"Sell silver scrap" is searched about 2,400 times a month worldwide, according to Ubersuggest, "sell sterling silver" about 1,300, "where to sell sterling silver" and "where to sell sterling silver near me" about 1,000 each, "sell sterling silver silverware" about 590 and "sell silver cutlery" about 480. The searchers hold household silver: a canteen of cutlery, a tea set, trays, candlesticks, jewelry and broken pieces. The first question is whether it is solid silver or plated, and the second is whether it is worth more as an object than as metal. This guide covers both, with the marks to look for and the routes to sell. It is part of our guide to selling gold, silver and scrap jewelry worldwide, and our Australian companion is Sell Silver in Australia. We quote no prices, because we found no reliable dated figure. ScrapTrade runs a scrap marketplace and has a commercial interest in the scrap trade.
Reading the marks
Silver is marked by fineness, in parts per thousand of pure silver, or by a word. Sources agree on the main ones:
- 925 or "sterling" is 92.5 percent silver, the usual standard for jewelry and flatware.
- 800 is continental silver, the traditional minimum in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.
- 835 and 830 are common on Dutch, German and Portuguese silver (835) and the historic Scandinavian standard (830).
- 950 is French first-standard silver, 958 is Britannia standard and 999 is fine silver.
Marks that say EPNS, EP, EPBM, A1 or "silver plate" describe a base metal with a thin silver coating. "Nickel silver" or "German silver" contains no silver at all. Stamps can be faked or worn, so a conflicting or suspicious mark needs a test. A jeweler can test an item with acid, one source says. Whether a magnet separates solid silver from plate is disputed, with some guides calling the magnet test a myth, so do not rely on it.
Solid or plated
Plated items have a negligible melt value, because the silver layer is only a few microns thick, so they are sold as decorative pieces and not as metal. Plate tends to wear through at edges to a coppery tone, one source says, while solid silver wears evenly, but wear is not proof. If the marks are missing, treat the item as unknown and have it tested before you accept an offer. Ask a buyer how they tested the item, and prefer one who tests in front of you.
Melt value or object value
Solid silver is priced by weight and fineness, as our guide to working out what your silver is worth explains. Some pieces are worth more as objects: a maker's name, an antique date, a complete set in its original case or an unusual design. A scrap buyer pays for metal only, so selling a good piece by weight can cost you the difference. Keep complete sets together, and photograph maker's marks before any melt decision. Weigh in grams, subtract stones, handles filled with other material and weighted bases, because candlesticks, knife handles and some bases can be filled with a non-silver material that a buyer is likely to deduct.
Where to sell
- A jeweler or local silver buyer. Quick, with testing on the counter. Ask how they work out the figure.
- A scrap or bullion dealer. For broken pieces, odd lots and unmarked silver, priced on weight and fineness.
- An antique dealer or auction house. For maker's pieces, complete sets and antiques.
- An online marketplace. For decorative or antique pieces, with more effort and risk.
- A trade marketplace. For large lots, as below.
We found no source on payout percentages that silver scrap buyers use, so compare at least two quotes and ask each buyer how the figure is made up.
Where ScrapTrade fits
A canteen of cutlery is a job for a local buyer or an antique dealer. ScrapTrade is a trade marketplace with precious metals among its categories, and the silver it suits is the quantity kind: a jeweler's accumulated scrap, a restaurant or hotel clearing a large stock of flatware, an estate with kilograms of mixed pieces or a recycler holding silver-bearing waste. Verified traders in more than 50 countries can bid, listing is free with no commission and you negotiate in real time and agree logistics. Once you accept a bid, a 5 percent buyer deposit stays in escrow. Both businesses and individuals can sell after verification. Sort by fineness mark, weigh each group, state what is plated and photograph the marks. We could not confirm how ScrapTrade buyers test or assay mixed silver, so ask cs@scraptrade.com.au before listing a large lot.
What we could not verify
- What silver scrap and sterling pay. We found no reliable payout percentages.
- How buyers test silver. One source mentions acid tests, and we found nothing else.
- How ScrapTrade buyers assay mixed lots.
- ScrapTrade's verification process. It is not published.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if silver is sterling?
Look for a 925 or "sterling" mark, which means 92.5 percent silver, and have a jeweler test any piece with unclear marks.
Is silver plate worth anything as scrap?
Very little, because the silver layer is only a few microns thick. Sell plated pieces as decorative items.
What does the 800 mark mean?
Continental silver, 80 percent pure, traditionally the minimum standard in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.
Can I sell sterling flatware on ScrapTrade?
Precious metals are a category. A single set is better sold locally, and a large lot may suit a trade buyer.
Sources
- Ubersuggest keyword data, global, queried November 2026.
- Silver hallmark and fineness guides, as summarised in search results.
- ScrapTrade website, accessed November 2026.
General information only, not financial advice. ScrapTrade is a scrap marketplace.