If It’s Sterling, We Want It! Top Prices Paid For Flatware & Antique Sterling Silver

Don't Sell Your Sterling Silver Too Cheap!

We’ve had the opportunity to buy tens of thousands of pieces of sterling silver. Some pieces like small rings are only worth a couple dollars.  But many more sets of sterling or worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.. We’d love the opportunity to look at what you have and determine whether it has greater collector value or is primarily worth its metal value. The guide below will help you get started and answer some of the most common questions we hear.

1. Just Bring It In, Don't Waste Time Cleaning – Save yourself the time and headache of cleaning your silver. Polishing it generally won’t add value or help you get more money. If you’re simply looking for an appraisal and plan to keep and use the silver, then by all means, polish it before bringing it in.
2. Even With High Silver Prices, Some Sterling Can Still Be Rare – There is a market for truly rare and desirable sterling silver. This can include sought-after flatware patterns by Tiffany and a handful of other makers. Coin silver flatware and hollowware from the 1800s and earlier can absolutely be collectible. Smaller items and intricate pieces have the best chance to be rare.
3. Servers, Knives, Shakers and Candlesticks Are Mostly Weighted – If you’re weighing your silver, you’ll need to subtract the weight of the knife handles. Otherwise, you may expect considerably more money for common sterling flatware than it’s actually worth. The handle is typically filled with another material like cement or plaster that has little or no value.
4. Flatware And Large Common Pieces Are Mostly Valued On Weight – Some sellers don’t want to hear this, but it’s simply the reality of today’s market. With silver currently fluctuating between $60 and $80 an ounce, many pieces that were once collectible are now worth primarily for their silver content. For example, when silver was $15 an ounce—not that long ago—a ten-ounce pitcher might sell for $300, or roughly double its silver value. Today, those same ten ounces are worth $600+, so the metal value has essentially caught up with and surpassed the collector value. As another example, there was a time when a six-piece place setting of sterling flatware might melt for $30, while someone could happily pay $50 for the same set to actually use. Today, the silver value may be considerably higher than its useful value.
5. If It Isn't Marked Sterling, Then It Is Likely Plated – We’ve had to deliver this news many times over the years. Just because something looks like silver—or even says “silver”—doesn’t necessarily mean it’s actually silver. Fortunately, we have a machine that can test the metal content of virtually any piece. We can test and verify the composition of almost any metal object.