Hi, I am wondering whether there is any value in recycling flatware that’s marked nickel silver, Panama silver, Brazil silver, Yukon silver, or Alaska silver? From Brandon in Wichita, Kansas
Hi Brandon,
Thanks for your question.. Nickel silver is named for its silvery appearance, but ironically it actually contains no elemental silver.
Nickel silver is different from plated silver in that nickel silver is not plated with silver and does not contain any real silver at all. Plated silver is metal that is actually covered in a very thin layer of silver. EP and EPNS are other markings that indicate plated silver.
Given that nickel silver has no actual silver content, it is not worth anything to precious metal refiners. Unfortunately, there is nothing of value to extract. With that being said, your pieces still might be worth something if you try to sell them on eBay or to a scrap metal dealer. Good luck!
If you have questions about silver war nickels visit our blog post “Silver Recovery from War Nickels”
Or visit our website for silver items that are valuable for their silver content on our Silver Refining webpage.
34 comments
The flatware that I have is by Eldan, and is labeled “Silver Nickel” not nickel silver. You said there was NO silver in nickel silver. Is there a difference? This tarnishes and polishes up the same as silver and silverplate.
Thank you, from Birmingham, Alabama.
a lot of silverplated will sell as “clean brass” seeing how as that is usually what is underneath,ask your recycler, but mines buys it as clean brass, about 1.95 a pound
I have some solid brazil silverware and would like to know the value of it. I have 6 knives, bread knife and spoon, 6 spoons and 6 forks.
Thank you kindly,
Pam
Hi Pam,
In our experience what some people call “solid brazil silverware” is actually another name for nickel silver. Nickel silver ironically contains no silver at all. If that is the case, your pieces actually do not contain any real silver and have no silver value. They may however, be valuable based on other criteria such as rareness, collectability or age. Here is a post about nickel silver that may help, http://www.precious-metal-refining.info/what-is-nickel-silver/.
i wannt to know the value of the following items
gilson A epns 3dwtsa per doz, nickel silver wears/white,arthur krupp 1810 spoon italy gilson a epns 2dwtsa per doz gilson A 6 dwtsa per doz emiates spoon 0(small smybol
I have some silver teaspoons, Marked as follows:Federal Solid Nickel Silver,L Barth and Sons,Inc Nickel Silver,Bass & Bass New York,Simpson Nickel Silver,A.L. Cahn & Sons New york,W Nickel Silver 18 any value in these
Greetings @Rose,
Nickel silver is named after it’s appearance, but not content. Unfortunately there is no elemental silver in these items if they are, in fact, nickel silver. Here is some more info about nickel silver http://www.precious-metal-refining.info/what-is-nickel-silver/. That being said, these pieces could still fetch considerable value on eBay or to a collector. Good luck!
all of these items can be worth whatever anyone will pay or take it to the junk yard for scrap , you may be surprised at what you can get for 20 pounds of junk brass or copper
I have 20oz of dental material (tooth filling) that look like silver or nickel from a retired dentists office? The small round pellets are marked “W” on top and “LC” on bottom and the square pellets are marked “NC”! They do not stick to magnet so it has to be an alloy but what is it and is it worth anything to refiners? – Sarge
I have some spoons marked Chilian Silver with a Hallmark D&A nice silver patina and very heavy. Any information would be much appreciated.
Hi Dave,
If your silverware does not have any markings that would indicate it to be sterling, there are better chances that your pieces are NOT sterling. While we are not familiar with Chiliam Silver or the D&A Hallmark, other types of silver such as Peruvian silver, Alaskan silver, German silver are NOT sterling.
Thanks for your question!
I have flatware, bought in Germany, that has prunis 90 on the back of each piece. It does tarnish. Can you help me determine the metal use in making the flatware?
Hi Mary — There are several metals that are used in the manufacturing of silver flatware. Sterling silver flatware is normally indicated by some variation of a “925” marking that would indicate it being 92.5% silver and alloyed with 7.5% of something else that is usually copper or nickel.
Because we are not experts in silver hallmarks, we don’t know what the “prunis 90” marking means on your flatware. If you do find that it is in fact sterling, please contact us http://www.archenterprises.com/contact-us.html
Thanks!
I have an old compact stamped “nickle silver”. It is square (2″ on all sides)and has the typical Victorian milkweed with butterfly under celluloid lid. That is exactly how “nickle” is spelled. Is there any significance in this?
HI Phyllis. Even though it may be spelled “nickle” verses “nickel” what you have is still a type of silver that actually has no silver content. The post here explains a little more about it. http://www.precious-metal-refining.info/what-is-nickel-silver/. But the spelling of Nickel got us thinking and so we looked both of them up and got the SAME definition for the both words. However, “nickel” is the more common use which is what we use here.
nickel
noun nick·el \ˈni-kəl\
: a hard silver-white metal
: a U.S. or Canadian coin that is worth five cents
Hi. I have some teaspoons marked Chilian Silver and heart shaped mark with the letters WP inside.
