Why two numbers beat one
Melt value is the ceiling — the worth of the pure metal at today's exchange price. Real offers are a percentage of that ceiling, and the percentage depends far more on which buyer you choose than on your negotiating. A pawn shop paying 65% of melt on gold is being generous; a mail-in buyer at 55% is not. Without both numbers, those two situations look identical. Every calculator on this site shows the ceiling and the realistic range side by side.
Selling a mixed lot
Most drawers hold more than one metal: a 14K chain, sterling flatware, maybe a platinum band. Calculate each metal separately, add up the melt values, and shop the combined lot to a specialist buyer — consolidation dilutes the buyer's fixed costs and reliably improves the percentage. Bring the total melt number with you; it changes the conversation.
Frequently asked questions
What is melt value?
Melt value is the market value of the recoverable metal before a buyer deducts testing, refining, shipping, and margin.
Does MeltOffer buy metal?
No. MeltOffer provides informational calculations and buyer-offer estimates; it does not buy or sell metal.