If you follow my articles, you know that I’ve not been optimistic about the resale value of used silver plate flatware. In fact, I’ve probably depressed quite a few readers who wanted to sell their silver plate sets.
I was offered the opportunity yesterday to interview two dealers who buy and sell silver plate flatware. Every month, there is a huge antique show in Atlanta managed by Scott Antique Markets. Dealers come from all over to sell their wares in two huge buildings. It’s a big deal! I visited the show yesterday and found the two dealers mentioned above: one from Pittsburgh and one from South Florida.
First, I looked over the silver plate flatware they had for sale. Most pieces were priced in the $3.00 to $5.00 range. Based on this pricing, I imagine they paid fifty cents to a dollar for each piece. Some serving pieces in mint condition were priced a little higher.
Then I spoke with each dealer, mainly to ask if they were in the market to buy more silver plate flatware. In one case, the answer was a definite “No”. The other dealer said that he might but that he could buy all he needed in his area at dirt cheap prices.
So, this is not good news for those wanting to sell most patterns of silver plate flatware. There are a very few patterns that do sell for high prices but these are rare.
Selling Your Silver: A Guide to Finding a Buyer and Getting a Good Price, by Jim Stringer
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