How Much Is Sterling Silver Worth Per Gram?

What Is Sterling Silver?

Sterling silver is an alloy of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals — almost always copper. The copper adds hardness and durability that pure silver (which is quite soft) lacks, making it practical for flatware, jewelry, and decorative items that need to withstand daily use.

The international standard "925" hallmark (representing 925 parts per thousand silver) has been used for centuries. In the UK, the Sterling standard dates to the 13th century. Sterling pieces may be stamped with "925", "Sterling", "Ster", or "STG" — all refer to the same 92.5% purity standard.

Because sterling is 92.5% silver, you multiply the fine silver content by 0.925 to get the precious metal value. For example, a 100-gram sterling piece contains 92.5 grams of pure silver — the remaining 7.5 grams of copper have negligible scrap value.

What Dealers Pay for Sterling Silver

Most scrap silver buyers — coin dealers, precious metal refiners, and pawn shops — pay 40–60% of melt value for sterling flatware and jewelry. The discount from melt covers sorting, assaying, shipping to a refiner, and the refiner's processing fee.

Higher payouts (closer to 60–70% of melt) are typically available for:

• Large sorted lots of clean sterling (100+ grams)
• Items with clearly legible 925 hallmarks (reduces need for testing)
• Selling directly to a precious metals refiner rather than a middleman

Silver-plated items (marked EPNS, EP, or Silver Plate) have negligible scrap metal value and most dealers will not purchase them at melt value — the actual silver content is a thin coating worth pennies per piece.