Would these be silver or ‘nickel silver’?
Hi Pat,
I am not certain if what you have is sterling or not. Many descriptive names like that such as Peruvian silver, Panama silver, Brazil silver, Yukon silver, German silver, and Alaska silver contain no actual silver and are only silver plated. However, “Chilean Silver” is not one that I have come across before.
Chances are that if it is not marked sterling, than you have a nickel silver that is not worth anything for its silver value. The only way that we could be sure is if we tested in house or you could get it tested locally. Thanks!
Reading all about nickel silver, and thought the thread should have something about “coin silver” as opposed to Nickel silver. DO NOT CONFUSE THE TWO. “Coin Sliver” was made of melted coins, when “Sterling” bullion was unavailable. There was no “guarantee” of purity, as different nationalities might have polluted their coins with other metals. ( example; a Gold “Maple-leaf” is 24Karat, where a US Liberty is 22Karat. )
Nickel silver does not contain silver at all? then why it is named like that?
Hi Regentsteel. We are guessing it is called that because the color “nickel” is easy to identify. Wikipedia says it is “named for its silvery appearance.” Thanks for visiting.
I have a salad tongs marked 16662 EPNS , with the letters P&B inside hearts, just wondering if they gave any value, thanks!
Hi Elvia. EPNS means “Electro Plated Nickel Silver” Nickel silver has no actual silver content, it is not worth anything to precious metal refiners. Unfortunately, there is nothing of value to extract. With that being said, your pieces still might be worth something if you try to sell them on eBay or to a scrap metal dealer. Good luck!
Hello, I have a beautiful small lidded jug that is richly decorated and finly crafted with a combination of chasing, repousse, and applied “clumps” of grapes/leaves. It is marked Barbour Silver Co., Nickel Silver 4354. I understand that NS is a misnomer amalgam that actually contains no silver. However, my question is whether it was ever plated with real silver.
Hi there..i have forks and spoons with mirror silver by pain brothers hastings..also have a tara silver plate fork..newbridge neckel silver and stampt silver from bilchrome sheffiled and a silver watch any value in them
I have a teaser that was my great Aunts. She was stationed in Germany when she was younger. When she passed away, I received a tea set that she had it is stamped on the bottom: Eduard Rau Munchen 1713 1/2 and a 1 underneath that. It never turns like silver does. Do you know what it may be made of and a estimated value of it?
I have silverware marked “Community” on the back from 1950. Any value?
Hi thank u for your time, i have a question for u, what is the mean of: king Edward silver plate plated with pure silver on 18% nickel silver blank ? I have some spoons forks and knifes of nacional silver co. And this is what his guarantee says, im spanish and i dont understand english very well i want to know of they are silver and nikel or just Nikel thank u so much this is helpful
Hi I have a big aspoon which is ilverite nickle silver,qeen Elizabeth one penny1990,fitty cents 1978,one penny1994,10pence1992,25cents1983,two pence1993.
Hi I have a big old spoon of a certain smell which is ilverite nickle silver,qeen Elizabeth one penny1990,fitty cents 1978,one penny1994,10pence1992,25cents1983,two pence1993.
Hi I have a big old spoon of a certain smell which is ilverite nickle silver,.
Hi am Paul I have georgivs vi coins
Ten cents 1941,ten cent’s 1942,ten cent’s 1952,one shiling 1922,one cent’s 1942.kindly if needed follow me through paulmiliary@gmail/+254717380779
I was walking around on our property of 20 acres with my metal detector and came up on some old knives… Upon further investigation I unearthed a few dozen of old spoons knives and forks that my metal detector did not recognize… It’s just a kids metal detector from sport chalet … Nothing extravagant… But then I noticed even my powerful magnet can pick up 10lb weight want pickng these up … So I looked at them they say nickel silver, silver, and some say silver plated… Rogers 1847…. Acme,and other markings I can’t make out… Are these worth anything to anyone… Thanks tj of Acton CA
Hi! I’m Jomar.
I got a bread knife over here with a logo named “American Nickel Silver”. I just wanted to know if it has value today, and what year may it was made.
Thanks.
hi I need to know if I have silver collectible teaspoons the first one is dias 1488-1988 and on the back of it stands (kelng-90) and the second one is a southern rhodesia defence forces spoon and on the back is (erw )not sure because righting is small I can’t see it clearly and the third one is a rey constc da espana.w 2 pesetas spoon the right side shows .mp. and the left side shows .m. can you please tell me if what I have is silver thanks from gavin
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