Silver price and valuation: how silver is valued
A guide to silver valuation in the UK: how the silver price, hallmarks, maker, age and condition decide what antique and sterling silver is worth, and how to arrange a free valuation of your own pieces.
We reply within one working day. There is no obligation to sell.
Silver is valued in one of two ways. Plain, broken or worn pieces are worth their weight in silver. Antique and well made pieces are valued as objects, on their maker, age, condition and rarity, and are usually worth more than their weight.
Metal value and object value
Metal value is the weight of pure silver in a piece multiplied by the price of silver. It's the floor: a piece is never worth less than the silver in it. Our guides to silver per gram, per ounce and per kilo cover this.
Object value is what a collector or a buyer of antiques would pay for the piece itself. For good antique silver it is usually higher than the metal value, sometimes many times higher.
What decides the value
| Factor | What we look for |
|---|---|
| Maker | A known silversmith such as Paul Storr or Hester Bateman, or a name like Georg Jensen. Silversmiths A to Z |
| Age | Georgian silver, made before about 1830, is collected. The date letter tells us the year. |
| Condition | Crisp decoration, original surfaces, no splits, repairs or worn-away marks. |
| Rarity and type | Unusual objects such as vinaigrettes or wine funnels sell well even when small. |
| Completeness | A full set, or a piece in its original fitted case, is worth more than odd pieces. |
| Purity | Sterling (925), Britannia (958) or continental (800 to 950). See silver marks and numbers. |
Scrap or antique? Some examples
Two teaspoons of similar weight can be worth very different amounts. A finely decorated antique spoon by a recorded maker is collected, while a plain modern spoon of the same weight is valued for its silver content.
- A dented modern sugar bowl with a worn monogram: worth its weight.
- A plain 1960s teaspoon: worth its weight.
- A Georgian teaspoon by a known maker: usually worth more than its weight, especially as a set.
- A boxed canteen of cutlery by a good maker: usually worth more. See silver cutlery value.
- A Victorian card case with fine decoration: valued as an antique. See card cases.
Not sure whether your silver is scrap or antique? Send us a photograph for a free assessment.
Get a free valuationHow we value your silver
- We identify it. We read the hallmarks for the maker, date and town, and test the purity by XRF where needed.
- We judge the piece. Condition, quality and how collectable it is.
- We make one offer. The higher of what it's worth as an antique and what it's worth as metal. You see how we got there.
Selling is simple: visit us in Mayfair or Braintree, send it by Royal Mail Special Delivery or book a collection, and we pay by bank transfer the same day we see it. Sell your silver
Questions
How much is my silver worth?
At least its metal value, which depends on its weight and purity. Antique and well made pieces are usually worth more. Send us photos for a free valuation.
What is the price of silver today?
The silver spot price changes throughout the trading day. Our guides show the live spot price per gram, per ounce and per kilo, and the live silver price page has charts. Spot is the market price of pure silver, so it is a guide rather than the price paid for silver items.
Why don't buyers pay the full silver price?
The market price is for pure silver in bulk. Most items are sterling, 92.5% silver, and turning scrap back into pure silver costs money. That's why scrap prices sit below the market price, and why antique pieces are worth selling as antiques.
Is antique silver worth more than scrap?
Often, yes. A known maker, an early date, good condition or a complete set can all lift a piece well above its weight.
Do you charge for a valuation?
No. Valuations are free and there's no obligation to sell.
Request a free silver valuation
Clear photographs are usually enough for an initial valuation. Please include:
- The whole piece, including the underside
- The hallmarks or stamps, close up
- Any dents, repairs or missing parts
Please do not polish your silver beforehand. Tarnish does not affect the valuation, and polishing can wear away fine detail. Caring for antique silver
- Send photographsUse this form or send them by WhatsApp.
- Receive your valuationA specialist identifies your silver and makes you an offer, within one working day.
- Sell if you wishVisit us by appointment, send it by Royal Mail Special Delivery or book a collection. Payment is by bank transfer the same day we receive it.
Your free valuation
There is no obligation to sell. We reply by email, within one working day.
Prefer WhatsApp? Send photos to 07494 214652
More silver guides
- Scrap silver valueHow scrap silver is priced, and what counts as scrap.
- What is 1g of silver worth?Today's value of a gram of sterling and fine silver.
- What is 1 oz of silver worth?The live price per troy ounce, and why a kitchen ounce is different.
- What is 1kg of silver worth?A kilo of sterling and fine silver, worked out for you.
- Is it real silver?Simple checks at home, from magnets to hallmarks.
- Silver marks and numbersWhat 925, 800, 950 and EPNS stamps mean.
- Silver cutlery valueWhat a canteen of silver cutlery is worth, piece by piece.