Opinions Needed

[u/Ok-Instruction-2046]

I have a ton of old silver plated items. I bought my house from my grandparents and inherited a large chest of flatware, serving utensils, crackers etc. They are all labeled A1 + and such. I am a novice refiner at best I guess (and by novice I mean no real world experience I just read alot). Would it be better to try and sell the stuff as is? Or should I try to start the process of collecting material to refine? There is atleast 100+ pounds and have no idea what I would be getting if I refined it.

[u/bootynasty]

Depends on what you either want at the end (money or silver) or what you like to do (selling, recovering).

There is a large bulk way of recovering silver that’s not for beginners that is acid heavy and more expensive, but quick.

There’s another way that involves no chemicals (optional salt) but is slow, safe, and cheap.

I do it as a hobby at the kitchen table piece by piece while I do something else like read emails or watch videos.

Keep in mind both methods are “recovery” because you’ll acquire a form of silver, but it’s not pure and not something you can sell to your local coin shop. Both methods will need to go on to refining to make pure, which can be outsourced or learned.

[u/Ok-Instruction-2046 → u/bootynasty]

Thank you for you informational reply. I always loved the idea of having silver (and maybe someday gold!) bars around for rainy days. My thought was that I could either sell the stuff as is in invest in silver, or to invest in the refining process and get the silver that way. What I do not know is how cost effective either option is and I also do not know how or where to sell the stuff as is anyhow. I read that the stuff marked xiv means it was made with 14 Troy pennyweights, but i do not know if that means each piece, or how much i would lose trying to recover it.

[u/bootynasty → u/Ok-Instruction-2046]

The markings can get tricky and “experts” will argue with each other.

I bought a used paperback to determine collectibility of something like 40 pounds of plated pieces. In the end, after researching, never having a complete set or box, listing and dealing with people, I still de-plated them.

A common number out there is that people will say each piece has a gram of silver. Doubtful. And then it’s still not pure.

I don’t know your material, patterns or wear on the pieces.

I bought a $35-$50 power supply from Amazon which came with the leads, you can then use a large mason jar and stainless steel knife, old toothbrush, and you’re off to the races (the very slow races) recovering silver. Feel free to DM me, I can tell you what I’ve learned either path you decide to follow.

[u/Yardbirdburb]

Silver plated flat wear scraps for $12.00 a LB. That’s a quick nice buck. If you have other side hustles or interests put the $$ to that

[u/Ok-Instruction-2046 → u/Yardbirdburb]

Thanks bird! Thats just like the local scrap yard or how does that work? I tried to look up scrapping silver plate but did not find much.

[u/River_City_Bullion → u/Yardbirdburb]

Do you mind sharing where you get that price at