How to read gold stamps.

Karat stamps: solid gold

A "P" after the karat, as in 14KP, stands for "plumb", the maker's claim that the piece is the full karat.

Gold-filled and plated: mostly not gold

These marks mean a layer of gold over another metal. Under the Federal Trade Commission's jewelry rules:

• GF, Gold Filled (often "1/20 12K GF"): a layer of at least 10K gold that is at least 1/20 of the piece's metal weight.
• RGP, Rolled Gold Plate: the same, but as little as 1/40 of the weight.
• GP, GE, GEP, Gold Electroplate: at least 10K gold, as thin as 0.175 microns.
• HGE, Heavy Gold Electroplate: at least 2.5 microns, still only a film.
• Vermeil: sterling silver with at least 2.5 microns of 10K or better gold.

Gold-filled pieces hold a little gold; plated pieces hold almost none. We accept gold-filled and plated pieces as part of a larger lot, but they lower the purity of the whole melt.

Why stamps can run under

A stamp is the maker's claim, not a test. Under the federal stamping law, a piece made before October 1981 and stamped 14K could legally be half a karat under, or a full karat under if tested together with its solder: about 4 to 7% less gold than the stamp says. Today's allowance is far smaller, but older, imported, and unbranded pieces can still come in under their stamp, and fake stamps exist.

No stamp?

Plenty of real gold is unmarked, especially older, handmade, or resized pieces. A magnet is a quick first check: gold isn't magnetic, so a strong pull means steel or another base metal, though no pull doesn't prove it's gold. Scrap is paid on the gold recovered after melting.

Gold stamps: 417 · 585 · 750 · 916 · 925 · 10K vs 14K · 14K vs 18K · All gold stamps

Identify your metal: Is my gold real? · Is it gold-plated? · Gold stamps · Is my silver real? · Sterling marks · Is my gold coin real? · Platinum or white gold?

We pay top dollar for gold, at published rates set before you sell.