Advice on buying scrap silver cutlery/flatware etc.

[Somnophore]

Hi guys, as some of you may have seen I scored some good silver coins from
an antiques guy at well below spot even with the recent drop I have flipped most of them already.

In chatting to this guy he said he has bought a whole bunch of stock from a store that went bust and has lots of silver cutlery, solid and some where the handles are silver etc. I sad I'd certainly like a look and am about to pop in to arrange to view some (it's in his storage place not the shop).

My question is I know how much to pay for coin as I can work out what I want to pay pet coin, but with silver cutlery etc, what's the Market, would I eBay it? And how to work out what to pay, I don't want to undo all my good work with the coins but overpaying on this lot.

[marblerye]

I've looked into sterling silver in the past but in the end I would rather have coins. It seemed arbitrarily complicated to weigh knives, spoons, forks, candlesticks, etc. and not count handles and other portions that weren't silver.

I don't know how familiar you are with silver but there are all kinds of varying purities in cutlery. Sterling silver is .925, and this is probably what you're looking for. There should be a mark imprinted on the stuff to verify this. Watch out for the silver plated stuff. Here are some links that may help:

http://www.925-1000.com/americansilver__Menu.html

http://www.silverrecyclers.com/Calculat ... lator.aspx

http://www.silverandgoldexchange.com/se ... at-we-pay/

[Somnophore]

Well I'm not looking to keep it I'd move it on or either for cash or swap for coin. The guy gave me great deal on coin so might get same or even better on scrap. So it may well be worth trying to buy some. I would only by hallmarked .925 stuff. Will give him a call Monday see what he has.

[Sheikh_yer_Bu'Tay]

When you are a silver bug, buying silver is fun, no matter what shape or form it is in!

You want to buy STERLING and nothing else. STERLING will be stamped on the back of everything except knives. Knives are not silver, just the handle is silver and has 0.4 to 0.5 ozt of STERLING in the handle. STERLING is suppose to be 92.5% silver or greater, but some manufacturers fudge a little on that figure. There are no standards for any other solid silverware.

Get a good, large, battery powered scale from a head shop and weight the stuff. Don't bother weighting the knives, or "weighted" holloware like candle sticks. Avoid the plated stuff, unless you just like it 'cause it's pretty.

I buy Sterling when I can... Market Harmony is pretty much a full time refiner of the stuff. PM him and he will give you a good deal.

[Thogey]

Sterling scrap is easy money. Just get familiar with the market and the material.

As a casual buyer, I made thousands last year, CASH, on scrap silver.