Out of all of the precious metals that we use, silver is one that is both abundant and affordable, so it is common to have silver objects around your home. Whether you go out and buy these or you inherit them from friends or family, they can often go overlooked and even removed from show to spend their time on storage. However, you may have quite a stash in your home that could be quite valuable, especially if it is sterling silver, and if you have ever wondered the value of your silver, below is some guidance to help you work out if it is valuable or not.
Image Source: Unsplash
Look For A Hallmark
The first thing that you should do is look for a hallmark on each piece of silver that you wish to value. Hallmarks are stamped onto the silver by the assay office. They will tell you where, when, and who produced the silver, and the purity of the silver. To the layman, the hallmark is just a bunch of symbols, but these give detailed information for people that are in the know. For more details of hallmarks as well as your local assay offices, the British Hallmarking Council website has a lot of information that you may find useful.
Do Your Research Online
Another excellent way to get an idea of the value of your silver is to do your research online and try and find similar items. You can also find information on antiques dealers online at LoveAntiques.com as they pack their listings full of all the information that you need, including the origin and hallmarks. The auction websites are a fantastic source of information, and you can also see what similar items have sold for in the past, giving you all the information that you require.
Speak To An Expert
The most reliable way to find out the value of your silver is to speak to the experts and take your silver items to an antique dealer or jeweller. They will be able to give you a valuation of your items based on the quality, age, and collectability, and depending on where you take them, they may also offer to buy them from you there and then. You will want to ensure that you speak to more than one, as you will no doubt see that they value them slightly differently, but you will find that some shops will have a small charge for this service.
Do Not Forget Sentimental Value
Image Source: Pixabay
There is one value that only you can place on an item, and that is the sentimental one. If you have no emotional connection with the silver, then you may as well sell it and enjoy the money or pay off some bills. However, if this is an heirloom or a gift, it may hold a lot of sentimental value, and no amount of money would be enough to tempt you to part with it. You still may be curious as to the value of your beautiful silver, but it does not mean you have to sell it though.
[…]
Four Ways to Make Some Extra Money Online
