By Rocco Clayfield, trading as GoldPaid; the business incorporated as GOLDPAID LTD (company 17382540) on 5 August 2026 · Published · updated
Found 916 on your piece? Send us a photo of it
Photograph the number stamped inside the ring or on the clasp, then the whole piece, and send both on WhatsApp. We will reply with what the mark means and a rough estimate of what we would pay. No obligation, and nothing needs posting.
No WhatsApp? Call 07944 014111, 8am to 9pm.
Not sure what the mark says? Use the hallmark lookup. Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market.
How pure is 916 gold?
22 carats in the 24-carat scale is 22 divided by 24, which is 0.9166 recurring. The UK standard for 22ct is 916.6 parts per thousand, listed in Schedule 2 of the Hallmarking Act 1973 and struck as 916, so about 91.7% of the alloy by weight is pure gold. The remaining 8.3% or so is a blend of copper and silver, sometimes with a small amount of zinc.
| Standard mark | Carat | Gold content by weight |
|---|---|---|
| 375 | 9ct | 37.5% |
| 585 | 14ct | 58.5% |
| 750 | 18ct | 75.0% |
| 916 | 22ct | 91.7% |
| 990 | 990 gold | 99.0% |
| 999 | 24ct | 99.9% |
British sovereigns and half sovereigns are struck in 22 carat crown gold, 916.6 parts per thousand, as they have been since the modern sovereign was introduced in 1817.
Where does 22ct gold come from?
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Singapore and Malaysia produce huge volumes of 22ct jewellery. The traditions value the deep yellow colour and the bullion-grade nature of the metal. A 22ct gold necklace bought at a wedding in Mumbai or Dubai is functioning as both adornment and savings.
In the UK, 22ct is common in any family with South Asian or Middle Eastern roots, in wedding jewellery from those traditions, and in British sovereigns and Indian gold bars held as personal bullion. Jewellery from those traditions is often bought by the tola rather than the gram, and Thai gold is a different standard again at 96.5%: gold price per tola and baht gold explained converts both units.
Why is 22ct gold so soft?
For everyday wedding bands many South Asian traditions are increasingly choosing 18ct for the same colour at a much harder alloy. 22ct remains the gold for high-occasion wear, dowry, and inheritance pieces.
What is 916 gold worth when you sell it?
22ct holds more gold per gram than any other commonly worn carat, and the offer reflects the gold content we measure and the live fine-gold market. At 91.7 per cent gold, a 22ct piece holds far more recoverable metal per gram than 9ct, so a light item is not automatically a small one. The figure still comes from inspection rather than from the stamp.
Where a 22ct piece has cultural or designer significance (signed Indian wedding pieces, named Middle Eastern bridal sets, antique Mughal or Ottoman work), the resale value can exceed scrap. A written XRF valuation gives you the scrap-recovery figure for any private negotiation.
Final offers depend on inspection, item weight, purity, hallmarks, stones, non-gold components, condition and the live precious-metal market.
How can you tell if something is 22ct gold?
- Find the standard mark. UK-assayed 22ct is stamped 916, often with the optional crown symbol beside it.
- On Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi pieces you may see "916", "22k", "22kt", or a maker mark in Urdu or Hindi script.
- On Middle Eastern pieces you may see "916" with Arabic numerals, sometimes with a goldsmith stamp from Dubai, Kuwait or Saudi Arabia.
- British sovereigns carry their own design and date but are 22ct crown gold.
- With no mark at all, the alloy is the evidence. XRF reads it against the 22ct standard.
Are British sovereigns and bullion-style pieces 916 gold?
A British full sovereign weighs 7.988 grams of which 7.32 grams is pure gold (22ct, 91.67% pure). Sovereigns are valued both as bullion and as numismatic coins. Common-date Victorian, Edwardian and modern sovereigns pay on the bullion content. Rare dates, mint marks or proof examples can carry significant numismatic premiums.
22ct bullion-style jewellery (heavy chains, kara bangles and other heavy bracelets, biscuit-style pendants) is valued on the recovered gold yield like any other 22ct piece.
How do you sell 22ct gold by post?
Post 22ct the same way as any other gold. The XRF screens it, the written report shows the standard and the weight, the bank transfer settles the offer. Decline is free tracked return. Your parcel travels on Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed, tracked and signed for. Royal Mail cover may be available up to £2,500 depending on the postal method and cover level used. GoldPaid can confirm the appropriate postal option before you post. If the lot may be worth more than £2,500, tell us first and we can split it across more than one prepaid label at no charge. See how to sell gold by post.
Pieces with cultural, designer or numismatic value beyond the gold are worth a photo on WhatsApp before you post. For plain broken chains and odd earrings, selling 22ct as scrap gold runs through the same read, test and value steps.
What if the 22ct was being held as savings?
22ct is the bullion-jewellery carat. The line between adornment and savings is thinner here than at 9ct or 18ct. Many families hold 22ct precisely because it stores value. If you are selling because life has called for it, the right step is a written valuation against the live market, not a quick visit to a high-street counter. The numbers are too significant to leave to a verbal quote.