The Journal
Notes on silver & its marks
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Silver plate hallmarks: why they look like sterling marks
Silver plate hallmarks mimic sterling marks by design, but plate never carries a lion passant or a 925 purity stamp, only maker initials and codes like EPNS.
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Can an app tell real silver from silver plate? We tested it
A good app can tell real silver from silver plate by reading the hallmark. It works when marks are sharp. Worn or hidden marks still need a human…
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Silver hallmarks with a lion and a number: what they mean
A lion and a number on silver means English sterling — the lion passant — beside a pattern or model number. The number is rarely purity or a…
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Glasgow silver hallmarks: town mark and date letters explained
Glasgow silver hallmarks show the city’s tree, bird, bell and fish town mark with a lion rampant for sterling. Official date letters run from 1819 to 1964.
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Silver assay marks and dates: a practical identification walkthrough
A silver assay mark is the office stamp that certifies purity; paired with the date letter, it reveals exactly where and when the piece was assayed.
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Worn or rubbed silver hallmarks: how to identify them anyway
You can identify worn silver hallmarks by their shape, position, and faint outlines under angled light, even when polishing has nearly rubbed them smooth.
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Antique appraisal apps compared: free vs paid for silver
The difference between free and paid antique appraisal apps is valuation depth: free apps identify silver, paid tiers add live market values and unlimited scans. For reading hallmarks,…
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What’s my antique silver tea set worth? A value guide
An antique silver tea set is worth $500 to $8,000, based on maker, silver weight, and whether it is sterling or plate. Named sterling makers bring the most.
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Mexican silver hallmarks: eagle marks and Taxco makers explained
The eagle hallmark on Mexican silver is a national assay stamp used from about 1948 to 1980, and the number inside it identifies the maker or assay office.…
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Identify sterling silver instantly with a photo-first app
The fastest way to identify sterling silver is a photo-first app that reads the hallmark from one photo, returning maker, date, and purity in seconds.
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1847 Rogers Bros. silverware: identification and value
1847 Rogers Bros. is silverplate, not sterling. The 1847 marks the year the Rogers brothers perfected electroplating — not when your piece was made.
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How old is my silver? Dating it accurately from the hallmark
The age of your silver comes from its date letter: one stamped letter whose font and shield shape fix the piece to a single assay year.