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Gold coin melt values
Classic and modern U.S. gold, valued from live spot prices.
Gold spot
$4,603.16
per troy ounce
Silver spot
$68.58
per troy ounce
Gold:silver ratio
67.1
ounces of silver per ounce of gold
Copper
$6.68
per pound
Prices as of . Gold and silver: Swissquote spot (OTC mid). Copper: COMEX front-month futures (Yahoo Finance).
Melt value of classic and modern U.S. gold coins
| Coin | Years | Fineness | Gold content | Melt value | Times face |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $20 Double Eagle | 1849-1933 | 90.0% | 0.9675 ozt | $4,453.53 | 222.7x |
| $10 Gold Eagle | 1795-1933 | 90.0% | 0.4837 ozt | $2,226.76 | 222.7x |
| $5 Half Eagle | 1795-1929 | 90.0% | 0.2419 ozt | $1,113.38 | 222.7x |
| $2.50 Quarter Eagle | 1796-1929 | 90.0% | 0.1210 ozt | $556.76 | 222.7x |
| $3 Gold Piece | 1854-1889 | 90.0% | 0.1451 ozt | $667.98 | 222.7x |
| Gold Dollar | 1849-1889 | 90.0% | 0.0484 ozt | $222.70 | 222.7x |
| American Gold Eagle (1 oz) | 1986-present | 91.7% | 1.0000 ozt | $4,603.32 | 92.1x |
| American Gold Buffalo (1 oz) | 2006-present | 100.0% | 1.0000 ozt | $4,603.37 | 92.1x |
Pre-1933 gold coins nearly always sell above melt value -
scarcity premiums apply even to common dates, and certified coins carry
grading premiums on top. The melt value is the arithmetic floor.
How gold coin melt value is computed
melt value = weight (g) × fineness ÷ 31.1035 × gold spot ($/ozt)
Classic U.S. gold circulated at 90% fine (21.6 karat). Modern American Gold Eagles are 22 karat but weigh more, so each still contains a full troy ounce of gold; Gold Buffaloes are 24 karat (.9999 fine).
Melt value is the floor, not an appraisal. Coins with collector value trade above their metal content, and dealers buy below melt and sell above it to earn a margin. This site publishes the metal arithmetic only - never buy or sell quotes, and never price predictions.
Weighing scrap gold or jewelry? The gold calculator handles any weight and karat.