Sell Silver Flatware

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   My mother has a lot of silver flatware to sell. Is now a good time?
   She is working with an "advisor" who says that now is a good time to sell silver. But when I look at silver prices, they look about half of what they were six months ago. Is this "advisor" steering my elderly mother wrong, or is the silver price not directly related to the market for silver flatware?

   • ANSWER:
     is the advisory going to get anything from this sale? if yes then ignore him. if you are not in a rush for the money the longer you hold on to it the better.

2. QUESTION:
   where can I sell my sterling silver flatware?
   I have many pieces of sterling silver flatware. Much is mismatched but still sterling. Is there anywhere I can sell it at a fare price?

   • ANSWER:
     Try the American Gold Exchange - 7600 Burnet Rd - 323-0199

3. QUESTION:
   how and where do i sell silver flatware?

   • ANSWER:
     Both e-bay and Craigslist are good possibilities. However, I think the best solution is to try advertising your silver flatware in the classified ads in your local newspaper. Chances are good that a buyer will want to see it before purchasing, especially if it is antique or collectible. Selling to an out of town buyer on the internet may well require a certified appraisal to satisfy a potential buyer that the flatware is authentic. Local classified ads are cheap and many are also searchable on the internet.

     Good luck with your sale.

4. QUESTION:
   I need cash quick and am considering selling the family silver flatware. Where should i go to sell it quickly?
   Antique flatware - not sure of the time period. Tried to find an antique dealer, but they want to deal on consignment and I don't have time to wait.

   • ANSWER:
     If you cannot wait for the antique dealer, your last resort is the corner pawnshop. But you'll likely receive 10 cents on the dollar for what your flatware is worth.

     better to put an ad in Craigslist or eBay, you will likely do better than a pawnshop.
     ( use the pawnshop quote, then list it for about 4-6 times that amount )
     But, as with the dealer, you may have to wait a bit.

5. QUESTION:
   how much pure silver in sterling silver flatware & best way & place 2 sell it & expected % of value?
   I've got maybe 15 pieces of sterling silver flatware and want to sell it.
   What can I expect to get based on the true amount of silver in these pieces, and where is the best place to sell it. I've tried selling other things to jewelry stores and they are not good buyers, pawn shops are not a good choice from what people tell me, I do have a Craigslist near me, any other ways to sell? How much silver in sterling silver?

   • ANSWER:
     Sterling flatware is .925 pure silver... meaning it is 92 1/2% pure. The knives usually have stainless steel blades and hollow handles, so they have much less actual silver content. You need to be sure your pieces are definitely sterling, meaning they are marked with the word "Sterling" otherwise they are most likely silver plated, which is absolutely worthless. As far as selling, there is no better place I know of than the Silver and Gold Exchange at http://SilverAndGoldExchange.com I have dealt with them for years and they always pay well and fast. Craigslist is a bit dangerous and more of a hassle than it's worth. Forget Ebay too... the Ebay and Paypal fees will eat up the profits. Good Luck!

6. QUESTION:
   where is the best place to sell my silver flatware and get the money that day?
   im a bingo freak and need a bingo fix i live in glendale az.should i go to a pawn shop or to a scrap yard .where would i get the most money

   • ANSWER:
     Try you local coin dealer, these guys are amassing silver. Pawn shop would be last resort. Jeweler may be a possibility. Scrap sterling is being bought for .34 a GRAM. Be careful, don't get screwed.

7. QUESTION:
   Sterling silver flatware-should I sell for scrap?
   I have about 10 pieces of sterling forks and knives of different patterns that I don't know the names of. Should I just sell them as scrap or what? Is there a web site that can help me identify them? Thanks

   • ANSWER:
     Replacement, Ltd. may be able to help you identify the patterns. They might also buy them from you. They look for discontinued china and flatware.

     http://www.replacements.com/index.htm

8. QUESTION:
   where to sell silver flatware?

   • ANSWER:
     Try the Silver and Gold Exchange. Unlike most of the other cash 4 gold buying guys - these guys more specialize in silver. When I had a very old European sterling set, I called and spoke with one of their silver experts and he was great - very knowledgeable, professional and helpful. I then sent it into them and they paid me much more than I was expecting. They were great to deal with. I highly recommend them here's their site = http://silverandgoldexchange.com

9. QUESTION:
   i inherited 120 peices of wallace and towel sterling silver flatware. How can i sell it for a high profit?
   The styles are romance of the sea and esplanade.

