Top places to sell your silverware

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For many people, silverware is something that will come into your life eventually. Whether you buy it or inherit it, silver is a ubiquitous sign of adulthood for many people. In this modern age, however, a lot of people don’t have time to care for silverware the way that it requires. For some of us, it’s as simple as we have too much silver. Keeping one or two pieces as a memento of a loved one who has passed is one thing, but when you inherit more silver than you can handle, it’s time to start selling.

Here is a brief outline of the top places to sell your silverware.

Markets

Markets are easily one of the best places to sell silverware, being highly diverse in their supply and clientele. Obviously, at the moment, a lot of marketplaces that regularly deal with silverware and antiques of various kinds are having to adjust to the presence of Coronavirus, but that doesn’t necessarily have to stop you. A lot of markets have opted to become open-air markets, with seller’s wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.

The old-school marketplace – the car boot sale – is another great way of responsibly getting some silverware off your hands. Car boot sales and other markets that focus on regular people coming together looking to do something of a spring clean of their belongings is a great environment to sell your silverware. You can establish a price you think is fair, take part in the haggling process, and maybe even establish a trade if somebody else’s goods take your fancy.

Digital

Online markets available for selling silverware are a great way to stay safe and responsible whilst getting your silver out there on the market. Sites like eBay – where bidding is allowed – is one of the best ways to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to selling your items. It can also save you from getting invested in the tempt of the trade that comes with physical markets, if you’re looking to make money rather than end up with more trinkets than you started with.

For the best results, you’ll want to ensure that you’ve got some high-quality pictures of whatever it is you’re looking to sell. So, get the polish and cloth out and shine up that silver teapot until it’s basically a mirror. Getting pictures in bright, natural daylight are the most appealing, showing your item or items from multiple angles – include some up-close pictures if there are any interesting details of your pieces too. When it comes to pricing your item, you can go low if you’re just wanting to clear up some space in your home and would like things out of the house, or study similar items on the site to what you have, and price in-line with the mainstream.

Auctions

If your studying of how others have priced items similar to yours shows you that people are selling items for high prices, consider further research. Check your silverware over carefully for any sign of hallmarks. If you find any, try searching online to see if you can find out what they mean. Most silver items that have hallmarks usually have maker’s marks, as well as marks to indicate an origin. For example, an item can have the London Assay Office hallmark on it, which tells us it was made in London.

If your research is promising, and you think you have something of significant value, it’s time to contact the auction house. Many of them now offer digital services where you send high-quality pictures of your item, particularly of the hallmarks, and receive a valuation of your item – this may incur a fee. If your item truly is a valuable piece, the choice is yours whether you’d like to keep it or sell, and if you do sell, you may be able to do so through the auction house. Selling at auction gives your items the best chance to get more money, since people at auctions have the mentality that they may need to overspend to get what they really want among the competitive bidding.

These are the top places to sell your silverware, but you’re free to explore and see if there are any other environments that would suit what you have to sell. You may even end up falling in love with what you have, struggling to let it go at all. Best of luck!