What is Nickel Silver?
Hi, I am wondering whether there is any value in recycling flatware that’s marked nickel silver, Panama silver, Brazil silver, Yukon silver, or Alaska silver? From Brandon in Wichita, Kansas
Hi Brandon,
Thanks for your question.. Nickel silver is named for its silvery appearance, but ironically it actually contains no elemental silver.
Nickel silver is different from plated silver in that nickel silver is not plated with silver and does not contain any real silver at all. Plated silver is metal that is actually covered in a very thin layer of silver. EP and EPNS are other markings that indicate plated silver.
Given that nickel silver has no actual silver content, it is not worth anything to precious metal refiners. Unfortunately, there is nothing of value to extract. With that being said, your pieces still might be worth something if you try to sell them on eBay or to a scrap metal dealer. Good luck!
If you have questions about silver war nickels visit our blog post “Silver Recovery from War Nickels”
Or visit our website for silver items that are valuable for their silver content on our Silver Refining webpage.
Tags: nickel silver, Silver, silver tableware
March 23rd, 2011 at 4:40 pm
The flatware that I have is by Eldan, and is labeled “Silver Nickel” not nickel silver. You said there was NO silver in nickel silver. Is there a difference? This tarnishes and polishes up the same as silver and silverplate.
Thank you, from Birmingham, Alabama.
April 28th, 2011 at 10:33 pm
a lot of silverplated will sell as “clean brass” seeing how as that is usually what is underneath,ask your recycler, but mines buys it as clean brass, about 1.95 a pound
June 11th, 2011 at 11:05 am
I have some solid brazil silverware and would like to know the value of it. I have 6 knives, bread knife and spoon, 6 spoons and 6 forks.
Thank you kindly,
Pam
June 12th, 2011 at 9:42 am
Hi Pam,
In our experience what some people call “solid brazil silverware” is actually another name for nickel silver. Nickel silver ironically contains no silver at all. If that is the case, your pieces actually do not contain any real silver and have no silver value. They may however, be valuable based on other criteria such as rareness, collectability or age. Here is a post about nickel silver that may help, http://www.precious-metal-refining.info/what-is-nickel-silver/.
March 7th, 2012 at 1:11 am
i wannt to know the value of the following items
gilson A epns 3dwtsa per doz, nickel silver wears/white,arthur krupp 1810 spoon italy gilson a epns 2dwtsa per doz gilson A 6 dwtsa per doz emiates spoon 0(small smybol
August 23rd, 2012 at 8:30 am
I have some silver teaspoons, Marked as follows:Federal Solid Nickel Silver,L Barth and Sons,Inc Nickel Silver,Bass & Bass New York,Simpson Nickel Silver,A.L. Cahn & Sons New york,W Nickel Silver 18 any value in these
August 24th, 2012 at 9:46 am
Greetings @Rose,
Nickel silver is named after it’s appearance, but not content. Unfortunately there is no elemental silver in these items if they are, in fact, nickel silver. Here is some more info about nickel silver http://www.precious-metal-refining.info/what-is-nickel-silver/. That being said, these pieces could still fetch considerable value on eBay or to a collector. Good luck!
August 29th, 2012 at 11:05 am
all of these items can be worth whatever anyone will pay or take it to the junk yard for scrap , you may be surprised at what you can get for 20 pounds of junk brass or copper
February 21st, 2013 at 6:38 pm
I have 20oz of dental material (tooth filling) that look like silver or nickel from a retired dentists office? The small round pellets are marked “W” on top and “LC” on bottom and the square pellets are marked “NC”! They do not stick to magnet so it has to be an alloy but what is it and is it worth anything to refiners? – Sarge