Gold & Silver Hallmarks: What They Mean

Where to find hallmarks

Look in the spots that hide wear (the stamps are often tiny):

• Rings: inside the band
• Chains/bracelets: on the clasp, end tag, or a tiny plate near the clasp
• Earrings: on the post or backing
• Pendants: on the bail (the loop) or the back

Use bright light, your phone camera zoom, or a magnifier.

Common gold hallmarks (karat + % gold)

Gold stamps usually tell you purity. Karat (K) is “parts out of 24.” You’ll often see 10K / 14K / 18K / 22K / 24K, or a three-digit number that shows the gold percentage:

• 417 = 10K = 41.7% gold content
• 585 = 14K = 58.5% gold content
• 750 = 18K = 75.0% gold content
• 916 = 22K = 91.6% gold content
• 999 (or 999.9) = 24K = 99.9% gold content

Quick note about white gold

White gold is still gold. It’s yellow gold mixed with other metals (an alloy) to look paler/whiter. Many pieces are also rhodium-plated, which can wear over time.

White gold is usually stamped the same way as yellow gold (10K / 14K / 18K or 417 / 585 / 750).

Silver hallmark: 925

925 or STERLING means sterling silver: 92.5% silver. You may also see S925 or 925 on clasps. Tarnish is normal for silver.

Hallmarks that usually mean “not worth much”

These often disappoint people because they’re not solid precious metal:

• GP = Gold Plated (thin layer over base metal)
• GEP = Gold Electroplated
• HGP = Heavy Gold Plate (still plating, not solid)
• GF = Gold Filled (more gold than plating, but not solid)
• RGP / RGPst = Rolled Gold Plate
• “14K GP” (or similar) = plated, not solid

Also watch for: stainless steel, steel, titanium, tungsten, brass, or copper (not precious metal).

Quick photo tips (so you get a better quote)

• A close-up of the hallmark (as sharp as possible)
• A full item photo (so we can see size/type)
• A photo of the item on a digital scale in grams