How to tell if a spoon is pure silver in two easy steps.
Most people don't have time to keep an arsenal of polished pieces, and using real silverware at the table has become a dated practice of the past.
Because of the high content of silver in flatware, you can give them a break from polishing.
Regardless of the condition, a single fork, spoon or knife usually values between $5-$10 a piece.A full set can cost as much as 2000 dollars.
While most precious metal items are difficult to find without proper testing tools and training, silverware just takes a little knowledge and a good eye.
In the Western Hemisphere, silverware is used to describe eating tools.It can be forks, spoons, knives, ladles and candlesticks.
Anything you would use to entertain the President at a fancy dinner is considered silverware.
It doesn't mean that what you have is real silver if you call it silverware.There are a variety of materials that can be used for flatware.
The USA made sterling silverware after the 1850s.It is most likely not real silver if your silverware does not have this marking.
There is a marking on the bottom of some objects.You can see the marking on the back of the handle with forks, knives and spoons.
The word silver indicates that the item is not real silver.These are company hallmarks.
It is possible that your flatware was made in a country other than the US.They will look like icons.
You would have to learn hundreds of hallmarks, but the most common are below.
The Lion Passant is a standard English marking that indicates sterling silver.