Treasure hunting in the cutlery drawer! How to pick Sterling Silver from plated junk
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
- Here's a beginners guide to identifying Sterling silver treasure in op shops or thrift stores. It's always worth going through old cutlery and good silver pieces turn up more often than you think - if you know what to look for!
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This should have millions of views. Wonderfully explained. Many thanks.
Thank you! My views are slowly increasing, but it's quite a long haul building a big channel!
I find it interesting that it's typically a small % of us, that show appreciation with a thumbs up. Come on people. 45,000 watched, you know you liked, you know it helped, lazy Americans , lol
Thank you for this instructional video. I don’t collect cutlery but these tips are good to know when I’m out treasure hunting. Thank you.
I don't collect it either - but have found some nice sterling silver in secondhand shops before by knowing what to look for! Thanks for watching 😊👍
You , sir , are a champion. 👍 that leopard with the crown, is from London I think. And I’m a kiwi, so loved that spoon . Thanks again
Thanks Shaun, glad you enjoyed it! 😊👍
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Thank you for the education ❤
Thanks for watching 😊👍
I remember the days when you could go to Goodwill and find treasures. But nowadays people know what’s valuable and you almost never find treasures anymore.
Certainly less treasures sneak through onto the shelves Laurie, but they still turn up - especially in small country town op shops which are run by volunteers. I recently found a $100 (scrap price) Sterling silver bowl in an op-shop rubbish bin!
I find this facinating. though im not just looking for pure silver, im fine with the copper and brass too. I just like being able to identify what my cutlery is so i know how to clean it properly so it can look its best.
That's great! Thanks for watching 😊👍
Hey thanks very much! I definitely picked up a few new tips. 👍😉🇨🇦
That's awesome, thanks Dave! 👍😊
thanks for the amazing video. it was just what i needed.
Glad to hear it! 😊
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I really liked it!! Very relaxing and learning about silver
That's great, thanks for watching 😀👍
Wow thx for this video, much needed info!
Thanks Bondis Kadafi, I'm pleased it was helpful! 😊
Very helpful sir. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful FSP! Thanks for watching 😊
Great explanation, thank you for contributing honest, interesting content and sharing your knowledge. I'll be looking twice at souvenir spoons now!
Thanks Rosie! 👍😊
These ate tarnished up iusw have. Lean them as kid after Thanksgiving before we put.m up
Thanks for watching Brandon! 😊
Thank you, very helpful!
Thanks for watching Calendyr 😊
Thanks Ive definitely learnt something new today...kia ora from New Zealand
That's awesome! Thanks for watching Lisa! 😊
Thank you, very helpful
Thanks Frank, that's great! 👍😊
Thanks ❤ love your video , its help a lots❤️
That's excellent! Many thanks for watching 😊👍
Very helpful. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks Kathleen 😊
have here a dozen of wm rogers & sons aa spoon fork and teaspoon
The Rogers & Sons ones are pretty common. Thanks for watching 👍😊
I love silver plate junk lol 😆for my art
Yes, I actually sell a lot of silver plate cutlery to people who make jewellery or even wind-chimes!
Thanks. Wondered how I could sort these at the thrift stores.
It does take time, but there are treasures to be found!! 👍😊
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New to your channel, I had an Amazing find at a thrift shop last week, guess who found 32 pieces of Towle Sterling silver flatware in the design Awakening??Me!!!God is Good!!!
That's an awesome find!! Well done you! 👏😃
@@TheUltimateRecycler Thanks,Truth is,the most Amazing part is that I paid only 6.00 US currency for that lot,still can't believe it myself!!!
This is a fantastic video
Thankyou! I'm glad you enjoyed it! 😊
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Well explained .
Thanks John! 😊
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This was a very helpful video, great job. Thank you.
Question, please; what if a piece doesn't have any marks, like home-made native jewellery? Is there a way to identify without carrying around a bottle of acid? Thanks again :)
Thanks ess mac. No, not really. An acid test or a specific gravity test are probably the only way..
Silver has a particular smell, rub it between your fingers up by your nose and you can smell it’s faint aroma. Try it first with something you know is silver first to learn the smell.
@@libbylandscape3560 ; I'll check that, thank you.
I saw somewhere if you drop it
The sound will be like a bell
Also a Magnet won't stick
@@NicoleGizzy79 ; that is helpful advice, thank you Victoria. My silver identification techniques are growing 🙂
What you think melt them down or try sell m as sets probably be ore smart
I sell silver plate cutlery at $1 each. Sterling silver for much more obviously!
