What we buy

Silver.

Fine, sterling and coin. Flatware, hollowware, scrap and coin, sorted or not.

Silver moves on volume. A handful of sterling rarely covers the trip it would take to bring it, and it is better to hear that before you set out than after you arrive.

A cast silver bar, photographed against a plain ground.
Tarnished sterling silver hollowware: a footed bowl, a creamer jug, a lidded pot and a plain oval tray.
Hollowware
A heap of worn silver coins, their faces rubbed smooth, with dark tarnish in the rims.
Coin silver
Tarnished silver flatware.
Flatware

The grades we buy.

  • Fine .999
  • Sterling .925
  • Coin .900

Plated flatware turns up in almost every estate lot. It is not bought. It is separated out at the counter rather than quietly counted, and you see it come out.

A purity scale marked at .800, .830, .900, .925, .958 and .999. Plated material is not on the scale at all; it is separated out in front of you. .800 .830 .900 .925 .958 .999 Plate sits off this scale entirely — it is separated in front of you and you see it come out.

A purity scale marked at .800, .830, .900, .925, .958 and .999. Plated material is not on the scale at all; it is separated out in front of you.

Fine, Britannia, sterling, coin, continental
A plain bright silver disc, a tarnished teaspoon and a worn smooth silver coin in a row.
Silver grades

How it is assayed.

The lot is weighed in front of you, then read on XRF. Every lot, and you watch the reading taken.

Plate is common on hollowware. Plated and gold-filled material is not bought at all; it is refused. It is separated out at the counter while you watch it come out, and it goes back across the counter with you.

A lot at the assay splits two ways: solid silver is read on XRF, then bought, while plated and gold-filled material is separated out and refused. The lot at the assay Solid silver, .999 down to .800 Read on XRF while you watch, and bought on that reading. Plated and gold-filled Refused. Separated out at the counter, and you see it come out.

A lot at the assay splits two ways: solid silver is read on XRF, then bought, while plated and gold-filled material is separated out and refused.

What is bought, and what is refused
Plated spoons and a fork with the plating worn through to yellowish base metal at the tips.
Plating worn through

Nothing is agreed until you have seen the reading.

What to expect.

Your unit
Weigh it in grams, pennyweight or troy ounces, whichever you weigh in. Every figure that comes back is in the same unit, because that is the one you can check.
Volume
Silver is worth bringing in quantity. Tell us what you are holding before you book, and you will know whether the lot is worth the trip.
Getting it here
Come to us at Booth 57, 37 W 47th St, New York, any weekday, or we come to you within about five hours of New York. The lot is weighed and read in front of you. Nothing ships.
Settlement
Same day, in cash, once the lot is assayed.
A shallow wooden crate heaped with tarnished silver flatware and scrap.
Silver by the crate
A precision digital jewellers scale with an empty pan.
Weighed first

Also buying gold and platinum at the same counter.

Choose how to sell How it works