How to Tell If You Have Rare Vintage Collectible Spoons

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Plus, where to buy, sell, and collect souvenir and antique spoons

Co-authored by Reyne Hirsch and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: September 2, 2026 Fact Checked

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Identifying Valuable Spoons

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What makes a spoon valuable?

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What are they worth?

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Most Valuable Spoons

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Where to Buy & Sell

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Background

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Don’t be so fast to donate your grandmother’s silver flatware that’s been sitting in the attic for years—there might just be something valuable in there. While most antique collectible or souvenir spoons aren’t worth more than $50, some individual spoons or full sets can go for several hundred dollars, or even thousands. We’re here to share how to tell if your spoon is valuable and estimate how much it may be worth, with insight from an expert antiques appraiser.. We’ll also show you some of the most valuable spoons even sold and recommend places to buy and sell collectible spoons yourself, too.

Rare Souvenir Spoons & Values

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An illustration of some of the most rare and valuable collectible spoons that have been auctioned.

Rare, valuable sterling silver souvenir and antique spoons are handmade, have a maker’s mark, are over 100 years old, and have a rare pattern. Most are worth up to $60, but some can cost thousands of dollars based on their age, rarity, condition, and design. The most valuable ever auctioned sold in 2021 for $32,500.

Section 1 of 6:

Signs a Collectable Spoon Is Rare or Valuable

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It appears handmade. If it looks like your spoon wasn’t mass produced, it may be worth something since there probably aren’t thousands of identical copies floating around. It also indicates that it may be over 100 years old, which makes it a true antique (and more valuable on the market). Look for signs that someone handcrafted the spoon, like:^{[1]
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- A lack of uniformity (it may be slightly asymmetrical or not perfectly uniform in its design).
- Tool marks, like faint scratches or dings from engraving tools, which might be visible under a magnifying glass.
- Unique, hand-sculpted details, like the particular figure featured on the handle or the symbols in the design.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Reyne Hirsch is an antiques expert and appraiser with over 25 years of experience specializing in in 20th century decorative arts, wristwatches, fine art and cars, luxury goods, and jewelry.
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There is a silversmith’s mark. “Usually, if you flip it over, you’ll see a hallmark or maker’s mark on the back, kind of like an iron-on label for a t-shirt,” explains antiques expert and appraiser Reyne Hirsch. “It'll usually include the manufacturer's name, and sometimes, if you're lucky, the pattern name.”^{[2]
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Expert Source

Reyne Hirsch
Antiques Expert and Appraiser

Expert Interview} A maker’s mark is also a sign that the item was handmade.
- If there’s a mark, it’ll usually be on the back of the handle.
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It has a rare or unique pattern or design. Some spoon designs are rare because only a few of them were ever made, while others might be rare because so many spoons with that design have been lost over the years.^{[3]
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Research source} To check if your pattern is valuable, use any maker’s marks or dates on the spoon to identify the manufacturer and research patterns they might’ve made.
- Or, compare your spoon to images in an identification guide, like the one available on SilverPatterns.org.
- Hirsch also recommends “a fantastic tool on your phone called Google Lens. Just open it, take a photo of the item, and in seconds, it’ll pull up matches from across the internet, often showing the maker, pattern name, and even the production dates.”^{[4]
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- Some of the rarest silver spoon patterns include Bird on Nest (Whiting), Raphael (Alvin), Japanese (Tiffany & Co.), and Chrysanthemum (Durgin).
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It’s a uniquely shaped vintage serving spoon. Serving spoons are unique utensils and don’t come with standard flatware sets, meaning there are fewer of them to collect. The Victorian Era is especially known for producing serving spoons for every food or dish imaginable, so there are a wide variety of shapes you might encounter. Some rare serving spoons include:^{[5]
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- Bonboniere spoons: A large spoon with a round, pierced bowl meant for scooping bon bons.
- Pea spoons: A spoon with a round bowl and scallops around the edge to collect individual peas into the bowl.
- Ice spoons: A long spoon with a thick, pierced bowl, usually featuring an elaborate design.
- Berry spoons: Spoons with very large, round bowls, often featuring very detailed engravings of berries on them.
- Pudding spoons: A large serving spoon with a pointed bowl that could cut into a dessert while serving it.
- Olive spoons: Small spoons with a small, pierced bowl meant for scooping up one olive at a time.
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It’s a souvenir spoon featuring a rare motif, person, or location. Many souvenir spoons were mass produced for tourists, but some specific or less common designs are worth more to collectors. The most valuable souvenir spoons often depict important historic events, people, or figures and were not produced in large numbers.^{[6]
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Research source} Some valuable designs and figures include:
- Famous Native American leaders like Chief Ouray of the Ute, which can be worth several hundred dollars, or famous American presidents, founders, or war heroes.
- Famous landmarks or patriotic designs that invoke nostalgia or Americana feelings, like many architectural designs sold at the Chicago World Fair in 1893.
- Uncommon destinations (souvenirs from small towns and remote landmarks aren’t as common, making them potentially more valuable).
- Note that there are no American silver souvenir spoons from earlier than 1889.

Section 2 of 6:

What makes a collectible spoon valuable?

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Spoons are valued by their age, condition, rarity, beauty, and material. If you suspect you have a valuable spoon, an appraiser will evaluate it based on these criteria to determine its authenticity and potential market price:^{[7]
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- Age: True antiques are over 100 years old. When it comes to silver spoons, the older, the better.
- Condition: The fewer scratches, dings, tarnished spots, and other damage there are, the more valuable the spoon will be.
- Rarity: If the spoon design was a limited production or its one of few remaining examples of a particular pattern, its value will increase. Enamel decoration, figural handles, and commemorative spoons are the most valuable.
- Beauty: A well-crafted, beautiful spoon to display will be worth more than a spoon with poor craftsman ship or design flaws.
- Material: Genuine sterling silver will be worth more than silver-plated items. Nickel-silver alloy spoons have minimal value.