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Iv got a vase stamped A B * S but the s looks like a snake with a spear and the star is has rounded edges the only other marking i can see is of a hand holding flower but it very faint
That mark doesn't sound familiar at all. It doesn't seem like an English silver mark, plated or otherwise. It may be European - some research required there!
Great video, thank you. Where is the best place to sell silver cutlery left to us that all we seem to do is drag out every few years and clean.
Probably Ebay would be the best. If you have sterling silver, and show the hallmarks and the weight clearly, it should sell well! 😊
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How did you burn your fingertip?
Haha, I don't remember! I've nearly always got some type of war-wound from scrapping of mechanical work!
I have some very old spoons that I purchased at a yard sale. They have a zig zag marking on back?
Hmm, I don't know that mark! You could share a pic to my facebook page if you like. 😊
Jag har gaffel med stämpel 246 vad är det?
Sorry, not sure on that - but it's not a silver mark.
Does a sterling mark always mean it's solid 92.5?
Generally, but not always Jared! There are fakes around!
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Epns a1 sheffield england.
How much value or price
Probably very little! Plated items are usually of low value..
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I found lots in an old house. Any chance you could have a look at them.
For sure Darren, happy to. Are you local? You could always put some pics up on my facebook group (The Ultimate Recycler) and I'll have a look 👍😊
@@TheUltimateRecycler I will put up this evening. I'm from ireland
Wow, thanks.
Thanks for watching Marilyn 😊
Simple turn over the silverware and read what is stamped
..and then understanding what you are reading Daniel! Thanks for watching 😊
I have the one written BTW for sale
Nice The LION with its hoof in the air means Silver Correct ?
Yes Brian, it's the British mark for sterling silver (92.5%)
thank you for this interesting clip. what does it mean if a utensil is marked GW 10L. BM? if anything...
Thanks Margaret. Those markings don't ring any bells, but I would think it's just silver plated. BM may stand for Britannia Metal - a type of tin alloy.
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What means if is say wRogers IS?
It's probably silver plated. I'd need to see a pic.
Hi i have a load of knifes all the same design that being 52855 then they have the year 1950, 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55. They are all made by Hladwin Ltd, Sheffield Embassy Trade Mark. They are Stainless. I have about 50 of these knifes. They are not tarnished. Are they worth anything please? Thank you for your time !
I doubt they'd be worth anything substantial Barbara, certainly not for their metal content like silver is. We sell a lot of vintage cutlery items through our shop for just $1 each - So you may have $50 worth.. but finding a buyer may be tricky!
@@TheUltimateRecycler thank you for your comment! I appreciate your time! 🤗
Tinha que ser em portugues Brazil
Thanks for watching 😊
Digging up a stump found really old dessert spoon only can make out its a epns
Wouldn't you love to know the story of how it got there? 🤔😮😊
@@TheUltimateRecycler for sure the house we live in was built in 1940 this spoon is deeper than modern day dessert spoons it looks rough i was shocked when it appeared my metal detector is not working im going to fix it up and see if there is anything else
@@Angel-nr8td Definitely worth detecting there! Also, under the clothes line is a good spot to find coins! 👍😊
@@TheUltimateRecycler funny you should say that we are in couple of months replacing washing line
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I know what worth silver but want make sure not somn special before I melt it down probably sel it like it is besides one set I ain't got box
Yes, sterling items are usually worth much more than scrap value unless damaged.
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Doesn't the New Sealand spoon has wear out spots as well?
The New Zealand spoon does have some minor wear but doesn't show any cheaper base metal underneath. 🙂
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Hi there, thanks for your interesting video. Could you tell me if this spoon is silver please? It has a crown a lion and q then W&N. Thanks in advance.
They certainly sound like silver hallmarks, yes. I'd need to see a close up pic. You could post it on my facebook page 😊
@@TheUltimateRecycler yes, I didn't know you had a fb page. I'll look for it.
@@littlewhitedaisy11 Look up "The Ultimate Recycler" I think there's a link on my 'about page' 😊
I have a spoon that is stamped Antiko 100. Is that plated or real?
I believe Antiko is a German trade name and 100 represents the grade of silver used in plating the item. So, silver plated but quite good quality 😊👍
What do WM Roger's mean
William Rogers was an American silversmith through the 1800s Debra. He made both sterling silver and silver plate items.
👍👍👍👍
Thanks Najat! 😊
are silver plated Australian spoons without the markings worth anything ?
Very little I'm afraid Wood pecker..
