posted on November 2, 2006 01:05:34 PM new
I am hoping that Fluffy or someone else can tell me how to find the value of sterling silver by weight for it's silver content. (sterling silver bracelets, earrings etc. )I have a scale that measures in karats, ounces troy and grams, drams (I think it's drams, the scale setting is labeled dweight) and ounces. Any help is greatly appreciated.
posted on November 2, 2006 01:48:09 PM new
Thanks Tom. That really helps alot. To value the sterling silver for scrap, do I use "today's" market silver price? or is there somewhere on the web that would give me this information?
A common quantity (which is why I use it) is 10 troy ounces, which is "about" 11.1 ounces. I always include a little more as lagniappe.
There are a few people buying silver scrap who are so anal that they will be peeved if you don't sell in grams. That's nonsense. Gold, sure, sell it by the gram. That makes sense when it's hovering around $625 an ounce. Silver, on the other hand, runs around $12 an ounce. I contend that no great precision is required there.
As long as you clearly state what unit you are selling in, there shouldn't be a problem.
There are conversion sites all over the Web. I like kitco.com for keeping an eye on metals prices. I do not price by the daily market; I think that too is nonsense. Why? Because no one is going to pay spot prices for your scrap. There are costs involved, such as refining it. I sell 10 troy ounces of sterling silver scrap, shipped, for $94.99. And I sell all of it that I list.
Last, a word of caution: Be absolutely certain that what you are selling is sterling or better. Once certain, do NOT accept any returns. Make sure you keep the post office receipt that shows the approximate weight of the package. That can help if someone tries to scam you.
fLufF
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posted on November 2, 2006 02:46:54 PM new
I think I figured it out myself. DUH ! When I start on something new I always go to the experts first before I delve into it myself. Lack of confidence, I guess.
I just did a search for closed items, scrap sterling silver 1 pound and I got the answer. IF there are any other suggestions someone can make, PLEASE let me know. If not. I think I've got it
posted on November 2, 2006 03:09:15 PM new
Thanks Fluff. Great info as usual. I really appreciate it.
How do you know if you have better than sterling? if the piece is marked sterling or silver, isnt that enough? Should I be testing these items to make sure they are better than sterling.
posted on November 2, 2006 03:32:08 PM new
Japanese silver is often 950. 950/1000 is better than 925/1000, the American and UK sterling standard. Antonio Pineda, a Mexican silversmith, often worked in 970.
posted on February 25, 2007 01:26:31 AM new
After many months I have time and the researched information to continue on this project. The gold platter I have that I originally was trying to look up is listed in another thread
I had to take to a several different places before I was able to get a definitive answer. The platter is sterling with 18 kt gold plating on top of it. I couldn't find any marks on it but an old old guy at the last place I took it to found a tiny tiny mark on the back that says sterling. The weight with a regular scale is 9.87 ounces. This isn't troy or whatever. Just your regular every day ounces. If I used Fluffy's calculations I would get 9.8 X $12 - $117.60 for a starting price on this plate. Does this sound about right? if so, I am going to list it as my rock bottom price and hopefully it will go up from there.
Again, thanks so very much for all of your valuable help.
posted on February 25, 2007 08:11:59 AM new
Hate to be the party pooper,but some of the sterling silver stamped 925 coming from Thailand,Indonesia of the world aint 925!
One jeweler who smuggled a suitcase of such found it out the hard way at the US Customs office.
The damn customs offices have the best experts in silver,gold,ivory ,bronze you name it.
BTW,above said goes for bronze and gold and precious and semi precious stones as well.
posted on February 25, 2007 09:34:34 AM new
Sterling silver
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. The minimum millesimal fineness is 925.
