Some objects made from German Silver are highly collectible items due to the quality of the craftsmanship to them. But for the metal itself, it is not as valuable as other types of sterling or pure silver items. Nonetheless, a German Silver item is more valuable than silver plated items.

What is the difference between silver and German silver?

The terms “nickel silver” and “German silver” actually refer to the same substance, but items made of this metal are not really silver at all. Nickel or German “silver” is a white alloy containing copper, zinc, and nickel. While it is silvery in color, it contains none of the more valuable metal.

How much silver is in sterling silver flatware?

Silver-plated flatware does not contain enough silver to be of interest to silver dealers to melt it down to recover its silver content. While sterling silver flatware has a silver content of 92.5 percent, silver-plated flatware typically has a silver content of 5 percent or less.

What makes a piece of silverware valuable?

It’s often called silverware because it is made of silver, coated with silver or even looks like silver. Valuable antique silverware is either made of or coated with real silver. Silver is a valuable metal and has a value as scrap. Sometimes the intrinsic value of the silver outstrips the value of the article itself.

What kind of silver is in Brazilian silver?

Arch Enterprises explains that Brazilian Silver is usually nickel silver also called German silver and is NOT sterling. Contact Arch if you have sterling silver. Arch Enterprises explains that Brazilian Silver is usually nickel silver also called German silver and is NOT sterling.

What are the different types of antique silverware?

Valuable Antique Silverware comes in two types. Silver plate and Sterling silver. These are quite easy to identify. Silverplated silverware is made of a base metal that is then coated with silver.