigh them (or let a jeweler do it in front of you), check the current spot price, bring your ID, and ask the buyer to walk you through their math. For more on where to take everything once it's sorted, see Who Will Give You the Most Money for Your Gold? and Who Should I Sell Gold To: A Jewelry Store or a Pawn Shop?
Quick Answers
How is the value of my gold actually calculated? Weight times karat purity times the current spot price, then adjusted by the buyer's payout percentage. See the breakdown above.
Does karat really make that big a difference? Yes. A gram of 10K gold and a gram of 24K gold are not worth close to the same amount, since one is less than half pure gold and the other is nearly all gold.
Do I need an appointment or can I just walk in? Walk-ins are welcome at both of our Central Texas locations during regular hours (Monday through Saturday 10am to 7pm, Sunday 11am to 6pm).
Can I sell broken or single pieces? Yes, condition and completeness matter far less than weight and purity.
Ready to find out exactly what your gold is worth? Want to bring your pieces by for a free, in-person breakdown of the numbers?
Ready to get a real number for your gold?
We test and weigh your gold in front of you and walk you through the math. Family owned in Central Texas since 1991, with two Texas stores you can walk into.
