What Will a Pawn Shop Give You for Silver?
Updated October 2026. Short answer: a pawn shop pays for silver based on today's spot price, the purity of your piece and its weight. Coins, bars, flatware and jewelry are all worth selling; here is how to estimate yours before you come in.
How much do pawn shops pay for silver, and how much will a pawn shop give you for yours? It comes down to two things: the live market price and your specific piece — its purity and weight. Here's how each works so you can estimate yours.
The Open Market
Like jewelers, pawn shops price silver off the open market, then factor in your piece. Market price moves with current events, exchange-rate shifts, market speculation, and plain supply and demand. See our live gold & silver prices page for the current number.
Fineness (Purity) and Weight
Silver purity uses the millesimal fineness system (a percentage), where gold uses karats. Weight is measured by the ounce. Both drive your payout.
Reading the Hallmarks
Check the sides, insides, and clasps of jewelry — or the bullion piece and its certificate. The hallmark usually reads 800, 925, 958, or 999. The higher the number, the purer the silver (less copper and other metals mixed in). Sterling silver is 925.
Figuring the Weight
Bullion weight is stamped on the piece or its certificate. For jewelry, use a scale accurate to a tenth of a gram — and if the piece has stones or non-silver charms, estimate and subtract their weight to get the silver weight alone.
Ready to sell? See our sell silver page or call (561) 774-9292.
How Much Do Pawn Shops Pay for Silver? How the Offer Is Worked Out
Every silver offer at a pawn shop is built from the same three numbers: how much the piece weighs, how much of that weight is actual silver, and what silver is trading for today. Here is the order a buyer works through them, so you can follow along at the counter.
- Weight. The piece goes on the scale. Silver trades in troy ounces, and one troy ounce is about 31.1 grams, a little heavier than the ounce on a kitchen scale.
- Purity. The stamp (925, 999, 900 and so on) tells the buyer what share of that weight is silver. If there is no stamp, the piece is tested.
- Spot price. The pure silver content is priced against the live market. Silver moves through the day, so an offer is good for that visit; check our live gold and silver prices before you come in.
- The item itself. Recognized bullion is the simplest to price. Jewelry with stones, weighted candlesticks and flatware with steel blades need deductions for the parts that are not silver.
Silver Purity Stamps and What They Mean
Look on the back of flatware handles, inside ring bands, on bracelet clasps and on the base of trays and bowls. These are the marks you are most likely to find:
| Stamp | What it means | Where you usually see it |
|---|---|---|
| 999 or .999 Fine | Fine silver, almost pure | Bars, rounds, American Silver Eagles |
| 9999 | Fine silver | Canadian Silver Maple Leafs |
| 958 | Britannia silver, purer than sterling | Older British pieces |
| 925, Sterling, STER | Sterling silver | Jewelry, flatware, tea sets, trays |
| 900, Coin | Coin silver | U.S. dimes, quarters and half dollars dated 1964 and earlier, older silver dollars |
| 800 | Lower-grade silver | European and older imported flatware |
| EPNS, EP, Silver Plate, Quadruple Plate, A1 | Silver-plated base metal | Hotel flatware, serving pieces, trophies |
| Nickel Silver, German Silver | An alloy with no silver in it | Belt buckles, costume jewelry, cheap flatware |
Plated and nickel silver pieces have little or no melt value no matter how heavy they are. That is the most common surprise at the counter.
How to Tell Plated from Solid Silver Before You Go
- Find the stamp. A maker's name with no purity number, or words like "plate" or "EP", usually means plated.
- Check the worn spots. On plated pieces the silver wears off at edges and high points, showing yellow or copper-colored metal underneath.
- Try a magnet. Silver is not magnetic. If a magnet grabs the piece, it is not solid silver. A piece that does not stick is not proven to be silver, but a strong pull rules it out.
- Read the base of hollowware. Candlesticks and some bowls marked "weighted" or "reinforced" are a thin sterling shell over a filler. Only the shell counts.
- Do not scratch or acid-test at home. You can damage a piece that has collector value. We test silver in front of you at no charge.
Do Pawn Shops Buy Sterling Silver? Flatware, Jewelry, Coins and Bars Compared
Yes, pawn shops buy sterling, and they buy the other forms of silver too. How close each one comes to its melt value depends on how easy it is to confirm and resell.
Silver bars and rounds
Bars and rounds from known refiners are stamped with weight and purity, so they are priced closest to spot. Keep any packaging or assay card; it speeds things up.
Silver coins and Silver Eagles
American Silver Eagles and other bullion coins are priced mainly on their silver content. Older U.S. coins are priced as coin silver unless the date, mint mark or condition makes them worth more to collectors. Do not clean old coins before you bring them in; cleaning can cut collector value. Our we buy coins page explains how coins are reviewed.
