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 Replies: 14 / Views: 669 |
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Moderator
 United States
16677 Posts |
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10472 Posts |
If it's solid .925 then that's quite the buy!  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
24878 Posts |
Fantastic score, vermontensium! After removing the resin in the base, these should yield in the neighborhood of an ounce of silver each.
Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6988 Posts |
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After removing the resin in the base, I'm wondering is that what's inferred by the "weighted" stamp ? |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10472 Posts |
Oh, so maybe not much sterling after all: " Weighted silver pieces are made by wrapping a paper thin layer of sterling silver around a shaped core of wax, resin, plaster, lead or other metal. Silver is fairly light, so the heavier material weighs the piece down and provides stability. If a piece has a weighted base there's something other than silver filling the area around the candle cup too. Silver is very pliable, so the filling helps the candle cup and the base maintain their shape." But gotta be more than $3 apiece!  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
24878 Posts |
I've scrapped many of these. The silver is heavier than you think. I dug into one of my scrap boxes and pulled out the pieces of a similar candlestick. It's not identical to nickelsearcher's but it gives you an idea of the ballpark figure: 21.78 g. That's 20.15 g ASW, or 0.648 troy ounces. A very nice score for $3!  Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10472 Posts |
Quote:
It's not identical to nickelsearcher's but it gives you an idea of the ballpark figure: 21.78 g. That's 20.15 g ASW, or 0.648 troy ounces. A very nice score for $3! Excellent! |
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Moderator
 United States
16677 Posts |
Thanks guys! What part does not have a silver core, the bases? Thanks for informing me about "weighted". I have another small bowl that is .925 sterling, not weighted. It weighs 21 grams. APMEX has a .925 calculator I use. Very helpful. swcoin.ecrater.com
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
73579 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
8724 Posts |
Very cool find, vermontensium! I used to work the Goodwills in our area, we have about 7 in a 20 mile radius. I bought a small broken chandelier once for 4.99 that I melted down for about 6 ounces of .925 silver. The best was a flute for 19.99 that I sold for 250 that was .925 silver. It's out there but much less common now, more seekers.  I have also found what looked like concrete in the candle bases along with sand in others for the weight, the resin is the most common thing used though from what I have seen. Keep up the hunt! -makecents-
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10472 Posts |
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I bought a small broken chandelier once for 4.99 that I melted down for about 6 ounces of .925 silver. That sounds like a fun project - how'd you melt the silver cause Sterling doesn't melt till around 1650 degrees F. I've melted lead to make sinkers before but nothing with that high of temperatures. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8724 Posts |
I used some small crucibles, a graphite stick and a butane propane torch. Used the graphite stick to pull as many of the impurities out as possible. I have a small furnace but have not even broken it out of the box yet, too many other projects going on right now.
-makecents-
Edited by -makecents-
02/12/2026 01:16 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19110 Posts |
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Moderator
United States
187475 Posts |
Excellent! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2335 Posts |
I've scrapped a bunch of similar items. The sugar bowls with 2 handles should be right around an ozt. The candlesticks can really vary. I've had ones that size that weighed as much as 1.4 ozt (Gorham) and others that just weighed .3 ozt (Duchin).
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Replies: 14 / Views: 669 |
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Posted 02/10/2026 6:20 pm
