Resale value of 925 silver
How much is your sterling silver jewelry worth when resold?
Sterling silver 925‰ (925 parts pure silver, 75 parts copper) is the international standard for fine jewelry. The '925' or '⋮925⋮' hallmark guarantees this composition under the terms of the International Convention on the Control and Marking of Precious Metals.
Calculating Resale Value: If the silver spot is at CHF 0.944/g and your ring weighs 12g, the spot value is 12 × 0.925 × 0.944 = CHF 10.47. To this, the dealer's margin (8–20%) is applied to get the proposed purchase price.
At a professional Swiss dealer, a lot of 925 silver will typically be bought back at 75–88% of spot (i.e., 12–25% margin). Banks apply higher margins (up to 30%) due to administrative costs.
VAT on purchase but not on resale: When you resell your silver, the transaction is exempt from VAT for the private seller. But beware: if you buy to resell habitually, the tax administration can reclassify it as commercial activity.
To maximize your price: Distinguish 925 and 800 lots before presenting yourself to the buyer — mixing grades forces the melter to downgrade the entire lot. Pre-weighing by grade increases your negotiating power by 5 to 10%.