Canteens of cutlery, teapots, inherited trays: silverware often sits forgotten in cupboards. Some of it has real buyback value… and some doesn’t. It all comes down to one criterion: solid or merely plated. Here’s how to tell the difference.
Solid silver or silver-plated: THE key point
This is the distinction that changes everything for silverware:
- Solid silver silverware: the metal is a silver alloy (often 800 or 925). It bears a purity hallmark and has a buyback value based on the weight of fine silver.
- Silver-plated (métal argenté): a base of common metal (a nickel-silver–type alloy) coated with a layer of silver. Very common for quality canteens (including well-known brands), it has no buyback value based on the weight of precious metal.
Many beautiful branded canteens are silver-plated (métal argenté): the build quality is real, but the metal value is nil. See solid vs. plated silver.
Recognizing solid silverware
- The hallmark: look for the Minerve head (French 925/950 hallmark) or the crab hallmark (800) on the back of flatware, under the handles, or under the base of hollowware. A “silver-plated” (métal argenté) mention or a simple maker’s mark with no purity hallmark = plated. Details in solid silver hallmarks.
- Wear: on worn silver-plate, the silver layer flakes off and reveals a yellow/gray metal underneath.
- Knife handles: often filled (with resin or plaster) even in solid pieces — their weight is not all silver.
How solid silverware is appraised
The value follows the same logic as jewelry: weight of fine silver × current price, minus a margin. Points to watch:
- the non-silver parts (steel knife blades, filled handles) are removed from the calculation;
- the purity (800 vs 925) changes the amount of fine silver;
- condition does not factor into the metal buyback.
The detailed calculation is in buying back silver jewelry.
Selling your silverware
Group everything together (complete canteen, hollowware, jewelry): it’s all valued by weight of fine silver, at the same current price. A preliminary free estimate saves you an unnecessary trip and gives you a reliable ballpark figure. The process is the same as for selling silver jewelry or bars.
⚠️ Certain antique or signed pieces of silverware have an antique value higher than their metal value alone: have them appraised before selling them by weight.
In summary
- Solid (Minerve/crab hallmark) = buyback value; silver-plated (métal argenté) = no metal value.
- Many beautiful branded canteens are silver-plated.
- Buyback = weight of fine silver × price, with non-silver parts deducted.
- Have antique or signed pieces appraised (possible antique value).
To appraise your silverware, request a free estimate, with no obligation.
This article is informational and does not constitute investment advice.