Is a Gold Tooth Crown Worth Anything?
Curious if your gold tooth crown holds monetary value? Discover the factors that determine its worth and find reputable selling options.
Gold tooth crowns serve a functional purpose in oral health, but they also contain precious metals, primarily gold, which holds intrinsic value. Understanding their potential worth is important for those considering replacement or who have removed crowns.
What Determines a Gold Crown’s Value
A gold crown’s monetary value is influenced by several factors. Gold purity, expressed in karats, is a significant determinant. Dental gold is rarely pure 24-karat gold, as it is too soft for chewing. Instead, it is an alloy mixed with other metals for strength and durability. Common dental karats range from 10-karat to 22-karat, with an average yellow crown often being around 16-karat gold (approximately 67% pure gold). Higher karat indicates greater gold content and higher value.
The crown’s total weight is also crucial, as gold value is determined by weight. An average full gold crown might weigh between two to three grams. This refers to the net weight of the gold and other precious metals, not including residual tooth fragments or dental cement. The current market price of gold, or spot price, fluctuates daily based on supply and demand, impacting its immediate value.
Other precious metals within the alloy can add to the crown’s overall value. Dental gold alloys often include noble metals like palladium, platinum, or silver. Some silver-colored dental alloys can also contain significant percentages of gold and other valuable metals. While gold is usually the primary driver, these additional metals contribute to the crown’s overall worth, making the alloy’s specific composition important for accurate valuation.
How to Assess Your Crown’s Value
Determining your gold crown’s potential value involves gathering essential information. A crown’s yellow appearance often indicates gold, though some silver-colored alloys also contain it. Contacting the dentist who performed the work may provide records detailing the alloy’s specific composition.
Accurate gold purity assessment requires professional evaluation. Reputable jewelers, gold buyers, or precious metal refiners use specialized methods like X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis or acid testing to precisely determine the gold alloy’s karat. Avoid do-it-yourself acid tests due to safety concerns and potential for inaccurate results.
Accurately weighing the crown is important. A jeweler’s scale offers greater precision than a kitchen scale. Before weighing, meticulously remove any non-metallic materials, such as tooth fragments or cement, to measure only the metal content. After determining the net weight and estimated purity, check the current gold spot price online. Websites specializing in precious metals provide real-time pricing. Multiply the net weight by the gold percentage (based on karat) and the spot price per gram for a rough estimate.
Where to Sell Gold Crowns
After assessing your gold crown’s potential value, several selling avenues are available. Reputable gold buyers and jewelers often purchase dental gold. Look for establishments with positive reviews and transparent pricing practices, as they typically have equipment to assess purity and weight.
Specialized dental gold refiners are an option, particularly for multiple crowns or dental scrap. They specialize in processing dental alloys and often offer competitive rates by extracting all precious metals. They melt and assay the material to determine exact metal content, leading to a more precise payout.
Pawn shops also buy gold crowns, but generally offer significantly less than market value. Their business model often involves providing short-term loans rather than purchasing items at full commodity value.
When selling, obtain multiple offers from different buyers to ensure a fair price. Understand the buyer’s method of weighing and testing the metal for transparency. Always inquire about any potential fees, deductions, or refining charges. Reputable refiners often provide free, insured shipping for mailed-in scrap and process payments within a few business days. If a profit is realized from the sale, it may be subject to capital gains tax, as physical gold is classified as a collectible by the Internal Revenue Service.