What is 24 karat gold?
24 karat gold is pure gold: all 24 of 24 parts are gold, which in practice means 999 or 999.9 fineness (99.9% to 99.99%). Most investment bars and coins such as the Maple Leaf, Kangaroo and American Buffalo are 24 karat. Jewellery is usually 9 to 22 karat because pure gold is soft.
How does the karat system work?
Think of a piece of gold cut into 24 equal slices. The karat number tells you how many slices are gold. 18 karat means 18 of 24 slices are gold (75%) and the other six are alloy metals such as copper or silver. 24 karat means every slice is gold.
The same purity can also be written as a fineness, parts per thousand. Canada's marking rules give the official decimal equivalents: .375 for 9K, .416 for 10K, .583 for 14K, .750 for 18K and .916 for 22K. The UK assay offices use 375, 585, 750, 916.6, 990 and 999. Bullion is nearly always described by fineness rather than karat. If you want the detail on the top grade, read what is 999 gold.
Gold karat chart with live value per gram
This chart shows each common karat, how much gold it contains and what that gold is worth right now at the spot price. It is a quick way to sense-check an offer for jewellery or a quote for a coin.
| Karat | Fineness | Gold % | USD/g | GBP/g | CAD/g | AUD/g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24K | 999.9 | 99.99% | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 22K | 916.7 | 91.67% | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 18K | 750 | 75.0% | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 14K | 585 | 58.5% | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 10K | 416 | 41.6% | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 9K | 375 | 37.5% | ... | ... | ... | ... |
Spot-based melt values, not dealer prices. 14K is shown at the UK and EU fineness of 585; Canada's rules give .583 for 14K. A buyer of scrap jewellery will pay less than these figures.
Karat or carat: does the spelling change by country?
Only the spelling. US readers mostly see "karat" and "K" (24K). In the UK, Canada and Australia, "carat" and "ct" (24ct) are normal. Canada's Competition Bureau accepts karat, Karat, Kt., K, carat, Ct. or C on gold. The rules on what can be stamped differ more than the words:
| Country | Typical mark | Key rule |
|---|---|---|
| US | 24K, 14K, .999 | FTC Jewelry Guides: "gold" on its own should mean fine (24 karat) gold; stamping tolerance three parts per thousand without solder |
| UK | 999, 750, 375 plus hallmark | Gold articles over 1 gram must be hallmarked by one of four assay offices (bullion and coins are exempt) |
| Canada | 24K, 18 ct, .750 | Quality marks allowed from 9K to 24K and must be paired with a Canadian trademark |
| Australia | 999, 750, 375 | Voluntary Australian Standard AS 2140 uses millesimal (parts per thousand) marks |
The UK system is covered in depth in gold hallmarks explained.
Which coins and bars are 24 karat?
Most bullion made today is 24 karat. Real examples:
- American Buffalo (US Mint): .9999 fine, which the Mint calls 24-karat gold.
- Maple Leaf (Royal Canadian Mint), Kangaroo (The Perth Mint) and Britannia (The Royal Mint): 999.9 fine.
- Perth Mint bars: both its cast bars and its minted bars are listed at 99.99% pure gold.
And the best known 22 karat exceptions:
- American Eagle: the US Mint says 91.67% gold, 3% silver and the balance copper, on the "22-karat standard".
- Krugerrand and the Sovereign: also 22 carat (916.7).
Each of those one ounce 22 karat coins still holds a full troy ounce of pure gold. They just weigh a little more overall.
Why it matters to buyers
Compare by fine gold, not total weight
A 22 karat jewellery chain weighing 10 grams holds about 9.17 grams of gold. A 10 gram 24 karat bar holds about 10 grams. When you compare prices, always work out the pure gold content first.
Tax can depend on karat
In Canada and Australia, gold must be at least 99.5% pure to be free of GST, so 24 karat bullion is exempt and 22 karat coins are not. UK VAT exempts qualifying investment coins from 90% purity, so 22 carat Sovereigns and Krugerrands are fine there. The headline rules for each country are in our guide on how to buy gold.
Jewellery is not bullion
Even 22 or 24 karat jewellery is sold at a large mark-up for design and labour, and in the UK it carries VAT. When you sell, you usually get only the scrap value. If your aim is to own gold at the lowest cost, bullion is cheaper per gram.
Where to buy 24 karat bullion
Every major dealer stocks 999.9 coins and bars. To compare prices in your country, see where to buy gold in the US, where to buy gold in the UK, where to buy gold in Canada and where to buy gold in Australia. For more plain-English explainers, browse Learn.
Frequently asked questions
Is 24 karat gold 100% pure?
Not quite. Nothing can be refined to exactly 100%. In practice, 24 karat gold means 999 (99.9%) or 999.9 (99.99%) fine. The US Mint, for example, describes its American Buffalo coin as .9999 fine 24-karat gold.
What is the difference between karat and carat?
For gold they mean the same thing: purity in 24ths. Americans usually write karat (K or kt) and Britons, Canadians and Australians usually write carat (ct). Canada's marking rules accept both spellings. Carat is also a unit of weight for gemstones (0.2 grams), which is unrelated.
Why is most jewellery not 24 karat?
Pure gold is soft and bends and scratches easily, so it does not wear well in rings and bracelets. Jewellers add copper, silver, zinc or palladium to make 9, 14, 18 or 22 karat alloys that are harder and come in yellow, white or rose colours.
Is 24 karat gold a better investment than 22 karat?
Not in gold content. A one ounce 22 karat coin like the American Eagle and a one ounce 24 karat coin like the Maple Leaf both contain one troy ounce of pure gold. Differences come from premiums, resale demand and, in Canada and Australia, sales tax, which applies to 22 karat coins but not to 99.5%+ gold.
How much is 24 karat gold worth per gram?
It is worth the spot price divided by 31.1035 (grams in a troy ounce), multiplied by its purity. The live table on this page does that sum for you in four currencies. Dealers pay a little less than this when they buy and charge more when they sell.
How do I know if gold is 24 karat?
Look for a stamp: 999, 999.9, 24K or 24ct, plus a maker's or refiner's mark. In the UK, gold items over 1 gram must be hallmarked by an assay office. Bullion bars from accredited refiners carry their brand, weight and fineness. A professional test is the only certain check.
Sources
We checked these primary and official sources when writing and fact-checking this page.
- US Mint: Bullion coin programs (Buffalo .9999 fine 24-karat; Eagle 22-karat)
- Competition Bureau Canada: Detailed requirements for marking precious metals (9K to 24K, decimal marks, tolerances)
- Assay Office London: Hallmarking guidance leaflet (UK gold standards and exemption weights)
- FTC Jewelry Guides, 16 CFR Part 23 (unqualified 'gold' means 24 karat; stamping tolerances)
- The Perth Mint: Minted bars (99.99% pure gold)
- Canada Revenue Agency: GST/HST Memorandum 17-1, precious metals
Not financial advice. GoldVetted provides general information to help you compare options. It is not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Gold prices go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you pay. Check tax rules with the official source or a qualified adviser before you act.