Did you know you can convert your unused items containing silver into some cash? Yes, you can! It could be that snapped necklace, irritating earrings, a twisted fork, or other items coated with silver alloys; you can sell them to make some cash. Here is the information you need to help you sell out your unused and damaged silver items without losing a dime. For reliable and trustworthy silver buyers, you can search for silver buyers near me.
1. How Much Is Worth Your Silver?
A silver item will still be valuable to a buyer even if it looks ugly. The value of silver items depends mainly on the purity grade of the silver item. The purity of silver items depends on the ratio of silver to other materials. The purity grade will determine how much you receive for your silver item. It’s important to note the different purity grades of silver in the US, namely;
- Fine silver- with fineness .999(or purity of 99.9%) is pure silver and is commonly used to make bullion bars. Fine silver materials are soft for regular use.
- Sterling silver- with fineness .925(or purity of 92.5%) is an alloy of copper; hence it’s relatively durable.
- Coin silver- with fineness .900(or purity of 90.0%) forms the bulk of coins with non-collectible value. However, the coin silver standard may go as low as .750 because not all coins are from the US. Silver obtained from coins from other countries are likely to have much lower purity.
- German Silver-with fineness .800(or purity of 80%)
- Some silver items have the purity of the material stamped on the surface, often with tiny marks.
However, note that not all material bears the name silver contain silver; for example, nickel silver is an alloy of copper, nickel, zinc, and other silvery materials but does not contain silver.
2. Examples of Silver Items You May Have at Home for Sale
· Sterling Silver Items
Sterling silver is a standard metal in homes since it’s relatively durable, unlike pure silver, too soft for general uses. You may find items made of sterling silver at home, such as unused silver sterling jewelry, leaking silver sterling utensils, and other silver metals at home. You can sell these silver sterling home items to replace some of the worn-out items you sell.
· Coin Silver Items
If you have a collection of junk non-collectible coins, you can sell them and make some profit. Coin silver or junk silver has a purity of 90% for the US coins and maybe much less for other countries.
· Scrap Silver
You can collect all your damaged silver items such as earrings, chains, folks, and other home items. Irrespective of how ugly they look, you can turn them into cash and declutter as well and make your home cleaner.
3. Estimating Silver Content in Your Items
You may need to determine a rough estimate of the purity of the silver item you want to sell. You can do it at home using either of the two methods below.
Nitric Acid Test
The Nitric acid test uses color codes to determine the purity of a silver item. Place a few drops of nitric acid on the metal and note the color of the acid. The observed color of the acid changes according to the purity of the item. The color codes are;
- Cream: 90-100% purity
- Gray: About 80%
- Green: Less than 75%
- Black: no silver present
Visual Inspection
Some items have stamps showing the purity of the material used. Some silver items have marks in specific places. For example, forks may have numbers showing their fineness on the underside. However, it may be difficult to read the stamped grade of purity on small items since they may require magnifying glass due to their small size.
Conclusion
Selling your broken and unwanted silverware is a good way of getting rid of such items and making cash instead of throwing them away or just keeping them. They are likely to make your home look untidy. However, it is crucial to understand the factors that determine the value of your silverware and get the maximum cash returns from your old silver.
