If you want to know how to tell silver from silver plate, you are not alone. Many clients confidently separate their “silver” from their plated wares, only to discover that some of the pieces are not solid silver at all. The marks can look convincing, but appearance alone is not proof of precious metal.
It is easy to see how the mistakes occur; both hallmarked silver, and silver plate marks can appear similar. Both can include shields, letters, symbols and maker’s marks, even pseudo hallmarks that look convincingly official. However, whilst they may appear similar they tell very different stories.
The crucial thing is to be able to spot the differences with confidence and understand why the superficially convincing ‘hallmark’ may be a plate mark posturing as it’s more valuable counterpart.
From the mid-18th century onwards, silver plating became increasingly sophisticated. Manufacturers wanted plated goods to look luxurious and respectable, and by the 19th century the rise of an affluent middle class created a strong demand for glamorous tableware at an affordable price. There is therefore a wealth of both silver and silver plate. Silver plate appearing as Old Sheffield Plate, electrotype and electroplate, including a proliferation of electroplated nickel silver (EPNS) as methods of electroplating became better and more sophisticated.
To the unwary observer a row of symbols and letters stamped into metal in the same manner as a hallmark might look and feel authentic. But the authority of a hallmark comes not from appearance but from regulation, and once you understand the makeup of hallmarks the process of recognition becomes much easier.
British silver hallmarks form one of the most tightly controlled silver marking systems in the world. With minor variations a full hallmark will contain the following elements:-
The Standard Mark
- Lion Passant – A lion in profile walking left to right, one front paw raised and tail curled. This confirms the item is sterling silver (92.5% purity).
Britannia – Occasionally used instead, indicating a higher fineness of 95.8%. (When I was a junior trainee, I remembered this because 95.8 was and still is, conveniently, the same frequency as Capital Radio.)
The Assay Office Mark
British assay office marks include:
- London – Leopard’s head
- Birmingham – Anchor
- Sheffield – Crown (later a rose after the Queen’s silver jubilee in 1977))
- Glasgow – Tree, fish, and bell
- Edinburgh – Three-towered castle (with a thistle as the standard mark)
- Dublin – Figure of Hibernia (with a harp as the standard mark)
“Assay” comes from the French essayer, meaning “to test”. This mark guarantees that the metal meets the stated standard. In the United Kingdom, wherever gold, silver, platinum or palladium are sold it is a legal requirement under the Hallmarking Act 1973 to display a specifically approved notice.
The Date letter
A single letter that changes annually, with differing fonts, cases and shield shapes.
These used to be particular to each Assay Office but were standardised in 1975.
The maker’s mark or sponsor’s mark
Usually initials registered to a specific silversmith or company. Together, these marks form a regulated and coherent system. They may also include a monarch’s head, known as the duty mark.
Occasionally, special optional marks are added, for example to commemorate the Millennium or The Queen’s Golden Jubilee.
Silver plate on the other hand does not have regulatory marks. They are manufacturer’s marks and symbols, but do not indicate metal content.
Common characteristics of silver plate marks include:
- Decorative symbols (for example, crowns, stars, animals)
- Multiple pseudo-shields
- Words or abbreviations indicating plating, including A1 and EPNS
- Lack of the lion passant
The date letter trap is where many get caught out; the date letter in silver appears in a distinctive font and shield shape that changes with each cycle of letters. For example, a lowercase “g” in a pointed shield is not the same year as a lowercase “g” in a rounded shield, even though the letter is identical.
Many plated wares include a single letter that looks like a date letter but is not part of any official dating system. These letters may:
- Represent a pattern number
- Indicate a quality grade
- Simply be decorative
Some companies, Elkington being a prime example, had their own regime of marks, which included a system for dates represented in a lozenge; so it can be possible to date silver plate, but not in the same manner as sterling silver.
There are certain marks that are particularly misleading on silver plate. These include
- Crowned symbols – often mistaken for Sheffield or London marks
- Multiple marks in a row – designed to resemble a hallmark group
- Pseudo-animals – easily confused with the lion passant at a glance. However, none of these will ever be a lion passant in the correct stance and proportions used by assay offices.
Practical tips for spotting the difference between silver and silver plate
Unless it is Scottish or Irish silver look for the lion passant first. No lion means it is unlikely to be English silver.
Remember that hallmarks tell a clear story: maker, place, year, purity.
And finally, examine your piece. Silver plate often shows wear with copper or nickel alloy showing through in places.
Once you have established that an item is silver how do you decode the hallmarks? Not so long ago, every silver valuer carried a copy of a pocket ‘Bradbury’s’, the book of hallmarks. It was a professional necessity, but also a quiet point of pride. Much like a Barbour jacket in the 1980s, the more dog-eared, scuffed, and worn it was, the more kudos it had. A battered Bradbury’s suggested years of dedicated use.
Today, identifying hallmarks is far easier. There are numerous free online resources where both hallmarks and makers’ marks can be checked quickly and reliably. My personal favourite is
https://www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk/index.htm
The importance of distinguishing silver from silver plate has never been more important. With silver bullion prices at unprecedented highs, apparently small differences visually can be huge differences financially. These two tea trays demonstrate the point well. One is a silver-plated tray currently on sale with 1St Dibs for £421, the other a silver tray from A&C Silver is ticketed at £14,450.
In silver, as in life, looks can deceive; what matters is knowing what’s really in your hands.
