Jewelry IdentifierWhat Does GP Mean on Jewelry?
GP means Gold Plated — a thin layer of gold over a base metal.
- Metal
- Gold-plated (base metal)
- Purity
- thin gold layer over base metal
- Karat / type
- varies (e.g. 14K GP)
- Also written as
- gold plated, G.P.
- Commonly on
- fashion jewelry, costume pieces, chains
GP stands for Gold Plated. It means a very thin layer of gold has been bonded over a base metal like brass or copper. A mark such as '14K GP' refers to the plating's karat, not the whole piece — so despite the '14K', it is not solid gold and has essentially no melt value. Plating wears off over time, revealing the base metal underneath.
What is a GP piece worth?
GP jewelry has little to no melt value — the gold layer is microns thick. It's valued for looks, not gold content.
How to verify a GP stamp
If you see GP, the piece is not solid gold; confirm with the Is It Real? tool before assuming any gold value. 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 GP with every other mark side by side, see the full jewelry stamps and markings chart.
Frequently asked questions
Related hallmarks
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