Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
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How to tell plated vs. sterling silver serving tray?
Quickstart:
If it's marked "Sterling" or "995", any 'We buy Gold' shop will want it. If it's not, odds are high that it's silverplate.
Silverplate is thin and rarely has any intrinsic metal value. It was a very popular wedding gift for decades before going of fashion, so there's a lot of it out there, unwanted, in people's attics & basements, and it is generally about worthless. Enjoy it and save it for the great grandkids but you almost surely can't sell it for much.
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How to sell silverplate and sterling
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Please engage with others
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Q. In the process of selling my mother's home -- a cabinet filled with sterling and silverplated serving pieces. Can you please tell me of a place in NJ/NY area that will look at the pieces and buy them. Thank you.
Donna Careydaughter helping mother - Wall, New Jersey
May 31, 2014
Silver Trays on eBay (affil link)
A. Hi Donna. It isn't much of a simplification to say that silver plate is almost never worth anything at all, and that if the piece isn't marked "Sterling", it's not. Take whatever isn't marked "Sterling"" to Goodwill or a place like that, or list it on eBay very cheap.
As for the sterling, you can't ride 2 blocks here in southern NJ without seeing the "We buy gold" signs and banners -- and they all buy sterling; give a couple of them a call.
We don't name companies because as soon as there is commercial value to a posting we are drowned under spam, and there are surely well over a dozen "We buy gold" in a 10-mile radius from you. Sorry, and best of luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
! Good Sir, I beg to differ with you. To say send the plate to Goodwill is a bit hasty is it not? Four times plate, three times, and so on? I have seen sets of plate that were breathtaking. When someone gets great-grandma's silver tea set complete, I say love it, care for it. It has value, most of all to the beholder. So you can slam me and plates but I think a wise man would agree.
Dave Blue- Grants Pass, Oregon
April 21, 2016
Hi Dave. No one is slamming you nor great-grandma's silver plated tea set. I'm all for sentimental value, beauty, heirlooms, and art. I've said keep it and "enjoy it!" a hundred times on this and related threads. You and I agree that people should keep it, not melt it.
But Donna's question was what shop would buy her mother's sterling and silver plate -- an often repeated question here -- and the answer remains that while sterling silver is valuable for its melt value, no such shop anywhere will buy silverplate. So, if people don't want it, that's when the "Goodwill" part comes into play .
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I have a bowl I picked up. It had no markings or numbers. Does that mean it's just a decorative piece?
Tammy Earl- Omaha, Nebraska United States
July 10, 2014
A. Hi Tammy. It almost surely has no intrinsic scrap metal value if that's what you mean by "just a decorative piece". But enjoy it!
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I found a cute little silver cup and it is stamped with "T&CO" and beneath it stamped with 20__2. I really don't think it is real silver but you never know. Can you help?
Thank you,
Andrea
- Statesville, North Carolina USA
July 13, 2014
Q. Hi, I have a stamped Sheffield plate. I believe it to be sterling silver, can anyone identify the markings?
Corey Ortego- Beaumont Texas
July 23, 2014
Ed. note: We have no photos from you, Corey. Please email them to mooney@finishing.com, and tell us what reasons you have for believing it is sterling (it looks like Sheffield made both sterling and silver plate). Thanks.
A. Sheffield Plate is made by fusing about a 1/8" layer of pure silver to an ingot made from a copper alloy, usually nickel silver, which actually contains no silver. This sandwich is then rolled out or beaten to sheet of the desired thickness. Modern gold-filled is made in much the same way.
The object made from this sheet usually contains from 6% to 20% silver, by weight, depending on the quality. Standard Sheffield Plate runs about 8-9% silver by weight.
In essence, Sheffield Plate is a copper alloy base with very heavy silver plating on it. It's purpose was to offer an alternative to the much more expensive solid sterling silver.
- Nevada, Missouri, USA
Q. I see those silver casserole holder all the time, but they usually don't have any markings. How can you tell if they are real silver? If they are plated are they worth anything as scrap?
