What to do with Silver plated stuff?? archived

I recently received a fair amount of silver plated items: flatware, service utensils, platters etc. I've looked closely at it and see all different sorts of marks, some of which I've been able to identify on the internet. It all appears to be plated, not solid. I have no sentimental connection to these items and don't see myself ever using them. I don't think they are worth much (maybe $100 all together?) but don't want to just throw them away. Is there a local place I can take them for appraisal / sale? I don't want to get involved in consignment or another time consuming process. Thanks.

Why not use them as your everyday cutlery?

Donate them to a charity like the Salvation Army. You won't be throwing them away.

Tom_Reingold said:

Why not use them as your everyday cutlery?

It's really old stuff.. odd shaped spoons and forks, butter dish, sugar and creamer... fancy stuff that I'll never use.

kmk said:

Donate them to a charity like the Salvation Army. You won't be throwing them away.

Do you think they'll know what to do with them? I don't want to shift the burden of researching / selling this to some charity. I'd rather get a few bucks from someone who likes this stuff or can melt it down and give that money to the charity.

See if you can find anything similar on ebay, if you can, and people are bidding - there you go.

Sell them as a lot on ebay or here on MOL with a few pics. People love that stuff.

Even sterling silver tableware and flatware aren't worth more than scrap these days-the TV show Pawn Stars say it's the hardest stuff to move in the store. Unless it's Tiffany, Georg Jensen, or another brand that's well known you'll get scrap value.

Silver plate items are worth waaaay less, unless the design is historically significant.

Sterling sells for a good price these days, so even scrap value is good.

Silver plate items can be very pretty, and dress up a holiday table - thats the value of them.

Silver plate napkin racks make great letter holders.

Yes--my grandmother's old toast tray (!) was perfect for that, until I gave it away.

Every year the Morrow Turnover sale gets donations of silver plated flatware and holloware, some of it very beautiful and in good condition. In past years, I've seen these items get thrown out because no one bought them at any price. This past year I took it upon myself to polilsh them all and set up a beautiful display. Everyone commented - it looked fabulous, like a wedding gift registry. Guess what - no one wanted the stuff - spectacular platters and bowls started out asking $24 to $40 a piece, and wound up being sold for $5 to $20 and much of it never sold at all. It seems that right now won one wants it.

Donate it to the Salvation Army or the Vets and get a tax deduction.

very interesting...i have LOTS of silver plate from my MIL...it's just so out of fashion to how i entertain. I do have a Tiffany Sterling tea/coffee service that I got as a wedding present and NEVER used it. Wondering what that's worth in todays market?

Keep it. If everyone else keeps donating their silverplate and no-one wants it, it will someday become rare and your children will be appearing on Antiques Roadshow with smiles on their faces.

I love my aunts old silver set I bought from her estate. We use it all the time. I like all the silver accents too.

judy3x said:

very interesting...i have LOTS of silver plate from my MIL...it's just so out of fashion to how i entertain. I do have a Tiffany Sterling tea/coffee service that I got as a wedding present and NEVER used it. Wondering what that's worth in todays market?

What pattern, and what pieces do you have-coffee, tea, sugar, creamer, slop bowl? Tray underneath?

I would love to see pics. I'm looking for some, but I'm a little particular, and yet don't know exactly what I want.....I'm guessing I'll know when I see it.

I would too- a butter dish especially and a wine coaster and a set of napkin rings and a sugar spoon and a cake knife and other serving pieces, gravy ladle?
I guess it is all in your style. I love to keep it all out and use it. But I never shop the Morrow sale- only donate to it cause my house is over stuffed as it is and I would buy buy buy. . .