How PawnValue Works
We combine real-time spot market gold price calculations with verified crowdsourced payout reports to give consumers unprecedented leverage when selling gold.
1. Benchmark Market Melt Calculation
Our calculation engine takes your gold item's karat purity (10K = 41.7%, 14K = 58.5%, 18K = 75.0%, etc.) and weight in grams or troy ounces, multiplying it by live gold spot rates. This gives you the 100% raw metal value before any refining fees or shop margin.
2. Crowdsourced Payout Database
Pawn shops are independent businesses with varying overhead, margin requirements, and refining relationships. Users anonymously submit the actual offers they received for specific karats and weights. PawnValue aggregates this data to show realistic regional payout percentages (e.g. 65%–78% of melt value).
3. Empirical Confidence Modeling
To prevent distortion from single high or low offers, PawnValue enforces statistical confidence thresholds. Stores with 100+ reports earn High Confidence status, while shops with under 5 reports display caution badges.