Category Archives: Forum Questions

I have several silver dollar coins that I would like an estimate on. They are as follows:

Year / Number

1923 / 48
1922 / 30
1924 / 10
1925 / 10
1926 / 4
1927 / 3
1800’s / 47

Thanks! From Jordan in Cleveland, Ohio

Hi Jordan,

Thank you for your question. We would be able to pay you for 90% of the fine silver value on your silver dollars that you have described. However, we do not take into account the numismatic or collection value of any coins that we refine. Please send them to us if you know that the actual silver value is more than what you could get if you took them to a coin dealer.

I would especially recommend taking your coins from the 1800’s to a coin dealer to check on their collection value. Even coins that are not in pristine condition can still have collection value that may exceed its silver content value.

Let us know if you would like to refine your silver coins based on their silver content. Thanks!

I have about 13 pounds of Anchor Hocking brand silver cookware and serving pieces. They are very old, dating back to the early 1900’s or before. Could you please tell me how much these are worth? From Kim in Long Beach, Florida

Hi Kim,

There are a couple things you should consider before sending your items in to be refined. The first thing is to make sure that your items are in fact sterling silver and not stainless steel or some other non-precious metal. The easiest way to do this is to look over your items to see if they are marked in someway with an 800, 900, or 925. If you do see these markings, then they are sterling silver and we could pay you for 75% of their fine silver value by weight.

It gets a little trickier if your items are not marked. When you say that you have “silver cookware,” if you are referring to pots and pans then it is unlikely that these are sterling, unless they were used as decorative pieces. Sterling silver serving pieces like gravy boats, trays and pitchers are common, but pots and pans were rarely made from silver.

Here are some markings indicating silver PLATED items:

• EP – electroplated means silver plated
• EPNS – electroplated nickel silver (ironic because there is not silver in nickel silver)

Sometimes you can tell the difference between sterling silver and other metals by the color of your items also. If you can see places where the silver appears to be worn away or flaked off then most likely you have silver plated items. Also if you try to polish your items and black tarnish rubs off, then that is a good indication that you have sterling silver, but not a guarantee.

As a precious metal refiner, we have sophisticated equipment that can test for precious metal content, but please note that we will only be able to return a payment back to you on sterling silver items.

Hello, I am looking for a good refinery to purchase my gold. I have been researching gold parties for sometime now, I am an independent gold buyer and seller. What are your rates for people with a substantial amount of gold? From Donnie in Orlando, Florida

We offer competitive refining rates for independent gold party operators and gold buyers. And typically we can wire the funds to your account the same day it comes in if the gold is received early in the day. We often pay more than 90% of the value of gold content for customers with significant amounts of gold that send shipments to us on a regular basis. However, this high percentage return is based on the amount of gold you send. You must have over 2 ounces of gold to receive over 90% of the fine gold content by weight.

Interestingly, we have more and more customers like yourself these days who are looking for a trustworthy refiner that offers quick payments. We know that gold buying businesses rely on paying people quickly so we cater to them by paying quickly as well. Here is some feedback from one of our gold operator customers, Kelly Rostic – owner of the Gold Lady:

“What most impresses me about Arch Enterprises is their quick turn-around time and customer service. I overnight my gold to the refinery and by the next afternoon, the gold is processed and I have money wire-transferred into my business account. Since the price of gold is constantly changing, I feel I have the best chance of getting top dollar because I don’t have to wait long for processing. Whenever I call Arch Enterprises, everyone I deal with is polite and professional. With the gold business booming right now and as we approach the holidays, I hope for continued success with my business, The Gold Lady.”

Good luck with your gold buying business Donnie. Let us know if you need gold refining services! Thank you for contacting us.

I have about 22 pounds of silver dimes that date before 1964. What is the value of these items please? From Matt in Rochester, New York

I have 277 Washington Quarters and 560 Roosevelt Dimes. What are these worth refined? From Jody in Olympia, Washington

Hi Matt and Jody,

We do buy dimes and quarters with a mint date of 1964 and earlier. We can pay you for 90% of their fine silver value by weight. Contact us for an estimate at current silver prices. Please weigh your silver coins before sending them in and indicate the weight on the packing slip.

Jody – please check and make sure your quarters and dimes are dated 1964 and earlier.

Also, it is important to note that coins that have experience significant wear often have a slight drop in silver weight, around 1-2 percent. We mention this because if you simply take the weight of a freshly minted coin, it will almost always be more than one that has been in circulation for years. Long story short, weigh your coins before sending them in.

We recommend shipping small, heavy items such as silver coins in the US Postal Service’s flat rat shipping boxes. Also request the “Delivery Signature Required” option with your shipment. For list of shipping pricing please refer to a previous blog entry about shipping costs.

I want to sell gold filled and gold plated necklaces from the 1950s, made in Korea. I have dozens of them equaling several pounds. From Becky in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

Hi Becky,

It is nearly impossible to recover any relevant amount of gold from plated items because the gold is plated so thinly that there are only a few microns of actual gold in each plated item. Furthermore, the cost to refine plated items is higher than with 10 Karat – 24 Karat gold so there is no value in refining it.

Gold filled jewelry on the other hand, may have some value. Typically, a few pieces of gold filled jewelry will not yield much return but if you have pounds, you should get some return. I suggest using the US Postal Service’s flat rate shipping boxes. They are great for shipping small, heavy items such as jewelry. Remember to request the “Delivery Signature Required” option when you ship.

Because we can not take your gold plated jewelry items, we would recommend selling them as costume jewelry on EBay or local consignment shops. Hope this helps!