Silver Standards of the World

[admin]

Hi All,
I am trying to compile a list of precise terms for the various silver standards used throughout the world. I would imagine there are names for them in the languages of the countries that use them (aside from 1st or 2nd standard etc..) and would like your help to fill in the blanks and any gaps.

• .1000 (Japan, ?)
  .999 Fine Silver
  .980 (Mexico, ?)
  .959 (Czechoslovakia, ?)
  .950 Britannia (U.K.) - (France, Japan, Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, ?)
  .940 (Poland, Mexico, ?)
  .935 (Austria, Germany, Switzerland,?)
  .934 (Netherlands, ?)
  .930 (Netherlands {pseudomark 19cent.})
  .925 Sterling (U.K., U.S., becoming worldwide)
  .916 (Finland, Portugal, Russia, Romania, Spain, ?)
  .915 (Spain, ?)
  .900 Coin (u.s) - (China, Argentina, Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Japan, Egypt, ?)
  .875 (Russia, Baltic States, Finland, Switzerland, Romania, ?)
  .840 (Russia, ?)
  .835 (Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, ?)
  .833 (Portugal, Netherlands, ?)
  .830 (Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, ?)
  .826 (Denmark)
  .813 (Finland)
  .800 (Germany, Italy, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, Argentina, Japan, Romania, Egypt, ?)
  .750 (Germany, Italy, Spain, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, ?)
  .700 (Lebanon, ?)
  .600 (Egypt, ?)

Thanks for any input.
Tom

[Scotprov]

There was, and is, the British Britannia Standard, which is 8 pennyweights better than Sterling. This gives, to be exact, a silver quality of 95.83% silver.
Others that come to mind are Netherlands 950 and 800 until 1814, 934 and 833 until 1953, then 925 and 835 now
France had 800 standard as well.
Your project is excellent, but something of a nightmare, have a flick through Tardy - it gives a whole lot, but one has to sort it out, so an easy to look up chart will be ideal.
I have a horrible feeling it will keep you out of mischief for a while, but then you will have the satisfaction of knowing that a lot of people will be idle and will be welcoming your efforts (list me amongst that number!)

Regards
Richard

[admin]

Richard,
Britannia yikes!, missed a tree for the forest. Thanks, amended above.

Regards, Tom

[dragonflywink]

I started a similar list about 20 years ago, and found it useful but hard to research (pre-internet). Found my little list and pulled some others to add to yours (some obsolete, most from the 20th century - didn't bother with 925):

1000 - Japan (3/1000 tolerance)
959 - Czechoslovakia
950 - Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary
935 - Switzerland
930 - Netherlands (not really a standard, but sometimes appears on pseudo-marked pieces from the late 19th-early 20th century.
916 - Russia
915 - Spain
900 - Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary
875 - Switzerland
835 - Belgium, Austria
830 - Finland
800 - Switzerland, Spain, Argentina
750 - Spain, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary

Cheryl ;o)

[admin]

Thanks Cheryl,
Just added your additions (and some others) to the top post.
Regards, Tom

[dragonflywink]

Meant to include 916 for Spain, used before the 1934 change to 915 (standard is now 800 and 925, plus the Dutch 934 and 833 as Scotprov mentioned.

Cheryl ;o)

[admin]

Done,
quality control always appreciated.

[Bahner]

Hello, the 900 and 935 are also in use in Germany, mostly by small workshops that produce handbeaten silver flatware and holloware. Best wishes, Bahner

[gto]

This is all I really saw was missing:
.812 - Germany (technically .8125 like the .813 Finland but I've seen an .812 German mark on a late 19th century jewelry piece, so thought I'd add it). I think it must have been a transitional piece during the 1886-1888 transition to the Reichsmark. Just wish I hadn't sold it since I have yet to see that mark again.

(PS - it wasnt the "13", but actually marked .812, and was not an edition or pattern mark)

Add it or not, someone might end up asking someday. I think it had the Dresden city mark but I may be wrong, it was a few years back. It was definately German and 812 though!

[dragonflywink]

Have to wonder if adding all the various fineness marks found on pieces from different countries isn't straying a bit far from a project on silver standards. I hesitated to add the "930" that I've run across so often on Dutch pseudo-marked pieces, and probably shouldn't have (also run across 930 on a few German and Israeli pieces), but never considered adding the "924" that I've seen on a few pieces by Danish maker Peter Hertz. There are always going to be makers that will work in different finenesses than the country's standards (many early 20th Scandinavian makers produced sterling pieces for export to the U.S. and U.K. before 925 was part of their standard). Gorham's Martele line in 950 fineness comes to mind for American silver.

