Gold spot price vs dealer prices: premiums, buyback deductions and costs

The displayed gold price per gram is an indicative reference for metal value. It is not a binding dealer quote. To compare an offer, match the fine-gold weight, the quote time and the total amount you would actually pay or receive.

Which price are you comparing?

Price	What it describes	What it may exclude
Spot price	Reference for current metal value	Fabrication, distribution, shipping and testing
Dealer selling price	What you pay for a specific product	Shipping, insurance and payment charges
Dealer buyback price	What the dealer offers to pay you	Agreed testing, refining and other deductions

This site uses gold-api.com for metal quotes and Frankfurter for currency conversion. Its feed is not a proprietary LBMA benchmark or a promise that you can trade at the displayed rate. The LBMA Gold Price is a separate reference price. Compare offers at approximately the same time: both gold and EUR/USD can move.

Worked example: buying premium

Every price below is an invented calculation input, not a current market quote.

Suppose a product contains 10 g of fine gold. At an illustrative spot price of €80/g, its metal value is €800. A dealer charges €840 plus €10 shipping.

• Product premium: (840 − 800) ÷ 800 × 100 = 5%.
• Total payment: 840 + 10 = €850.
• Premium including shipping: (850 − 800) ÷ 800 × 100 = 6.25%.
• Effective purchase price: 850 ÷ 10 = €85 per gram of fine gold.

A lower headline price may still produce a higher total bill. Compare the same product size and purity, with all costs included.

Worked example: a 585 gold jewellery offer

For 20 g of jewellery with confirmed fineness of 585, calculated fine-gold weight is 20 × 0.585 = 11.7 g. At the illustrative €80/g reference, metal value is €936.

If the net offer after all deductions is €880, the payout is 880 ÷ 936 × 100 ≈ 94.02% of calculated metal value. The deduction is about 5.98%. These figures describe this example; they do not establish a normal or fair dealer margin.

Stones and other non-gold parts must not automatically count as gold weight. A hallmark alone does not prove authenticity. Use the buyback calculator for a preliminary estimate, then ask the buyer to confirm purity, payable weight and terms in writing.

What does the spread mean for resale?

If you pay €850 in the first example and could immediately sell the same item for €780, the difference is €70, or 70 ÷ 850 × 100 ≈ 8.24% of your payment. Moving from a €780 payout to €850 would require a calculated increase of 850 ÷ 780 − 1 ≈ 8.97%, assuming unchanged dealer terms and no additional costs. This simplified comparison is not a gold-price forecast.

Before accepting an offer

1. Confirm the product, weight and fineness.
2. Compare quote times and currencies.
3. Request the total purchase price or net payout in writing.
4. Include testing, shipping, insurance and other charges.
5. Read return, shipping and payment terms before handing over gold.

Related guides: buying gold bars and understanding karats. This guide explains calculations; it does not endorse dealers or provide personal investment advice.