Adie Morrow- Albia, Iowa USA
A. Hi Adie. We appended your inquiry to one of several existing long threads on the topic, where you can investigate test methods, etc. But the short answer is that if it's not stamped "Sterling" or "925" the odds are very small that it is real silver. Unless it is very obviously very old, the odds are near zero. And silver plate is not worth anything significant as scrap.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. Have silver trays. One says 4687 with a square stamp with dots in it and 60a1945 9228 1/2.The other has a coat of arms with a crown at the top stamped cs.
ann sims- kc Missouri
August 10, 2014
A. Hi Ann. There are many hundreds of thousands of different hallmarks and markings, and no hallmark has ever been identified on this site from a verbal description despite thousands being posted and the pages being read by a million people. Sorry.
But the short answer is (sorry to be the messenger of bad news) that unless it's sterling silver (and it's almost surely not if it isn't stamped "Sterling" or "925"), they are not worth anything at all. Please see letter 36471 "How to Test Silver at Home" where Phil Dreis of Antique Cupboard explains the situation in a youtube video. Good luck anyway :-)
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I bought a mirror, brush, and comb set from an estate sale and I am unsure how to identify it. I think from what I have found online so far that it is a Godinger silver plated set. It has roses and lacey lines. Anyway, I was just curious if you have more information on the set for me.
Shelley Breeden- Atchison, Kansas USA
September 22, 2014
A. Hi Shelley. This site focuses on metal finishing, but for every metal finisher in the world there are a thousand people who find something interesting in grandma's attic or at a flea market, so some of the conversations drift away from our intended topic. We've posted your question, but sorry, I would have no knowledge of Godinger Mirror, Brush and Comb sets (except that there are dozens on eBay from $19 - $89), or any other antique or collectible. Good luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I found a cream and silver bowl set. It says on the bottom "Silver on Cuppe" with a Crown followed by the letter D followed by another symbol I can't quite make out. The only way I know to describe is it looks like a screw pointing what would be 2 o'clock to the right. Any assistance in identifying would be greatly appreciated.
Angela Kelly- Summerville, South Carolina, USA
October 4, 2014
Q. I have a silver tray I found when I was 15 years old; I am now 60. It has the tree design with the pool at the bottom of it, iit is called "Community Plate" with the numbers 19528 following it. It appears to be solid silver; it is very heavy and I think it was made before they showed sterling sliver on the tray. Is there any way I can get information as to who made it and how old it may be? It has symbols on the top and bottom of the tray in a double V shape large V with smaller one on top of the other one... and a symbol on either side of those of V shapes with 5 marks to make up the V shape. Please help me find out about this tray. Thank you.
russell c. treme- lake charles, louisiana USA
October 7, 2014
A. Hello Russell,
Ted answered to a similar question in Sept. Responders on this site are happy to help with finishing questions, but do not have the time to do extensive internet research on vintage or antique items. I would start with what you do know such as googling "Early Silver Community Trays" to find out more about it. If you want to know if it is Pure Sterling any pawn shop or good jeweler will test it for you.
Process Engineer - Phoenix, Arizona USA
Q. I have an antique teapot, looks like silver, and on the bottom it has "8100" under that "6" and under that "Company". It looks like they were hand punched into the metal because spacing is inconsistent and lettering is not on a straight line. I can't find it anywhere. Does it sound familiar or can you tell me where I can go to find out?
Donna Savage- Rocky Mount, North Carolina
October 19, 2014
Hi Donna. I think Mark's advice was good. This is a public forum focused primarily on metal finishing, not antique collecting. If curious collectors wish to help each other, we're happy to make the space available and to bring the needed traffic. But if everyone just posts their questions, and the collectors don't help each other, it's just going to be a long string of questions -- and that can get silly :-)
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
This meeting place welcomes Q&As, photos, history, & interesting tidbits -- but it's not a consultancy.
Please engage with others
• When people show interest in each other's situations, the forum is informative, and fun too !
• If people post their own question but show no interest in others', it can quickly become a long string of unanswered questions
Q. Found 2 old vases and 2 old glasses, and they have a stamp at the bottom that looks like crowned swan and "95%" inscribed, could that be silver?