@@TheUltimateRecycler okay was 50 cents per spoon worth it? how much silver do they scrap value
@@woodpecker5040 They are probably worth a lot less than that for scrap - there's hardly any silver value and it's not worth trying to recover it. I sometimes try and sell the souvenir spoons for $1 each to tourists.
@@TheUltimateRecycler okay thanks for the reply
Rule of thumb pretty much is if the piece doesn't say sterling it probably isn't.
Especially in the USA Phil. Most English silver just has hallmarks and European silver has a number.
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I have BTW is it valuable?
I don't think so, that's likely to just be manufacturer's initials.
I have a spoon sir..the stamp is U•S•N NATIONAL SILVER CO.
its a real?
Jennifer, I think USN would signify United States Navy. The spoon would be silver plate, and not Sterling silver.
Yes it's a silver Plate. Sir. They have value.
@@jenniferresuello7611 Not much value - maybe more to a collector of Navy stuff 👍
Ahm... Ok sir thanks po.
I sell this tyspoon sir. Where can I sell this
Wondering why you never mentioned the lion hallmark. Hmmmm
Oh? I thought I did! I might have to rewatch this!
I foun name brand silver silverware my grandmother died I'm go look name's up I got 2 sets silverware nice ass boxes and me box git extra set I'm find name and year on it anybody know anything about it
Too hard to give you any info without a photo mate!
My bad yea don't know what I thinking IL post pocture of the brand names couple each peace
N OK
Hi thanks! Do you know where the saying:
Born with a silver spoon, in his mouth! Came from??
I think it refers to someone who was born into a wealthy family (as in, they could afford silver cutlery). The term is usually used to describe someone has never experienced poverty and is perhaps unable to appreciate the plight of poorer people. Thanks for watching 😊
HI
I have a plate written ,,Alpacca Lord,, on it Is it valuable?
Sorry, no idea on that one!
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@johnmeigs719 Thanks John, appreciate your input! 👍😊
😋🍜💖✨
Bung all the EPNS into a tank and use some electrolysis to scavenge the silver! I'm sure you can do it!
Mike, I'm sure I could if I was motivated too! Unfortunately the price of silver just isn't high enough to make the process viable. I sell the clean pieces at $1 each and the corroded or damaged ones go in the scrap brass bin!
Easy listening and very informative . Thanks for that .
Thankyou Talica! 😊
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How much Brasil cotchara
Sorry, I don't know what you mean? 🤔
Thanks, I've inherited some odd flat wear. This gives me some basics to check.
Thanks Steve, glad it was helpful! 😊👍
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Ijust found a victa silver spoon.
That sounds cool!
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In this video, you talked about scrapping the silver. Where do you go to scrap it - a scrap metal yard?
Silver plate items which aren't good enough to sell go to the scrap yard as brass. Any solid silver scrap I save up - and will probably sell on ebay down the track.
Lion with leg up is always silver. Nice video!! Thanks
Yes Charles, 92.5% sterling 😊
Once you find it, where do you take it to cash in?
Sterling silver sells pretty well on ebay actually Bill!
I found 5 un-stamped sterling butter knifes , I bought them at a thrift store thinking they were silver plated. I payed $0.68 a piece for them , took them home, took a file to one and boom sterling silver.
Sounds like a great score Billy - but how did you know they were sterling with no stamps?
@@TheUltimateRecycler With a file and some weak acid . Also certain designs of silverware is an almost dead give away , so I took the gamble and it payed off .
@@BI-11y_TheStormTrooper Awesome! Well done you! 😊👍
is something is plated in siliver but is not magnetic, what metal is common for the base metal?
The most common base metal you'll find on silver plated things would be an alloy known as nickel silver (the 'NS' in EPNS). It doesn't actually contain any silver, but is an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc.
@@TheUltimateRecycler Thanks for the reply, the video helped clear things up for me too. sometimes I have to read it too. Thanks again for all the hard work making these videos
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Hi very interesting video not sure when it was first produced but its now Feb 2021 I was wondering about some cutlery which has the marks AI, W&H, S R w&h would be interested in the marks if you can tell me about them
This video was almost a couple of years ago Stuart, but that makes little difference. W&H is "Walker & Hall" from memory - should be easy to google that. A1 would indicate that your cutlery is silver plated :)
You could always look up my facebook page (The Ultimate Recycler) and post some pics there if you wish.
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Thank You - much appreciated.
Thanks for watching! 😊
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Thank you
Thanks for watching! 👍😊
Awesome Lesson.🙏
Thanks Anthony! 😊👍