Thrift Store silver *update with photo*

[Ghondi]

Pics to come when I remove the wax.

I was browsing my favorite thrift store today any noticed a cream cup and sugar cup that looked like silver.
I picked them up and noticed they said sterling weighted....priced at $5.99 each I took a gamble(not much of one). lol

Currently ripping them apart...I took off the non-weighted part and so far have 76 grams of sterling for $12.70 after tax....


I've never dealt with silver before, so I'm looking for advice...should I sell it to a refiner, trade it for bars(through a refiner), or make my own bars(just melt it and pour into a bar mold so it would be sterling bars)?

If I should send it to a refinery, any info on the best one with good turn around/% of spot paid would be appreciated as well.

Thanks all and happy hunting.

 

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[hombre_de_plata_flaco]

Re: Thrift Store silver

Stay away from pawn shops and "WE BUY GOLD AND SILVER" places if you want to get a good payoff. So yes, I would send it to a refinery of some sort.

 

[Ghondi]

Re: Thrift Store silver

I just realized I NEED to look things up before I rip them apart.

Checked into the hallmark. Ca 1900 Hamilton Sterling Silver Sugar/Creamer Set
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ca-1900-Hamilto...691453?pt=Antiques_Silver&hash=item58868fc67d
One currently for sale.

 

[hombre_de_plata_flaco]

Re: Thrift Store silver

Bummer dude. Sometimes collectible value outweighs intrinsic value. Just chalk it up as a lesson learned. You still made out alright w/the scrap price vs. what you paid.

 

[Ghondi]

Re: Thrift Store silver

Yeah. I'm a bit bummed, but your right I still made out decent and its a lesson learned.

 

[famous turtle treasures]

Re: Thrift Store silver

Yeah bummer, I would recommend only scrapping items that are banged up badly. Even then make sure to research the item before you scrap it.

There are many lessons to be learned, sucks when you have to learn em the hard way.

 

[creeper71]

Re: Thrift Store silver

I just realized I NEED to look things up before I rip them apart.

Checked into the hallmark. Ca 1900 Hamilton Sterling Silver Sugar/Creamer Set
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ca-1900-Hamilto...691453?pt=Antiques_Silver&hash=item58868fc67d
One currently for sale.

Never trust a buy it now price alot of sellers jack the price up way more then actual value..phishing for a sucker

 

[diggummup]

Re: Thrift Store silver

Never trust a buy it now price alot of sellers jack the price up way more then actual value..phishing for a sucker

I hear ya but...Thing is, the completed listings show 4 sets sold ranging in price from $69.90 to $269.99. 2 buyitnow sold for the most. I searched "Hamilton Sterling Silver Sugar" in completed listings.

 

[Ghondi]

Re: Thrift Store silver

diggummup- Thats how I came to my conclusion as well, although the one that sold for over $200 was not weighted, and mine is...


Anyone have a good place they can recommend to get it refined and/or sell to?

 

[creeper71]

Re: Thrift Store silver

Never trust a buy it now price alot of sellers jack the price up way more then actual value..phishing for a sucker

I hear ya but...Thing is, the completed listings show 4 sets sold ranging in price from $69.90 to $269.99. 2 buyitnow sold for the most. I searched "Hamilton Sterling Silver Sugar" in completed listings.

well then the poster did screw up, I did that once way back when I first started with silver scrap I don't remember the maker but I do remember it was either chased or repousse

 

[scaupus]

Re: Thrift Store silver

I try to not mess with stuff immediately. We assume we know what we are doing - I've learned to assume that I don't.

 

[Minrelica]

Re: Thrift Store silver

I just realized I NEED to look things up before I rip them apart.

Checked into the hallmark. Ca 1900 Hamilton Sterling Silver Sugar/Creamer Set
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ca-1900-Hamilto...691453?pt=Antiques_Silver&hash=item58868fc67d
One currently for sale.

Are you 100% positive that this is the same set? The reason I'm asking is because 99.9% of the thrift stores now look items up online before the put them out on the floor. Nobody wants to be on the losing end of a 9 p.m news story about the "lucky lady who bought a painting at Goodwill for $3 and it's really worth 1.5 million."

I see it happen all the time where common items are put under glass at outrageous prices because they saw one online or something.


Too bad if it is...

 

[creeper71]

Re: Thrift Store silver

I

Are you 100% positive that this is the same set? The reason I'm asking is because 99.9% of the thrift stores now look items up online before the put them out on the floor. Nobody wants to be on the losing end of a 9 p.m news story about the "lucky lady who bought a painting at Goodwill for $3 and it's really worth 1.5 million."

I see it happen all the time where common items are put under glass at outrageous prices because they saw one online or something.


Too bad if it is...

i seen 1 candle holder that was weighted for 150.00 at a thrift ..outragous!

 

[jerseyben]

Re: Thrift Store silver

I just realized I NEED to look things up before I rip them apart.

Checked into the hallmark. Ca 1900 Hamilton Sterling Silver Sugar/Creamer Set
http://cgi.ebay.com/Ca-1900-Hamilto...691453?pt=Antiques_Silver&hash=item58868fc67d
One currently for sale.

Are you 100% positive that this is the same set? The reason I'm asking is because 99.9% of the thrift stores now look items up online before the put them out on the floor. Nobody wants to be on the losing end of a 9 p.m news story about the "lucky lady who bought a painting at Goodwill for $3 and it's really worth 1.5 million."

