Why is My Sterling Candelabra Worth So Little?

We receive questions from time to time from people who want to know why they can't get more cash for their sterling candelabra and single candlesticks. After all, it is sterling!

One answer may be that the piece really does not have all that much sterling as a percentage of total composition. Many pieces like this are mostly a cement compound with a thin covering of sterling. The piece might also contain lead, wax, sand or some other supporting material. The sterling covering could be very thin. There may be so little sterling overall that it's not worth even selling it for scrap.

I'm not saying this is the case for all pieces like this but it is true for many. If I was buying such a piece, I would be very conservative with my offer price because I would not know how much sterling is actually in the piece.

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