Whether you're cleaning out a jewelry box or need cash this week, the first question is always the same: how much is my gold actually worth? Here is exactly how we calculate it at DD Pawn Loans in Pompano Beach, the same math any honest gold buyer in Florida should use, and the handful of things to check before you hand over a single gram.
The three numbers that decide your payout
1. Karat (purity)
Pure gold is 24K. Almost all jewelry is an alloy, because pure gold is too soft to wear:
- 10K = 41.7% gold (stamped 417)
- 14K = 58.5% gold (stamped 585, sometimes 583)
- 18K = 75% gold (stamped 750)
- 22K = 91.7% gold (stamped 916)
Look for the stamp on the clasp, the inside of the band, or the back of the pendant. Our hallmark guide decodes the rest. No stamp doesn't mean no gold; it means the piece gets tested. Be aware that plated and gold-filled pieces also carry stamps, and those are worth very little by weight.
2. Weight in grams
Gold is priced per troy ounce, which is 31.1 grams, not the 28-gram ounce on a kitchen scale. Buyers weigh in grams or pennyweights (one pennyweight is about 1.56 grams). Make sure you know which unit is on the display; our grams-vs-pennyweight guide explains why that matters. A kitchen scale gets you close. We use a jeweler's scale that reads to a hundredth of a gram, and we weigh in front of you.
3. The live spot price
Gold is a publicly traded asset and its price changes all day. Offers move with it, so a number you were quoted last month is not today's number.
Melt value = spot price per gram × purity × weight. Our free gold estimator pulls the live spot price and does this instantly: enter karat and weight and see your melt value before you leave home.
What a buyer will actually pay
No buyer pays 100% of melt. Whoever buys your gold has to refine it or resell it, and that margin comes out of the offer. The size of that margin is where buyers differ, sometimes by a lot, which is why it is worth getting more than one number before you sell. A fair buyer will walk you through the math rather than just naming a figure. Ask.
Five things to check before you sell
- Know the spot price. It takes seconds to look up and it is the starting point for everything that follows.
- Don't mix karats. Keep 10K, 14K and 18K separate. A buyer who weighs the whole lot together may pay for all of it at the lowest karat.
- Watch the scale. See it zeroed with the empty tray, see the unit, and see your piece weighed alone. A few tenths of a gram between your scale and the buyer's is normal; a full gram on a small piece is not.
- Expect to show ID. Florida law requires a valid government-issued photo ID for every pawn or purchase transaction. A licensed buyer will ask; one who doesn't is the one to worry about. Here is what paperwork you need.
- Get more than one number. You have something people want. Let two or three buyers compete for it, and compare the offers as a dollar figure for the same piece.
What's worth more than melt, and what isn't
Melt is the floor. Some things sit above it:
- Pieces that can be resold as jewelry rather than refined, in good condition and in a style that sells.
- Natural stones. Diamonds and good sapphires carry value of their own, though the stone's weight is not gold weight. A heavier ring can be worth less for exactly that reason.
- Gold coins. Usually 22K to 24K, closest to spot, and sometimes above it when there is collector value. See selling gold coins and bullion.
And some things people assume are worthless aren't. A snapped chain, a bent ring and a single earring all carry full gold value by weight and karat. Gold is gold.
Sell it or pawn it?
If you want the most cash and don't need the item back, selling is the right move. If you might want it back, a collateral pawn loan lets you borrow against it instead, with no credit check, and you redeem it when you're ready. Not sure which? Read our pawn-vs-sell breakdown or the collateral loans page.
Selling gold in Broward County
Selling in person means you watch every step, get paid the same day, and can ask questions face to face. We test and weigh on camera and explain how the offer was calculated. Not local? Our insured mail-in gold program brings the same on-camera testing to the whole state. We also buy silver and gold coins and bars.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to sell gold?
A valid government-issued photo ID, required by Florida law, and the items you want to sell.
Do you buy broken or single pieces?
Yes. Broken chains, lone earrings and bent rings all carry full gold value by weight and karat.
Will you tell me how you got the number?
Yes. We weigh and test in front of you and explain how the offer is calculated.
Do you buy plated or gold-filled jewelry?
Rarely, and never by gold weight. The layer of gold is too thin to recover.
Visit DD Pawn Loans in Pompano Beach
Bring your gold and a photo ID to sell your gold in Pompano Beach. DD Pawn Loans is at 2751 W Atlantic Blvd #101, Pompano Beach, FL 33069, serving all of Broward County. Call or text (561) 774-9292. Hours: Mon–Thu 10am–7pm, Fri 9am–8pm, Sat 10am–7pm, closed Sunday. All sales are final — no returns.