   • ANSWER:
     Research eBay and then list the settings one setting at a time and the serving pieces separately. Few people are looking to buy an entire set.

     You could also contact Replacements Inc and see if they would buy all the pieces.

10. QUESTION:
    how much silver is in sterling silver flatware and how to sell it for the most money?

    • ANSWER:
      Sterling silver is by definition 92.5% silver. Coin shops generally pay 70 - 80% of the silver value for that sort of thing. Jewelry shops pay somewhat less, and pawn shops pay 50% or less (since it is considered a loan).

11. QUESTION:
    Who buys wallace sterling flatware, Rose Point - 89 pc?
    Live near Austin Texas. Would like to sell sterling silver flatware soon. Really don't know where to look for a buyer...any suggestions?
    It is in good shape. Very nice. The box it is in is looking a bit worn - wooden, lined box. Obviously an older set, but no one knows exactly how old. I will have to do some research to find out what it is worth.

    • ANSWER:
      Advertise in the neighborhood, that you are going to hold a garage sale on a particular date and time. Results will come.

12. QUESTION:
    Where to sell antique 1930s Sterling flatware...?
    I have a 12 place setting, sterling silver flatware set from the 1930s, Oneida's "King Cedric".
    It's been appraised at about 000.

    In the research I've done so far, the most expensive one that sold is around 60 on ebay. So ebay's not the way to go on expensive items apparently.

    Does anyone know a good place to sell these and get a price around the 000 (or close to it)?

    Thanks.

    • ANSWER:
      I would suggest checking with replacements.com I think they buy silver...

      or you can sell it on ebay either as a single lot or a few pieces at a time. I have purchased several pieces on ebay to replace lost or damaged ones.

13. QUESTION:
    I have some silver to sell & I heard that some tarnish brings a better price?
    If tarnish CAN bring a better resale price on some silver...what are the conditions ? Only antiquated silver ? Only flatware or jewelry or both ? Share your knowledge !!

    • ANSWER:
      Whoever told you that? How can tarnish fetch a better price? Use some common sense!!!!!

14. QUESTION:
    How is profit made on selling silver tableware to a refinery treated for tax purposes?
    Purchased silver flatware and holloware (mostly dented) for the purpose of reselling to a refinery as scrap silver to make a profit.

    Most of the pieces were purchased 1-2 years ago; a few within the last year. However, it was refined in one batch with one payout.

    Would that profit be treated as ordinary income or capital gain? What are the tax rates?

    If capital gain, how would I separate the profit (payout minus basis) into long term and short term gain since it was refined in one big batch with one payout?

    • ANSWER:
      How much money are we talking here? Is this a profitable endeavor

      Capital gain. the items you purchased more than a year before selllng are long term. and those that you bought less than a year before selling are short term.
      you will enter your purchase date and $ paid for it. Then you enter sales date, which will be same for all entries since you sold all at one time. Do you know the weights of each purchase? You would prorate the total price recieved in the sale by the % of weight that each purchase represents.

15. QUESTION:
    Is it worth the expense to buy a sterling silver flatware set? Or perhaps silver plate? Or something else?
    I have been looking on ebay at some of the old patterns as well as flatware sets. They seem quite expensive - However, I remember the parties my family (more accurately my grandmother) had, and it was always nice to have the gleam of silver at special occasions like X'mas. There is of course the fear of theft and the 'chore' of polishing which I actually like. So is it worthwhile going through the expense of buying the silver and the accessories like polishing cloths and storage bags when other alternatives exist like silverplate, brass or just plain stainless steel ? Also, will I recoup my cost in the future should I decide to sell my,as of now unbought, silver flatware?

    • ANSWER:
      I love my sterling silver flatware. I use it for holidays and special occassions and my table always looks wonderful. I store it in a silverchest that is made with special cloth which reduces the need for polish as long as I wash the silver imediately after use and dry it well. Hold the silver with the cloth to put it away to avoid leaving oils from your hands on it. Acid is the enemy of silver - keep it away from sitting in any acidic environment like tomato sauce.

