What Do the Numbers on Gold Mean?
The number stamped on gold is its purity in parts per thousand: 999 is 24K (99.9% gold), 916 is 22K, 875 is 21K, 750 is 18K, 585 is 14K, 417 is 10K and 375 is 9K. Today 1 gram of 916 gold contains $114.17 of gold (₹10,879), and 1 gram of 750 gold $93.48 (Oct 30, 2026, 21:55 UTC). Letters such as GP, GF or HGE mean plated or gold-filled, not solid gold.
Decode a gold stamp
Type what's stamped on your pieceGold purity marks and what 1 gram is worth today
| Mark | Karat | Gold content | Gold in 1 g today | Where you'll see it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 999.9 | 24K | 99.99% | $124.63 | Investment bars from 1 g to 1 kg |
| 999 | 24K | 99.9% | $124.51 | Gold bars and coins |
| 995 | 24K | 99.5% | $124.02 | Large bars traded between banks (the London Good Delivery minimum is 99.5%) |
| 990 | 24K | 99.0% | $123.39 | Chinese and Hong Kong jewellery marked 足金 ("full gold"), which must be at least 99.0% gold |
| 958 | 23K | 95.8% | $119.40 | Indian jewellery hallmarked "23K958" by BIS |
| 916 | 22K | 91.6% | $114.17 | Most jewellery in India, Pakistan, the Gulf, Singapore and Malaysia |
| 875 | 21K | 87.5% | $109.06 | The most popular jewellery gold in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and much of the Middle East |
| 833 | 20K | 83.3% | $103.82 | Indian jewellery hallmarked "20K833" by BIS |
| 750 | 18K | 75.0% | $93.48 | Fine jewellery worldwide, especially diamond and gem-set pieces |
| 585 | 14K | 58.5% | $72.91 | Most jewellery sold in the US, Canada, Russia and much of Europe |
| 500 | 12K | 50.0% | $62.32 | The lowest permitted gold standard in the UAE |
| 417 | 10K | 41.7% | $51.97 | Budget jewellery and class rings in the US and Canada |
| 375 | 9K | 37.5% | $46.74 | The UK, Ireland, Australia and Canada |
| 333 | 8K | 33.3% | $41.50 | Germany and parts of Central Europe, mostly older and inexpensive jewellery |
Marks that don't mean solid gold, and other regional marks
| Mark | What it means |
|---|---|
| GP, GEP, EP (e.g. 18K GP) | Gold-plated or gold electroplate: a microscopic gold layer on brass, copper or silver. The karat refers only to the plating. In the US "gold electroplate" needs at least 0.175 microns of 10K or better. |
| HGE, HGP | Heavy gold electroplate: a thicker layer (at least 2.5 microns in the US) — still plated, not solid gold. |
| GF, 1/20 12K GF, 1/20 14K | Gold-filled: a layer of karat gold bonded to a base metal, at least 1/20 of the total weight. "1/20 14K GF" contains about 2.9% gold. |
| RGP, 1/40 10K RGP | Rolled gold plate: like gold-filled but a thinner layer (the fraction is stated, e.g. 1/40). |
| Vermeil | Sterling silver plated with gold of at least 10K (in the US at least 2.5 microns thick). |
| KDM | Refers to cadmium solder once used in Indian jewellery. Not a purity mark and not a guarantee; check for the BIS logo and HUID instead. |
| 925, S925, Sterling | Sterling silver (92.5% silver) — not gold, even if it is gold-coloured or plated. |
| Pt950, Pt900, PLAT | Platinum (95% or 90%) — not gold. |
| Pd950, Pd500 | Palladium — not gold. |
| 96.5% | Thai "baht" gold: 96.5% gold (about 23K), the standard in Thai gold shops, sold by the baht (15.244 g for bars, 15.16 g for jewellery). |
Gold Hallmark Numbers: FAQ
What do the numbers on gold mean?
They are the fineness: parts per thousand of pure gold. 916 means 916 parts in 1,000 are gold (91.6%, 22K); 750 means 75% (18K); 585 means 58.5% (14K); 375 means 37.5% (9K). Karat is the same thing out of 24: 18K is 18/24 gold.
How do I convert karat to the fineness number?
Divide the karat by 24 and multiply by 1,000: 22K = 916, 21K = 875, 18K = 750, 14K = 583 (stamped 585 in most countries), 10K = 417, 9K = 375. 24K is stamped 999, 995 or 999.9.
Is gold with "18K GP" real gold?
No. GP means gold-plated: a very thin layer of 18K gold on another metal. The same goes for GEP, HGE, RGP and GF (gold-filled); only a fineness or karat mark on its own, such as 750 or 18K, means the whole piece is gold.
How much is 916 gold worth per gram?
About $114.17 of gold per gram today, or ₹10,879 (₹1,08,795 per 10 g), at the international price. Shops add making charges and taxes; buyers deduct a margin.
Does a hallmark prove gold is genuine?
A hallmark from an independent assay office (UK), BIS-recognised centre with a HUID (India) or official lab (UAE) is strong evidence. A karat stamp on its own is the maker's claim, and fakes are stamped too; see how to check gold purity for the tests that work.
Related
Gold values use the live international price (Oct 30, 2026, 21:55 UTC). Information, not a guarantee of any piece: only a test (XRF or fire assay) shows what an item actually contains.