Is it worth buying 'silver plate' at thrift stores ?

1630Boston

I saw this at the thrift store for $8
Is it worth buying silver plate, how can you resell it and how to calculate the silver content?
Just wondering?

WILCOX INTL SILVER Plated COCKTAIL/SERVING ROUND TRAY Vintage BRANDON HALL 7571G
Maker: International Silver Age: 1900-1940
Composition: Silverplate Brand:
Wilcox

MorganMan94

No way, silver content is next to none.

1630Boston

I guess I will keep an eye out for 'cheap' sterling material, thanks

bronco2078

I got a whole set of silver plate spoons and forks for 9 bucks at a thrift store . I eat off it every day. I like it better than stainless even if its worth next to nothing. Technically the plate is nearly pure silver and supposedly silver has anti microbial properties so you could just never wash the stuff and you would be fine .

Someone should test it out

asheland

Indeed, Boston, silver plate is a waste of time. I've tried with good silver plate. Tiffany & Co, and had to twist the seller's arm just to sell it and break even.

Just focus on sterling. It's rewarding when you score a piece.

WildIdea

@bronco2078 said:
I got a whole set of silver plate spoons and forks for 9 bucks at a thrift store . I eat off it every day. I like it better than stainless even if its worth next to nothing. Technically the plate is nearly pure silver and supposedly silver has anti microbial properties so you could just never wash the stuff and you would be fine .

Someone should test it out

We also use antique and vintage silver plate dinner wear. I like the weight and heft of a weighted fork or knife. Knife blades tend to have a more usable blade for spreading butter etc and the tines on the forks seem longer and more elegant. Some beautiful patterns as well. These are just what we use day to day,

There are definitely collectible patterns that can worth quite a bit, but like everything else, require research.

As far as serving pieces, just go with the coolness of the piece. We have some neat lemon slice squeezers, olive grabbers with syringe plungers, and other very cool items that are plate. Always keeping an eye pealed for cool vintage pieces regardless of what the metal content is.

Nevertheless, it’s nice to score .925 when you can, but not the rule, at least for my collection.

ricko

I have passed on silver plate at the antique stores.... and they price sterling accordingly. I have been checking the thrift shop though...no luck yet, but I am a patient man.... Cheers, RickO

coinpro76

Silver plate is in very low demand and has very little resale value. Craigslist and eBay are flooded with very cheap plated items. With Sterling Silver at 0.40 Cents a gram sell value. There is absolutely no melt value for plated items.

Downtown1974

I’ve had zero success in finding sterling at thrift shops. I’ve come across some sterling at antique shops but it was exorbitantly over priced. I need to bring asheland with me for good mojo next time I go.

bronco2078

the savers near me has yielded up a few sterling forks in the past. Last week I stopped by and was looking at silverware and noticed someone had written a tiny P on all the bags on the back of the price tag. Also an X in blue pen , I figured checked twice by others I won't bother.

Timbuk3

I don't think it's feasible to buy silver plated items at thrift stores. That is I don't !!!

MilesWaits

Ughh.
Doh!
Arghh.
Yewww.

Jinx86

Thrift shops can be great spots to find material to learn refining. Gold plated jewelry by the pound can yield some nice amounts of gold. Gold filled is the real hidden gem though. Most people pass it up once they see the marking. I typically wait till I have about 5 pounds of gold filled before processing. Yields anywhere from 1.2-1.8ozt of pure gold. Have had higher, but that lot contained many pocket watch cases and eyeglass frames.

So dont just be looking for silver. Gold filled should be worth $0.85-1.5 per gram, depending on wear and karat.

PerryHall

The silver on silver-plated bowels is worth far less than the cost of extracting it.

topstuf

They make excellent targets as they stand out in most foliage.

Jinx86

@PerryHall said:
The silver on silver-plated bowels is worth far less than the cost of extracting it.

Very true. Even well made pieces that weigh around 10ozt only yield about half an ounce of silver. Did a few experiments trying to find a better way to extract. If silver was around $30/oz again it actually would be cost effective. That or extract the silver for future sales at higher spot prices.

asheland

It’s not just thrift stores, but often I find sterling underpriced at antique malls. Sometimes the mark is hard to see, other times not...

A year ago or so, I was with a friend at a large antique mall in Asheville and found this in a booth for $8
eight dollars!

bronco2078

@asheland said:
It’s not just thrift stores, but often I find sterling underpriced at antique malls. Sometimes the mark is hard to see, other times not...

A year ago or so, I was with a friend at a large antique mall in Asheville and found this in a booth for $8
eight dollars!

great score but what the hell is that foolish thing? Can you imagine anyone using it? Is it like a mint julep on the veranda thing? Is it for ice tea , I would use it for koolaid personally .

asheland

@bronco2078 It's a coffee pot by Watson, probably 1920's. I polished it and it looked nice, I was going to just keep it, but it had pitting all over the surface and looked hazy. I didn't like the look so I let her go.

bronco2078

@asheland said:
@bronco2078 It's a coffee pot by Watson, probably 1920's. I polished it and it looked nice, I was going to just keep it, but it had pitting all over the surface and looked hazy. I didn't like the look so I let her go.

what do you do with it though? Make coffee somehow then pour it in that to serve ? Like to set on a table for people? Is it double walled like a carafe ?

I'm drawing a blank on how coffee was made in the 20's maybe a percolator ?

asheland

@bronco2078 Not sure how the coffee was made, but indeed, it would be made then put into the sterling coffee pot. Being silver, it stays hot for a while in the pot and has wooden insulators to keep the sterling handle cool. I've put hot water in them to test how they work in the past and they work well!

asheland

Edit: This one has Ivory insulators, you see wood and ivory often on them. And no, they aren't double walled, but there's a screen on the inside of the spout to keep tea leaves, etc from pouring from the spout...

metalmeister

We also use silver plate utensils for anti microbial properties. Donated all the stainless.
Neat sterling score!

blitzdude

@bronco2078 said:
I got a whole set of silver plate spoons and forks for 9 bucks at a thrift store . I eat off it every day. I like it better than stainless even if its worth next to nothing. Technically the plate is nearly pure silver and supposedly silver has anti microbial properties so you could just never wash the stuff and you would be fine .

Someone should test it out

Just make sure it's plated well and you are not ingesting the silver. Unless you wanna become a smurf.