Fine silver (99.9% pure) is generally too soft for producing large functional objects, and in Sterling the silver is usually alloyed with copper to give strength whilst preserving the ductility of the silver and a high precious metal content. Other metals can replace the copper, usually with the intent to improve various properties of the basic sterling alloy such as reducing casting porosity, eliminating firescale, and increasing resistance to tarnish. These replacement metals include germanium, zinc, platinum as well as a variety of other additives including silicon and boron. A number of alloys claiming firescale and/or tarnish resistance have appeared in recent years sparking heavy competition between the various manufacturers and their different formulations. No one alloy has emerged as an industry leader or standard and ongoing alloy development is a very active area.
posted on February 25, 2007 10:10:09 AM new
Fluffy said, "Once certain, do NOT accept any returns. Make sure you keep the post office receipt that shows the approximate weight of the package. That can help if someone tries to scam you." That's very good advice.
Years ago my husband and siblings were having an estate sale of their parents' things, which included some sterling that no one in the family wanted. None of us knew much about it or about the marks that should be on it.
A woman came in and bought a place setting, said I'm taking it home and if it isn't real sterling, can I return it? One of our group assured her she could. She brought it back sometime that day, in all the confusion. That evening someone showed me the place setting--and it wasn't the same pattern! and it was silverplate!, so obviously she'd done a switch on us gullible people. A lesson learned forever.
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posted on February 25, 2007 10:23:57 AM new
I know what sterling is. hwahwa, is your thought on this is that I should check it out a little more before trying to sell it instead of assuming that the last 2 places I took it to didn't know what it really was?
You see I took it to 4 different places. I didn't tell any of them what I thought it was. I asked, "what is it?" I took it to 3 jewelry stores and a pawn shop. 2 of the jewelry stores thought it was gold plate over silver. The pawn shop visit was very interesting. I waited in a long line behind people selling jewelry and getting their cash. I dealt with a young man behind the counter with an older gentleman visiable in a back office talking to one of the employees. When my turn came up the older man from the back came out when I pulled the platter out of the bag. No one in this establishment could find the mark on the bottom but this older man. He said he hadn't seen anything like this in a long time. He took over researching it from the young guy. After a scrape was tested, he used something else on the plate too. (I was asking all sorts of questions while he worked) He's the one that told me it was 18 kt gold plate over silver and showed me where the Sterling mark was. --- I hope this helps.
posted on February 25, 2007 12:33:01 PM new
Well, not much has changed since last November except that I'm now selling scrap for $104.99 shipped. Interestingly, the price of silver hasn't budged much. I've acquired a reputation for high-quality scrap and there are two buyers who snap up almost all of it I sell. I'm thinking of raising the price even more.
The point of this digression is that scrap value is only one aspect to consider.
Paloma, if it were me, I would hang on to the piece and try to get more information about it. Butterfields (now Bonhams, I think) up in the City used to have a free appraisal day once a month. Maybe still do. It can be a long wait, but might be worth it.
Was the pawn shop in RWC?
What did the pawn shop guy tell you the mark actually was? Was it "Sterling" spelled out 925, or what?
posted on February 25, 2007 12:47:54 PM new
Ah the Fluff! Thanks. Yes, it was the one in RWC on El Camino, near Sequoia HS. That's the only one around between RWC and Burlingame that looked ummm Non shady. These guys have been there forever. Anyway, it's spelled out Sterling and not 925. Maybe it is a fraud. I don't know. I can keep around awhile. Having the money would be a great help but if I can possibly get more by waiting and doing a bit more research, what the heck.
posted on February 25, 2007 12:56:10 PM new
I have some Italian murano jewelry which is made in Italy,goldplated over silver.
The gold does not tarnish after all these years,so it must be high carat gold.
Is yours from Italy??
posted on February 25, 2007 01:35:13 PM new
Roadie, thanks for the advice. I will be careful.
hwahwa, I know the guy mentioned a country, I can't remember which one he said. I just have to get out a super magnifying glass to find that tiny mark again. My loupe isn't strong enough to see it.
By the way, gold does tarnish. I have some very old pieces from my grandma and greatgrandma. they turned a deeper darker gold with age and non use. I have some old old gold that is really different. It almost doesn't look like gold at all. I took a piece to a jeweler to get it repaired. He didn't think it was gold until he tried to repair it. I guess in the early days they mixed gold with other elements to make it harder etc than we use today.
