Gold Investing - Other Gold Markings

In my article on Gold Weights and Measures, I mention the Karatage system for determining the purity of a gold item such as jewelry. If an item is marked 24K, it is pure gold. If you see 12K, it is 50 % gold mixed with some other metal(s).

If you have gone through your items that may contain gold, you may have seen other markings that are not as well known. Let me explain a few of the more common ones you may see.

R. G. P. - These initials stand for Rolled Gold Plate

H. G. E. - This means Heavy Gold Electroplated

G. F. - Means Gold Filled

Unfortunately, items containing these markings contain very little gold as they indicate a thin sheet of gold covering some sort of cheap metal. You would be lucky to find a dealer interested in these types of items. If you are thinking of purchasing an item with one of the above markings, be aware of the tiny amount of gold they actually contain.

Happy investing.