Scrap Silver Value Examples: Coins, Flatware & Jewelry

July 16, 2026

Three worked examples below, using a silver spot price of $32/troy oz and the same formula the scrap silver calculator runs. For purity definitions, see the silver purity glossary.

Example 1 — Pre-1965 Coin Silver Quarters

10 pre-1965 US quarters (90% silver), 6.25 g each = 62.5 g total

Price per gram = $32 ÷ 31.1035 = $1.0288
Melt value = 62.5 × 0.90 × $1.0288 = $57.87

Estimated dealer payout at 85% (coin silver is a well-established, easily verified standard, so it tends toward the higher end of the typical 60-90% payout range):

$57.87 × 0.85 = $49.19

Example 2 — Sterling Silver Bracelet

45 g sterling silver (92.5%) bracelet

Melt value = 45 × 0.925 × $1.0288 = $42.83

Estimated dealer payout at 78%:

$42.83 × 0.78 = $33.41

Example 3 — European 800 Silver Serving Tray

320 g tray marked “800”

Melt value = 320 × 0.80 × $1.0288 = $263.37

Estimated dealer payout at 65% (lower purity standards and less common marks can mean more verification effort for the buyer, pushing payout toward the lower end of the range):

$263.37 × 0.65 = $171.19

Before scrapping a tray like this one, it’s worth checking for a maker’s mark — European silver hollowware sometimes carries pattern or maker value similar to American flatware. See selling silver flatware: pattern value vs. melt value for how to check.

Why the Payout Percentage Shifts Between Examples

Notice the estimated payout percentage isn’t identical across all three examples — well-established, easily verified standards like coin silver and sterling tend toward the higher end of the typical 60-90% range, while less common marks can see lower offers due to the added verification work involved. Always get an actual quote rather than assuming a fixed percentage, and see common mistakes selling scrap silver for pitfalls that affect these numbers in practice.

Calculate Your Own

Enter your item’s exact purity mark, weight, and today’s live spot price into the scrap silver calculator — and confirm purity first with how to identify and test silver purity at home if you’re not certain what you have.