Featured Sterling fork, absolutely gorgeous, but melt as scrap?

I imagine that there might be varied thoughts on this.

I have a Gorham Medici Sterling salad fork I've had on a fixed price auction for about a month with no takers. It is just beautiful and was hoping someone could use it for an existing set. I have it listed at $19.99 with $1.95 shipping. Weight is 46.7 grams.

I am not calibrated with what silver melt down rates are, but just had an email that someone could "go as high as $18.50" if I would take that offer. Guessing that he/she must be in the business of melting down. If they needed the fork for a set, why not just pay the extra $1.50. Do you think my guess is correct?

Ironically I'd be happy to sell it for $18.50, but it is such a pretty fork, I hate to think of someone melting it and taking a fork in this pattern out of circulation.

In a perfect world would not be melted as scrap. Does $20.49 (offer + shipping) sound like an offer from someone who plans to melt this 46.7 gram fork? Thanks.

 

Yup. Don't be in a hurry if you want to make money. Finding someone to pay replacement price usually takes time.

 

Good advice. Thank you Terry.

 

Current melt price - $22.83 - http://www.silverrecyclers.com/Calculators/ster_calculator.aspx

 

why not just pay the extra $1.50

OR.....
Why not just drop your price $1.50 to make the sale ! ??

Besides....once you're selling it.....you have no control over what the buyer will do with it....nor should you worry about it !!

 

So what r we talking.....a couple of bucks either way........

U got a buyer.....sell it !!!!

 

Because, on Replacements the price is $79.95.
http://www.replacements.com/webquote/gs_med.htm

 

Current melt price - $22.83 - http://www.silverrecyclers.com/Calculators/ster_calculator.aspx

So maybe buying it at $20.49 means buyer gets a few bucks profit as melt down. That's what is going on.

With the replacements price at $79.99, thinking I should just raise my price and let it sit until someone wants to augment a set.

I also think Terry's point is good. Don't be in a hurry if you want to make money for something like a replacement. Maybe will sell for $35. I'm raising the price.

(True, I have no control over what a buyer does with it, but if they are advertising they are going to melt it, and I would rather not have it melted, I do have control over that by keeping the price above scrap melt.)

If it was dented, chipped, damaged in anyway, I wouldn't give it a 2nd thought. It is in perfect shape. Someone down the line might enjoy augmenting a set. There are only so many of these out there.

Thanks to everyone!

 

I haven't sold any scrap silver recently but I think that calculator shows melt value if you get full price. If you adjust the price using the profit/loss figure, I think the refiner I used last time pays 90% of melt plus you have to ship it there so that would be $20.55 less the cost of shipping I believe.

 

I buy anything like that at about melt value but I don't melt it, it goes into my silver hoard.

My real appearance, sitting on my hoard of gold and silver.



By magic,, I appear in the world of everyday as a droopy old man.

 

I'd hoard that. Don't sell it cheap; it's too nice to melt. If all else fails, someone would make rather nice jewelry out of it. I've seen bracelets made of forks. It's not as good as keeping it intact, but it beats melting one down.

 

Hi,
The old adage sell it or hoard it. I have seen too many fine things melted down, never to be seen again. I had a very old set of sterling sold it a girl who said it was a match to her Grandmothers set and could she please buy it. I sold it to her. A week later I over heard her telling another clerk about the steal she scored last week. Yes it was the same flatware I sold to her for 250 dollars. She scrapped for 400. I got my revenge on her. When I saw her a week or two later I asked about how she was liking her silver. I told her I had a man come into the store a few days ago and was interested in the set. He offered a grand for the set and I would give the guy her number if she was interested in selling it. I never went into the business for just the price. I went into the business for the beauty of old things never just for a quick profit. I have lived too long.
greg

 

well then it all depends on how long you want to sit on a fork....even a nice fork !

 

That would go in my everyday drawer.
Nothing that I use daily matches. Most everything is sterling except a few large casserole spoons.

 

Guessing that he/she must be in the business of melting down.

The key word ......Guessing.....
I've learned not to guess what my buyers are thinking...

 

Only hypothesizing because of the exact amount that was offered. First they offered $17, then $17.50, etc. and it stopped abruptly at what seemed to be the cut off point for making a few bucks if melted down. The BIN was for $19.99. I don't know for sure they were going to melt it, but sure seemed like that's what the plan was.

In general I don't give a second thought to what buyers are going to do with what I sell. Just the question of melting down a beautiful condition sterling Gorham fork that might one day complete someone's set got me thinking about it. Thanks!

 

Yup, melting it would be a shame.....I'd use it to eat with....but then again I have my folks 1950 silver service...& at some 140 or more pieces I can't think of who would buy it ...and not melt it down.....it's nice...but nothing special...& all are marked with an L ..so....

 

There are people who don't care about monograms. Not everyone but many.
When people make a comment about it not being their initial, I say so what. As far as anyone knows, it can be an heirloom handed down by dear Aunt Sally.

These days, it just isn't that important.

 

oh...i thought they sold better without monograms..