Scrap Silver Calculator – Instant Melt Value Estimator
Enter your silver's weight and purity to get an instant estimate based on live market prices.
Price updates automatically every 60 seconds
Today's Scrap Silver Prices
| Silver Type | Per Troy Ounce | Per Gram | Per Pennyweight |
|---|---|---|---|
| .999 Fine Silver | $74.41 | $2.3922 | $3.7203 |
| 925 Sterling Silver | $68.89 | $2.2150 | $3.4447 |
| 900 Coin Silver | $67.03 | $2.1551 | $3.3516 |
| 800 Silver | $59.58 | $1.9157 | $2.9792 |
Prices update every 60 seconds based on the live silver spot price.
How to Calculate the Value of Scrap Silver
Figuring out what your scrap silver is worth takes three pieces of information: the weight, the purity, and the current spot price. You can check today's live scrap silver prices on our dedicated pricing page.
First, weigh your silver on a digital scale. For the most accurate results, use a scale that reads to 0.01 grams. Kitchen scales work for rough estimates, but a jeweler's scale gives precision. Our silver price calculator supports grams, troy ounces, pennyweights, and regular ounces.
Next, identify the purity. Look for a hallmark stamp on the piece. The most common stamps are 925 (sterling), 900 (coin silver), 800, and 999 (fine silver). If there's no stamp, a precious metals dealer or jeweler can test it for you.
Then apply the formula: Weight (in troy ounces) × Spot Price × Purity = Melt Value. One troy ounce equals 31.1035 grams. So if you have 50 grams of 925 sterling silver and the spot price is $89 per troy ounce: 50 ÷ 31.1035 = 1.607 troy ounces. Then 1.607 × $89 × 0.925 = $132.26 melt value.
Or skip the math and enter your numbers into the calculator above for an instant answer.
Sterling Silver vs Fine Silver vs Coin Silver
Not all silver is the same purity, and the purity directly affects the scrap value.
Fine Silver (.999) is 99.9% pure silver. You'll find it in bullion bars, American Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs, and other investment-grade products. It carries the highest melt value per ounce.
Sterling Silver (.925) is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper or other alloy metals. This is the standard for silverware, jewelry, and decorative items. Most of the scrap silver people bring to dealers is sterling.
Coin Silver (.900) is 90% silver and 10% copper. Pre-1965 U.S. dimes, quarters, half dollars, and silver dollars are coin silver. If you're calculating the value of old U.S. coins, use the 0.90 purity factor.
800 Silver is 80% pure and appears mainly in European jewelry and antique items. It has a lower melt value than sterling or coin silver.
Common Silver Hallmarks and What They Mean
Before you calculate your scrap value, you need to know the purity. Here are the hallmarks you'll see most often:
999 or .999 means fine silver, 99.9% pure. 925 or .925 or "Sterling" means sterling silver, 92.5% pure — check the live 925 silver scrap price for its current value. 900 or .900 or "Coin" means coin silver, 90% pure. 835 means 83.5% pure, common in some European silver. 800 means 80% pure, common in Italian and German silver items.
If your piece has no visible hallmark, it could still be silver. Old items sometimes have worn stamps. A magnet test is a quick first check because silver is not magnetic. For confirmation, use an acid test kit or take it to a dealer.
Troy Ounces vs Regular Ounces
Silver is always priced in troy ounces, not regular (avoirdupois) ounces. A troy ounce is 31.1035 grams. A regular ounce is 28.3495 grams. That means a troy ounce is about 10% heavier than the ounce you use in everyday life.
This matters when you're weighing silver at home. If your kitchen scale shows ounces, those are regular ounces. You'll need to convert: multiply regular ounces by 0.911 to get troy ounces. Or weigh in grams and divide by 31.1035. The calculator on this page handles both grams and troy ounces so you don't have to convert manually. For a detailed breakdown of all weight units, see our silver price calculator with unit conversions.
How to Test if Your Silver Is Real
The magnet test is the fastest check. Silver is not magnetic. If a magnet sticks to your piece, it's not silver (or the silver is plated over a magnetic base metal).
The ice test works because silver has the highest thermal conductivity of any metal. Place an ice cube on the item. If the ice melts noticeably faster than it would on a countertop, that's a good sign it's real silver.
An acid test kit gives a definitive answer. Apply a drop of silver testing acid to a scratch on the item. The color of the reaction tells you the approximate purity. Kits cost around $10–15 and are available online.
For high-value items, take them to a jeweler or precious metals dealer who can test with an XRF analyzer for exact purity readings.
Tips for Selling Scrap Silver
Sort your silver by purity before selling. Dealers pay different rates for sterling, coin, and fine silver. Mixing them together means you'll get the lowest purity rate for the entire lot.
Get quotes from multiple buyers. Prices vary between pawn shops, local dealers, online refiners, and mail-in services. Local precious metals dealers typically pay 85–95% of melt value for clean, sorted scrap.
Know the spot price before you walk in. Check the current scrap silver prices on this site so you have a baseline. If a dealer offers well below melt value with no good explanation, shop elsewhere.
Consider timing. Silver prices move daily. If you're not in a rush, watch the price trend for a few weeks and sell when prices are on the higher end of the recent range.