Imperial 800 Silver Mark

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Can anyone show with conviction and period reference what this mark requires? Does it mean content IS 800 silver, minimum 800 silver? If content of medal is higher would 800 still be stamped on medal? Any period reference would be appreciated if you could include in your answer. Thank you.

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Come on...pleeeease.

[Les]

Brian,

Check out Andreas' site at:

http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:7Fquo...us&ct=clnk&cd=1

<quote>

In Germany, according to the Imperial law of 16 July 1884, published in 1886, it was up to the firm to guarantee silver content and quality. The Imperial Crown within a circle, representing the sun, was used on gold at or above the correct standard of 585/1000 parts gold. The Imperial Crown, without a circle, with a Crescent or Sickle Moon to the left was used on silver of the correct standard. This standard was to be at least 800 per 1000 parts silver.

When quality did not meet these standards, it was illegal to use these Imperial silver marks. These silver stamps were typically not used on smaller awards or delicate jewelry, which was allowed under the order, but silver content marks of 800 or 935 are often found. An example would be the Iron Cross Second Class, which offers little room for such marks.

<end quote>

He mentions the phrase "at least" which seems to imply that if an item is marked as having silver in it, that the content must be "at least" that amount.

It's quite possible that silver could mixed with another metal so that it's content could be "810" instead of "800". The absence of a wide range of stamps for every grade between 800 and 100 silver strongly suggests that the the mark is used as a "minimum" amount.

I recall Dietrich on WAF discussing the fact that it can be difficult to get a -PRECISE- measurement of the exact amount of silver in an item. If the amount varies by a percentile here or there, a law that stipulated a mark had to be precise would create problems for assayers, silver-sheet rolling firms supplying jewelers, etc, and the jewelers who the 1884 law cited in Andreas's site, would be required to guarrentee. A law spewcifying the precise silver content be marked, would mean a plethora of weird silver stamp contents, but we don't see that. The lack of those odd stamps suggests...a stamp meant the amount was a minimal amount and the actual content could be higher.

Andreas also mentions there are/were badges/medals made that contained silver, but had no silver content stamps on them. That would seem to imply the items were not sold as silver.

I can't find the regulatory statutes at this time, but perhaps an email to either Dietrich or Andreas might be of help?

I'll keep looking though...

Les

Edited February 10, 2006 by Les

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Thank you Les, it is also my interpretation and memory of readings that make me think it was a minimum measure. I thought medal manufacturers would purchase raw materials or sheets of silver of varying grades depending upon economic ups and downs and create their medals. The 800 their common stamp and denoting minimum. And yes, I've seen modern examples of jeweler statements of silver content all over the board. Just need to "drill a hole" to get a clean core and determine content.