How often does this really happen?

[Ryedale]

Hello all,

I've been hanging out in the Coin Roll Hunting forum quite a bit, but today I've got a story that fits better here.
My wife went with a friend to a church bazzaar sale. They went to the "White Elephant Room" where everything is half off. I had just recently bought a couple pieces of sterling ware from a friend, it had been sitting around the house for the past week, so I think her eye was tuned in. She spotted a metal plate, marked $3 and got it for $1.50. She came home with a big smile on her face and handed it to me, and I said hey neat, flipped it over and it says.........International Sterling Prelude H229. It's about 10 inches in Diameter

I weighed it and it tipped the scale at 314 Grams. So about 9+ troy oz. of pure silver. There is one small ding in the piece, near the detent in the center of the plate.

Needless to say, it's the least amout of money we've ever spent for 9+ OZ. of Silver, and other than the ding, the piece is very nice. Just had to share, afterall this is the Treasure Hunting forum, and I'm quite proud of my wifes find today.

 

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[Coinkid]

Wow!! NICE FIND!!

 

[jewelerdave]

Honestly Id double check it and get another opinion, you can find sterling silver ware at flee markets and stuff in with the plate by mistake but they will always be marked with the company name and a stamp of sterling or .925

A Lot of the plate out there has a company name that has sterling in it. A way to make it look higher class and more expensive.
For example, I could sell plated wares and call my company, International Sterling, or Sterling Silver ware INC or World wide sterling. and still just plate brass. Typically common if the Sterling part and company name are raised and not a stamping into the metal. A filing on the edge is the best way to tell as sometimes the plate is thick.
I have even found Aluminum silver ware that has the word sterling on it, as it was made by a company that made spoons that was something with the word sterling in it, probably made back when aluminum was an expensive premium metal...no longer though. can you take a picture of the stamp on the back?
Typically sterling silver flat ware and dishes were prized possessions if made of sterling, Just as they are today. Often sold in sets and purchased by the better off, and kept together, its rare than someone would buy just one sterling item. Or be willing to let it go so cheap, Particularly an item of that size and weight. Id just double check to be sure.
It just sounds too much like a company trade mark and collection name and style number the whole
International Sterling Prelude H229

Items back then were just as classist as they are today, I feel if it were sterling it would have a nice deep stamp letting you know, STERLING SILVER or .925 as it is seen on sterling silver pieces.

 

[Ryedale]

Honestly Id double check it and get another opinion...............

Here is a link to a website that shows exactly what is on the bottom of the piece. It has the Knight head and everthing.
http://www.925-1000.com/americansilver_I.html

Here is a website that has a pic of the exact piece and number H229
http://www.replacements.com/webquote/INSPREP.htm
and attached is the pic on the site.

But it Does appear that International made a plated patern called Prelude too. More investigation is needed. I understood it was essentially illegal to stamp something Sterling if it was not .925.

 

[ivan salis]

ah but the "plating" is indeed sterling you said they were talking about the "whole" item thus middle class folks buy"quality" plated stuff -- and if while shes in the other room if the nosy bats that are over for "tea" while interveiwing her membership to the "club" look at the bottom --- they'll see the silver "sterling" and knights head --- so "yep" -- its silver --- so the lady passe's muster to "join" the snotty old biddies "bridge" club --- its why the well to do know all about patterns and such --ie which are "plated" patterns and which are "real silver" --- reallly darling

 

[Ryedale]

ah but the "plating" is indeed sterling you said they were talking about the "whole" item thus middle class folks buy"quality" plated stuff -- and if while shes in the other room if the nosy bats that are over for "tea" while interveiwing her membership to the "club" look at the bottom --- they'll see the silver "sterling" and knights head --- so "yep" -- its silver --- so the lady passe's muster to "join" the snotty old biddies "bridge" club --- its why the well to do know all about patterns and such --ie which are "plated" patterns and which are "real silver" --- reallly darling

So do I still need to gouge or file the piece? Is it or is it not solid sterling silver?

 

[jewelerdave]

file a bit of the edge or use sand paper, if its solid sterling it will not change color as you sand, you may need to go into it a bit, File an edge down a little bit, then take fine sand paper too it, if it stays silver its silver, if there is a darker grey its a sub plate of nickel or nickel silver witch is just copper and nickel, if you go below that and it turns brassy its brass.

Or take it to a jeweler who is a metal smith, Ie not a mall or corporate store, find a guy who is either a silver or gold smith or coin dealer and ask for a quick to see if its real or not. Dont say your looking to sell it, you just want to know a professional opinion.

IF you do file it and it is silver its easy enough to re polish it and no harm done. And you know for sure.

 

[ivan salis]

great ideal --- since the company that made it is still in bussiness, why don't you call or write them asking what you need to know. ---plus it doesn't damage the item in any way thus not harming its possible "resale" value ------ Ivan

 

[Silver_Fox]

One exactly like it just sold on Ebay for $114.50.

 

[Ryedale]

OK update.

I used a tiny 4 inch file, and searched for a place to check it. Cut in with the edge so it cut a 90 degree little mark, Used my loupe to inspect, and it's white as can be, well below where "plating would be. In fact I though if I went too far it might go through. I did this on the underside, and after putting it down and picking it back up, it took a minute or so to find the mark again. Im not a silversmith, but I'm betting it's solid sterling. International Silver Co. is the manufacturer.

Thanks for all the tips everyone.

Just a point about this sterling metalware. As much fuss as is made over it, In my opinion it's absoluetly not a practical way to make dinner ware. I just cannot immagine eating off something like this. It transmits heat so fast. Can you immagine having a nice steak, and your steak knife leaving a big nasty mark in it the first time you use it? In a way it's pretty rediculous. Not to mention, the stuff is actually flimsy, and has a dull thud to it when you tap it, it's too soft overall.
Now one good thing about it is that if Gold and Silver coins were ever "illegal" to own or something like that, about 200 pieces of metalware in a couple cardboard boxes would easily move across boarders and such in say.... old Europe, or anywhere, It's a pretty onobvious way to store wealth. Pretty interesting concept really. I would love to have about 1000 oz of sterling silverware, and metalware.
I thougt of something tonight, when this stuff was made lets say in the early 20th century or whatever, keep in mind the price of silver per oz, a 10 oz plate (like this one) would have been about a dollar per oz, like a silver dollar, (which is actually about .7 oz troy) So you got your 10 dollar plate, to eat your steak on. When Henry Ford was trying to attract workers to Detroit in the early part of the century, say in teens, he offered an unprecedented 5 dollar wage per day. So one silver plate woud be about 2 days of blue collar wages back then. There probably weren't many people at Ford that bought Sterling, but at the same time, it wasn't out of reach, to even the average man if he wanted to have a few pieces. But when you think about it, the coinage was silver anyway, so it probably had a different allure than it does now.

Ok thanks again for all the input people, I appreciate it.

 

[Twisted Fork]

I remember one years ago just before the metal market hit it's first high peak. I paid several bucks for it at a yard sale and sold it the next year for close to $140.oo