Sell Silver in Chicago: Coins, Sterling, Bullion & Estate Silver
Silver can be confusing because people use the word “silver” for many different things. Sterling silver, silver coins, bullion, silver jewelry, and silver plate are not valued the same way.
Silver items commonly evaluated
- Sterling silver flatware, bowls, trays, candlesticks, and serving pieces
- Silver jewelry and estate silver
- 90% silver U.S. coins, 40% silver halves, silver dollars, and silver proof items
- Silver bullion bars, rounds, and government-issued silver coins
- Mixed estate lots with sterling, silver plate, coins, and costume jewelry
Sterling silver vs. silver plate
Sterling silver has meaningful precious-metal content. Silver plate usually has an extremely thin silver coating over a base metal such as copper. It is not processed the same way as sterling silver and should not be valued like sterling.
That said, silver plate often comes in mixed with inherited sterling and household items. It can still be reviewed, sorted, and explained instead of leaving families guessing.
Silver coins are a separate category
Old U.S. silver coins may be valued for metal content, collector value, or both. Better coins should not be cleaned, polished, or separated from albums before review.
Estate silver is often mixed
It is common for families to bring boxes containing sterling, silver plate, costume jewelry, coins, watches, and small collectibles all together. A practical evaluation helps sort what has precious-metal value, what may have collector value, and what is mostly household material.