Jewelry IdentifierWhat Does RGP Mean on Jewelry?
RGP means Rolled Gold Plate — a mechanically bonded thin gold layer.
- Metal
- Rolled gold plate (base metal)
- Purity
- thin rolled gold over base metal
- Karat / type
- varies (e.g. 1/40 14K RGP)
- Also written as
- rolled gold plate, 1/40 RGP
- Commonly on
- vintage jewelry, antique watch cases
RGP stands for Rolled Gold Plate. A thin sheet of gold is mechanically bonded to a base metal by heat and pressure, then rolled thin. It contains less gold than 'gold filled' but is bonded rather than electroplated, so it wears reasonably well. Fractions like '1/40 14K RGP' show how little gold is present, so melt value is low.
What is a RGP piece worth?
RGP has more gold than electroplating but less than gold filled; melt value is low.
How to verify a RGP stamp
Read the fraction (e.g. 1/40) for gold content, and confirm with the Is It Real? tool. 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 RGP with every other mark side by side, see the full jewelry stamps and markings chart.
Frequently asked questions
Related hallmarks
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