Home >> Collecting >> Antiques

How to Identify Silver Content in Old Silverware

For an exact measurement of the silver content in old silverware, you will need to have a refinery or assayer melt down the pieces and the extract the silver. Short of destroying the silverware, you can identify the material and content amount by its stamped markings. However, these markings are not necessarily accurate and may be fraudulent. According to the Federal Trade Commission, in the United States, it is illegal to represent a product as "silver" unless it is at least 92.5 percent silver.

Things You'll Need

Water
Polishing cream
Soft cloth
Magnifying glass or jeweler's loupe

Instructions

- 1
  Clean and dry the silverware to make it easier to identify any markings on the pieces. If necessary, use warm water, a polishing cream, a tooth brush and a soft cloth to wipe them dry. Do not use steel wool because it will scratch the silverware finish and decrease its collector's value.
- 2
  Use the magnifying glass or loupe to search the silverware for any numerical markings. If a piece is marked ".950" or "950" then it purports to be 95% silver.
- 3
  Find any additional markings to help identify the origin and history of the silverware. Pieces may be more or less valuable depending on the maker and time of creation. Makers often used their initials or logos to mark their creations.

Antiques