17/06/2026
How Gold Buying Actually Works (So Nobody Takes Advantage of You)
When you walk into a gold buyer, you are not getting the spot price you see on the news. Here is what actually happens:
First, they test the metal to confirm the karat. 24k is pure gold. 18k is 75% gold. 14k is about 58%. 10k is roughly 42%. The higher the karat, the more gold content by weight.
Then they weigh the piece in grams and calculate the melt value based on today's spot price and the purity percentage.
The offer you get is a percentage of that melt value. A fair buyer pays 70 to 80% of melt. If someone is offering 50% or less, you should keep shopping.
Best move: check the live spot price on your phone before you walk in, and get at least 2 to 3 offers in the same week so you can compare.