Keeping it simple for the research desk! Here is a quick-reference list of the most common marks you’ll find on your treasures.
Solid Silver Marks
- Left-Facing Lion (Lion Passant): Sterling Silver (.925) – The standard for England.
- Standing Lion (Lion Rampant): Sterling Silver (.925) – Common on Scottish silver.
- Thistle: Sterling Silver (.925) – Another standard for Scotland.
- Crowned Harp: Sterling Silver (.925) – The mark for Ireland.
- Seated Figure (Britannia): High-purity silver (.958) – A premium UK standard.
- Minerva Head: French Silver (.950 or .800 depending on the size).
- Crescent Moon & Crown: German Silver (.800, .835, or .925).
- 925 or STERLING: Standard Sterling Silver (92.5% pure).
- 900, COIN, or PURE COIN: Coin Silver (90% pure) – Common in the US before 1868.
- 800: Continental Silver (80% pure) – Very common on European items.
- 84 (Zolotnik): Imperial Russian Silver (roughly .875 pure).
Silver Plate Marks (Not Solid Silver)
- EPNS: Electroplated Nickel Silver – Silver over a base of nickel, copper, and zinc.
- EPBM: Electroplated Britannia Metal – Silver over a tin-based alloy (often on teapots).
- A1, AI, or AA: High-quality silver plate with a heavier layer of silver.
- Quadruple Plate: A high-quality US silver plate mark indicating that four times the standard amount of silver was used in the plating process.
- Nickel Silver, German Silver, or Alpacca: These contain NO actual silver. They are base metal alloys made to look like silver.
That should make the sorting a lot faster!
Team Funky
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