What Does 1/20 Mean on Jewelry?

A fraction like 1/20 (often '1/20 12K GF' or '1/20 14K') marks gold-filled jewelry. It tells you the proportion of the total weight that is real gold — 1/20 means one-twentieth, or 5%, of the weight is the stated karat gold, bonded over a base core. It's genuine, durable gold-filled construction, but only a small share is gold, so its melt value is low.

What is a 1/20 piece worth?

The fraction is the gold-filled ratio: '1/20 14K' means 5% of the weight is 14K gold. Real but small gold content, so modest melt value.

How to verify a 1/20 stamp

Confirm the gold-filled layer with the Is It Real? tool before valuing. Anyone can stamp a mark on metal, so a hallmark alone isn't proof — the fastest way to check is to photograph the stamp and run it through the free Hallmark Reader, then confirm the metal itself with the Is It Real? tool. For a full picture of what your piece is worth, get a free jewelry appraisal. To compare 1/20 with every other mark side by side, see the full jewelry stamps and markings chart.

Frequently asked questions