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Gold nugget sizes and weights: from 0.1 to several grams

Gold is so dense that a one-gram nugget fits on a fingernail. This guide helps you picture the real size of each weight before you buy.

Why nuggets look small

Gold is one of the densest metals: about 19.3 grams per cubic centimetre, almost twice as dense as lead. That is why a gram of gold takes up so little space. A sphere of pure gold weighing one gram would measure only about 4.6 millimetres across. Because nuggets are irregular and somewhat flattened, they look a little larger than a sphere of the same weight.

Approximate sizes

• Under 0.1 g: grains and flakes of 1 to 3 mm, usually sold in small vials.
• 0.1 to 0.3 g: small nuggets of about 3 to 6 mm. They look great under a loupe and are the most affordable.
• 0.3 to 1 g: about 5 to 9 mm, with a shape you can recognise with the naked eye.
• 1 to 5 g: roughly 8 to 15 mm. Pieces with real presence, much sought after for collections and pendants.
• Over 5 g: large, scarce nuggets whose price per gram rises sharply.

These measurements are approximate: a flat, spread-out nugget looks bigger than a rounded one of the same weight.

Purity: not all the weight is gold

Natural gold is almost never pure. It usually contains between 80% and 95% gold, with the rest mostly silver. Some nuggets also include traces of quartz or other minerals, which add size but not gold content.

Which size to choose

• To start a collection: several small nuggets from different origins.
• As a gift: between 0.2 and 1 gram is usually a good balance of price and presence. More ideas in Giving a gold nugget as a gift.
• For a pendant: from half a gram, with a compact shape that stands up to everyday wear.

Always ask for the exact weight

A serious seller gives the weight to two decimal places and shows photos with a scale, so you can compare the price per gram between pieces. See Where to buy gold nuggets for a checklist.

In our auctions we state the exact weight of every nugget, from a few tenths of a gram to several grams.