Cheryl ;o)

[admin]

Hi Cheryl,
I feel, at this point, the more information the better, as the reason I started this thread was not for the sake of the thread itself. I want to gather as much information as possible in order to create a comprehensive standards page for the website. At some future point, what is gathered here will be distilled down to the general standards in past and present use. Some oddities may be included, like the 930 Dutch mark or Ball, Black & Co.'s use of 950 silver, but they'll have explanatory notes.

So people, please keep the thread flowing, more info please! and names, surely 12 loth has a name in Germany, .950 a name Japan and .833 an name in Dutch etc...etc... What are they?

Regards, Tom

[Bahner]

Hello and yes, they have a name for it in Germany, or rather names: 800/1000 as the fineness most commonly used in Germany is simply called “Silber’’ (silver) or sometimes “800er’’. 750/1000, 835/1000 or 900/1000 are named accordingly “750er’’, “835er’’ etc. Old German silver is called “lötig”, if marked accordingly. The term “Sterling” has been widely adopted in Germany, so it is “Sterlingsilber” or simply “Sterling”. Silver from other countries is mostly named after the country of origin. It is not “950er” but rather “Französisches Silber” (French silver), “84 zolotniks” is most often “Russisches Silber” (Russian silver, only sometimes “84 zolotniks”), it is “Englisches, Dänisches, Holländisches Silber” (British, Danish, Dutch silver) etc. I think that covers the names used in Germany. Can I add a suggestion here ? There are many names for alloys which give off the impression that the alloy contains silver, while actually it does not (take “German silver” and others). Wouldn’t it be helpful to compile a second list with all those names to prevent errors ? Best wishes, Bahner

[dragonflywink]

One that pops onto my head is the Spanish Plata de Ley (standard silver) for the higher fineness and Plata Baja for the lower fineness, have also seen Plata de Segundo (second standard silver). Usually when I have to translate a foreign text it's either the numerical fineness with the country's word for silver (or Lod or Zolotnik, etc.) or translates to first or second standard(or third, etc.) . Don't often run across a separate name like the English Britannia.

Cheryl ;o)

[Katethisan]

Hi all,

I wonder whether it is enough to have only 925 on jewerelly.
Do we still need hall mark in addition?
Is it a must to have British Hall mark and .925 on jewellery pcs?

Thank you for all input.

Kate

[Novokoz]

Hi,

this may be of interest:

http://www.mirs.gov.si/fileadmin/um.gov ... EUzigi.pdf

Re: the European Union standards list.

Cheers, Kath

[/url]

[admin]

Hi Kath,
That's great, will add your link to the bottom of the World Marks page.
Thanks, Tom

[Doos]

Hi,

The 999 mark is also a legit mark for countries that joined the Vienna "Convention on the Control and Marking of Articles of Precious Metals".
Countries include: Austria, Finland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Slovak Republic, and Poland.

This is almost pure silver that gets its strength from pressure (hammering etc).

[byron mac donald]

Hi,

See article 3.1 its in french but the charts are there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallmark#L ... as_of_2007" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Theoderich]

[quote="admin"]Hi All,

.813 (Finland)
.800 (Germany, Italy, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, Argentina,



In Germany bevor 1888

10 Loth = 10/16 = 625/1000
12 Loth = 12/16 = 750/1000
13 Loth = 13/16 = 812,5/1000

[Hose_dk]

Denmark:
Lødigt before 1893 - corresponding to 1000 parts
16 pure silver (1000)
15½ danish standard in Skåne 1445 (now part of Sweden) (979 - 969)
15 during 1491-1496 and 1515-1537 (938)
14 3/4 sterling used in Denmark since 1893 (925)
14½ demanded for silver that was melted (906)
14 1496-1515 also used in large danish silver coins from 1726 (875)
13½ 1608-1893 (844)
13 1/3 accepted after 1800 (833)
13 1/4 1893-1972 (828) from 1972 (830)
13 northern part of now Germany (Hertugdømmerne) 1646 (813) also accepted i smaler danish villages after 1800
12½ not accepted (underlødigt sølv) (781)
12 accepted 1706 for millitary buttons called Flensburgerprobe (750)
11½ (719)
11 (688)
10½ (656)
10 (625) accepted after 1813 Denmark went broke so in smaler villages these were accepted - if the silversmith clearly marked the item.
9 (563)
8 (500) Kanonsilver or foxsilver, not accepted
5 used for smaller silver coins during 1700 (312)
4 used for the coin 4-skilling 1807 (250)