Tumbled Coin Silver Spoon...

[Staunton Dan]

Here are before and after pictures of a coin silver spoon that I found last week. I tumbled it and then I buffed it with fine steel wool. Looks a lot better now if you ask me. Also, with silver at over $40 an ounce, this spoon is worth nearly $20 in scrap value alone. You never know what you are going to find while bottle digging.

 

[myersdiggers1998]

what a difference ,i try to keep all silverware too.[]

 

[Staunton Dan]

Most silverware that you find is just silver plated brass and not solid silver like this spoon is - well, it's actually 90% solid silver and weighs nearly 1/2 ounce, hence the nearly $20 scrap value. However with the price of copper at over $4.00 a pound (brass is copper and tin) even plated silverware has value these days.

 

[cowseatmaize]

You sound like the one to ask Dan. I have some flatware and it's marked A1. If I gouge it it's soft and a deep scratch shows nothing but silver. Do you know if A1 is coin, I saved just because I suspected it was 80-90% but was never sure.

 

[CALDIGR2]

There are 1850s and '60s coin silver spoons in our silverware drawer that are used often and go through the dishwasher with the modern plated and stainless. The stuff shines like a new dime and is virtually indestructible.

 

[Staunton Dan]

ORIGINAL: cowseatmaize

You sound like the one to ask Dan. I have some flatware and it's marked A1. If I gouge it it's soft and a deep scratch shows nothing but silver. Do you know if A1 is coin, I saved just because I suspected it was 80-90% but was never sure. 

Eric, coin silver is what it implies. Tableware that is made of coin silver is 90% pure silver just like silver coins. Many, most or all (I'm not sure) of coin silver tableware was made by melting coins of the day hence it's name. These items are usually very thin unlike the larger, heavier silver plated items. You may also find tableware that is marked sterling which is 92-1/2 % or .925 pure silver. A1 in an English mark that appears on silver plated items. So your A1 tableware is plated not solid silver. Again, with copper being over $4.00 a pound they are still worth a bit. They are also functional and may have a collector value. Hope this helps.

 

[TJSJHART]

i salvage a lot of copper wire #2 it's going for $1.00 a pound yellow brass is .90 cents a lb. and aluminum cans .75 cents an lb. the prices changes regularly

 

[cowseatmaize]

.75 cents an lb.

I live in a bottle bill state. 5 cents a can is worth more.

 

[cyberdigger]

Hey Dan.. is that one of those little mini spoons? Like the souvenir ones?

 

[Staunton Dan]

ORIGINAL: cyberdigger

Hey Dan.. is that one of those little mini spoons? Like the souvenir ones?

No, it is 4-1/2" long and was utilitarian from the Colonial period on. It's quite old and for me a great find.