Silver Calculator: Melt Value & Scrap Silver Worth
Calculate your silver's melt value instantly by weight, purity, and live spot price. Works for sterling flatware, scrap jewelry, junk silver coins, and bullion.
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Data Methodology
Where does this price data come from?
Silver spot prices are sourced from Metals.Dev, a professional metals data provider, with automatic fallback to gold-api.com for redundancy. Prices are updated in real-time during market hours, ensuring you always see the latest data. All prices reflect the latest available mid-market spot rate.
How is the silver spot price determined?
The silver spot price is derived from the most actively traded futures contracts on COMEX (CME Group) and the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA). The spot price represents the current market price for immediate delivery, calculated from near-month futures contracts adjusted for carry costs. During off-hours, prices reflect OTC (over-the-counter) trading across global markets, providing continuous 24-hour price discovery.
When are precious metals markets open?
COMEX futures trade Sunday through Friday, 6:00 PM to 5:00 PM ET (23 hours per day with a 1-hour break). The London Bullion Market (LBMA) operates Monday to Friday with two daily fixings: AM fix at 10:30 AM London time and PM fix at 3:00 PM London time. Outside of formal exchange hours, precious metals continue to trade on OTC markets globally, meaning prices can move 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. Our data reflects these continuous market movements.
How to Calculate Silver Value
The melt value formula is straightforward: Weight (in grams) x Purity (fineness) x Spot Price Per Gram = Melt Value. Each variable matters.
A silver calculator automates this formula using live spot prices, giving you an instant valuation at current market rates. Estate buyers valuing flatware sets, coin dealers pricing junk silver, and individuals selling inherited sterling all start with the melt value as the baseline. Silver calculators also handle unit conversions between grams, troy ounces, and standard ounces. These units are frequently confused and lead to costly miscalculations if converted incorrectly.
One troy ounce equals 31.1035 grams (not 28.35 grams like a standard avoirdupois ounce). Professional dealers work in troy ounces, while most household scales measure in standard grams or ounces. Accurate conversion is critical for a fair valuation.
A silver calculator automates this formula using live spot prices, giving you an instant valuation at current market rates. Estate buyers valuing flatware sets, coin dealers pricing junk silver, and individuals selling inherited sterling all start with the melt value as the baseline. Silver calculators also handle unit conversions between grams, troy ounces, and standard ounces. These units are frequently confused and lead to costly miscalculations if converted incorrectly.
One troy ounce equals 31.1035 grams (not 28.35 grams like a standard avoirdupois ounce). Professional dealers work in troy ounces, while most household scales measure in standard grams or ounces. Accurate conversion is critical for a fair valuation.
Understanding Silver Purity Marks
Silver purity is expressed as fineness, the parts of pure silver per 1,000. Jewelry, flatware, and coins carry stamps or hallmarks indicating their purity, though marks on older or counterfeit pieces are occasionally inaccurate. Unmarked items should be acid-tested or XRF-tested before selling.
Scrap Silver and Junk Silver Prices
Scrap silver (damaged flatware, single earrings, broken chains, mismatched pieces) is worth its melt value minus refining costs. Junk silver coins trade closer to melt because they need no assay: their silver content is standardized by the US Mint.
Dealer payouts: Dealers and pawn shops typically pay 70-90% of melt value for scrap sterling. Dedicated refiners and online buyers often pay more than local shops
Junk silver: $1.00 face value of pre-1965 US coins contains approximately 0.715 troy ounces of pure silver and usually sells at a small premium or discount to melt
Weighted items: Candlesticks and trophy bases are often weighted with cement or pitch. Only the silver shell counts, which can be a small fraction of the total weight
Get multiple quotes: Prices vary significantly between buyers. Collect at least 3 offers before selling
Know your melt value first: Calculate it yourself before visiting any buyer so you can negotiate from an informed position
Silverplate is not scrap silver: Most buyers will not purchase plated items because recovering the thin silver layer costs more than it is worth
Using Our Calculator
MetalCharts provides a free Melt Value Calculator using real-time spot prices. Enter the weight and purity of your silver, and the calculator instantly shows the current melt value in your selected currency. The calculator supports common purities (sterling 925, coin silver 900, and fine 999), multiple weight units (grams, troy ounces), and all major currencies. It also calculates melt values for gold, platinum, and palladium. Visit our Melt Calculator for an instant, accurate valuation based on today's live spot price. No signup or payment required.
Published by MetalCharts, a free precious metals resource providing real-time prices, interactive charts, educational guides, and portfolio management tools. All market data sourced from COMEX, LBMA, and LME.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate the value of my silver?
Weigh your silver in grams, determine its purity (check for stamps like 925, 900, or 800), then multiply: Weight (grams) x Fineness x Spot Price Per Gram. For example, a 100-gram sterling bracelet when silver is at $1.10/gram: 100 x 0.925 x $1.10 = $101.75 melt value. Use our free Melt Calculator at /melt for instant calculations with live prices.
How much is sterling silver worth per gram?
Sterling silver is 92.5% pure, so multiply the pure silver spot price per gram by 0.925. If pure silver is $1.10 per gram, sterling is worth approximately $1.02 per gram in melt value. Actual payouts when selling scrap sterling are typically 70-90% of melt value after dealer margins and refining costs.
How much silver is in pre-1965 US coins?
US dimes, quarters, and half dollars minted in 1964 and earlier are 90% silver. Every $1.00 of face value contains approximately 0.715 troy ounces of pure silver (accounting for circulation wear). A pre-1965 quarter holds about 0.1808 troy ounces, and a dime about 0.0723 troy ounces. Multiply by the current spot price to get the melt value.
Is silverplate worth anything?
Generally no. Silverplated items (marked EPNS, IS, EP, or 'plate') carry only a microscopically thin silver layer over copper, brass, or nickel. The recoverable silver is usually worth less than the cost of refining it, so scrap buyers decline plated items. Some silverplate has value as antiques or for replacement-piece markets, but not as bullion.
What do scrap silver dealers pay?
Most scrap silver dealers pay between 70% and 90% of the current melt value. Pawn shops offer the lowest prices, while dedicated refiners and online buyers offer better rates, especially for larger lots. Junk silver coins typically command higher percentages than scrap sterling because they need no testing. Calculate your melt value first, then collect several quotes.