Sterling Silver
The Resurgence of a Prestigious Metal
Lenore A. Hunter
Hall’s Auction Services
Sterling silver can be found in many forms including flatware, serving pieces, jewellery and decorative items. With years of seemingly perpetual downturns in the antique market, we are now seeing a resurgence of the prestigious metal. The possession of silver has always been a measure of wealth and position, and sterling silver by makers such as Birk’s, Georg Jensen, Gorham and Tiffany are all showing signs of revitalization amongst collectors.
JOHN HARDY STERLING SILVER BRACELET
Price Realized: $375
August 30, 2023
What is Sterling Silver?
Sterling silver is an alloy metal containing 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent of other metals, usually copper or zinc. Because silver on it’s own is too soft to support everyday use, small amounts of other metals are added by silversmiths. Adding these metals, however, leads to an increased chance of corrosion if they remain exposed to open air. This is why you see sterling silverware tarnish or blacken.
Most countries that produce commercial products made with sterling silver include hallmarks and other stamps to name the silver’s country of origin, maker’s name and year of manufacture. Most assay marks are indicated by symbols and initials. The standard mark in London as of 1544 is the lion passant. The prime objective of hallmarking is to protect the public against fraud. The Hallmarking Act of 1973 cleared up many of the complexities and anomalies in the law and simplified the hallmarks so they were easier to understand and recognize, while retaining as much of the interest and tradition as possible. Pieces are almost always stamped with “.925” to mark their authenticity.
How Much is My Sterling Silver Worth?
The worth of sterling silver at any one point is relative to the silver spot price. This figure is the amount per gram that buyers can pay for a given security, in this case, sterling silver, at a specific time and place. Spot price changes over time, meaning the worth of sterling silver in one particular month isn’t usually the same as its worth just 30 days earlier. The spot price is only a standard for the worth of sterling silver. Often, buyers and sellers use this number as a baseline to gauge what they’re actually willing to pay for the commodity.
STERLING SILVER MATCH SAFE WITH CHAIN
Price Realized: $325
November 24, 2022
ESTATE JEWELLERY – STERLING SILVER CHAINS (6)
Price Realized: $130
October 3, 2022
Contact Us Today
If you are in the market for a beautiful new silver piece, or if you have a collection that you are hoping to sell, reach out to us today to find out about our upcoming sales, or to request estimates.