Silver Scrap Value Calculator
Scrap silver is valued by its pure-silver content, since most silver items are alloyed for durability. Sterling silver, the most common jewelry and tableware grade, is 92.5 percent silver, stamped 925, while coin silver and other grades differ. This silver scrap value calculator works out the metal value from three numbers: the weight of the item in grams, the silver purity as a percentage, and the current silver spot price per gram. It converts the purity to a fraction, multiplies by the weight to find the grams of pure silver, then multiplies by the spot price for the value. The spot price is left editable because it changes throughout each trading day, so enter the current figure when you calculate. The result is the metal value of the silver content, and a buyer will normally pay below this to cover refining and margin. Every figure here is computed deterministically from your inputs, so the same item and price always return the same value. Enter your weight, purity, and spot price below to estimate what scrap silver is worth, compare a dealer's offer, or value old flatware and broken chains, with a worked example that reconciles exactly to the calculator defaults so you can follow each step before you sell anything.
Scrap value equals the weight times the purity fraction times the silver spot price per gram. 50 g of sterling (92.5%) silver at a 0.95 dollar spot price is worth 43.94 dollars.
Silver scrap value formula
pure silver grams = weight x (purity / 100)
scrap value = pure silver grams x spot price per gram
weight in grams, purity as a percentage, spot price per gram
Dividing the purity percentage by 100 gives the silver fraction. Multiplying by the weight gives the grams of pure silver, and multiplying that by the spot price per gram gives the metal value.
Worked example
Take a 50 gram sterling silver item at 92.5 percent purity, with a silver spot price of 0.95 dollars per gram.
- Silver fraction: 92.5 / 100 = 0.925
- Pure silver content: 50 x 0.925 = 46.25 grams
- Scrap value: 46.25 x 0.95 = 43.94 dollars (rounded to the cent)
The scrap value is 43.94 dollars, which matches the calculator's default inputs exactly. A buyer typically pays below this to cover refining.
Silver Scrap Value Calculator: frequently asked questions
What purity is sterling silver?
Sterling silver is 92.5 percent silver, stamped 925, with the balance usually copper for strength. Coin silver is often 90 percent, and some items are 80 or 83.5 percent. Enter the purity that matches the hallmark on your item.
How do I find the silver spot price per gram?
Silver is quoted per troy ounce on financial sites throughout each trading day. Divide the per-ounce price by 31.1035 to get the price per gram, then enter that figure. Because silver moves constantly, use a current quote.
Will a dealer pay the full value?
Usually not. The calculator shows the pure-silver metal value. A refiner or dealer pays a percentage of that to cover refining and profit, so expect an offer below the figure shown, especially for small quantities.
Does plated silver have scrap value?
Silver-plated items carry only a thin silver coating over a base metal, so their recoverable silver content is very low and usually not worth refining. This calculator is for solid silver items with a known purity, not plated ones.
How should I weigh mixed items?
Group items by purity before weighing, since the calculation assumes a single purity. Weigh all the sterling together, all the coin silver together, and so on, then run the calculator separately for each purity group.
Official sources
- Coin metal content and precious-metal specifications: US Mint. As at 25 June 2026.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 25 June 2026. See our methodology. This is general information, not financial, tax, legal or investment advice.