      I also have my grandmother's silverplate flatware which I adore. It was a very high quality set and I use it just like I use my sterling. However, if you buy silverplate you risk eventually polishing the silver off the base metal, especially if it is pre-used (eBay) and you don't know how it was cared for. Polish actually removes a fine layer of the silver which has oxidized (that is the black stuff). As you can imagine silver plate is at risk for losing the silver.

      Buy sterling with confidence. Buy silverplate with caution if you have not seen it in person.

16. QUESTION:
    Does anyone know where in Houston I can sell broken silver jewelry?
    All the gold/diamond exhanges only want gold and diamonds as do the pawn shops I called unless it is Tiffany, James Avery or sterling flatware or candlesticks. If anyone knows of an online place, a link would also be appreciated. I have apx 40 grams.

    • ANSWER:
      http://www.ebay.com

17. QUESTION:
    antique silver?
    Should you clean antique silver flatware before you try to sell it or sell it in its tarnished shape? Will it decrease the value if you clean it?

    • ANSWER:
      If I were you,I would leave it tarnished.Because then when you sell it,it'll really look antique.Also make sure it's not way too much tarnished,if it is,then you should clean it.

18. QUESTION:
    ACK! Cousin sold heirloom silver in garage sale for a fraction of its worth! Am I justified in being mad?
    OK so just now I called my cousin and she was proudly telling about all the money she made at her garage sale.

    Then she dropped the bomb. She sold her mother's entire sterling silver flatware service to some guy for 0! We're talking about 30 pieces of vintage sterling silver knives, forks, serving spoons, etc.

    I was TICKED because I had actually given some of that silver to her as a gift so that her set would be complete. It took a lot of time and money to track it down!

    She obviously did not care about it since :
    1. She didn't even remember that I had given her some of the flatware as a gift, and...
    2. She sold it all in a frickin' garage sale.

    I know this was mean of me, but I couldn't resist telling her that each piece goes for about on E-bay, and the collection she just dumped is probably worth at least 0!

    Now I feel a little guilty for raining on her parade. I know she didn't mean harm. But she might as well have flushed it all down the toilet.
    Edited to add: her mother has long since passed away. My cousin inherited it so it was hers to sell -- but still.

    • ANSWER:
      You are justified in that she didn't research on how much she could get for the set but don't get mad at her for forgetting that you gave her some of the flatware. I don't remember every gift I got from everyone. If I did, I would know not to regift to that same person. LOL.

19. QUESTION:
    I'm in Austin, TX. I need to get some emergency cash by selling some inherited china and sterling flatware.
    I have Quimper, Dansk and Limoges china sets, complete Gorham silver flatware sets, several nice pieces of Lladro. I really do not want to sell on ebay. Anyone know of some good places in Austin that will buy this from me? Thanks in advance for any and all tips!!

    • ANSWER:
      I would try an auction house. They will probably get you a better deal...Here is an antique house that could help and then some antique stores in town that may help.

      http://www.austinauction.com/

      http://www.whithanksantiques.com/

      http://www.antiquesatthesquare.com/

20. QUESTION:
    I did to sell a silverware flateware set in cleveland?
    I have a chest flatware set that i had from a estate and i wanted to know what it is worth. it says del mar,1881 rogers silver plate by onida LTD silversmiths it has about 50 pieces, looks like she never used it.it looks silver and a little gold.so anybody know a spot in cleveland where i can go or should i put it on ebay or another spot you might know about.

    • ANSWER:
      You need to contact an appraiser:

      Gray's Auctioneers LLC
      10717 Detroit Avenue
      Cleveland, OH 44102
      (216) 458-7695‎

21. QUESTION:
    What's the name of the company that makes high-end disposable plates sold at Costco?
    I'm talking about the plasticware that at first glance looks like the real thing (and is actually washable). They sell a package of plates of 2 sizes - coctail and dinner. If you know what I'm talking about, please help me find the company that makes them. I think it's something like "master pieces", but I'm probably wrong. They also make fancy, silver-looking disposable flatware. I've only seen them at Costco. Thanks.
    It's not Hefty and I didn't ask for advice on responsible corporations. Any answers not containing information I requested (or sources for how to find it) will be flagged.

