How to tell if gold is real.

Look for a stamp

Check inside ring bands, on clasps, and on the backs of pendants and earrings. A karat stamp such as 10K, 14K, 18K, 585, or 750 suggests solid gold; GF, GP, HGE, RGP, or "1/20" means gold-filled or plated. How to read gold stamps explains each one. A stamp is the maker's claim, and fakes exist, so treat it as a strong hint rather than proof.

Try a magnet

Gold isn't magnetic. If a strong magnet pulls the piece, it's steel or another base metal, at least in part (a steel clasp spring can pull on its own, so test the body of the piece). No pull doesn't prove it's gold, since silver, brass, and copper aren't magnetic either.

Check the wear

Look closely at edges and high points that rub. If a different color shows through, such as silver, gray, or copper, the piece is plated. Solid gold is the same color all the way through.

Notice how it has aged

Gold doesn't rust or tarnish green. Green or black marks on the skin, or green corrosion on the piece, usually mean base metal or low-karat alloy.

Tests to leave to a professional

Acid testing and scratch tests remove a little metal and can mark a piece, and density tests take practice to read. Scrap is paid on the gold recovered after melting, so you don't need to test anything yourself. If you're unsure, send photos first.

Don't throw anything out

Real gold turns up in costume jewelry boxes and broken pieces all the time. Send mixed lots as they are: the whole lot is processed together and paid on the gold it contains.

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?

The highest payouts for your gold, at a published percentage of the live Kitco bid.