Scrap silver

[Patstone]

Do any of you sell your scrap silver. I have loads of offcuts and have tried to melt to make into something else. I dont think my torch is hot enough, so I went and bought a plumbers hand held with cannister which is a lot bigger and will melt, but not enough to make anything substantial. I suppose I probably have about a jam jar full of scrap bits with a couple of lumps that I have tried to melt unsuccessfully to make a bangle as suggested the last time I asked. There is a company called Birmingham Silver Co. that I wondered if they would take it from me but not sure if they take little bits, like offcuts. I try to use my little bits to make the back of tube settings etc, and have made quite a few balls, but there is a limit as to how many balls you can have. I work from my spare bedroom so cant really do anything too "risky".

[Goldsmith]

Have you checked out Cookson's scrap service; http://www.cooksongold.com/new-deals/scrap-service ,I have never used it so cannot comment, the only trouble you might find is the cost of assay on small amounts, set against what it's worth.

[Stacey]

There is a voucher for £10 off the assay cost ... but I have no idea what the full amount is for assay.

[Nick martin]

Do any of you sell your scrap silver. I have loads of offcuts and have tried to melt to make into something else. I dont think my torch is hot enough, so I went and bought a plumbers hand held with cannister which is a lot bigger and will melt, but not enough to make anything substantial. I suppose I probably have about a jam jar full of scrap bits with a couple of lumps that I have tried to melt unsuccessfully to make a bangle as suggested the last time I asked. There is a company called Birmingham Silver Co. that I wondered if they would take it from me but not sure if they take little bits, like offcuts. I try to use my little bits to make the back of tube settings etc, and have made quite a few balls, but there is a limit as to how many balls you can have. I work from my spare bedroom so cant really do anything too "risky".

As James says, Cooksons offer this service and I've personally used them several times in the past.

Your jam-jar ammount could be worth a couple of hundred pounds so well worth sending off. Theres a link on their site for a Freepost label that you print off and attach to the package.

From time to time I send off my lemell, off-cuts, botched bits, and the last time I large amount of industrial 22k gold that I didnt realise the value of until Cooksons informed me!

Great service and quick too.

Nick

[Patstone]

My scrap pot is all offcuts and like you said botched bits etc, I have now sifted through the bits and taken out quite a bit of silver that I can make backs for my bezels etc and it isnt a jam jar full now, more like half a jar. All I want is for them to take it off me and give me some money so I can buy more silver etc. Does the scrap pot have to be assayed. All the silver in it is originally from Cooksons. All I really want to know is, is it worth me carrying it up to London to save postage etc or do i still have to pay out a large amount before they give me money for it. Dont want to lug it around then find I have to lug it back home again. Is there a minimum charge or minimum amount they will take back for cash.

[Dennis]

Hi Pat, the fixed assay charge before anyone will buy it is set at about £45. So you need about 750g to make it worth handing in. The more you have the less you waste on assay. Dennis.

[enigma]

Ive used Cooksons for both scrap silver and gold, I just post it in as Im in France.
Silver isn't that high a scrap price but still worth sending if you have a couple of hundred grammes or more.
It doesn't have to be hallmarked and can be anything including bench lemel etc.
They have info about it here:
http://www.cooksongold.com/scrapgold/

[mizgeorge]

Or you could just take it to Hatton Garden Metals (for example)

[josef1]

You could maybe use it to cast some designs in delph clay for example will save you the cost of scrapping it.