If you have a silver service, pre-1964 USA coins (dimes, quarters, half-dollars, or silver dollars), or even a large amount of sterling silver jewelry, you may be able to sell those silver pieces for more than you think. One major thing to remember is that pieces marked German Silver are not silver at all, but an alloy of nickel, copper, and zinc. There is no melt value for German Silver pieces, and your best bet is to either use the pieces or sell them at a yard sale or garage sale. Again, your best bet with silverplated pieces is to either sell them at a garage sale or yard sale or to use them yourself. If you want to sell silver, there are a few things you need to be aware before shipping your envelope off to Cash For Gold or taking it into a brick-and-mortar store that buys coins. Silverplate suffers from the same problem as goldplate; it is not cost effective to remove the thin layer of silver from the thicker base metal layer (which is usually brass). Although silver prices are not nearly as high as gold, silver still has value in today’s resale or melt value market.
Sterling Silver Bangles
Back in 2009, I discovered that I had a relatively large cache of pre-1964 USA coins that had been stored in a Snoopy piggy bank for an unknown number of years. I already knew that these coins were worth more than their face value but I didn’t know how much they were worth. I’d done business in the past with a local brick-and-mortar store called Mountain High Coins and Collectibles, so I took my stash of silver to them. Even with my overestimation of the value of my coins, I still ended up with about $330.00 (which was pure profit for me since the coins hadn’t originally been mine anyway). I’d overestimated their value, probably because the coin values online are static and don’t fluctuate with the spot price of silver (which does fluctuate). I spent a couple of days researching coin values on the internet, and came up with a total value for my coins of around $400.00. The piggy bank had been in my house for as long as I can remember; my assumption was that it belonged to my stepmother since my father was not into ‘foo-foo’ things like Snoopy piggy banks.
For those who want inexpensive wooden jewelry boxes, several can be found at local stores.
Good jewelry boxes are works of art. Several special boxes are created with wood sourced from other countries. The most common type of jewelry box is one with a wooden flip top lid. There are several established firms who specialize in making wooden jewelry boxes. Examples of such wood varieties are rosewood, ebony, blodwood, bocote, jatoba, kingwood, lacewood, olivewood, padauk and many more. The choices range from warm mahogany wood, white ash, cherry, maple, koa, walnut, birch, burl and other varieties found in America. Wooden jewelry boxes are available in various finishes and textures. The type of wood used and the quality of craftsmanship determines the price of the jewelry box. With time there have been several changes introduced in the designs and styles of jewelry boxes. With exteriors made of good quality wood and the interiors lined with soft satins and velvets, wooden jewelry boxes make perfect nesting places for your jewelry. The soft lining ensures that the delicate pieces of jewelry kept inside are not damaged in any manner. For those who want inexpensive wooden jewelry boxes, several can be found at local stores. The musical jewelry boxes made of wood have their own special kind of charm. Some exquisitely made wooden jewelry boxes are antique pieces which have been crafted by master craftsmen and are collector’s items. In many of these, once the box is opened, a musical tune plays lightly in the background.
These pieces are made by bulk manufacturers. Jewelry boxes are available in various price ranges to suit different needs. You can also use these boxes to store your jewelry when you are traveling from one place to another. A well made jewelry box is a beautiful object to possess and to give as a gift. Wooden jewelry armoires are tall units, with stacked drawers and often with hooks to hang longer items such as necklaces. Many of these boxes are available in a host of designs, and are also sold in a variety of types. You can always find music jewelry boxes made of wood for instance. If you are an avid jewelry collector, wood jewelry boxes will definitely protect and store your precious items from wear and tear. Most of these boxes have an interior lining of satin, suede, or velvet, so you know you are giving your treasured baubles the best protection. Some innovative designs seen in wooden jewelry boxes are those with divided compartments and lift out trays or with frame and panel lids as well as raised “pillow-style” lids. There are those that are commonly available in stores and exquisite and unique pieces which can be bought only in renowned auction houses.
Marks on these pieces include 925 or Sterling. Since silverplate does tarnish like true silver, it requires cleaning from time to time to keep its shine. Many collectible items are made of silver-colored metal that can sometimes be confused with sterling silver, but which have little or no silver content in them. A silverplate marking, sometimes incorporated into a manufacturer’s mark, indicates that the item was made by electroplating a base metal with a relatively thin coating of silver. Sterling silver, which contains copper, is stronger and easier to work with, making it the standard for silver jewelry. Alpaca does not polish to a high shine like sterling silver. Any mark indicating a higher silver content, such as 950, would also qualify as sterling. You will notice, over time, a silverplated item will flake or scrape off on the surface. These are far less valuable than items made of sterling silver. European silver (800): Sometimes referenced as continental silver, this is another non-sterling type of silver alloy. This is especially true with jewelry. It is a mixed metal alloy with no silver content, used around the same time frame as German silver to simulate more expensive sterling silver. If the plating is thick, the item may even test as sterling under traditional acid testing. Nickel silver: This is another silver-colored material with the same metal content as German silver. When an item is not marked to identify its silver content but still tarnishes like silver, there is a very good chance it is a silverplated piece. A magnet will firmly stick to a silverplated item, but it will not adhere to sterling silver. It can also be used as a base for silverplating. Alpaca: While it is sometimes referenced as “new silver,” this gray-colored alloy has only 2% silver content mixed with copper, zinc, and nickel. It will not polish to the high shine possible with silver alloys. Marks can include 800, 825, 830, or 850, indicating 80, 82.5, 83, and 85% silver content, respectively. Items made of this substance are marked nickel silver. Items of Mexican or South American origin emulating silver can be found with the Alpaca mark. Silverplate: The silver content in silverplated wares is minimal. What is the best silver alloy? While Britannia silver contains the highest percentage of actual silver (95.84% ), it is not as robust as sterling silver. Items made from this alloy may include marks such as 900, Coin, and Standard. When items are marked Quadruple Plate, this indicates four layers of silver were applied to the item over the base metal. It is an alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc. German silver: This silver-colored metal actually contains no silver at all. These are higher in quality and less likely to wear down to the base metal with polishing over time. In these instances, you can use a magnet to determine if there is a base metal. What is an alloy? How can you tell if an item is silverplated? Genuine silver will not be as shiny as something that is silverplated. Marks include German Silver and E.P.N.S (electroplated nickel silver). Coin silver (900): Since it is only 90% silver, this alloy cannot be referenced as sterling.