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Author Topic: Silver  (Read 4920 times)

zxcvbob

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Silver
« on: August 04, 2011, 11:06:26 AM »
Quote from: JamisJockey on August 04, 2011, 10:50:40 AM
Holy hell I just saw that silver is $45 an ounce!!!  :O
When I was in Houston last week, my parents dragged out a paper bag with some old silverware in it.  Didn't know if it was sterling or silver plated; my great aunt had given it to them for their 25th wedding anniversary.  She had gotten it years before as a bequest from an old Jewish woman friend.

It's sterling silver.  A couple of pounds of it.  :O :O :O

There are 3 forks from one pattern and a bunch of pieces from a totally different pattern.  The knives have silverplated steel blades (sharp!) and sterling handles, and a couple of the knife blades are broken.  One pattern has "1895" and some sliversmith marks on the back, and the other has "1897" and some marks and a name that I don't remember.

How does one go about selling something like that?  It may be worth a lot more than the scrap value.  But just as scrap it's probably over $1000 right now.  (BTW, their 25th anniversary I think was during the Hunt Brothers silver bubble.  It was probably a more generous gift at the time than anyone imagined.

My dad really needs a golf cart to get around his property but won't buy one cuz they cost over $1000.  This could be a good way for me to buy him one.
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TechMan

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Re: Silver
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2011, 11:30:38 AM »
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280plus

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Re: Silver
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2011, 11:37:28 AM »
Ebay except they like to get their little fingers in the pie. Selling it outright on ebay will STILL net you more than any silver buyer will give you. Much more. I was offered $.075 for a $2.25 coin. You do the math. Silver just went back over $42 / oz too.
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280plus

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Re: Silver
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2011, 11:39:00 AM »
You'd have to taken a lot of pics. Some of those patterns may bring a premium price.
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TechMan

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Re: Silver
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2011, 11:44:35 AM »
^^^^^^^^^Very true.
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Hawkmoon - Never underestimate another person's capacity for stupidity. Any time you think someone can't possibly be that dumb ... they'll prove you wrong.

Bacon and Eggs - A day's work for a chicken; A lifetime commitment for a pig.
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Bad decisions make good stories.

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Balog

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Re: Silver
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2011, 12:07:03 PM »
Is there a quick and easy way to tell actual gold/silver from plated stuff, when looking at this sort of thing in yard sales/thrift stores etc?
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Re: Silver
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2011, 12:11:24 PM »
Very little "silverware" is solid silver.  It's been that way since around 1920-1930 or so.  Since then even the very expensive stuff is usually plated steel.  Be sure to have someone who knows their metals check out your set before you jump to any conclusions.

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Re: Silver
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2011, 12:34:35 PM »
After watching "Pawn Stars" on TV, I'd suggest taking it to a pawn shop to see what they offer - you can figure it's actual worth is about 3x that number.
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zxcvbob

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Re: Silver
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2011, 12:48:42 PM »
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Is there a quick and easy way to tell actual gold/silver from plated stuff, when looking at this sort of thing in yard sales/thrift stores etc?
Quote
Very little "silverware" is solid silver.  It's been that way since around 1920-1930 or so.  Since then even the very expensive stuff is usually plated steel.  Be sure to have someone who knows their metals check out your set before you jump to any conclusions.
This all has STERLING stamped on the backs near the top of the handle.  I just found a listing of silversmith marks at replacements.com, so I might can identify it from that tonight.
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220_SWIFT

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Re: Silver
« Reply #9 on: August 04, 2011, 12:59:48 PM »
I can't help you much on the silver aspect.  But if you have to sign up with an email for replacements.com, make sure you use a free email account you set up specifically for it.  I was shocked at how much mail I got from them, and continued to get even after "unsubscribing" several times.  They still send me emails from time to time, but the spam filter finally started catching it.  Don't know if they have gotten better about that, just thought I would pass it along.
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Re: Silver
« Reply #10 on: August 04, 2011, 01:47:55 PM »
Stay away from replacements.com,,,lowballers for sure!
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Re: Silver
« Reply #11 on: August 04, 2011, 01:57:11 PM »
Quote from: zxcvbob on August 04, 2011, 12:48:42 PM
This all has STERLING stamped on the backs near the top of the handle.  I just found a listing of silversmith marks at replacements.com, so I might can identify it from that tonight.

This tells you what you need to know.

Now, to determine actual silver % is another task - Sterling is 92.5% or better
Some stampings will indicate higher percentages (up to 99%?) where they call it "Fine Silver".

(spot value) x (weight) x .925 = $$$$$
Make sure you've got the units right.

Figure leaving a 8-10% premium with the buyer (if you can find one high up the food chain) or as much as 35-50% at the kiosk in the mall.
In my experience, unless it's highly colectable (Scagel territory), it's worth more melted at $40 per ounce.
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