Does anyone Pass up sterling?

[niffler]

This week I had some down time at work and I hit some thrift stores. I found a set of kind of beat up sterling weighted candle holders, not very big. The price was $4.99 each and having had experience breaking down these sort of things for scrap, I couldn't justify paying $10 plus sales tax for them. I estimated there would probably be 10 grams or less of sterling in each piece. Just wondering if others have to stop themselves from acquiring silver and gold because the margin of profit is just too thin?

 

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[Marino13]

The thrifts in my area have wised up a bit, actually too much they are sifting things more carefully and jacking up prices. I did get lucky and found a solid sterling bowl for 5 bucks last year, I'm betting there was more too but I caught one of the last pieces put out.

 

[Bernitup]

This week I had some down time at work and I hit some thrift stores. I found a set of kind of beat up sterling weighted candle holders, not very big. The price was $4.99 each and having had experience breaking down these sort of things for scrap, I couldn't justify paying $10 plus sales tax for them. I estimated there would probably be 10 grams or less of sterling in each piece. Just wondering if others have to stop themselves from acquiring silver and gold because the margin of profit is just too thin?

Unfortunately, YES! Sometimes it’s ridiculous what they are asking for certain pieces, just because it says sterling… I have seen plenty of items 5-10 X spot and they are damaged—dented, twisted, missing pieces, holes or just plain broken, etc… There are a couple GW's thrift stores that are horrible, they are filled with not-so-good-will and they get dollar store merch and charge $3-$5 for it! They get something ”old” and charge because it’s old or charge more because it’s a brand name, never mind it’s broken or just abused!

Some ”weighted” candle stick holders or candelabras are worth busting down, but must be the longer or 2-3 stick ones, otherwise I find that the standard weighted candle stick holder has .78 Troy oz or LESS once the weighted part—sand/concrete, etc is removed… Some are not worth the time to break down, so I just pile them up as is and sell the nicer pairs for way more than spot price at an estate/garage/yard sale. I had a pair that was exactly the silver content of a Morgan or Peace dollar, .7734 Troy oz, which amazed me at the time and still does…rather accurate!
It seems with the last few years, COVID bs and economy inflation bs that thrift stores are selling some better merch especially silver/gold items and collectible items on line and marking up extra high in some locations and you get only scraps or overlooked items at the brick and mortar. One not so good will employee told me that they are a “business now”…a franchise of GW and NOT GW itself… She also told me about silver and gold, GW online stores across country selling stuff online for more PROFIT… She didn’t say money, she said PROFIT. I complained at a second GW about dollar tree items being $3++, she too said they are a business and out to make as much as they can, but will negotiate on bigger ticket items. Ugh, needless to say, but I don’t go to GW much and visit the hospice thrift stores and the like…I refuse to support GW and its franchises. Ok, off the soap box now… As stated to the question asked, definitely YES,😵‍💫😬👍🏼

 

[galenrog]

Local thrift shops routinely ask $3-$5 each for silver plated flatware. Yes, there are people who buy this stuff.

Time for more coffee.

 

[UnderMiner]

There's this organization I like to attend called Stop 'N' Swap here in New York. To get in you bring stuff from your house that you don't want anymore and put it in a big pile, and instead of a third party corporation reselling it everyone is just allowed to take whatever they want from the collective pile of stuff. No money is ever exchanged, so the government gets no taxes, no buisness makes profit, people get to donate what they don't want and keep whatever they do want. I have seen silver jewlery, guitars, video game consoles, essentially everything you would see at Goodwill only it's just free. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's Communism done right, but it's certainly not Capitalism done wrong as we are seeing more and more these days. I can't even afford to go to most fast food places anymore because they price gouge so much - $1 for two things of sauce, it use to cost $1 for the whole burger and the sauce was free!

 

[tamrock]

I've said no to quite a few weighted sterling pieces over the years only because it just wasn't worth the price. Most weighted sterling I come by at the right price gets stripped. From what I've found the short weighted candlesticks will have 15 to 20 grams of sterling. This is one I gave $5. and change for and added a little more green to my wallet is all.

 

[Peyton Manning]

Solid - yes
Plated - no

 

[HistoryTeacher]

I find it tough to pass sterling by since I come across it so rarely. I have started making myself if I know I can't make back melt price. That being said, I have a few pieces I overpaid for when starting out. I see those as the cost of my education on how little silver is in the weighted pieces. I did get lucky recently in buying a bag of 7 weighted table knives price at $10 for all. Each of them gave me 22-26 grams per for about 150 grams total.