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How to Evaluate Silver Plates

In countries such as the United States and Great Britain, an item has to contain at least 925 parts silver per thousand to be sold as silver. This is known as .925 fineness. While you might come across dinner plates made out of solid silver, much more common are silver trays that have a plate-like appearance. Whether the item in question is a plate or a tray, it can be evaluated in the same way.

Instructions

- 1
  First, weigh the plate, either on a set of scales or just in your hand. It's important to judge a plate by its weight rather than its apparent size because silver can come in different thicknesses. The thicker the gauge of silver and the heavier the item, the more intrinsic value that item will have. If you're in a situation in which you need to choose one plate out of several on offer, then the weight test is invaluable.
- 2
  Check the condition of the plate by holding it up to a strong light source and looking for any pinpricks of light showing through--these will indicate cracks or places where the silver is worn out. Press against the center of the plate with your thumb. If you feel any give and the silver seems flimsy, this might be a sign that the plate once bore a family crest or set of initials that was ground out at a later date. This kind of grinding weakens the plate and is a considerable flaw that would lessen any future resale value. If you're thinking of buying a plate and you detect this flaw, point it out as a way of getting a discount on the asking price.
- 3
  Examine the plate for any marks. On the reverse, there should have some kind of assay mark that shows that it meets the legal standard for solid silver. On U.S. silver, you will usually find the words "sterling" or "sterling silver" or the numerical assay mark "925." British silver bears an emblem of a lion walking sideways, known as the "lion passant." If the marks are so badly rubbed as to be partly or wholly illegible, this lessens the value of the piece. A plate with a maker's mark--usually either a full name or a set of initials--is also likely to be more valuable than one that is unattributed, because a future owner can have the satisfaction of researching that name and establishing a timeline for the piece. (For more help with silver marks, see Resources.)

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