    • ANSWER:
      Costco shows these disposable plates:
      http://www.costco.com/Common/Search.aspx?whse=BC&topnav=&search=paper%20plates&N=0&Ntt=paper%20plates&cm_re=1-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search

      However, it sounds to me like you might be looking for this one:
      http://www.wna-inc.com/products/displayBrand.php?bi=56#
      http://www.wna-inc.com/reflections.php

      Happy hunting

22. QUESTION:
    Any ideas where I might get my hands on the Oneida pattern "Avalon," the stainless steel not the silver?
    I bought some very nice Oneida flatware at a supermarket promo about 4 years ago. The pattern was named Avalon, due to some unfortunate mishaps about 4 of my 8 place setting are now missing. Oneida has discontinued the pattern and no one is selling it on ebay. Any suggestions?

    • ANSWER:
      come on sprice up the place. get anew set from anothe rsupermarket

23. QUESTION:
    Should I?....?
    I was wondering of silver flatware is worth more as an antique with one fork shy of an 8 person set or melted down? and if you were to melt it down who do you take it to? If you wanted to sell it whole who would you take it to?

    • ANSWER:
      I just bought some in a yard sale very cheap. You could take it to an antique dealer.

24. QUESTION:
    what's wrong or ok when it comes to selling inherited items?
    My sister and I have inherited personal property from my father. The will says we shall divide it in some agreeable way. We each have our desired list as far as furniture and other major items. Smaller items will be divided or take turns picking, etc. and some items not wanted by one or the other will be taken by the other. My sister insisted on having all the items that she gave my father as gifts over the years. She gave him physical items as gifts. I gave him things he could "use" not things that would just sit there. I gave gift cards, etc. So, basically there are no personal items for me to request back. I found her request a little strange to me. Not to mention, I have no idea what she gave him over the years and just went ahead and gave the o.k. for her to take back the multiple items she said she had given as gifts. On items we may be dividing like books over 100 years old, sterling silver flatware and other things that have re-sale value, our opinions differ. I'm choosing things that can be sold by me. She says she chooses things for their sentimental value. I do not need to own 100+ items that my father owned to remember him. Yes, I am picking certain book titles that I have researched on Ebay as being a seller, and I plan to sell the garden tiller because there won't be a garden, etc. She is using the word "conscience" when referring to selling inherited items.
    I am not looking for people to agree with me on this matter. I'm looking for real philosophies or personal experiences. I'm being made to feel guilty for selling some of these items. My sister is leaving alot of stuff behind, the non collectables and non antiques. She is choosing those for herself since she is "into" antiques. I'd say 80% of the dishes, kitchen utensils, books, on and on will never be used by me. My choices are sell, give away, or store in boxes for my beneficiaries. I'm not seeing anything wrong with selling stuff. There are many, many dozen of my father's photos from age 3 months to age 85. My sister is getting 99% of these photos. I'm keeping a "few". I do not need 100 photos of my father to remember him. I guess neither one of us is right or wrong, but what do you think? I'm having to sell his house that I'll inherit. Since my sister lives 300 miles away and won't live down here any more, it is very obvious that she will sell her Mother's house which she will inherit. That is so, so obvious that she will sell that house. I'm being frowned on by relative's over my plans. My father always assocaiate dme with words like "seller", "dealer", etc. I bought-sold-traded merchandise as income for years. He was so worrried that I'd sell all his furniture. I'm not going to do that. I'm choosing items that upgrade what I have. He was worried some of his things will end up in the hands of my sister's non blood relatives. I'm sure it will, those are her beneficiaries. I could not get my father to tell me that things he left to others were gifts to others and meant for them to use them to make their life better. He would snap back, "they are not gifts" it is inheritance. This is why he thought his items should only go to relatives and not other non blood relatives or sold.
    some critical info:
    myself and my sister both went to the same college. Result, I'm disabled and living on 4 a month, been living in a 1969 mobile home since 1986. sister a career teacher with over ,000 income a year. I've got more financial reasons to sell 5-6 mixed non matching pieces of sterling silver flatware, a few books on Ebay, etc. Why I'm selling the house when I've never owned one? To become a parent (surrogate) with half and buy a more modest home with the rest. I got my first washer and dryer at age 55. Used of course, bought off Craigslist. Our life styles are quite opposite. My sister does not need any financial gain from her inherited property. I'm facing living in poverty in retirement. I just do not need 100 pics of my father, or anyone, to remember them. 10-12 photos are plenty. I'm guessing my sister is over doing the sentimental thing, maybe she's a 7 or 8 if a 5 is average. I'll be seeing and using things that belonged to my father as long as I live.

