bling aijewelry stamps · plated / filled
not solidGF stamp on jewelry: what gold filled means.
GF means gold filled: a layer of karat gold bonded to a base metal core. it's far thicker and longer-lasting than plating, but it isn't solid gold.
- metal
- gold filled
- 5% gold by weight, bonded
- also stamped as
- GF · G.F. · 1/20 14K GF · 1/20 12K GF · 14K GF · gold filled
- solid or plated
- a coating over another metal
what it's worth today
1/20 14K gold filled
$4.02/ gram
about a twentieth of solid 14k. compare with the 14k gold price today
live spot price · updated Sep 23, 2026, 11:47 PM UTC
melt value of the metal only, from the live spot price. buyers pay less than melt; stones, craftsmanship and maker add value.
the mark
what GF means.
in the united states, gold filled means a layer of gold alloy of at least 10k, mechanically bonded to the base metal, that makes up at least 1/20th of the total weight of the metal in the piece.
a mark like 1/20 14K GF reads as: 1/20th of the weight is 14k gold. 1/10 12K GF means a tenth of the weight is 12k gold. the karat describes the gold layer only, never the whole piece.
gold filled wears for years, often decades, before the base metal shows. that's why it was popular for vintage watch cases, eyeglass frames and jewelry, and why it's back in favor for affordable everyday pieces.
before you trust it
how to check a GF stamp.
- read the whole stamp. any GF after the karat means the piece is not solid gold, however high the karat number.
- gold filled is often brass underneath, which isn't magnetic, so a magnet won't catch it. the stamp and an acid or XRF test will.
- check wear points on very old pieces. where the gold layer has finally worn through, a brassy yellow or reddish color shows.
questions
the GF stamp, answered.
other stamps
every mark is searchable in the hallmark decoder. selling vintage or estate pieces? see photography for vintage and estate sellers.
selling what you found?
photograph it like it's worth something.
bling ai turns a phone photo of a piece into a listing shot that looks like a campaign, so good jewelry sells for what it is.
