Gold & Silver Spot Price: Reference & Converter
Straight answer
The spot price is the live wholesale price of one troy ounce of metal for immediate delivery, set in global markets. It’s the benchmark dealers price against — not a price you can actually buy a single ounce at, because you pay spot plus a premium and sell below spot. We show a daily reference price at the top of our calculators (via Metals.dev, which tracks the LBMA benchmark) — but it’s indicative and delayed, so confirm the live number with a dealer before you transact. Use the converter below to translate any spot figure across units.
Plenty of sites flash a “live” price that’s quietly delayed or dressed up to push a sale. We show a clearly-labeled daily reference instead and tell you to verify the tradeable number at the source — then use the converter below to translate it into the units you actually deal in.
What the spot price actually is
Spot is the price for immediate (“on the spot”) delivery of wholesale metal, quoted per troy ounce in US dollars. It’s anchored by the London/LBMA benchmark and the most active COMEX futures contract, and it updates continuously while markets are open. Every retail price — coins, bars, ETFs — is built on top of it. The deeper explainer is what the spot price is (and isn’t).
Why you can’t buy at spot
Spot is a wholesale, large-lot price. To get metal into a one-ounce coin in your hands, someone mints, distributes, and sells it — that’s the premium. When you sell, a dealer pays slightly below spot. So spot is the reference point around which you transact, never the exact figure you pay or receive. Use the premium calculator to see the gap on any product.
Where to check the live price
For a trustworthy real-time number, look at the spot ticker on a major bullion dealer’s site, a financial data provider, or the LBMA benchmark prices. Compare two sources if a quote looks off. Then bring that number back here, or into any of our calculators, to do the math.
What’s today’s gold spot price?
We show a daily reference price (via Metals.dev, which tracks the LBMA benchmark) on our calculators — it’s indicative and delayed, not a live trading quote. For the exact figure you can transact at, check a major dealer or the LBMA fixing, then enter it in the converter.
Why is a troy ounce different from a regular ounce?
A troy ounce is about 31.10 grams, while a standard (avoirdupois) ounce is about 28.35 grams. Precious metals are always priced in troy ounces, so don’t weigh bullion on a kitchen scale’s “oz” setting and expect it to match.
Is the spot price the same worldwide?
Effectively yes, allowing for currency conversion and tiny timing differences. Gold and silver trade globally around the clock, so the dollar spot you see is closely arbitraged across markets.