What do the markings mean on sterling silver?
Sterling silver is generally marked “STERLING” on the back or bottom of silver items. These sterling silver items are also likely to have a maker’s name, logo, or hallmark to identify the manufacturer.
Is it sterling silver or is it silver plated?
If, for example, your flatware is stamped “Wm & Rogers” and “IS”, it is not sterling silver. The IS merely indicates “International Silver” which was the company that actually manufactured the set.
How to tell if antique silver is solid or plated?
1 Look for a Stamp. If your antique silver technique is truly sterling silver and not simply plated, it will be stamped with a telltale hallmark. 2 Perform the Magnet Test. A strong magnet can be a good tool in determining whether your silver antique is solid silver or plated. 3 Use Some Ice. 4 Get Your Piece Evaluated. …
Can a sterling silver plate be sold with the 925 Mark?
With the 925 standard mark, a piece of silver can virtually be sold world wide with the same mark. The use of 925, however, does not preclude the use of sterling. Since 1999, more and more reproductions are including both 925 and sterling.
How can you tell if a silver plate is sterling silver?
If the metal under the scratch is different from a silver-grey color, the item is silver plate. According to Ebay, if “EP”, “EPNS” or “Silver on Copper” are marked on an item, it is electroplated silver, which is not sterling silver. Drop a drop of silver acid on a silver item to determine whether it is plated or sterling.
What does the 925 mark on sterling silver mean?
Old time Scandinavian silversmiths used a lower content silver alloy to make their items, that is what the 830 means. Standard Sterling Silver has a 92.5 percent silver content with 7.5 percent of another metal added to it to strengthen the piece. Therefore, the most common mark for sterling silver is 925.
How is sterling silver marked in the UK?
The United Kingdom, France, and the United States of America each have a distinct marking system. American sterling silver is marked with one of the following hallmarks: “925,” “.925,” or “S925.” the 925 indicates that the piece contains 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals. Sterling silver items made in the UK contain a stamp of a lion.
What are the symbols on a hallmark sterling silver plate?
A piece with both marks meets the requirements of both the EC and US, two huge markets. A typical English hallmark ca. 1890-1999, generally has four symbols and may have five. These symbols may be placed in any order. They include: 1) symbol for the town in which the silver content was certified, called an assay or town mark;
What are the marks on a Sheffield silver plate?
It did no harm if the marks on them also looked rather like those on silver. Since the early times Old Sheffield Plate presents initials and symbols in the same style and on the same places as did the silversmiths, sometimes repeating these devices to simulate the stamp of the assay office, the lion and the maker’s mark.
Where do you find the marks on silver?
” Other articles and marks can be found in” Silver and Other Metals identification guide and in the Article on Marks, and enter “Silver” in the filter. A single mark usually indicates that the piece of silver was made in America, although there are some Irish and Scottish pieces with just the maker’s name.
What markings indicate sterling silver?
A stamp indicating the purity of the silver is called the assayer’s mark . The mark for silver meeting the sterling standard of purity is the Lion Passant, but there have been other variations over the years, most notably the mark indicating Britannia purity.
What do markings on silver jewelry mean?
Certain markings on silver indicate where the silver originated from or where it was manufactured. For example, the lion marking indicates British sterling and since the mark has changed over the years, the lion mark actually indicates a specific time period of silver dating.
What does A1 mean on silverware?
With that being said, the marking of “A1” on your pieces usually indicates that what you have is silver plate and not sterling. The symbol “A1” on silverware is a marking used to indicate the number of ounces of pure silver used in the plating process. While this is a higher grade of silver plate (from what we understand),…
What does NS mean on silver?
The letters NS stand for nickel silver, which is the base metal under the silverplate. Silver soldered refers to a manufacturing process of silverplated wares where the various base-metal parts are soldered together using silver solder.
