Silver vs Platinum: Metals Other Than Gold You Can Pawn

People’s love of all things silver has a long history, making it a natural precious metal to exchange for cash (or hold onto, as the case may be). Like gold, it isn’t just beautiful but also has a solid reputation in monetary markets, which is part of its allure for pawners.This under appreciated precious metal is used in so many ways that it might be lurking in your home somewhere without your knowledge. It’s a popular feature of lots of things other than jewelry. It can be found on the toes of boots and in electronics, batteries, car parts, and decorative knick-knacks. It’s also been used to make pretty much every type of utensil found in kitchens and dining rooms everywhere. Silver has a timeless beauty that sells, which is why so many people adorn themselves with it in all of its forms. But just like other precious metals, your metal item’s dollar value could be based on a few different factors:

• Purity. What variety of silver is the item you want to sell? For example, sterling silver is made up of 92.5 percent silver, making it one of the more valuable, in-demand types of silver there is.
• Weight. The amount of silver in an item is also determined by its weight, thus bringing people more dollars for heavier items.
• Market demand. How much the shop believes it can make on a given day is yet another consideration.
• It's uniqueness. A one-of-a-kind necklace might be easier to sell than something more generic.
• Other variables. Social, political and economic factors can all impact consumers’ willingness to buy a given item, impacting how much money you may get for it.

It’s less likely that you have a jewelry box full of platinum goods – but pawn shops are still interested in this highly valuable precious metal. Because it is less malleable than metals like silver and gold, craft jewelers don’t tend to use it as much. So while it’s more of a niche market compared to silver, its rarity adds to its appeal. But again, what a given pawn shop might give you for your platinum piece of jewelry – or how much it will provide in collateral – depends both on its value and how much the broker wants it.

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