Hobbies And Interests
Instructions
Understand that as a nugget gets heavier, the price per gram goes up exponentially. Small nuggets that weigh between 1 gram and 2 grams will cost less per gram than nuggets that cost more. As of the end of 2009, the price of raw gold melted down is roughly between $37 and $38 per gram. Getting gold in a natural nugget with good purity, size and color will boost the price between 10 percent and 25 percent, with high quality nuggets commanding a better price.
Consider the aesthetics of the nugget. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and a nugget that looks irregular and awkward to one person could be the perfect stick pin or pendant piece for someone else. In general, though, pieces that are smooth and regular are more expensive than pieces that are more jagged or rough.
Look at inclusions. While iron inclusions are fairly common, quartz inclusions are very rare and can increase the price of a gold nugget a great deal. You can identify a quartz inclusion by looking for veins of quartz crystal, which is clear and mostly translucent, running through the gold itself.
Understand the measurement of weight for gold. Gold itself is measured in weights listed as grains, grams, pennyweight and troy ounces. Too many people mistake the measurement of of grains, listed as GRN, for grams. There are about 15 grains in a gram, so if you are buying gold nuggets, remember that you need to know how heavy the gold nugget really is.
Look for a size comparison. Whether you are buying or selling a gold nugget, consider how the nugget looks next to an object like a penny or a dime. Sizing an object like this can give the potential buyer a good idea of what he is paying for.