What is a cutlery canteen?
A cutlery canteen is a matched set of silver cutlery in a fitted wooden box or cabinet. Standard canteens include 6 or 12 place settings, each comprising table knife, table fork, dessert knife, dessert fork, dessert spoon, soup spoon, and teaspoon — though compositions vary.
How much does a silver canteen weigh?
A typical 6-person (42-piece) sterling canteen weighs 600–1,200g. A 12-person (84-piece) canteen typically weighs 1,200–2,500g. To weigh yours, use digital kitchen scales and weigh all silver pieces together — not the box, cloth, or knife blades (which are usually stainless steel, not silver).
Knife blades: Most silver-handled cutlery knives have stainless or carbon steel blades. The silver handles are silver; the blades are not. Weigh the handles only if you can separate them, or we'll account for this during XRF testing.
Calculating the value
Weight (grams) × spot price per gram × 0.925 (purity) × 0.80 (our rate) = your payout from InstaSilver. Use our live calculator for an exact figure based on today's silver price. A typical 6-person sterling canteen currently pays out £700–£1,400.
Does the pattern matter?
For InstaSilver, the pattern has no impact on the price — we pay purely on metal content. However, complete sets in excellent condition by prestigious makers (Mappin & Webb, Goldsmiths & Silversmiths) may command premiums at auction. If your canteen is pristine and by a named maker, consider a specialist opinion first.