Silver Melt Calculator
Calculate the melt value of your silver based on current spot price, weight, and purity. This calculator shows what your silver jewelry, coins, or bullion would be worth if melted down.
Silver Melt Value
Value Comparison
Silver Information
Purity: N/A
Silver Content: 0 oz
Market Status: N/A
Tip: Melt value is the baseline price
Understanding Silver Melt Value
Silver melt value represents what your silver would be worth if melted down and sold as bullion. This is the baseline value that jewelers and dealers use as a starting point for determining what they'll pay for your silver items.
Silver Purity Standards
| Standard | Purity | Common Uses | Value Multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Silver | 99.9% | Bullion, investment | 1.000 |
| Sterling Silver | 92.5% | Jewelry, flatware | 0.925 |
| Coin Silver | 90% | Pre-1965 coins | 0.900 |
| Mexican Silver | 80% | Mexican jewelry | 0.800 |
How Melt Value is Calculated
The calculation involves several steps:
- Convert weight to troy ounces (silver standard)
- Multiply by purity percentage to get pure silver weight
- Multiply by spot price to get pure silver value
- Apply dealer spread to get actual buy price
Weight Conversions
- 1 Troy Ounce = 31.1035 Grams
- 1 Gram = 0.03215 Troy Ounces
- 1 Kilogram = 32.1507 Troy Ounces
- 1 Pound = 14.5833 Troy Ounces
- Silver is weighed in Troy ounces, not Avoirdupois ounces
Dealer Spread
The dealer spread accounts for the costs and profit margin dealers need to cover when buying silver from the public.
- Typical Spread: 8-15% below spot price
- Higher than Gold: Due to lower profit margins
- Refining Costs: 2-4% of value for processing
- Profit Margin: 4-8% for dealer profit
Silver Spot Price
The silver spot price fluctuates based on industrial demand, investment demand, and economic conditions.
- Trading Hours: 24/5 (Sunday evening to Friday afternoon)
- Major Influences: Industrial demand, USD strength, gold prices
- Historical Range: $4-$50+ per ounce
- Current Price: Check financial news for latest spot price
- Volatility: More volatile than gold due to industrial factors
Silver vs. Gold
Silver and gold have different market dynamics and investment characteristics.
- Gold: Primarily store of value, ~90% investment demand
- Silver: Dual purpose, ~50% industrial, ~50% investment
- Price Ratio: Historically ~60:1 (silver:gold)
- Volatility: Silver 2-3x more volatile than gold
- Industrial Use: Electronics, solar, medical, automotive
Factors Affecting Silver Value
- Purity: Higher purity = higher percentage of pure silver
- Weight: More silver = higher value
- Spot Price: Current market price per ounce
- Dealer Spread: Percentage below spot that dealers pay
- Condition: Well-maintained items may have additional value
- Market Demand: Both investment and industrial demand
Common Silver Items
- Jewelry: Rings, necklaces, bracelets (sterling silver)
- Coins: Pre-1965 dimes, quarters, half-dollars
- Flatware: Silverware sets and serving pieces
- Bullion: Bars, rounds, and investment coins
- Electronics: Circuit boards and connectors
- Medical: Surgical instruments and equipment
Tip: Silver melt value is the baseline price for silver items. Actual selling prices may be higher for coins with numismatic value or lower due to dealer spreads. Silver's dual industrial/investment nature makes it more volatile than gold but also gives it unique growth potential.