Taxco Mexican Sterling Silver Bracelet

[hombre_de_plata_flaco]

.925 Sterling Silver and Onyx Bracelet. Paid $3.00

I love this Mexican Taxco Silver jewelry. I know Taxco Silver has been discussed in a few threads here (diggumup is quite well versed on these items) but I am toying with the idea of starting a thread completely dedicated to this stuff.

Taxco should be on everyone's list of stuff to look for. DO NOT SCRAP! REPEAT: DO NOT SCRAP! Don't even bother weighing it because you will get WAY more than melt. I saw a 66 gram necklace ($60 scrap) sell for $300 a while back on the popular auction site. This stuff is HOT HOT HOT right now. I find it all the time and it's always been cheap to procure. It's constantly overlooked. I don't know if people check the markings and assume because they see " Mexico" it's cheaply made or what, but I have never paid more than $5.00 for any piece I have ever bought. This one should sell for around $40-$50. Some of the older and more ornate pieces can fetch VERY high prices so I always keep an eye out for it.

They have a very complicated system of markings that have changed constantly over the years. Sometimes they will have a mark that says "Taxco", but this particular piece was marked "Mexico TD-75". The "T" stands for Taxco, the "D" is the first initial of that particular silversmiths last name, and "75" means he was the 75th silversmith with "D" being the first initial of his last name to register at the Taxco Assay Office. This specific set of markings also means the piece was made sometime after 1979 which is when this making standard was implemented.

This website is pretty helpful for identification:

http://www.925-1000.com/mexican_marks.html

As is this book:

http://books.google.com/books?id=4n7...page&q&f=false

Popular auction site completed listings for "Vintage Taxco"

http://www.ebay.com/csc/i.html?_nkw=....c0.m270.l1313


Viva' Me-hee-ko!

[kyriverpirate]

I have always passed on the mexican jewleery .Thanks for the info

[Goldmanford]

Mexican jewelry is my absolute favorite to find and when it's Taxco it's always special to me. I have found some very beautiful pieces in my adventures. I love your bracelet! Nice find!

[s.c.shooter]

Found a nice one on the beach in Daytona. Had nice weight to it. Thanks for the info.

[iceman0xh]

So glad I saw this thread I have a Taxco bracelet with turquoise stones I was going to send to the melter when silver came back up some. I dont know if the artist matters in this tho. Mine has TF-83 marked. Are certain people worth more?

[redfish76]

you were thinking of starting a thread completely dedicated to Taxco lets start here
I picked up a Taxco ring at a thrift shop for $3.00

[jerseyben]

What should I do with this TAXCO earring that is missing its mate?

[diggummup]

Here is a pin/brooch I picked up a while back.