Is 925 silver actually worth any money?

You can shower with it occasionally, but stop making it a habit. Soap residue builds up and accelerates tarnish. Chlorine in pools is the real enemy - it can damage solder joints. I take mine off every night and my silver stays shiny for months.

I have worn silver studs in my ears for 10 years and never had a reaction. Cheap fashion jewelry (that gold-tone stuff) is what turned my ears green and itchy. 925 solved it.

Yes, sterling silver is fully recyclable. Scrap dealers will buy it by weight. It is not worth shipping a 10 dollar necklace, but if you have a box of broken old pieces, a local jeweler will often weigh and trade them.