Pledging your cutlery and silver pieces at the Crédit Municipal

A category found on every list consulted

Paris, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Nantes and Toulon all name silverware among the items they take as pledges. Toulouse groups it with gold under a single heading, a sign that these institutions treat silver first and foremost as a precious metal valued by weight.

The four-fifths ceiling by weight

Article D514-8 of the Code monétaire et financier allows a loan of up to four fifths of the value estimated by weight for silver, as for gold and platinum. The mechanism is the same as for pawning gold.

Six of each utensil in Paris

The Crédit Municipal de Paris only accepts a canteen of cutlery with at least six pieces of each utensil: six forks, six knives, six spoons. A service reduced to four place settings or missing a piece does not meet this condition.

Solid silver or silver plate: the Bordeaux distinction

The Crédit Municipal de Bordeaux accepts solid silver, whether cutlery sets or serving pieces. Silver plate, a thin layer of silver over another metal, is only taken there as complete services from brands such as Christofle or Ercuis.

No odd or worn pieces

Bordeaux expressly rejects any odd or worn piece of silverware. A lone dish from a lost service, cutlery with worn plating or spoons of different patterns are therefore likely to be refused, even when the whole looks valuable.

Hallmarking, a fixed cost of four euros

The Bordeaux price sheet of 15 November 2022 charges the borrower a hallmarking fee of 4 euros for silver. This check on the fineness of the metal underpins the valuation by weight and comes on top of the loan interest.

Silver jewellery: only if signed

For jewellery, the Paris list adds a further condition: silver is only accepted if it is signed. An unbranded silver chain bracelet or ring follows a different logic from a cutlery set, described under items accepted as pledges.

What the appraiser looks at in a cutlery set

The appraiser checks the hallmark, weighs the solid silver pieces and makes sure the service is complete. The valuation of a pledged item is then based on its value at public auction, not on the price paid when it was bought.

Tarnishing is not covered

The Paris general terms of 1 May 2026 rule out any compensation for oxidation of metals or changes in temperature. Silverware that blackens while in storage therefore gives no right to damages, which is why it makes sense to deposit it clean.

If lost, the valuation plus 25%

Should the Paris institution lose the service, it would pay the valuation recorded at deposit plus a flat-rate compensation of 25%, minus any sums still owed. The signed valuation slip therefore remains very important for the borrower.

What rate applies to a loan on silverware

There is no specific tariff for silverware: the general schedule applies. In Paris, as of October 2026, the APR stands at 4.25% up to 500 euros, 9.90% up to 6,000 euros and 5.30% above, storage included.

Brussels only accepts Christofle for silver plate

The Brussels Mont-de-Piété accepts solid silver cutlery and serving ware, but only mentions silver plate in connection with the Christofle brand. The other differences are set out on the page about pawning silverware in Belgium.

Institutions that accept silverware

• Crédit Municipal de Paris: Accepts silverware with at least six pieces per utensil, and signed silver jewellery.
• Crédit Municipal de Bordeaux: Takes solid silver, and silver plate as complete Christofle or Ercuis services, with no odd pieces.
• Crédit Municipal de Toulouse: Lists gold and silverware among the items pledged at its branch on rue des Lois.
• Crédit Municipal de Nantes: Names silverware among its accepted categories, alongside watches and gold.
• Crédit Municipal de Toulon: Includes silverware in its examples of items that can be deposited, with branches in Puget-sur-Argens, Ajaccio and Bastia.

Pledging a silver service

1. Count the pieces of each type of utensil and check there are at least six of each for Paris.
2. Look for hallmarks to tell solid silver from silver plate, then identify any maker's brand.
3. Clean the pieces gently and store them in their original case or box if possible.
4. Present the service to the appraiser, who checks the fineness, weighs the metal and sets the valuation.
5. Sign the contract, keep the pawn ticket and note the due date for redemption or renewal.

Amounts and fees applicable to silver

Documents to take along with your silver

• Photo identity document
• Recent proof of address
• Current account bank details
• Original case or box
• Invoice or maker's certificate if available

Frequent mistakes with silverware

• Bringing an incomplete cutlery set, with fewer than six pieces per utensil, the condition laid down by the Crédit Municipal de Paris.
• Confusing silver plate with solid silver: the former is only accepted in Bordeaux as a complete service from a leading house.
• Bringing odd pieces or pieces with worn plating, which the Crédit Municipal de Bordeaux expressly refuses.
• Expecting compensation for silverware that tarnished during storage, when oxidation is excluded from the Paris guarantee.
• Thinking decorative value counts as much as the weight of metal: the valuation follows the public auction market.

General information, up to date as of October 2026 and non-contractual: always check the terms with the Crédit Municipal or the institution concerned.