How do i know if a piece of silver may be worth restoring? Can there be an easy way to differentiate from silver plated pieces and Sterling silver? What is Silver?
The simplest way to determine if a piece may be worth restoring would be to determine if it's sentimental value.ed hardy ,?If that's the case, then the best way to really make it are generations (or centuries) is by using regular and proper maintenance.beads ,?Whether silver plated or Sterling, the simplest way to safeguard your piece is through regular and gentle polishing.?At Lawrence Miller & Co. we recommend using Tarni-Shield (by 3M) polishing cream.?Hagerty also makes a good polishing cloth (silver duster), but Tarni-Shield is a less abrasive polish, it leaves a protective finish, and it is what we use for hand polishing.?Polishing your silver every couple of months may be beneficial.
Whether it silver plated or Sterling silver, NEVER put silver in the dishwasher, NEVER store it inside a plastic bag, or use toothpaste as a cleaner.?After utilizing a silver piece (flatware or hollowware), wash it with a mild detergent and dry it having a soft cotton cloth.?NEVER use a paper towel to dry or clean your silver.?
Products and items that contain sulfur can also chemically react with silver and damage it to the point where it requires professional attention.?Avoid prolonged connection with rubber bands, latex gloves, foods such as eggs and mayonnaise, and certain paints, as this may also damage silver.?Tarnish is accelerated in humid environments.
Generally, pieces made from Silver are nearly always worth restoring.?In order to be considered Sterling silver, a product should be 92.5% silver (or have 925 parts per 1000).?Thus items stamped ?25?are Sterling.
Numbers stamped on a piece of silver can also be a great indicator of an item worth.?Although ?25?is easily the most common indicator of silver content (Sterling), different countries have different standards of silver content, along with other common stamps are ?00,??75,??00,?and ?50. Again, these numbers have been in reference to the silver content from 1000 (800/1000).
To be able to determine whether a product is Sterling, it is best to consider the Hallmarks (stamps often located on the bottom from the item).?A couple of the most typical Sterling stamps are ?25?and terling,?although a lot of countries get their own unique stamps that indicate the silver content of the item.?For example, Sterling silver pieces produced in England are stamped with a lion passant to be able to indicate that they're Sterling.
Because silver is a relatively soft metal in the purest form, it is almost always coupled with other metals (usually copper) for strength and durability.?Thus, if the item is Sterling (925/1000 silver), it is usually 75/1000 copper.
Along with numbers, there are several common letters that can indicate an item worth.?For instance, if there is an .P.N.S.?on an item, this means that the product is silver plated.?To be more specific, .P.N.S.?means: electro-plated nickel silver.?In other words, the item is silver plated with nickel as the base metal.?
Generally, whenever a product is stamped with a number of 3-5 letters, including .P.,?which means that it is electro-plated.
Another good way of determining if the item is plated or perhaps is Silver, is to simply view it and see if you will find any spots of discoloration, particularly about the higher parts, ridges, or edges.?Because these spots stick out, they tend to put on faster than other parts of a silver piece, and it is sometimes possible to see if the bottom metal is showing through.?Two of the most common colors are a duller grey (nickel) and an orange (copper).
Since there are so many silver Hallmarks plus they can be quite confusing, it is very likely that you may still have questions regarding a particular item.?If you're still uncertain about what an item is or such a stamp means, it may be ideal to see an expert.?