How much can you sell 1 oz gold for?

One troy ounce of gold sells for a price tied to the live spot market, which is currently around $4,288.70 per troy ounce. What you actually receive depends on what form the ounce is in: a recognized bullion coin or bar brings a payout close to the live spot price at Accurate Precious Metals, while an ounce of gold contained in jewelry or scrap is valued on its metal content.

Spot is the price of one troy ounce of pure gold for immediate delivery, set by global trading and moving throughout the day in response to inflation data, the strength of the US dollar, interest rates, central bank buying and geopolitical events. Because it changes constantly, any quote you get is a snapshot. You can check the exact current number on our live gold price page, which updates in real time and includes historical charts.

Bullion: coins and bars

If your ounce is an American Gold Eagle, Gold Buffalo, Canadian Maple Leaf, Krugerrand or a stamped one ounce bar, it is easy to verify and easy to resell, so it earns the highest percentage of spot. We publish a rate close to the live spot price on gold bullion and sometimes pay more on especially in-demand products. The exact figure depends on the specific product, its condition, the volume you are selling and market conditions, and no rate is guaranteed. Note that 22k coins such as the Eagle and Krugerrand still contain a full troy ounce of pure gold, so they are priced as one ounce even though the coin weighs slightly more.

Jewelry and scrap: an ounce is not always an ounce

A troy ounce of 14k jewelry contains only 58.3% gold, so its metal value is well below the spot price for pure gold; 18k contains 75%, and 10k 41.7%. Staff weigh the item, test its karat and calculate the pure gold content, then quote from the metal content we measure. A quick way to estimate: with spot at $4,288.70, pure gold is worth about $137.88 per gram, 18k about $103.41 per gram and 14k about $80.43 per gram. Multiply by your item's weight in grams. Remember that a troy ounce is 31.1035 grams, not the 28.35 grams of a kitchen ounce, and that stones, clasps and springs are not gold and are excluded from the weight.

Getting a firm number

The fastest way is to bring your gold to our Salem, Oregon facility, where you can watch it being weighed and tested and receive an offer on the spot, paid by certified check, cash or bank wire. From anywhere else in the US, our insured mail-in program sends you a free prepaid mailer; your offer arrives by phone, email or text and holds for 14 days, and payment typically follows within 1 to 3 business days after you accept. There are no evaluation, shipping or receiving fees either way, and because we are the refinery rather than a middleman, there is no extra layer taking a cut. Start an evaluation with our gold buying team.