Given that the price of silver is so high, many so-called antique and old items are worth more for their silver weight.
Still, our local antique dealer is not obligated to consider the metal price, and they often make an offer for an antique item below the metal weight. If it doesn't sell, they scrap it in with us. Many of our customers are pleasantly surprised by how much more than the antique value they get for their items.
If items are more than melt (i.e., any non-monogrammed Tiffany), the amount we pay is based on which is more silver content of collectible value.
It has always been challenging to determine the purity of silver in an object by visual means. Many countries have tried to establish a system of ensuring that specific standards to protect customers who buy silver things. In Britain, the system developed about six hundred years ago, when laws were passed to fix the purity of silver in manufactured silver articles to be at least 925 parts of silver in every thousand parts.
This standard became known as Sterling silver, and struck with a sterling silver mark. Any object had to be sent to, and tested by, the wardens of the goldsmith’s guild at the London Assay Office. This system probably represented the first form of consumer protection worldwide.
Later, in 1478, a further mark known as the date letter was added. This date letter changed each year and has proved to be of enormous value giving an accurate guide to the year in which an item was made. As other assay offices were established in different towns and struck their identifying marks, it rapidly became possible to look at any piece of British silverware and find patterns that show standard, town of assay, year of manufacture, and maker. This is a unique system and is the main reason, coupled with the excellence of the silversmith that British silver is held in such high regard now is the time to sell your unused silver. The market price of silver is at a 30-year high!
Countryside Trading purchases silver in many forms. We are always buying the following types of sterling silver: Jewelry, sterling silver flatware, tea sets, Franklin mint set, and silver used for industrial purposes like contacts and wire.