    • ANSWER:
      He's dead and she's sentimental. Put those items to use or sell them to someone who can. Let her keep what she wants and don't question why. Tell her to let you keep what you want and do with it as you will and ask that she don't question why. They are just baubles. It's all just stuff. It's only as valuable as you trick yourself into thinking it is. I would keep photos and things like that, but otherwise, get rid of it if you don't have use for it.

25. QUESTION:
    Could luxury items--such as a 70+ piece set of Birks sterling flatware--be purchased during WWII?
    Could someone please explain how my (American) grandmama was able to purchase from Birks-Dingwall in Winnipeg, Canada (via mail) a 70+ piece set of Birks George II sterling flatware just a few weeks after our soldiers hit the beaches of Normady? In the US and UK citizens were turning in their non-essential metals to melt into bullets, guns, planes, and tanks. Wouldn't sterling silver have been: (1) wanted by the Canadian Govt for the war effort, (2) a rationed item, or (3) such a scarce item it would have been "kept back" for a Canadian and not sold to a common American housewife in Idaho? Apparently R.G. Morrow of Birks-Dingwell, Winnipeg took her cheque for 9.53--I have receipt--wrote a nice note and sent it and a heavy chest of Canadian sterling flatware to her in Sandpoint, Idaho. Grandaddy--Winnipeg-born, US-naturalized, yet forever a Canadian--insisted any silver bought MUST be bought at Birks. Yet the question...How'd she buy a precious metal luxury item during WWII?

    • ANSWER:
      Grandmama's silver may have been prewar stock. Merchants did not have to melt down their existing inventories. My parents married in 1943. My mother found an obscure rural hardware store full of prewar merchandise. She was able to purchase aluminum pans and Christmas lights (copper wire). I don't think a non-essential luxury item would have been rationed. If you could find sterling silver and afford it, you could buy it.

      Since it happened, cross border sales must have been allowed. It would not surprise me if Birks-Digwell for patriotic reasons chose to not sell to non-Canadians. Grandaddy's roots may have circumvented that. On an unpatriotic note, international sales may not have been subject to any price controls.

      Birks acquired Gorham's Canadian operations around 1907. There are patterns that are identical but have distinct Birks and Gorham pattern names. The question is, who actually manufactured the flatware? I don't know. Flatware sold in Canada but actually made in the US could be sold back there with no problem?

      I agree, one would not expect sterling flatware to have been manufactured during WWII. The raw materials, craftsmen and machinery would have been too important to the war effort. Last week I found a tid-bit that contradicts this. Westmorland Sterling produced flatware during WWII with the V for victory in Morse code. Following the word sterling, 3 dots and a dash was on the bottom of pieces. You may be able to find some pictures showing this at the source below.

      I think I raised more questions than I answered.

26. QUESTION:
    Got something for cheap, sold it for a lot. Should I feel bad?
    I bought an item from a young lady, that I knew was worth some pretty good money. She needed "Money for rent" and was only asking 0-0. I gave her 0, and after I looked it up I already found a buyer that will pay me ,500 cash whenever I bring it to them. Should I feel bad for only giving her 0?? Thats all she wanted! and she was happy with 0 It was in a bad neighborhood, for all I know she could have been a drug addict. She says it was her grandmothers silver flatware

    Should I feel bad for getting her?
    Or is this just the benefit of a higher education??

    • ANSWER:
      No, you shouldn't feel bad. In the meantime between time, can I get a loan?

      LOL.

27. QUESTION:
    where can I sell my sterling silver flatware?
    I have many pieces of sterling silver flatware. Much is mismatched but still sterling. Is there anywhere I can sell it at a fare price?

    • ANSWER:
      I think you are far better off going to a place such as replacements.com. They not only sell silverware and china pieces, but they buy them too. To them (and other sites like them) the fact that your pieces are mismatched won't matter because they sell hundreds and hundreds of patterns. You will probably get a much better price there than on ebay. I find that people on ebay are often too cheap.

28. QUESTION:
    where can I sell my sterling silver flatware?
    Gorham "trilogy" pattern, service for 8

    • ANSWER:
      I had the best luck at http://SilverAndGoldExchange.com They actually show how much they are paying that day right on their website and had a Fedex guy at my door to pick up my silver that same day. I had the money the next day. Seemed like a fair price and no hassle at all.