When purchasing sterling silver holloware on line, it is useful to know the value of the silver in the piece one is purchasing. Reputable sellers always give the buyer the weight of the piece. However, one does have to know and understand what the seller is telling them. Some sellers give the weight in ounces, but neglect to tell the potential buyer that the weight is actually "postal" ounces not Troy ounces. Troy ounces are how precious metals and gemstones are traditionally measured. This is important as there are 16 "postal" (avoirdupois) ounces in a pound and 12 troy ounces in a pound of precious metals.
If a piece is weighed in "postal" ounces, it will actually weigh less than a piece priced in troy ounces. The price per ounce quoted for silver in the marketplace is per troy ounce of pure silver. Thus, there is another factor to consider-sterling silver is not pure silver, but contains other metals to strengthen it. Sterling silver is actually 92 percent silver.
There is a way to estimate how many troy ounces of pure silver are in the holloware piece you are considering to buy. There are roughly 31.1035 grams in a troy ounce vs. 28.3493 grams in an avoirdupois ounce. Thus, if one divides 31.1035 by .92, you get a little under 34 grams of sterling silver which equate to about 1 troy ounce of pure silver.
Mr. Bowen has found several bargains online using this method. For example, Mr. Bowen purchased a Reed & Barton Windsor Bon Bon bowl weighing 130 grams for $47 including postage. At the time, a troy ounce of silver was going for about $16. If we do the math: 130 grams of sterling silver divided by 34 grams per troy ounce of pure silver gives us 3.82 troy ounces of pure silver. 3.82 times $16/ounce equals $61.17. Not a bad deal for $47.
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