Silver Plate vs. Sterling Silver: How to Read Vintage Silver Marks & Hallmarks

Silver Plate vs. Sterling Silver: How to Read Vintage Silver Marks & Hallmarks

You find a beautiful silver-toned tray at a vintage market.

You turn it over and discover a tiny collection of letters, numbers and mysterious symbols.

EPNS. 925. 90. A lion. An anchor. A crown. Initials inside a tiny shield.

But what do they actually mean?

Learning to recognize silver marks is one of the most useful skills you can develop when shopping for vintage tableware. Some marks can tell you that an item is silver plated, while others indicate the purity of solid silver. Certain hallmarks can even help identify where a piece was tested, who registered it and, in some cases, when it was hallmarked.

The important thing to remember is that not every silver-coloured object is sterling silver — and not every impressive-looking stamp means the same thing.

Here is a beginner-friendly guide to understanding some of the marks you may encounter on vintage silver and silver-plated pieces.

First: What Is the Difference Between Sterling Silver and Silver Plate?

Before looking at hallmarks, it helps to understand the fundamental difference between the two.

Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is an alloy containing 92.5% silver, with the remaining percentage consisting of other metals added for strength.

This is where the familiar number:

925

comes from.

It represents 925 parts silver per 1,000.

Sterling silver pieces are therefore made from silver alloy throughout rather than simply having silver applied to their surface.

Silver Plate

Silver-plated pieces are different.

They are generally made from a base metal that has been coated with a thin layer of silver.

Depending on the piece, the underlying metal might be nickel silver, copper, brass or another alloy.

Silver plate allowed manufacturers to create beautiful tableware with the appearance and many of the decorative qualities of silver at a much more accessible price.

And that doesn't make silver plate undesirable.

Some of the most beautiful vintage serving pieces we find at Vintage Finds BC are silver plated.

Trays, bowls, candlesticks, caviar servers, butter dishes, tea sets and countless other pieces were produced in silver plate — often with wonderful craftsmanship and detailing.

The First Marks to Know

When you find a vintage silver-coloured object, turn it over.

The underside is usually the first place to investigate.

You may find words, numbers, initials or symbols.

Here are some of the most common clues.

STERLING

This is one of the easiest marks to understand.

A piece clearly marked:

STERLING

generally indicates sterling silver.

On American pieces in particular, you may encounter the word rather than a complex series of British-style hallmarks.

925 or .925

Another important mark is:

925

This represents a fineness of 925 parts silver per 1,000 — the standard commonly known as sterling silver.

You may see:

925
.925
STERLING 925

depending on the country, period and manufacturer.

What Does EPNS Mean?

This is one of the marks every vintage shopper should know.

EPNS = Electroplated Nickel Silver

Despite having the word "silver" in the name, nickel silver itself is not solid silver.

The object is made from a nickel-based alloy and then electroplated with a layer of silver.

So when you see:

EPNS

you are generally looking at a silver-plated piece rather than sterling silver.

EPNS became extremely common in British and European tableware, which is why you will encounter it frequently on vintage serving pieces.

What About EP?

You may also encounter variations such as:

EP
EPNS
E.P.N.S.

The "EP" portion generally refers to electroplate/electroplated.

Again, these are clues that you are dealing with a plated object rather than a piece made entirely from sterling silver.

What Does 90 Mean on Vintage Silver?

This one causes a lot of confusion.

You find a beautiful European serving piece stamped:

90

And it's very tempting to assume this means the object is 90% silver.

Usually, it doesn't.

On many German and other Continental European silver-plated pieces, numbers such as:

20
40
60
80
90
100
150

can relate to the amount or standard of silver used in the plating process.

For example, the German "90" silver-plate system historically referred to a standardized quantity of fine silver used to plate a batch of flatware.

So:

90 does NOT automatically mean 90% silver.

In the appropriate context, it can actually be evidence that you're looking at silver plate.

This is a perfect example of why one number should never be interpreted without considering the country, manufacturer and other marks surrounding it.

What About 800, 835, 900 and Other Numbers?

This is where things get more interesting.

Numbers such as:

800
835
900
925

may represent silver fineness.

For example:

800 = 800 parts silver per 1,000
835 = 835 parts silver per 1,000
900 = 900 parts silver per 1,000
925 = 925 parts silver per 1,000

These standards can appear on European silver from different countries and periods.

So while 90 on certain European tableware may indicate silver plate, 900 can have a completely different meaning.

That extra zero matters.

This is why identifying vintage silver should always involve examining the entire set of marks, not simply spotting a number and making an assumption.

What Are Silver Hallmarks?

Now we get to the tiny symbols.

British silver is particularly famous for its hallmarking system.

Rather than relying only on a word such as "STERLING," a traditionally hallmarked British silver object may carry several small marks positioned next to one another.

Together, these marks can provide a surprising amount of information.

A modern UK hallmark includes three compulsory elements:

1. Sponsor's or Maker's Mark

This identifies the registered person or company responsible for submitting the piece for hallmarking.

It often appears as letters or initials contained within a distinctive shape.

2. Fineness Mark

This tells you the precious metal content.

For sterling silver, you'll commonly encounter:

925

The number represents silver content in parts per thousand.

3. Assay Office Mark

This tells you which Assay Office tested and hallmarked the object.

And this is where some of those beautiful little symbols come into play.

Understanding British Silver Symbols

Several British Assay Offices have historically been represented by recognizable symbols.

Among the best known are:

Leopard's Head — London

The leopard's head is associated with the London Assay Office.

