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I damaged my SILVER!! Also, need help with hallmarks...

S

Saddle Up

New member
I posted earlier about finding my first silver with my Etrac... a spoon marked Sterling. It was bent and dirty when I pulled it. Turns out I hit it not once, but twice with my shovel. So, it's scraped near the end of the handle and on the bowl part of the spoon, but it's still my first silver. It has hallmarks of a lion (not a head but the full body), an anchor, and then a third that I can't really make out. I used to have a jewelers loupe somewhere, so I'll have to find it to see what this third one is. This was found in the small yard of a house built in 1910 near a tree only about three inches down against the tree root. The root is probably the main reason I hit the spoon, because I took several stabs with my shovel trying to get a hole dug. I'm going to attempt to add photos shortly.

-Saddle Up
 
Well, I tried to upload actual size, but it said the files were too big. So, here goes nothing with smaller photos.
 
I was so focused on the Sterling mark and the hallmarks, that I completed overlooked (until just now) that it also says Pat. 1900. Don't know how old it really is, but that's pretty cool.
 
If you have a smart phone ...they have an app for that.
 
I don't know much about collectible silver, but at least damage doesn't affect possible melt value, I just wish silver prices would stop crashing! I'm guessing you use a larger shovel for recovery? My knees are fine so I don't mind using a Lesche hand tool, but while learning to recover, I damaged my first wheat penny badly. Live and learn...
 
Congratulations! You have found a sterling silver teaspoon made by the Gorham Silver Company- the 3 maker's marks on the back are "Lion- Anchor- G". The pattern is "Buttercup"[ and is listed with a patent date of 1899- not sure why it would be "1900" on the spoon, unless somehow the patent FILING date was 1899, and ISSUE date was 1900. No matter- it is an unusual pattern in that it is STILL being manufactured- there are only a few patterns out of the over 1000 American sterling silver flatware patterns ever made that stayed in production for over a century. It is listed as a collectible pattern, but with the shovel dings it is now close to an ounce of scrap 92.5 % silver. As it is not a coin, cleaning on this piece will not affect value- an easy way to quickly make it look better is to dump out a small spoonful of baking soda on the edge of the sink, wet your thumb, dip in the BP to make a sort of paste, and rub the silver. Tarnish will quickly wear away and you will be able to see the true beauty of the pattern. Now go back and find the matching fork and knife...
 
Buy magic eraser they sell it in the cleaning section at the store. It great for cleaning items like this give it a try.
 
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