I see it happen all the time where common items are put under glass at outrageous prices because they saw one online or something.


Too bad if it is...

I am certain that this is true. I think what happens is that thrift stores look up items before they hit the shelves. I think that anything that makes it through is either determined to be of little value OR they don't know what they have. This is where we come in and hopefully ID that valuable piece and pick it up on the cheap.

 

[Minrelica]

Re: Thrift Store silver

Many thrift stores sift through the donations and list the better things on ebay. This is always the case with Goodwill and Salvation Army now. You also have to compete with employees that sell on ebay because if they don't get the 1'st pick of the litter, they definitely get the second.

The thing that REALLY ticks me off is that sometimes I'll go into a Salvation Army and they actually have a printout from ebay or amazon taped to the object to show you how much it's worth or selling for but it's ALWAYS an active auction and not a completed sale. So lame!

You can still find deals every now an then but they're few and far between. My last score was a vintage Peugeot women's 10 speed that I bought for $49.99 and sold it on craigslist the next day for $180.

I'm pretty much done with thrift stores unless I've never been there before and I need to satisfy my curiosity.

 

[famous turtle treasures]

Re: Thrift Store silver

I do the majority of hunting at thrift stores especially goodwill and value village. I remember the first time I went in and was looking around and I thought everything was so expensive then I realized that things only looked expensive because I had no idea what the stuff was worth.

I almost counted thrift stores out then I got angry at the thrift stores and started going more often to prove that they couldn't beat me at their pricing game.

My sales in the last 15 days

http://completed.shop.ebay.com/famo...&_sticky=1&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_sop=16&_sc=1

90% of these sales are from thrift stores, and all are 100% profit minimum most are +500% profit or more.

Count em out if you like but theres plenty of money to be made.

 

[Minrelica]

Re: Thrift Store silver

I do the majority of hunting at thrift stores especially goodwill and value village. I remember the first time I went in and was looking around and I thought everything was so expensive then I realized that things only looked expensive because I had no idea what the stuff was worth.

I almost counted thrift stores out then I got angry at the thrift stores and started going more often to prove that they couldn't beat me at their pricing game.

My sales in the last 15 days

http://completed.shop.ebay.com/famo...&_sticky=1&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_sop=16&_sc=1

90% of these sales are from thrift stores, and all are 100% profit minimum most are +500% profit or more.

Count em out if you like but theres plenty of money to be made.

Right on... I've been doing the same thing for the past 12 years but it's getting harder around here.

Value Village was one of my last favorite thrift stores until they started ebaying the good picks. Maybe that's just a Minnesota thing though since this is where the base is. Providing we're talking about the same store.

http://stores.ebay.com/Arcs-Value-Village-Online

 

[jerseyben]

Re: Thrift Store silver

I do the majority of hunting at thrift stores especially goodwill and value village. I remember the first time I went in and was looking around and I thought everything was so expensive then I realized that things only looked expensive because I had no idea what the stuff was worth.

I almost counted thrift stores out then I got angry at the thrift stores and started going more often to prove that they couldn't beat me at their pricing game.

My sales in the last 15 days

http://completed.shop.ebay.com/famo...&_sticky=1&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_sop=16&_sc=1

90% of these sales are from thrift stores, and all are 100% profit minimum most are +500% profit or more.

Count em out if you like but theres plenty of money to be made.

I am impressed with your online store. Great finds and even better descriptions. I think the descriptions combined with great pics is making you sell very well! I was the most impressed with your "steampunk" lamp.

 

[famous turtle treasures]

Re: Thrift Store silver

Right on... I've been doing the same thing for the past 12 years but it's getting harder around here.

Value Village was one of my last favorite thrift stores until they started ebaying the good picks. Maybe that's just a Minnesota thing though since this is where the base is. Providing we're talking about the same store.

http://stores.ebay.com/Arcs-Value-Village-Online

[/quote]

Yeah we are talking about the same chain. I didn't realize they were even selling stuff on ebay. You are in Minnesota? I am originally from South Central Minnesota. The midwest is a hot spot for mid century decor. Olivia11dancer who is my mother still lives there, and her finds and sales make mine look like crap.

I just recently sold a clock that I paid $90.00 at the value village for $250.00 Just because they look the stuff on ebay doesn't mean they truly know how to interpret the prices which can work out in your favor.

I am kicking myself for not picking up a rembrant floor lamp for $75.00 a couple of weeks ago.

I am impressed with your online store. Great finds and even better descriptions. I think the descriptions combined with great pics is making you sell very well! I was the most impressed with your "steampunk" lamp.

Thanks, research and keywords are really the key to selling well. There is also a physiological side to ebay which is my favorite part. All you need is one person to perceive an item the same way you do, and value it the same way you do and you have a sale, which is what I did with that "steampunk" lamp.

 

[Minrelica]

Re: Thrift Store silver

Thanks, research and keywords are really the key to selling well. There is also a physiological side to ebay which is my favorite part. All you need is one person to perceive an item the same way you do, and value it the same way you do and you have a sale, which is what I did with that "steampunk" lamp.

You nailed it. That's the stuff right there.

I've always joked that I could write a good enough description to sell the lint from my belly button

For real though, if I find something to be cool, I know for a fact that some other people will too. It's fun to roll the dice and see what numbers turn up.

Keep doing your thing