Guide
Dental gold and scrap gold: valuation guide and prices paid
What dental gold actually contains, how scrap gold is tested, and why old crowns kept in a drawer may be worth more than you think.
Gold price estimator
Based on today's live spot price
Estimated market value
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Based on the live spot price. Your actual offer depends on condition and purity.
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Note
Dental alloys vary widely in gold content, so we test every piece. The calculator uses 18ct as a starting estimate.
Sell dental gold →What's inside
What dental gold actually contains
Dental gold is a carefully engineered alloy, balanced for biocompatibility, strength and workability. Depending on the era and manufacturer, a dental crown may contain anywhere from 40% to 92% gold, with the remainder made up of palladium, silver, copper and zinc.
This variability is why accurate testing matters. An untested estimate could undervalue your crowns significantly. XRF (X-ray fluorescence) analysis is a professional, non-destructive test, and we use it on every item.
Typical alloys
Common dental gold types
Widely used in older restorations. A good balance of hardness and gold content. Found in fillings, inlays and crowns made before 1990.
Higher strength, used for bridges and partial denture frameworks. Similar gold content to Type III.
Premium restorations, particularly from Scandinavian and German dental traditions. Significant gold content.
White dental alloys may contain palladium, silver and small amounts of gold. Palladium also has value, so these alloys are worth testing.
Modern tooth-coloured crowns (porcelain, zirconia, E.max) contain no precious metal. Send them in anyway and we'll test them and confirm whether there is any value.
How testing works
XRF analysis: precise and non-destructive
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a non-destructive analytical technique that identifies the elemental composition of a metal alloy in seconds. A handheld XRF analyser emits X-rays that cause the metal's atoms to emit their own characteristic fluorescent X-rays, creating a unique fingerprint for each element present and its exact percentage.
The result is a precise breakdown of your dental gold's composition, including gold, palladium, silver, copper and any other elements. This means the offer you receive reflects the market value of every element in the alloy, rather than a guess.
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