Guide · Selling
Selling silver flatware, jewelry and coins
Sterling, coin silver, plated silver and weighted items explained, so you know what a buyer will actually pay for.
Last updated October 2, 2026
Silver is trickier than gold because so much of it is plated, weighted, or only partly silver.
Know what you have
| Mark | What it means | Silver content |
|---|---|---|
| STERLING, 925 | Sterling silver | 92.5% |
| COIN, 900 | Coin silver (older American pieces) | about 90% |
| 800 | Common in European silver | 80% |
| EP, EPNS, Silverplate, Quadruple Plate | Electroplated | almost none |
| Nickel silver, German silver | Copper-nickel-zinc alloy | none |
A maker’s name alone does not tell you a piece is sterling. Look for the word STERLING or 925.
Weighted pieces
Sterling candlesticks, candy dishes and knife handles are often weighted: thin silver filled with cement, pitch or resin. Most of their weight is not silver, so a fair buyer pays only for the silver part. Look for the word “Weighted” or “Reinforced”.
For knives, only the handle is silver. The blade is usually stainless steel.
Working out a fair price
- Weigh solid pieces in grams.
- Use the calculator with the right purity: sterling is 92.5%.
- For weighted pieces, expect to be paid on an estimate of the silver only. Ask the buyer how they made the estimate.
When silver is worth more than its metal
Complete flatware sets by famous makers, and antique pieces, can be worth more to a dealer in used silver or an auction house than to a scrap buyer. Ask one before you sell for melt.
For coins, see selling gold and silver coins.