Silver - Truths and Misconceptions

Precious metals like silver have been collected and traded for thousands of years, so it's no surprise that silver continues to appeal to a wide audience of buyers.  In the auction world, there are many things to consider when purchasing anything marked silver, so here are a few tips on making sure your purchase is a good investment.

The photo above was taken for an estate auction in Carbondale, IL. While the photo looks like a beautiful array of silver serving items, the actual melt value in the photo is minimal.  All of the items shown are silver plated which means they are a base metal with a very thin layer of silver over the top.  Silver plated items can be marked "EP", "EPNS", "Quadruple Plate", simply "Plated" and more.

Sterling silver means that the item is solid without any plating and conforms to certain standards of purity.  In the United States and Great Britain, that percentage is 92.5% which is why many sterling silver pieces are marked 925.  In Germany, 80% is the standard, and other countries use other standards usually between 80-90%.  

German Sterling Silver Set

Knowing the Mark

Knowing what the markings mean is pivotal in understanding the value of the silver item.  The markings can give the maker, the standard of silver that the maker was using, whether the piece is "weighted" or not (meaning they are partially filled with another material like wax or lead to keep them stable), and also the pattern.

In the photo to the right, which was on the silver tea set shown earlier, the 800 represents the standard of silver that the maker used in production (80% silver, 20% other metals).  The crescent moon and crown is the mark for the German  standard, and the number refers to the specific item in the makers repertoire.  

Looking Closely at Jewelry

Silver jewelry can be even more complicated to identify because of the size of the markings on such small pieces.  As you can see in the examples above, some makers use numbers like 925 or 830 (representing 92.5% or 83%), while other makers use the word "sterling" on the pieces.  Be sure to look very closely on these pieces to be sure you understand what you are seeing.

In both serving pieces and jewelry, the value also lies in the beauty and not just the melt value.  If you find a piece interesting, beautiful, or find that it suits you, then maybe the value is higher than the silver melt value.  After all, fine jewelry and antiques can dress up a room or an outfit, so have fun finding your new silver treasures!