If you’ve noticed fewer antique silver pieces landing on our website lately, you’re not imagining things. This week alone, I’ve passed on a lot of beautiful antique silver, pieces I would normally snap up without hesitation. And honestly? That hasn’t been easy.
We’re currently seeing all time high silver melt prices. In plain terms: the raw value of silver has skyrocketed. That’s great news for silver dealers… but it’s creating a very different landscape for antique retail sellers like us.
Right now, silver dealers are updating prices daily. Sometimes even more often than that. And while that works in fast moving physical markets, it’s incredibly hard to keep pace when you run online platforms (website + Etsy + Vinterior) where pricing, margins, and timing need to make sense long term, not just in the moment.
925 Silver - 26th January 2025 it was approx £1.60 per gram, 26th January 2026 it was £2.15 per gram
Antique Silver vs Melt Value
Here’s the tension we’re sitting with:
Antique silver isn’t just metal. It’s craftsmanship, design history, cultural memory, and soul.
But when melt prices rise this high, the market starts to blur. Some pieces are priced closer to their melt value than their true antique value, which makes buying risky, especially when:
- We already have unsold antique silver stock
- Left in dilemmas to raise or maintain retail of current silver stock
- Our silver products can take time to find the right forever home
- Holding stock ties up capital in a volatile market
- Selling too low encourages purchasers to buy just to get the antique melted
- Lots of amazing historical pieces are being sent to melt just because more money is being being offered much quicker.
As much as there are still amazing antique silver pieces available, I can’t responsibly buy more just to let them sit and wait, hoping the timing works out.
On the other hand there is a great opportunity of trading scrap silver and making some quick cash on the damages, broken and undesirables pieces that sellers can accumulate. So it's a good time to take advantage of that.
A Conscious Buying Shift In Antique Silver
For now, we’re moving to a “1 out, 1 in” approach on antique silver across our website and Etsy.
That means:
✔️ When one silver piece sells, we’ll replace it
✔️ Thoughtful, curated additions, not overstocking
✔️ Protecting the sustainability of The Urban Vintage Affair
This isn’t about scarcity for the sake of it. It’s about intentional curating, something I know many of you, modern creatives, design lovers, and history curious souls truly value.
Why This Still Matters (Especially If You’re New to Antiques)
If you’re experimenting with antiques for the first time, silver can feel intimidating, prices, terminology, weight, hallmarks. But here’s the thing, antique silver has always been an investment in both beauty and value. Yes, the market fluctuates. Yes, silver prices rise and fall. But the silver we stand behind, Tell a story, Fit into modern living, Are functional bridging past and present effortlessly.
I truly believe modern vintage and antique lovers are uniquely positioned to appreciate that nuance, not just buying silver objects, but understanding why they matter now.
Thank you for supporting slow buying, thoughtful curation, and a business that values integrity over impulse. Silver will always be part of our brand, just in a more intentional, measured way for the time being.
As always, we’re here for the long game. Be inspired and browse our Silver Collection 🖤