Milos Glen- Ulcinj, Montenegro
October 21, 2014
Q. My Grandmother left me what You would call a bride's basket, only it has a shape I have not been able to locate anywhere on line. Berby Silver Co Quadruple Plate with number 1202 stamped. Could not download pictures. Is there a difference between quadruple plate verus silver plate? Since I can not locate any other photos of it and it is finally decorated and footed with handle, how do I know the value?
sheryl parnell- Columbia, South Carolina, US
October 28, 2014
Q. Quadruple plate 6" silver tray: I have a 6" tray from Riverton Silver in Philadelphia, PA. It was my mother-in-laws and we are trying to find the value of small tray. Thank you for help.
Jane prussohobbyist - Jenkintown, Pennsylvania
November 9, 2014
A. Hi. It's plated, not sterling, so it has no intrinsic value (scrap value). You can take it to antique shops for valuation but, sorry to tell you, it's almost surely worth only its sentimental value. We've received hundreds and hundreds of letters, as have other sites, from people who want to sell such stuff, and zero (let that sink in) requests from people wanting to buy it. And if anybody did want to buy it, it's such a glut on the market that they can fill trunk loads with it essentially for free :-)
The listings you see on eBay are for what people want for it ($10-$20) but aren't getting.
Sorry.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. Hello! I have recently acquired a Reed & Barton Triplex spoon with no other stamps and I have done all hallmark tests except acid and Archimedes. Is there still a chance it could not be silver? Is has a good luster and is not magnetic.
Ethan Rubio- dallas texas usa
November 19, 2014
A. Hi Ethan. Where does the name "Triplex" come from, or what does it mean? I'd have guessed that it meant a triple layer of plating (probably copper, silver strike, silver plate). If that is where the name came from, it's certainly not solid silver.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
November 2014
Q. Essay Canada, 256546 Tea Set. I am trying to find an indicator if this is sterling or plated copper?
Thanks
Michelle
- Arizona USA
November 30, 2014
Essay (Canada) Silverplate on eBay (affil link)
A. Hi Michelle. The easiest indicator is that if it's not stamped "Sterling" or "925", it's probably not. A second indication is the Essay silverplate for sale on eBay, and the lack of Essay sterling for sale there. There are, of course, chemical tests. Good luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
A. I have a cup that is marked "Essay Canada" second line: "67" third line: "42" and nothing else. It passes 3 different acid tests, 18k, 14k and JSP silver acid in an inconspicuous deep scratch test. I know what I am doing here. This cup is .925 silver or I'll eat it! Not the first time I have found unmarked sterling but also extremely rare.
Rusty OsgoodEngineer, Collector of Accutron and Hamilton Watches - Cupertino, California
August 11, 2024
Q. I have a pair of silver candlesticks from my grandmother's estate. They are marked Rockford silver "P.OO Quadruple 3021". Where they are worn it still looks silver. Might they be solid silver?
Shawn Ripp- California, USA
May 10, 2018
Hi Shawn. Between not being marked "Sterling" and being marked "Quadruple", it certainly sounds like they are "quadruple plated" silverplate. So no intrinsic value from melting, and it's been all the news this year that your kids don't want this stuff; but maybe save them for your grandkids because trends come and go :-)
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I have a creamer that is marked on the bottom as follows: SPAULDING-GORHAM STERLING 465/33. No symbols or other marks. So is this piece actually silver, or is it plated?
Collector - Mesa, Arizona USA
August 27, 2018
A. Hi. Things that are marked sterling probably are.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
A. International Silver is almost always silver plate, when international Silver made sterling pieces , it was stamped as International Sterling. IS also means International Silver. Silver hall marking has been around since like the 800s. I believe in the 1300s Europe adopted a system, then in 1800 they condensed and merged everything to a universal system. For the US the standard for Sterling is .925 , S925, 92.5S, or 92.5. The US' hallmark was adopted in the 1800s so anything after and made in the US has to be stamped. Foreign pieces also for the most part are also stamped.
