What it's worth · Silver
How much is a sterling silver fork or spoon worth?
US and Canadian flatware stamped "Sterling" or "925" is 92.5% silver. Pieces stamped "EPNS", "Silver plate", "1847 Rogers Bros" or a maker’s name only are usually plated. A sterling teaspoon often weighs 20 to 35 grams and a dinner fork 40 to 80 grams. Knives hold far less silver than they weigh.
| Weight | Sterling |
|---|---|
| 30 g | — |
| 60 g | — |
| 500 g | — |
| 1 kg | — |
Melt value of the silver only. Buyers usually pay 60% to 85% of it. Connecting to price feed…
What a buyer takes off
- Knife blades, which are steel, and hollow knife handles, which are filled with cement. A sterling knife often holds only 15 to 25 grams of silver.
- Steel tines on some carving and serving pieces.
Can it be worth more than its silver?
Complete sets in a popular pattern can sell for more to a replacement-silverware dealer than for scrap. Ask before melting a full set.
Before you sell
- Weigh forks and spoons together, and knives separately: count knives at a fraction of their weight.
- The 500 g and 1 kg rows are for a box of mixed forks and spoons.
The weights above are typical, not yours: weigh your own piece in grams. A kitchen scale that reads to 0.1 g is close enough for a first estimate. Then compare two or three written offers as a percent of melt. Seewhat a fair price is.