What Is a PFM Crown?
A porcelain-fused-to-metal crown is exactly what it sounds like: a metal substructure — called a coping — that is covered with layers of porcelain baked on at high temperatures. The result is a crown that has the strength of metal and the natural appearance of tooth-colored ceramic. PFM crowns were developed in the late 1950s and became widespread through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, before all-ceramic crowns began to take market share in the 2000s.
The metal coping inside a PFM crown is what gives it potential value. The question is what that metal is made of.
What Metals Are Used in PFM Copings?
This is where it gets important. PFM crowns can be made with a wide range of metal alloys, and the alloy determines the value almost entirely. Here are the main categories:
High-Gold Alloys: These were common through the 1970s and into the early 1980s. A PFM coping made with a high-gold alloy can contain 50% to 80% gold, with additional platinum or palladium for strength. These are highly valuable and worth refining.
Palladium-Silver Alloys: As gold prices spiked in the early 1980s, many labs switched to palladium-heavy alloys to reduce material costs. These crowns may contain very little gold, but palladium itself is a precious metal with significant value — sometimes worth more per gram than gold. Don’t dismiss PFM crowns from this era without testing.
Base Metal Alloys (Nickel-Chromium or Cobalt-Chromium): These contain no gold or palladium at all. They were introduced as a cost-saving measure and remain common today. Base metal PFM crowns have essentially no precious metal value and are not worth refining for gold content.
How Can You Tell the Difference?
This is the challenge with PFM crowns — you generally cannot tell from visual inspection alone whether the coping is gold-based or base metal. Both types are covered in white or tooth-colored porcelain. The metal may only be visible as a thin line at the margin (the gum-line edge of the crown) or not at all.
Some clues to look for: older crowns are more likely to contain gold. If there’s a visible metal collar at the base of the crown, and it appears yellow or yellowish-gold in color, that’s a positive sign. However, some base metal alloys are also yellow-toned, so color alone isn’t definitive.
The only reliable method is assay testing — either XRF (X-ray fluorescence) analysis, which gives a rapid non-destructive surface reading, or fire assay, which is the most accurate method for determining refined precious metal content. Ark Refining uses both methods to ensure our clients receive accurate valuations.
What Happens to the Porcelain?
During refining, the porcelain is removed through high-temperature processing. The ceramic layers are not valuable and are separated from the metal coping before assay. This is why it’s not necessary for clients to separate porcelain from metal prior to sending in their scrap — a quality refiner handles the entire process.
Are PFM Crowns Worth Sending In?
The answer is: often yes, especially if you have a significant quantity or you believe the crowns are from before the year 2000. Even a mixed lot of PFM crowns — some with precious metals, some without — can yield a meaningful return because the valuable crowns can offset the cost of processing entirely. Dental practices that have been accumulating scrap for years sometimes find that a single shipment contains several hundred dollars or more in recoverable precious metals.
The key is working with a refiner who tests everything accurately and is transparent about their findings. At Ark Refining, we provide a full breakdown of your material’s precious metal content before final payment — so you always know exactly what you’re being paid for and why. Reach out today to learn how to get started.