What Gold Karats Mean, and How Much Gold Is in 22K or 14K

24 karat gold is pure gold, and each karat is one part in 24, so 22 karat gold is 22 parts gold and 2 parts other metal, or 91.67% gold. Fineness says the same thing in parts per thousand: 24K is marked 999, 22K is 916, 18K is 750 and 14K is 585.

What does karat mean in gold?

It's how much of an item is gold, counted in 24ths. The FTC puts it like this: "Pure gold, or 24 karat (24K) gold, is soft, so it's often mixed with other metals," with the gold and the other metal adding up to 24 parts. A piece marked 18K "is 18 parts gold mixed with six parts of another metal." One marked 14K "is 14 parts gold mixed with 10 parts of another metal."

British and South African sources spell it "carat" for gold, as in "22 carat" or "9 carat." Same scale.

Karat to fineness, every common grade

To turn karats into parts per thousand, divide by 24 and multiply by 1,000. The last column is the figure actually stamped under UK hallmarking standards. The UK belongs to the International Hallmarking Convention, whose marks every member country recognizes.

Two rows are worth a second look. The 14K hallmark of 585 sits a little above 14/24 (583.3), so a piece stamped 585 has to be at least 58.5% gold. And nothing gets refined to a perfect 1000, so "24 karat" in practice means 999 or finer. Bullion is often 999.9, which the Royal Canadian Mint and U.S. Mint write as 99.99%.

Millesimal fineness, in parts per thousand

Purity in parts per thousand. The UK Assay Offices describe the fineness mark as "a millesimal number (parts per thousand)," and it's the language the bullion trade speaks. The LBMA's Good Delivery gold bar must be at least 995.0 parts per thousand. COMEX gold futures want gold that assays "to a minimum of 995 fineness."

Rand Refinery goes one step finer with the Krugerrand, describing it as "22 carat gold, 9167 of pure gold and 833 parts copper." That's fineness in parts per 10,000. A fineness number carries more detail than a karat number can, which is why bullion is sold on it.

22K versus 24K gold

24K is pure gold. 22K is 91.67% gold, with other metals making up the rest. In a one-ounce bullion coin the difference is hardness. The amount of gold is the same.

The 22K coins weigh more because the alloy goes on top of a full ounce of gold. Both kinds trade on gold content. Which you'd rather own is your call: 24K for purity, 22K for a harder surface.

Why mints chose 22K or 24K

Because the mints were after different things.

The 22K coins were built for wear. The U.S. Mint says the Gold Eagle uses "the durable 22-karat standard established for gold circulating coinage over 350 years ago," and that the alloy makes "harder coins that resist scratching and marring, which can diminish resale value." Rand Refinery says the Krugerrand's copper makes it harder to scratch or deface.

The 24K coins go for purity. The U.S. Mint calls the American Buffalo "the first .9999 fine 24-karat gold coins ever struck by the United States Mint," and the Royal Canadian Mint's Gold Maple Leaf is 99.99% pure as well.

Purity does matter for a gold IRA. Under section 408(m) of the tax code, U.S. gold coins such as the Gold Eagle qualify by law even at 22K. Other bullion has to meet the minimum fineness a futures exchange requires for delivery, which for COMEX gold is 995. The 99.99% Maple Leaf clears that line; the 22K Krugerrand, at 916.7, doesn't. You can check any coin with our gold IRA coin checker.

How do you read gold hallmarks and stamps?

U.S. rules come from the FTC's Jewelry Guides. The word "gold" on an alloy should be "immediately preceded by a correct designation of the karat fineness," such as "14 Karat Gold" or "14 K. Gold," and a karat mark on its own, like "14K," is allowed too. The Guides apply the National Stamping Act's tolerances: three parts per thousand for gold articles without solder, seven parts per thousand with solder. The FTC also tells shoppers to look for the U.S. registered trademark of the company standing behind the mark, and it's blunt about it: "don't see a trademark along with the karat mark, don't buy it."

A UK hallmark has three compulsory symbols. There's the sponsor's or maker's mark, the metal and fineness mark (such as 750 inside a shape that signals gold), and the mark of the Assay Office that tested it, which is London, Edinburgh, Birmingham or Sheffield. A date letter is optional, and gold articles under 1.0 gram are exempt from hallmarking there.

Plated and filled gold is another matter. The FTC says "gold filled," "gold overlay" and "rolled gold plate" mean a layer of at least 10 karat gold mechanically applied to a base metal, and "gold electroplate" means a layer of at least 10 karat gold at least .175 microns thick. None of it is solid gold. For checking a coin or bar, see how to tell if gold is real.

Working out the gold in a piece by karat

Multiply the weight in grams by the karat and divide by 24. That's your pure gold in grams. Divide by 31.103 to get troy ounces, then multiply by the spot price for the melt value.

Say you have a 20-gram item. Here's what each karat leaves you with:

Spot is today’s spot price per troy ounce today, so multiply the last column by that for melt value. Don't expect a dealer to pay all of it; the CFTC notes that dealers buy metal back below spot (more in selling gold). Our gold value calculator runs the whole sum from weight, karat and the live price, and the troy ounce guide covers the units.

Gold value calculatorAny weight, any karat, at today's spot price.

What people ask about karats and gold stamps

Is 24k gold pure gold?

Yes. 24 karat means 24 parts out of 24 are gold. It's stamped 999 or 999.9 in practice, because no gold is refined to a perfect 1000. The FTC notes pure gold is soft, so jewelry is often made in lower karats.

What does 22k gold mean?

22 parts gold out of 24, or 91.67% gold, stamped 916 in the UK system. The American Gold Eagle and the Krugerrand are 22K, and each one-ounce coin holds a full troy ounce of gold.

22k vs 24k gold: which is better?

Neither holds more gold in a one-ounce bullion coin; both contain one troy ounce. The U.S. Mint says 22K is harder and resists scratches, while 24K is purer and softer. Pick on preference and price.

How do I calculate gold value by karat?

Weight in grams x karat / 24 gives grams of pure gold. Divide by 31.103 for troy ounces, then multiply by the spot price. Our gold value calculator does it for you.

What do 916 and 750 mean on gold?

They're fineness marks. 916 means 916 parts gold per 1,000, which is 22 karat (the UK standard behind it is 916.6). 750 means 750 parts per 1,000, which is 18 karat.

Is 14k gold real gold?

Yes. 14K is 14 parts gold and 10 parts other metal, or 58.33% gold by the math. The UK hallmark for it is 585.

Sources and fact-check11 primary sources, checked October 17, 2026

1. FTC: Buying Platinum, Gold, and Silver Jewelry
2. 16 CFR 23.3, FTC Jewelry Guides, misuse of the word gold, via Cornell Legal Information Institute
3. UK Assay Offices: Hallmarking Guidance Notes (November 2022), published on GOV.UK
4. U.S. Mint: Bullion Coin Programs (American Eagle and American Buffalo specifications)
5. Royal Canadian Mint: 2026 Gold Maple Leaf 1 oz bullion coin
6. Rand Refinery: Products (Krugerrand)
7. South African Mint: 2026 coin range (Krugerrand mass)
8. LBMA: Good Delivery Rules, technical specifications
9. CME Group: Gold futures contract specs (grade and quality)
10. 26 U.S. Code section 408(m), via Cornell Legal Information Institute
11. CFTC: 10 Things to Ask Before Buying Physical Gold, Silver, or Other Metals

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