Anchor — Birmingham

An anchor is associated with the Birmingham Assay Office.

Rose — Sheffield

The modern Sheffield Assay Office mark is a rose.

Castle — Edinburgh

The castle represents the Edinburgh Assay Office.

These tiny symbols can be incredibly helpful when identifying where British silver was hallmarked.

And What Is the Lion Passant?

One of the most recognizable symbols associated with British sterling silver is the:

Lion Passant

It depicts a lion walking with one front paw raised.

Historically, the lion passant has been used as the traditional fineness symbol for sterling silver in England.

So if you're examining an older British silver piece and see a tiny walking lion among a group of hallmarks, it's definitely worth investigating further.

But there is an important rule:

Never identify an entire piece from one symbol alone.

Look at all the marks together.

What Is a Date Letter?

Some British silver also carries a letter that can help determine when the piece was hallmarked.

This is called a:

Date Letter

Different letter styles and surrounding shapes were used in different years and Assay Offices.

Historically these letters were an important part of the British hallmarking system.

Today, the date letter is optional, but on vintage and antique pieces it can be extremely useful.

The important thing is that you cannot simply see the letter "A" and decide on a year.

You need to consider:

  • the Assay Office

  • the style of the letter

  • upper or lowercase

  • the shape surrounding it

  • the other hallmarks

Together, these clues can help narrow down the date.

Symbols Don't Automatically Mean Sterling Silver

This might be the most important section of this entire guide.

A piece covered in tiny symbols can look very convincing.

But:

hallmark-like symbols do not automatically mean an item is sterling silver.

Silver-plated manufacturers also used trademarks, symbols, logos, initials and decorative stamps.

Some can look surprisingly similar to official hallmarks at first glance.

That's why we never recommend identifying silver based on one impressive-looking symbol.

Instead, investigate the complete combination of marks.

Ask:

What does the number say?

Is there a recognizable fineness mark?

Is there an Assay Office symbol?

Is there a maker's or sponsor's mark?

Does it say EPNS or EP anywhere?

Where was the manufacturer located?

Do documented examples from that maker use the same marks?

This is where vintage identification becomes detective work.

And, in our opinion, that's part of the fun.

A Quick Vintage Silver Mark Cheat Sheet

MARK WHAT IT MAY INDICATE
STERLING Sterling silver
925 / .925 92.5% silver / sterling standard
800 80% silver fineness in appropriate contexts
835 83.5% silver fineness in appropriate contexts
900 90% silver fineness in appropriate contexts
EPNS Electroplated nickel silver
EP Electroplated / silver plate
90 / 100 Often associated with Continental European silver plate; requires further identification
Lion Passant Traditional British sterling silver symbol
Leopard's Head London Assay Office
Anchor Birmingham Assay Office
Rose Sheffield Assay Office
Castle Edinburgh Assay Office

Important: This table is a starting point, not a final authentication guide. Vintage silver marks vary significantly by country, manufacturer and period.

How We Examine Vintage Silver at Vintage Finds BC

When we source a silver-toned vintage piece, the first thing we want to know isn't simply whether it looks like silver.

We turn it over.

The marks on the underside can sometimes be more interesting than the decoration on the front.

We look for:

  • manufacturer's names

  • EPNS or electroplate marks

  • fineness numbers

  • country-of-origin marks

  • maker's initials

  • hallmarks and symbols

  • pattern or model numbers

Then we consider those marks alongside the construction, age, design and origin of the piece.

Sometimes the answer is obvious.

Sometimes it takes research.

And occasionally, there simply isn't enough information to make a definitive identification — in which case we believe it's better to describe a piece conservatively rather than claim something we can't verify.

Is Sterling Silver Better Than Silver Plate?

Not necessarily.

It depends on what you're buying and why you're buying it.

Sterling silver contains significantly more precious metal and generally has a higher intrinsic material value.

But when we are choosing vintage pieces, material value isn't the only thing that matters.

We also look at:

  • design

  • craftsmanship

  • age

  • maker

  • rarity

  • condition

  • patina

  • functionality

  • overall beauty

A spectacular vintage silver-plated caviar server can be far more interesting to us than an ordinary sterling silver object.

Vintage should be collected because you love the object — not simply because of the percentage of silver it contains.

What to Check Before Buying Vintage Silver

The next time you find a silver-toned piece at a thrift store, estate sale or vintage shop, don't just look at the front.

Turn it over.

Look closely.

Take a photo of the marks if they're difficult to see.

Then work through them one at a time.

Words → Numbers → Symbols → Maker → Country → Research

Don't assume that "90" means 90% silver.

Don't assume every lion, crown or shield means sterling.

And don't dismiss something beautiful simply because you discover it's silver plated.

Understanding the marks simply helps you understand what you're actually buying.

And that knowledge makes vintage shopping even more interesting.

Final Thoughts

One of the reasons we love vintage silver and silver plate is that these objects often carry pieces of their history directly on their surface.

A tiny mark hidden underneath a tray can lead you to a manufacturer.

A symbol can point toward a city.

A number can reveal something about the metal.

A date letter may help uncover when a piece was hallmarked.

Suddenly, the object in your hands isn't just a beautiful old serving dish.

It has a story.

At Vintage Finds BC, we're constantly researching the unusual silver-plated serving pieces, tableware and decorative objects that pass through our collection.

And we'll always encourage you to do one thing when you find an interesting vintage piece:

Turn it over.

You never know what the marks underneath might tell you.

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