Daniel edwards- Fern Park, Florida, US
September 4, 2018
"Italy" mark on double jigger
Q. Hi I purchased an antique Double Jigger I believed was silver. It was very tarnished I cleaned it up but the only mark I found on it was ITALY. It weighs 89 grams. I cannot find anywhere online what that means. Is it a metal alloy or silver plate or sterling? The inside of the jigger shined up beautifully, but the outside had been so tarnished it is shiny but not as much as the inside.
Sheree StoothoffAmateur - Carlton, Washington USA
November 12, 2019
A. Hi Sheree. "Italy" no doubt means the country Italy. Which means you may have no basis for believing it to be silver, which is usually marked "sterling" or "925". Silver articles are almost always quite thin, rather than thick-walled like this. Far more likely that it's pewter (no intrinsic value). Sorry.
You can invest in testing equipment on the slim chance if you wish.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Old silver tray and knife
Q. I have this old silver tray and knife/chopper.
I have looked all over online and cannot find any like it
Neither have markings on them.
Could they be home made or pre marking era?
Do they have any value? Or where might I find some info on them? Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks.
- Florence Alabama
August 29, 2020
- Nobody cares what is in someone else's attic when they have stuff in their own that they haven't bothered with, so the public participation on these questions has been virtually non-existent; over the years we've averaged less than one response per hundred posted questions about "silver" items :-(
The good news is that:
- "We Buy Gold!" stores who will test your tray for valuable metals have sprung up on every 3rd corner across the country.
- There are numerous "virtual appraisal" websites on google who will, for a fee, try to tell you what you've got.
My first question, and probably anyone's would be: you called it "silver". But do you merely mean that, to your eye, it is generally silvery in color, or do you have a reason to believe that it actually is silver? Pictures go only so far, and this one is in rather poor focus, and I'm not seeing a good reason to believe it isn't aluminum or pewter or silverplate. It could even be solid tin or pressed zinc, which would be interesting. Please take it to a "We Buy Gold" and tell us what they say. Good luck.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I have an Early American platter
It has the IS inside the crown
International Silver company
4133
18 inch
all stamped
Nowhere else does it have a sterling stamp or ESN or EP
owner of platter - Henderson, Nevada
September 4, 2021
Silver Trays on eBay (affil link)
A. Hi Bil. Hate to be the messenger of bad news to you and to several others posting here with the same piece, but there's currently a #4133 on eBay for $7.77 or best offer. Sorry, but virtually nobody today wants such stuff, and it was a very popular wedding gift for decades, so every second attic or basement has some, and it's worth essentially nothing.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I have a pair of candlesticks marked "Weidl 975", I believe cast. They are testing as sterling with 18k gold acid. My question is does silver plate also show that milky blue appearance with 18k acid or will it totally dissolve with silver plate items?
Kari Caughron- Tahlequah Oklahoma
March 2, 2022
Q. I have 2 tall candlesticks that are quite tarnished. My mother displayed them with a high quality sterling tea service that has been sold. She had the means for these candleticks to be sterling. With the tarnish and felt glued to the bottom, I do not know where I would find "sterling" engraved on them. I do not want to remove the felt if I don't have to. Can you tell me where to look?
Thank you.
- Charleston, South Carolina
March 3, 2022
I too am looking for this same hallmark on a tray that I have and would be very interested in finding out more.
Hobbyist - Fort Collins, Colorado
April 25, 2022
A. Hi Rebecca. We appreciate the clearer hallmark!
Please try the methods in this thread to determine whether your tray is sterling, silverplate, or something else, so it can be narrowed down a bit. Be warned though that every second or third attic has a carton full; nobody wants it, and it probably has no value.
Any idea what country the tray is from or its age? If you want to make a hobby of hallmarking, there are books that may give hints what the brush, the antlers, the knight's helmet and whatever, sometimes mean.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
A. Very good download free book on hallmarks on silver plated and other base metal objects:
https://sha.org/assets/documents/Trademarks%20on%20Base-Metal%20Tableware.pdf
Another very good source of info:
https://www.925-1000.com/silverplate__menu.html
Hope it helps and good luck!
Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh
Thanks so much for the help! I will check it out. Maybe I can research and find something; if so I will update!
