Answers to Your Questions about Silver Tarnish

Recycle Precious MetalsRecycle Refine Silver
Written By Barry Lenson

You inherited a big box of silver tableware a few years ago. You stuck it on a shelf for the last two years and then, when you pulled it out last week and looked at it, you discovered it had tarnished.

Ouch! That beautiful, shiny old silver was gray and oxidized-looking – ugly! But at the same time you were looking at it and feeling disappointed, a number of questions began to race through your mind. Let’s consider what those questions might have been and answer them.

Are tarnished silver and silver scrap now worthless?

No, they aren’t. If you polish them up using any of a number of popular, inexpensive silver polishes, they can be made to shine as beautifully as they did once upon a time. And the value will not have fallen.

Has tarnished silver lost any of the silver it once contained?

That is a very interesting question. Tarshish is another word for oxidation. In other words when silver tarnishes, oxygen combines chemically with the topmost surface of silver that is exposed to the air. And in truth when you polish away some of that tarnish, you really are removing – and losing – a small amount of silver. But the quantity of silver you lose is so small that it will not materially affect the weight of your silver items, or their value.

Are some kinds of silver polish better than others?

Because you do not want to scrub away any of the silver that is contained in the items you will polish, you want to use a kind of silver polish that is non-abrasive. In other words, look for a silver polish that does not contain grit, sand, or similar abrasives. Look for a popular brand of polish, take it home, and when you open the container, pinch a small quantity of the polish between your thumb and the side of your index finger. Then use circular motions to rub the polish, feeling for the presence of sand or abrasives. If the polish feels smooth and free of grit, it will not damage your silver.

How can I prevent my silver from tarnishing again?

For reasons you have probably discovered as you have read up to this point in today’s post, you don’t want to polish your valuable silver tableware over and over again. You want to polish it only once, and then do something to keep it from tarnishing again. The solution is to store your silver in a bag or sack that is made of a fabric that is impregnated with anti-tarnish chemicals. If you search online for “anti-tarnish silver storage,” you will find a number of products. Some are large bags that can hold a number of knives, forks, and spoons. Others are small sleeve-like storage bags that can hold only a few pieces of flatware at a time. You will also find storage boxes that can hold a large quantity of silver flatware while protecting it from “going gray and chalky” with tarnish.

It is a good idea to store your silver holdings in one of these anti-tarnish silver protectors.

Do both solid silver and silverplated items tarnish?

Yes, they do. If any piece of tableware – whether solid sterling or plated with silver – is exposed to the air, it will tarnish. And the advice we have included in today’s post applies equally to both.

When will it be a good time to recycle my silver and silverplate?

Let’s face the fact that silver is not trading at high prices today. But that doesn’t mean that you should forget about buying silver and silver scrap and focus only on more valuable precious metals like gold and platinum.

If you can acquire large quantities of silverware – and in today’s market, you can – precious silver and silver scrap still belong on your list of desirable investments.

Do you have some? If you do, call our precious metals refinery today at 800-426-2344. If there is a silver lining in your investments today, that lining is certainly made of  . . . silver.

Barry Lenson
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