Silverware scarcity

An online reseller of sterling and stainless flatware says some patterns in silver are harder to come by. An email from Replacements.com says, in part:

As we've noted previously, economic conditions have caused significant volatility in the silver market. This volatility has impacted not only silver pricing, but the availability of silver tableware pieces. Availability of silver tableware has been impacted during the past couple of years when many silver dealers were selling significant portions of their silver flatware in bulk to bullion dealers, who were in turn melting the pieces.

A reseller like Replacements is just one alternative for filling out a silverware set.

Pieces of most popular patterns still show up on eBay, but prices are far higher than a few years ago. I've seen instances of a single fork in some patterns that now sell for as much as you might have picked up a four piece place setting, or even a twelve piece service for four, as recently as 2005 or 2006.