Free silver scrap value calculator. Enter weight and purity to calculate the melt value and estimated dealer buy price based on current silver spot prices.
- Supports Fine (.999), Sterling (.925), Coin (.900), European (.800), and Britannia (.958) silver
- Uses live silver spot price updated daily
- Shows both melt value and typical dealer buy price (70-85% of melt)
- Weight input in grams, troy ounces, or pennyweight
- Free to use, no signup required
Silver Scrap Calculator
Calculate the melt value and estimated dealer buy price for your scrap silver. Enter the weight and purity to see what it's worth at today's spot price.
Today's spot price. Override if needed.
Breakdown
Value
Spot price updated daily from market data. Actual dealer prices vary based on quantity, relationship, and market conditions. This calculator is for estimation purposes only.
How the silver scrap calculator works
Same formula as gold, different metal. Take the weight of your silver in grams, multiply by the purity percentage, then multiply by today's silver spot price per gram.
Melt value = weight (g) × purity % × spot price per gram
For a 50-gram sterling silver bracelet, that's 50 × 0.925 × spot price per gram. At $1.02/gram spot, the melt value is about $47.18. A dealer paying 80% of melt would offer roughly $37.75.
Silver has lower per-gram value than gold, so you need more weight to make selling worthwhile. A single silver ring might be worth $3-8 in scrap. But a bag of old flatware or a handful of heavy bracelets adds up fast.
Silver purity guide
Unlike gold (which uses karats), silver purity is measured in millesimal fineness. The number tells you parts per thousand of pure silver.
| Type | Purity | Silver per gram | Common uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine (.999) | 99.9% | 0.999g | Bullion bars, coins, investment |
| Britannia (.958) | 95.8% | 0.958g | UK Britannia coins, some jewelry |
| Sterling (.925) | 92.5% | 0.925g | Most silver jewelry, flatware |
| Coin (.900) | 90.0% | 0.900g | Pre-1965 US coins |
| European (.800) | 80.0% | 0.800g | Continental European antique silver |
Sterling (.925) is the standard for silver jewelry worldwide. It's strong enough for rings and bracelets while maintaining a bright white color. Fine silver (.999) is too soft for most wearable pieces but maximizes scrap value.
Silver-plated vs. solid silver
Silver-plated items have a microscopically thin layer of silver over a base metal (usually copper or nickel). The silver content is so small that it has no scrap value. If your piece is marked “EPNS” (Electroplated Nickel Silver), “silver plate,” or “EP,” it's plated.
Confusingly, “nickel silver” and “German silver” contain zero silver. They're copper-nickel alloys that happen to look silvery. No scrap value.
Solid silver pieces are marked with their fineness: 925, 900, 800, or the word “Sterling.” Older American pieces might have “Coin” or “Coin Silver” stamped. These all have real melt value.
Getting the best price for scrap silver
Silver scrap pays less per gram than gold, so volume matters more. Selling 10 grams of sterling at a time isn't worth the trip for most people. Save up 100+ grams (about 3.2 troy ounces) before selling.
Separate by purity before getting quotes. Mixing sterling flatware with .800 European pieces or coin silver lets a lazy buyer pay you the lowest purity rate on everything.
Online refiners (Kitco, SD Bullion, APMEX) pay 85-95% of melt for larger quantities. Local coin shops pay 75-85%. Pawn shops pay 50-65% and are the last resort.
Pre-1965 US coins are a special case. Collectors sometimes pay a premium over melt value for coins in good condition, especially Morgan and Peace dollars. Before melting old coins, check whether they have numismatic value. A quick search on the coin's year and mint mark can save you from scrapping something worth double its silver content.
Common questions
Melt value equals pure silver content multiplied by the current spot price per gram. For sterling silver (.925), that's 92.5% pure silver. Multiply weight in grams by 0.925, then by the spot price per gram. This calculator does the math automatically using live spot data.
Most dealers pay 70-85% of melt value for scrap silver. Large quantities (over 100 troy ounces) can fetch 85-95% from refiners. Pawn shops typically pay 50-65%. Silver has lower per-gram value than gold, so the payout percentage you get matters even more. Always get quotes from at least two buyers.
Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver. At today's spot price (shown in the calculator above), multiply the per-gram price by 0.925 to get the melt value per gram of sterling. Then multiply by your dealer's payout rate. A 100-gram sterling bracelet contains 92.5 grams of pure silver.
Silver-plated items have almost no scrap value. The silver layer is typically a few microns thick, containing negligible silver by weight. Only solid silver (marked .925, .900, .800, or .999) has meaningful melt value. If a piece is marked 'silver plate,' 'EPNS,' or 'EP,' it's plated.
Common silver purity marks: '925' or 'Sterling' means 92.5% pure (the standard for jewelry). '999' or 'Fine Silver' means 99.9% pure (used for bullion). '900' means 90% pure (used in US coins before 1965). '800' means 80% pure (common in European antique silver). Avoid pieces marked 'silver plate,' 'EPNS,' 'EP,' 'nickel silver,' or 'German silver,' which contain no silver at all.
Silver is more volatile than gold, with larger daily price swings (2-5% moves are common). If you have a small amount, the convenience of selling now often outweighs potential gains from timing. For larger amounts, watch the spot price for a week or two. But the dealer's payout percentage always matters more than a few percent swing in spot price.
Pure silver (fine silver, .999) is 99.9% silver. It's too soft for most jewelry. Sterling silver (.925) is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper (or other alloys), making it harder and more durable. Most silver jewelry is sterling. Both have significant scrap value, but fine silver is worth about 8% more per gram.
Yes. US dimes, quarters, half dollars, and dollars minted before 1965 are 90% silver (.900 fine). A pre-1965 quarter contains about 5.6 grams of pure silver. At today's spot price, that's often more than face value. Kennedy half dollars from 1965-1970 are 40% silver. Use this calculator with '.900' purity for pre-1965 coins.
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