All About Antiques

Find out if your grandmother’s silver is worth anything: how to read the marks, spot sterling vs plate, and estimate value before you sell.

Calculate the melt value of sterling silver step by step: weigh your pieces, apply the 92.5% rule, and compare with today’s spot price.

The 15 most valuable antique silver patterns, with maker marks, dates, and current prices, from Francis I to Grand Baroque. Check your set.

The most crucial difference between silver melt value and antique value is craftsmanship and rarity. While melt value is solely based on the current spot price of silver multiplied by the weight of your item (minus refining fees), antique value accounts for the maker’s reputation, historical significance, condition, and desirability to collectors. Generally, if an…

Antique sterling silver flatware is worth between its melt value and a significant collector premium, depending on maker, pattern, and condition. Genuine sterling is stamped ‘925’ or ‘STERLING’ on each piece. Sets by Gorham, Tiffany, or Georg Jensen command the highest prices. A complete 12-place setting in a desirable pattern from the 1880s to 1920s…

How much is your antique silver worth in 2026? Valuation guide covering hallmarks, weight, maker, condition, and real market prices.

Silver date letters are specific alphabetic characters stamped on British and some international silver to indicate the year of manufacture. To read them, identify the assay office mark (e.g., a leopard’s head for London) and match the accompanying letter’s font, case, and shield shape to a reliable hallmark chart. A specific letter like “A” cycles…

Silver purity marks indicate the fineness of the metal, with 925 representing sterling silver (92.5% pure), the standard for US and British silverware. 800 and 835 denote lower-grade “coin silver” commonly found in German and Italian antiques, while 950 indicates high-purity silver often seen in French Britannia standards. These impressed numbers act as a guarantee…

Authentic Gorham silver is identified by the standard Lion, Anchor, and G trademark found on the underside of sterling pieces. Items manufactured between 1868 and 1884 bear a capital letter date code (A-Q), while pieces from 1885 to 1933 feature specific year symbols, such as a wolf or an anchor. Always verify the “Sterling” stamp…