Our angle
What Dealers Actually Pay for Scrap Gold (vs What Calculators Show)
Search "how much is my gold worth" and every calculator hands you a big, satisfying number. Walk into a shop with that number and you'll usually be offered far less. This post explains the gap — and how to land at the top of the realistic range instead of the bottom.
The number you see is melt value
Melt value is simply the weight of pure gold in your item multiplied by the spot price. It's real, but it's the ceiling, not the offer. A refiner buying your gold has to test it, melt and refine it, absorb price risk, and make a margin. So they pay a percentage of melt.
One MoneySavingExpert seller was quoted £672 of melt value and offered £242 in person — just 36% of the figure the calculator showed.
The realistic spread: 60–92%
- Pawnbrokers — ~60%. Fastest cash, lowest price.
- High-street "we buy gold" — ~70%. Convenient, still a big haircut.
- Online mail-in refiners — ~85%. The best mainstream rate; they publish per-gram prices.
- Specialist bullion dealers — ~92%. Best for larger or high-carat lots.
Our gold calculator has a slider with exactly these presets, so you can see what a fair offer from each looks like before you commit.
How to get the top of the range
- Sort by carat first — don't let a 9ct item drag down your 18ct pieces.
- Get the melt value and the realistic payout from the calculator.
- Compare at least two mail-in refiners' published per-gram rates.
- Ask for a written, itemised quote. Transparent buyers give one gladly.
Knowing the real number is your entire negotiating position. That's the whole reason this site leads with the realistic payout instead of hiding it.
All figures are estimates of melt value, never offers. Not financial or tax advice.