Rebecca Hesser [returning]
Hobbyist - Fort Collins Colorado
Q. Hello Rebecca! Just wondering if you found out what symbol that is (from what maker) that is from on your silver plated item. I have an antique silver plated tray with the same marking on the back. It is very heavy, and I believe that it is silver over copper. I do not know whose trademark it is. I would love to know who the maker is.
Please reply when you can as I am very curious. Thank you!
Lori Riorwood
- Michigan
November 20, 2022
Q. Hello! So thankful for your site! Super cool to read the Q & A's.
I was given a small, and pretty thin, sugar and creamer set by a previous customer of mine. Finally found the name and symbol h.s. co with a lion, crown and horse. Hartford sterling company.
My question is did they make sterling stuff before they turned into Barbour and the international silver? And my set is marked 3601, which I figured is their model #. It's not magnetic, it does oxidize, it's light, and each has as a monogram capital A on the front.
I can't find this set on eBay or easily anywhere and was hoping for some direction. Thanks so much!
Mom - Lancaster Pennsylvania
July 2, 2023
Ed. note: Etsy seems to be another place with lots of silverplate to compare stuff to.
Q. I have a piece of "silver", the only hallmarks on it are; a lion, an indecipherable symbol that's maybe a crescent moon, and a crown, it isn't magnetic, and it acid tests Sterling, at least with my home testing kit. In my research I've come across many articles and information that state a lion symbol like the one on my piece indicates that it's Scottish Sterling and that having the lion stamp is as good as a ".925" or a "Sterling" hallmark.
I took it to a gold buying place and they wouldn't even test it without Sterling or 925 on it, which I feel was a bit short sighted considering it weighs nearly 2 lbs and isn't magnetic. Care to weigh in? Thanks
M BenniHobbyist - Denver Colorado
July 26, 2023
A. Hi M,
Somewhere near you there is surely another shop which will buy your Scottish sterling for its melt value if it is in fact sterling silver, although I doubt that it is.
The most interesting thing about it to me is the obviously changed pattern number. Apparently it was stamped 2977, then re-stamped 2975.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I also have a large heavy platter with these marks, though the numbers on mine are 1222 beneath the helm, keyholes, antlers, and wreath. Dimensions are 27" x 16.5" and is exactly 1/8" thick and weighs in at 8-9 lbs. Sorry to estimate, but I do not own a scale, nor possess any desire to purchase one. Just curious as to the maker and possibly age of the item.
Without a Sterling Mark, or a variation of .925, and no lion passant mark, I already assume this is silver plate. However if I use low estimates of 8 lbs total weight, and 8% total weight as silver which equates to 9 1/3 oz., then by today's market value of around $27/oz puts the intrinsic value at just over $250. If no other significance to the item is found, am I better off melting down the item for the silver and copper, or just doing a late night drop-off at a Goodwill because melting would not be worth the effort?
Value is not my primary concern, and this is just one of many pieces I am wanting to learn the history of. I wish to collect items of significant historic value, however I am brand new at this and prefer not to have my lack of knowledge be my weakness, so any help is greatly appreciated!
Collector-in-Training - Perris, California
April 25, 2024
Ed. note: Since 1989 this forum has enjoyed the camaraderie & warm aloha which real names & locations afford. If you're not into that spirit, those who do post with their real name may be less likely to engage with you.
Silver Trays on eBay (affil link)
A. Hi Raymond.
Where did "8% total weight as silver" come from? Very heavy silver plating would be 0.0012". Counting both sides, the thickness would be 0.0025", probably about 3% by weight maximum if none has worn off. Sorry but the intrinsic metal value of silverplate is essentially none.
You are the third person to post that hallmark on this page, but no one has offered any hints about provenance (where did you get it, how long have you had it, what do you know of its history?), and no one has identified the hallmark. There are tens of thousands of hallmarks and over 1200 somewhat similar trays on eBay alone, so it's hard to know if it's a $15 tray or something somewhat valuable without a tedious search. You can retain an online appraisal, but it's likely to cost more than the value of the tray.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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