Section 3 of 6:

What are rare collectible spoons worth?

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Most silver collectible spoons are worth up to $50 or $60 dollars. In most cases, a sterling silver spoon won’t be worth more than $60, with many of those being under $30. Spoons that are old, in very good condition, and uniquely designed may be worth up to $100 or more, but it is very rare to pass $300.^{[8]
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- Silver-plated spoons are typically worth less ($1 to $15).
- However, there are some spoons that are so rare, they can cost as much as $2,500 or more. The most valuable spoon ever auctioned was $32,500!^{[9]
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- We’ll cover that spoon and more super rare and valuable collectibles in the section below.
Check auction websites or visit an appraiser to find the value of your specific spoon. “For common items, you can just use Google or eBay,” Hirsch explains. “Search for the exact item and look for sold listings. That shows you real-time market value.” If you suspect your spoon is rare or you can’t find similar ones online, Hirsch recommends seeing a professional appraiser: “For more expensive or rare items, reach out to an auction house. They’ll give you a pre-sale estimate on current market trends.”^{[10]
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Expert Source

Reyne Hirsch
Antiques Expert and Appraiser

Expert Interview}

Section 4 of 6:

The Most Valuable Collectible Spoons

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In 2021, the record for most valuable spoon was set when a rare spoon made by America's most famous silversmith, Paul Revere, Jr., was sold at Heritage Auctions for $32,500. Its high value comes from its age (it’s rare to find spoons from before 1800) and high quality craftsmanship.^{[11]
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Apostle spoons: $50 to $1,500 for most, or up to $10,000+ The original apostle spoons were made in the 15th to 17th centuries, and a full set has 13 spoons featuring Jesus or one of his 12 apostles atop the handle. These originals are exceedingly rare and can cost over $10,000, especially in pairs or sets. However, some more modern and Victorian Era reproductions can be worth thousands of dollars as well (especially if you have an entire set). Apostle spoons are among the most coveted spoons in the world.^{[12]
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- For example, a full set of Apostle spoons made to celebrate the 1936 coronation of Prince Albert, King George VI of England, is currently on the market for $24,500.^{[13]
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- Most individual spoons, though, will fetch $50 to $300.
Rare antique patterns on spoons from luxury makers like TIffany & Co. can get you a pretty penny on the collectors market. For example, a new Chrysanthemum pattern salad spoon from Tiffany’s still goes for $860.^{[14]
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Research source} Meanwhile, an antique Tiffany’s ice spoon is currently on the market for $2,795.^{[15]
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Russian Fabergé silver spoons: $300 to $2,300+ Genuine pieces with a hallmark from Karl Fabergé or a famous workmaster like Fedor Rückert can fetch up to around $300 or $400, and spoons with enameled or twisted handles can go for $700 for their artistic intricacy. Full sets of 6 to 12 spoons can go for several thousand dollars.
- For example, a set of 8 sterling silver Fabergé soup spoons is currently on eBay for $1,650.^{[16]
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Dutch windmill spoons: Up to $550+ (full set) These Dutch-made spoons are popular because of their charming windmill-shaped handles. They were incredibly popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s among tourists to the Netherlands and are known for their fine craftsmanship.^{[17]
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- Individual spoons may only be worth up to about $150 dollars, but full sets or over-sized pieces can be worth several hundred more ($550 or higher).
- For example, one large, intricately-designed antique Dutch Windmill Spoon at Louis Wine Antiques is on the market for $550.^{[18]
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Section 5 of 6:

Where to Buy & Sell Collectible Spoons

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You can find and sell spoons on online auction sites or auction houses. Sites like eBay are common places for spoon collectors to find, sell, or compare prices on collectibles. Sometimes, you can even find them on other online market places or reselling sites like Etsy or Poshmark. If you’re wary of buying a scam spoon, try browsing an auction house website (or visit an auction house near you) for more confidence that you’re buying a genuine spoon for a fair price.
- Popular auction houses with rare collectible spoons include LiveAuctioneers.com, Heritage Auctions, and Dreweatts in the UK, but you might also find them locally.
- You can also browse local antique malls for spoons and inquire about selling your collection to the store.^{[19]
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- Or, you can always connect directly with another collector! Search for spoon collecting groups online to find potential buyers who are interested in your spoon or set.

Section 6 of 6:

History of Collectible Spoons

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Collecting souvenir spoons became popular in America in the late 1800s. When wealthy Americans toured Europe in the late 1800s, they’d bring back souvenir spoons marked with the names of cities or famous landmarks they had seen. Interest in spoon collecting gradually grew, and souvenir spoons were being produced in the United States by silversmiths by 1889, when Galt & Bros of Washington D.C. created a George Washington spoon for the 100th anniversary of his presidency.^{[20]
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- In 1891, jeweler Seth F. Low made a Salem Witch Spoon that was enormously popular. Several thousand were sold, causing an explosion in popularity for spoon collecting.
- Collectible spoons were available at the Chicago World Fair in 1893 and exposed about 27 million people to the hobby.
- A boom in industrialization and the collapse of the silver market in 1893 also meant that souvenir spoons could be produced more cheaply and in great numbers. Families who could not afford silver before could now have their own silver souvenirs.
- Spoon collecting remained wildly popular in the US until World War I, when interest largely stopped. Today, it’s a fun and niche hobby for many Americans!