By 
MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): North American precious metal scrap prices delivered a mixed weekly performance during September 18-24, 2026, with gold and platinum moving lower while silver edged higher on the ScrapMonster Price Index.
Gold declined across all reported hallmarked and non-hallmarked purity grades. Platinum scrap also weakened by $18.92 per ounce, while silver was the only major precious-metal scrap category to finish the period higher.
Week at a Glance
| Metal | Weekly Move | Market Read |
|---|---|---|
| Gold — Hallmarked | ▼ $15.83-$38.67/oz | All reported purity grades declined |
| Gold — Non-Hallmarked | ▼ $14.97-$36.57/oz | Broad declines across major grades |
| Silver | ▲ $0.32-$0.33/oz | Only major precious-metal scrap category to rise |
| Platinum | ▼ $18.92/oz | Hallmarked and non-hallmarked values weakened |
SCRAPMONSTER EDGE
Hallmarked gold recorded slightly larger dollar declines than comparable non-hallmarked grades across every reported purity. The difference ranged from $0.86/oz for 9-carat material to $2.10/oz for 22-carat gold. The higher-purity grades also posted the largest absolute weekly moves, reflecting their greater underlying gold content.
Hallmarked Precious Metals
Hallmarked gold scrap prices moved lower across all four tracked purity grades during the week.
| Grade | Weekly Change | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| 9-Carat Gold | -$15.83/oz | ▼ Lower |
| 14-Carat Gold | -$24.70/oz | ▼ Lower |
| 18-Carat Gold | -$31.66/oz | ▼ Lower |
| 22-Carat Gold | -$38.67/oz | ▼ Lower |
The decline in gold scrap coincided with renewed pressure in the international bullion market late in the reporting period. A stronger U.S. dollar and sharply higher Treasury yields weighed on gold as markets priced a tighter U.S. interest-rate outlook.
Silver Moves Against the Broader Scrap Trend
Hallmarked silver scrap moved modestly higher, gaining $0.33 per ounce to close the week at $49.11 per ounce.
PRICE CHART
Platinum Scrap Declines $18.92/Oz
Hallmarked platinum scrap declined by $18.92 per ounce during the week.
The move occurred as the broader platinum market remained volatile. Kitco showed spot platinum around $1,750 per ounce late on September 24 after trading lower earlier in the session.
See all Precious Metals Price Reports →
Non-Hallmarked Precious Metals
Non-hallmarked gold followed the same direction as hallmarked material, with every reported purity grade moving lower.
| Grade | Weekly Change | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| 9-Carat Gold | -$14.97/oz | ▼ Lower |
| 14-Carat Gold | -$23.35/oz | ▼ Lower |
| 18-Carat Gold | -$29.94/oz | ▼ Lower |
| 22-Carat Gold | -$36.57/oz | ▼ Lower |
PRICE CHART
Non-Hallmarked Platinum Also Moves Lower
Non-hallmarked platinum scrap declined by $18.92 per ounce from the previous week's level of $1,308.08 per ounce, putting the week-ending benchmark at approximately $1,289.16 per ounce.
Silver Scrap Edges Higher
Non-hallmarked silver scrap gained $0.32 per ounce over the reporting period.
The rise is notable because international silver was under pressure late in the week as the U.S. dollar strengthened and Treasury yields climbed. That means the ScrapMonster silver scrap benchmark finished the period in a different direction from the late-week spot-market move.
SCRAP VS. SPOT MARKET
Silver was the key divergence this week. North American scrap silver gained 32¢-33¢/oz even as international silver weakened late in the reporting period. Scrap prices do not move one-for-one with spot bullion and can reflect local refinery demand, material availability, purity, settlement timing and processor buying conditions.
International Precious Metals Context
Global precious metals markets became more defensive late in the week as U.S. Treasury yields climbed and the dollar strengthened.
Reuters reported spot gold near $4,274.14 per ounce on September 24 as the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield rose above 5%. Silver was also trading under pressure around the mid-$63-per-ounce range, while platinum traded near $1,750 per ounce later in the session.
Those benchmark prices are provided for broader market context and are not direct valuations of hallmarked or non-hallmarked scrap.
Market Read
The September 18-24 period produced a clear split within the North American precious-metals scrap market.
Gold weakened across every reported purity grade, with the largest dollar declines concentrated in higher-purity 22-carat material. Platinum also moved lower across both reported categories.
Silver was the exception. Both hallmarked and non-hallmarked scrap posted small gains, despite a weaker global silver tone late in the reporting period.
For refiners, jewelers and precious-metal scrap buyers, the week's performance reinforces the need to distinguish physical scrap benchmarks from international spot prices, particularly when markets are moving quickly around interest rates, currencies and refinery buying conditions.
DATA & METHODOLOGY
This report compares ScrapMonster precious-metal scrap benchmarks from September 18 through September 24, 2026.
- Scrap price movements are reported primarily in $/oz. Minor percentage changes are intentionally omitted.
- Hallmarked and non-hallmarked categories are reported separately because their benchmark values and weekly movements can differ.
- International bullion prices are reference benchmarks and do not move one-for-one with physical scrap values.
- Actual processor, refinery and dealer quotes can vary based on purity, assay, quantity, location, settlement terms and buyer.
Benchmark buying-price move • Local quotes vary by purity, grade, buyer and location.
