Resale value of 925 silver
How much is your sterling silver jewelry worth when resold?
At a glanceSterling 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%.