Sterling flatware and hollowware
Sterling sets are paid by the weight of the silver. Most sterling knives have hollow handles and steel blades, so only part of a knife counts. Bring the whole set; a full set is weighed in one go.
925 silver rings and jewelry
A 925 ring is usually light, so its melt value is modest. Signed designer pieces can be worth more as jewelry than as scrap; the FAQ below covers how a ring is priced.
Do Pawn Shops Buy Silver at Spot Price?
Spot is the starting point, not the offer. A shop that buys silver has to cover testing, holding the metal while the market moves, and selling or refining it later, so the offer sits below full melt value. Bullion lands closest to spot; scrap sterling and mixed lots sit further from it. If you would rather keep your silver, a pawn loan lets you borrow against it and pick it up when you repay.
Selling or Pawning Silver in Pompano Beach and Broward
DD Pawn Loans is at 2751 W Atlantic Blvd #101, Pompano Beach, FL 33069, on Atlantic Blvd at Powerline Road between I-95 and the Florida Turnpike. People drive in from Margate, Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach and Fort Lauderdale with sterling flatware sets, 925 jewelry, Silver Eagles, old dimes and quarters, and bars. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID, which Florida pawn law requires for every transaction, plus any boxes or papers that came with your pieces. Every piece is tested and weighed in front of you. See sell silver in Pompano Beach for what to expect, or call (561) 774-9292.
Frequently asked questions
How much will a pawn shop give you for silver?
The offer starts from the live spot price of silver, multiplied by the pure silver content of your piece (purity times weight), less the shop's margin. There is no flat amount: a 999 bar is paid close to spot, while a 925 sterling bracelet is paid on its 92.5% silver content. Our live prices page shows today's spot.
Do pawn shops buy silver coins and bullion?
Yes. Silver bars, rounds, American Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs and pre-1965 90% U.S. coins are all bought at DD Pawn Loans. Recognized bullion is priced closest to spot because its weight and purity are stamped.
Is sterling silver worth selling?
Yes. Sterling (925) is 92.5% silver, so flatware sets, trays, candlesticks and jewelry carry real value by weight. Heavier pieces add up quickly.
How can I tell if my silver is real?
Look for a hallmark of 800, 925, 958 or 999. Silver-plated items are usually marked EPNS, EP or "plate" and have almost no silver value. If there is no mark, bring it in — we test silver for free while you wait.
Can I pawn silver instead of selling it?
Yes. A pawn loan lets you borrow against silver coins, bars or jewelry and get them back when you repay, with no credit check.
How much is a 925 silver ring worth at a pawn shop?
A 925 silver ring is priced on its silver weight: the ring is weighed, any stones are taken out of the weight, and the remaining sterling is valued against today's spot price. Most plain rings are light, so the melt value is modest. Signed designer rings can be worth more as jewelry than as scrap, so bring any box or papers.
What do pawn shops pay for silver coins like Silver Eagles?
Bullion coins such as American Silver Eagles are priced on the silver they contain: the buyer confirms the coin, weighs it and checks it against today's spot price. Older U.S. dimes, quarters and half dollars are bought as coin silver unless the date, mint mark or condition gives them collector value, in which case they are reviewed as coins first. Our we buy coins page explains how coins and bullion are reviewed at the counter.
How should I prepare my silver before I go to a pawn shop?
Sort your pieces by stamp before you come in, so sterling, coin silver and plated items are not weighed together. Bring sets complete, leave old coins uncleaned and in their holders, and keep any boxes, assay cards or papers. Check the day's spot price before your visit and ask to see each piece weighed, so you can follow how the offer is figured.
What should I bring to sell silver at a pawn shop?
Bring the silver itself and a valid government-issued photo ID, which Florida pawn law requires for every transaction. Keep bars in their packaging and coins in their holders, and bring the box or papers for any designer piece. At DD Pawn Loans every piece is tested and weighed in front of you before an offer is made.
Do pawn shops take silver?
Yes. Pawn shops take silver either as a sale or as collateral for a pawn loan, and DD Pawn Loans does both. Bars, rounds, bullion coins, older U.S. coin silver, sterling flatware and 925 jewelry are tested and weighed in front of you, and plated or nickel silver is identified before any offer is made. If you want to keep the piece, ask for a pawn loan instead of a sale.
Is sterling silver worth anything at a pawn shop?
Yes. Sterling marked 925, Sterling or STER is valued on its silver weight, after anything that is not silver is taken out, such as steel knife blades, weighted bases or stones. A pawn shop does not buy silver at spot price: spot is the starting point, and the offer sits below it to cover testing, holding and refining. Pieces marked EPNS, EP or silver plate look similar but carry little or no silver value.