2.5 lb sterling platter at goodwill. 3.99

GoDeep

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Ohiogoldfever

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Ok so my weight guess way way off... optimistic nature got the best of me. 540 grams.

It’s not stamped sterling but it passes the magnet test with flying colors. Hold the item at a steep angle, place a strong neo magnet at the top and let it slide down. If it sticks, it’s plated at best, if it has no reaction it’s probably stainless. If it slides slowly across the surface being effected by the field currents / conductive nature of the silver bingo Bango.

Stirling is 92.5% silver, so 499.5 grams, 16 troy ounces.

67A56298-9728-4C50-B24A-B8A2B1927E7D.jpeg A5C59B0A-0CCE-4B4D-A519-8C8E603D5CA8.jpeg
 

Red-Coat

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It's a nice piece but in my opinion this is not sterling silver. As far as I know Oneida only used that particular mark on silver plate. I also don't think your 'magnet test' is a recognised or reliable way to determine the difference. Sorry.
 

Phishfarmer

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Friend, I hope it's sterling but I think it's plate. I think all Oneida sterling is marked either "sterling silver" or "heirloom". Get it checked out and HH.
 

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Ohiogoldfever

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Anything is possible. I’m only going from the info I can find Readily. Oh well cant win them all. I’ll see what the acid tells me.
 

ajaj

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It’s a nice plate, but it is definitely silver plated. Sorry. An acid test will show silver, but only because what is scraped off is silver...plate.

aj
 

Wildcat1750

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Sounds like a plated platter but every once in a while we get lucky!
 

smokeythecat

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I looked up the mark on the net and it is silver plated.
 

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Ohiogoldfever

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Anyone have a good resource for me to check them in the future? My google search didn’t give me any direct answers.
 

ARC

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Your tray is worth half of what you paid.

Dont feel bad though... it has happened to all of us who look for these things at some time or another.

I cannot count how many "sterling trays" i have bought over the years that went to the scrap yard as "crapola".

Been many years ago... but none the less... its part of the "learning curve".
 

pepperj

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Your tray is worth half of what you paid.

Dont feel bad though... it has happened to all of us who look for these things at some time or another.

I cannot count how many "sterling trays" i have bought over the years that went to the scrap yard as "crapola".

Been many years ago... but none the less... its part of the "learning curve".

I took a risk on a big old serving platter one time. Had a funny mark and .700
Turned out to be Swedish and the rest was history and tidy profit turn of $12.00-$550.00 at the local antique silver store.
 

GopherDaGold

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Plated pieces will tarnish in blue and yellow hues, sterling will tarnish black. Since most plated pieces are copper a magnet test is a complete waste of time.
 

ARC

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Plated pieces will tarnish in blue and yellow hues, sterling will tarnish black. Since most plated pieces are copper a magnet test is a complete waste of time.

Actually........ i have seen silver tarnish in every color of the rainbow.

even to a gold color. heh.

I will add... some of my best silver scores over the years have been goldish hues.

This always throws off the "newbies".

But yes... Gopher is correct... generally... mostly... 95% of the time... it will blacken.

But... remember...

Sterling contains other metals.
 

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ARC

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Actually........ i have seen silver tarnish in every color of the rainbow.

even to a gold color. heh.

I will add... some of my best silver scores over the years have been goldish hues.

This always throws off the "newbies".

But yes... Gopher is correct... generally... mostly... 95% of the time... it will blacken.

But... remember...

Sterling contains other metals.

And... i have seen gold in various forms of discoloration.
 

pepperj

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Actually........ i have seen silver tarnish in every color of the rainbow.

even to a gold color. heh.

I will add... some of my best silver scores over the years have been goldish hues.

This always throws off the "newbies".

I've also seen some really weird tones.

Having dug 9/10K gold sometimes and I've gone FAKE when first cleaning it up-and it's out to be the real deal.

Probably your exposure has had to do with the wheeling/dealings over the decades.
 

ARC

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IOW... Tarnish really does not equate to anything.
 

tamrock

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I've seen a lot of those platters with that engraved pattern, which is pressed on. I will say that's a clue it's a widely mass production silver plate item. To me having found a few pieces of pure silver items completely unmarked then the clues come from how it's constructed and the actual color and how it ages. After being at this for a long time, I have found pieces made of pure silver do stand alone against all the silver plate items that end up in thrift stores. On another note, there are old silver plate items that should not be overlooked due to the age, quality or maker's like Cistiofle of France and others, as those can be worth more than your normal silver plate.
 

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