A guide to selling scrap
What to know about weights, purity marks, and photos before you list. This is general information, not an appraisal or advice.
Weigh it the way buyers do
Precious metals are priced per troy ounce, which is 31.1035 grams. An ordinary (avoirdupois) ounce is 28.35 grams, so a kitchen scale in ounces will mislead you. Weigh in grams if you can. The calculator accepts grams, troy ounces, ounces, and pounds.
Weigh the metal without loose stones when you can. Buyers value scrap by its metal content, and stones usually add little.
Read the purity marks
| Gold | 10k = 41.7% (417) · 14k = 58.3% (585) · 18k = 75% (750) · 22k = 91.7% (916) · 24k = 99.9% (999) |
|---|---|
| Silver | Sterling = 92.5% (925) · coin silver = 90% (900) · fine silver = 99.9% (999) |
| Platinum | Jewelry is usually 95% (marked 950 or PLAT) or 90% (900) |
| Palladium | Jewelry is usually 95% (marked 950 or PD) |
Marks such as GF, GP, HGE, or RGP mean gold-filled, plated, or electroplated. These items carry only a thin layer of gold and are worth far less than solid gold. If you are not sure, a buyer will test the item.
What affects the offers you receive
- Purity and weight. These decide the metal content, and the buyer confirms both by testing.
- The metal price on the day. Prices move during the day, so an estimate is a range and not a promise.
- Material type. Clean jewelry and bars are simple to value. Mixed lots, electronics, and dental scrap take more testing.
- Catalyst ceramic cannot be priced by weight alone. Buyers price it after an assay, so it has no estimate range.
Photographing your lot
- Write your photo code on paper and place it next to the material.
- Use plain light and a plain background, and keep the whole lot in view.
- Show the material only. Leave out faces, documents, and anything that identifies you.
Three photos are required on every lot: all of it together, a close-up, and the material on a scale. We re-encode photos in your browser to remove location data before upload.
Protect yourself when you ship
Ship by USPS Registered Mail from a post office counter, which is insured up to $50,000 per package and tracked. Photograph the sealed package on a scale first, add a return receipt (required at $2,000 or more), and keep your receipt and the buyer's written test results. You deal with the buyer directly on payment. You may decline a revised price after testing, and if you do, the buyer must return the material to you, insured, at the buyer's expense.