* Gold hallmark
The 995 hallmark: meaning, purity & value
99.5% gold. LBMA Good Delivery minimum for investment-grade gold bars. Sometimes appears on Chinese gold jewelry alongside the 'Chuk Kam' (足金) designation.
Published May 30, 2026
Quick facts
- Metal
- Gold
- Purity
- 99.5%
- Fineness
- 995/1000
- Common regions
- international
- Density
- 19.26 g/cm³
- Melting point
- 1064 °C
- Standard
- ISO 9202
Stamps that mean the same thing
This purity may be struck into jewelry as any of: 995 / 99.5 / .995. The mark differs by country and era, but the metal content is identical.
What 995 tells you
99.5% gold. LBMA Good Delivery minimum for investment-grade gold bars. Sometimes appears on Chinese gold jewelry alongside the 'Chuk Kam' (足金) designation.
How to value it
The melt value of a 995 piece is gold spot price × 0.995 × weight (g). A buyer typically deducts 5–15% for assay, refining, and margin, so the cash offer lands just under that figure. Stones and complex settings are usually excluded from the metal weight.
How to check it yourself
- Examine the stamp under a 10× loupe — genuine marks are crisp and evenly struck, not doubled or smeared.
- Confirm the mark reads 995 or an equivalent such as 99.5.
- Weigh the piece and estimate its volume — the density should land near 19.26 g/cm³ for this alloy.
- Photograph it in the Jewelry Identifier app to read the metal, hallmark, and any gemstones from the image.
- For a binding result, have an assay office or gemological lab run an XRF purity test.
Sources
- LBMA Good Delivery Rules
* Frequently asked
FAQ
- Q. Is 995 the same as 99.5?
- A. Yes. 995, 99.5, .995 all denote the same material — 99.5% gold. Different markets and eras stamp it differently, but the purity is identical.
- Q. How much is 995 worth?
- A. Its melt value is the gold spot price × 0.995 × the weight in grams. Buyers then deduct roughly 5–15% for refining and margin, so a quoted buy-back price sits a little below that theoretical figure.
- Q. How do I confirm a 995 stamp is genuine?
- A. Look at the mark under 10× magnification for crisp, even strikes, cross-check the weight-to-volume ratio against the expected density (19.26 g/cm³ for this alloy), scan it with the Jewelry Identifier app, and — when it matters — have an XRF test done by an assay office or gemological lab.
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