How this price is calculated
There is no separate exchange quote for individual alloys. Every karat price is derived from the fine gold rate, and the arithmetic is fully open:
Every figure on this page comes from exactly this formula.
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What defines 375 gold
375 parts gold per 1,000 — 9 karat. Beyond 37.5 % gold the typical alloy holds roughly 50 % copper, 10 % silver and a little zinc. More than half the material is therefore base metal.
That shows in look and durability. The tone is markedly paler and more coppery than 585. With skin contact over time, 375 can tarnish or mark the skin — an effect of the copper content that barely occurs at higher finenesses.
Mechanically it is hard (around 170 HV) and very scratch-resistant. For everyday jewellery meant to take abuse that is a genuine advantage, and the reason the fineness took hold so widely in Britain.
In the EU, 375 may be described and sold as gold; ISO 9202 lists it as a regular fineness. Some markets outside Europe set a higher minimum for the designation, which is why 9 karat is not traded there.
Where 375 gold is used
British jewellery. 9ct is the best-selling fineness in the UK for chains, rings and earrings. British pieces carry an official hallmark from the assay offices in London, Birmingham, Sheffield or Edinburgh in addition to the fineness — a verification system Germany does not have.
Entry-level jewellery in Germany. Some retailers carry 375 at the entry price point, mostly chains and pendants, but it is far less common here than 585.
Inherited and holiday pieces. The most frequent route by which 375 reaches German scrap buyers: inherited British items or jewellery bought abroad.
Buying 375 gold
The metal share of the retail price is particularly low at 375, because the gold value is small relative to workmanship. If you want gold as value, this is the wrong fineness — the gap between purchase price and later buyback value is the widest of the common alloys.
As wearable jewellery, 375 can make sense: hard, scratch-resistant, affordable. If a piece is worn daily and resale is irrelevant, the extra hardness is a practical benefit.
On British goods, the hallmark carries fineness, assay office, maker's mark and date letter. It is far more informative than a German stamp because it comes from an independent authority.
Selling 375 gold
Intrinsic value is weight × 0.375 × fine gold rate. Since nearly two thirds of the material is base metal, refining effort per gram of gold recovered is higher — hence discounts of 8–15 %, occasionally more.
Some buyers set a minimum weight below which they will not accept 375 at all, because processing is uneconomic. With small quantities it can pay to accumulate pieces and offer them together.
British pieces with a complete hallmark and identifiable maker's mark can carry a jewellery premium, especially if older. Check that before selling by weight.
What a dealer actually pays out
Intrinsic value is the ceiling, not the payout. Buyers deduct refining charges and keep a trading margin. The range below is realistic for this fineness:
| Item | per gram | for 10 g |
|---|---|---|
| Intrinsic value (fine gold content) | €46.07 | €460.69 |
| Realistic payout — upper end −8.0 % | €42.38 | €423.84 |
| Realistic payout — lower end −15.0 % | €39.16 | €391.59 |
Rule of thumb: get at least two written quotes and watch the item being weighed. A reputable buyer states the fine gold rate used, the weight in grams and the deduction as separate lines — a single lump sum is impossible to compare.
German tax treatment of 375 gold
19 % VAT. 375 gold is always jewellery and never investment gold. The § 25c UStG exemption requires 995/1000 for bars and 900/1000 for coins — both far above this.
Tax-free sale after one year. As with all privately held gold, § 23 EStG applies: held more than a year, the gain is income-tax free; below that, the €1,000 per calendar year threshold applies.
Rarely relevant in practice. Because intrinsic value is low at 375, private sales seldom reach taxable gains. Anyone liquidating a larger estate should nonetheless look at all disposals in the calendar year together — the threshold covers all private disposal transactions combined.
Testing 375 gold
Mark and hallmark. Common stamps are 375, 9K or 9ct. British pieces additionally carry the millesimal 375 in an oval plus the assay office mark — considerably more reliable than a maker's stamp alone.
Judge the colour. 375 is noticeably paler and more coppery than 585. Placed side by side the difference is visible without instruments.
Acid streak test. Test acid for 375 works reliably. With low gold content the streak dissolves visibly under higher-karat acids, so distinguishing upward is straightforward.
X-ray fluorescence. Standard at the buyer, and important at 375 because gilded tombac or brass can look very similar and the density gap is smaller than with high-karat gold.
Common mistakes with 375 gold
- ⚠Buying 375 as an investment. The gap between retail price and buyback value is widest at this fineness. For capital preservation it is the least suitable of the common gold alloys.
- ⚠Mistaking tarnish for a fake. Dark discolouration on 375 jewellery comes from copper and is normal. Polishing restores it.
- ⚠Ignoring British hallmarks. A complete hallmark can date and attribute a piece — occasionally worth more than the gold on older items.
